2021 - 20 - Bible Reading

Week 20: Solomon: From Success to Failure

Sunday’s Sermon: Michael Holland

Bible Readings:

Sunday, May 9: Isa 45–48

Monday, May 10: Isa 49–53

Tuesday, May 11: Isa 54–58

Wednesday, May 12: Isa 59–63

Thursday, May 13: Isa 64–66

Friday, May 14: Jer 1–3

Saturday, May 15: Jer 4–6

Brief Overview of the Biblical Content

Solomon: From Success to Failure

By Doy Moyer

Solomon’s father, David, had already made plans and preparations for the building of the temple, yet Solomon was the one chosen to actually build it. The temple project was indeed impressive, and it took Solomon 7 years to build it (1 Kgs 6:38). God had made the promise to Solomon:

1 Kings 6:12–13 ESV

12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father. 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.”

Solomon had started out on the right foot and it was up to him to keep it going in the right direction.

Solomon was also warned that if he turned aside from covenant, there would be consequences: “But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from My land which I have given you, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples” (2 Chr 7:19-20).

Solomon also built his own palace, and it took him thirteen years to do so (which may indicate a problem itself in proportion to the time spent on the temple). Much of the work that Solomon had done was through the use of forced labor, which would also be a problem on its own.

The wisdom and wealth of Solomon were well known far and wide: “So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. All the earth was seeking the presence of Solomon, to hear his wisdom which God had put in his heart” (1 Kgs 10:23-24). Sadly, this would not inoculate Solomon against that which would turn him against God.

There is an interesting connection in the story of Solomon that helps explains this turn. From Birth, the Lord loved Solomon (2 Sam 12:24). Initially, Solomon loved the Lord (1 Kgs 3:3). But the turning point for Solomon in seen in 1 Kings 11:1: “Now King Solomon loved many foreign women....” Solomon’s love for these women put him in severe spiritual danger. With 700 wives and 300 concubines, he was bound to compromise the covenant principles, and he did.

1 Kings 11:4–7 ESV

4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem.

Solomon’s sins would have serious consequences. Instead of unifying the nation as David had done, Solomon’s actions would hurt the nation and create a divide that could never be fully healed (apart from Christ, that is). He was beginning to do the very things that were warned against in Deuteronomy 17:16-17: “Moreover, he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor shall he cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never again return that way.’ He shall not multiply wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.” Solomon multiplied both horses and wives, and even took for his first wife a princess of Egypt. The irony abounds, and his heart was turned away.

1 Kings 11:9–11 ESV

9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. 11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.

God was talking about Jeroboam, the one who would become king of the northern kingdom. Solomon even sought to put Jeroboam to death, to no avail. Other enemies rose up against Solomon as well, and what had been so peaceful would be disturbed by rebellion. Sadly, the legacy of Solomon would be remembered, not for his wisdom, but for his failure to stay true to God. This, of course, represents a great irony, for there is no greater wisdom than staying true to God.

Solomon surely teaches us that wisdom and wealth can only be truly valuable when harnessed within the boundaries of doing God’s will.

Four questions to ask after each day’s reading:

Key events, teaching, or concept:

Key verses:

What is God telling me about Himself or my relationship with Him?

How does this apply to my life today?