Solomon was the epitome of the guy who had it all… Wealth, palaces, livestock, and fame. And yet it never seemed to be enough. God told Solomon at the beginning of his rule that as long as he kept his heart and his kingdom focused on the Lord it would go well. Unfortunately, the things he was pursuing didn’t fully satisfy him and he craved more… And that included wives and women. He began to worship the other gods of his many wives and concubines, thus reducing God to second, third or even tenth place. God made it very clear that Solomon would be a favored King as long as he and his kingdom kept their heart focused on God, but as often happens, fame and fortune got the best of Solomon. Because of this, God reduced Solomon’s kingdom and influence, while maintaining that it would not be forever and that a descendent of David would return to the throne… Paving the way for Jesus!
What can we learn from these chapters? First, the pursuit of these things isn’t in and of itself bad. At first, Solomon still had God’s favor because Solomon had kept God first in his heart. That was the first of the Ten Commandments even, which would have been very familiar to Solomon. So keeping God first is a foundational principle of faith.
Second, we can learn that the things of this world will not ultimately satisfy that deep and abiding need for love that only God can provide. Those small g gods are not in and of themselves bad unless and until they become more important than God.
Finally, God is a God of unlimited grace. Even despite Solomon’s wandering, God still loved him and kept his promise through his lineage. God doesn’t abandon his people and will ALWAYS love you, no matter how you feel about him. That is a beautiful and life-giving truth! Hold onto that more than anything else…
Questions for reflection:
- Why do you think Solomon’s lust and greed for things got the best of him? What can you learn from that?
- What does it mean to truly put God first in our lives?