Learning From Their Life: Solomon
By: Kristen L. McNulty
Reprint rights available on request. Email the author at kristenmcnulty@hotmail.com.
Last week we started a new series as part of our Impact Devotionals where we shine the spotlight on someone in the Bible and try to learn from their lives, from both the high points and the low points, both the struggles and the triumphs. Last week we took a look at the life of King David, this week we are looking at his son, Solomon.
Solomon was the son of David and Bathsheba and is a prominent figure in the Old Testament. He was given the privilege of taking over from his father as King of the nation and was tasked with the great responsibility of building God's temple.
SOLOMON STARTED STRONG AND OBEYED GOD
We see in scripture that Solomon starts off his life with the best of intentions and his heart in the right place. As soon as Solomon becomes King he gets to work building the temple according to the exact specifications given to him. Solomon could have given into pride or rebellion and tried to build the temple with his own spin on the designs or plans, but he did not. He followed the instructions that his father was given by God and constructed the temple to perfection, sparing no expense. That kind of obedience is worth noting and replicating in our own lives.
SOLOMON SOUGHT WISDOM ABOVE ALL ELSE
We can further see how Solomon had his heart in the right place when we pick up his story in the first chapter of the book of 2 Chronicles. Here God offered Solomon a gift that is not a common one, the ability to ask for whatever he wanted with the promise that he would receive it. Now while most of us would ask for fame or wealth or health, Solomon desired something of more lasting value: wisdom. God was pleased with Solomon's request and said to him:
"Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, fame, or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people- I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested. But I will also give you wealth, riches, and fame such as no other king has had before you or will ever have in the future!" 2 Chronicles 1:11-12
The gift of wisdom aided Solomon in his reign as King and helped to build his reputation as a just ruler.
SADLY SOLOMON'S LIFE TOOK A TURN
It would be wonderful if the story ended here. We can learn so much from Solomon’s heart, his desire for wisdom and the way he obeyed God as he constructed the temple. Unfortunately, Solomon didn’t always stay on the straight and narrow and while it sadly tainted his life and legacy, it is something you and I can learn from.
Despite his many strengths, Solomon was not given immunity from temptation. He gave into temptation and took on many wives and concubines, which is problematic in itself, but Solomon’s choice in the character of said wives was also a devastating mistake. Instead of following God’s counsel of only marrying people from the nation of Israel, Solomon married women from foreign lands who did not worship the one true God. Eventually being married to multiple wives who were worshipping false idols led Solomon’s heart astray as well (1 Kings 11). First he started with tolerating the presence of idols in his country and in his household, but it wasn’t long before Solomon started also worshipping false gods. We find what I believe to be one of the most tragic verses in the Old Testament in 1 Kings 11, starting at verse 4 where it reads:
"In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship ot her gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been... In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he refused to follow the Lord completely, as his father, David, had done." 1 Kings 11:4,6
SOLOMON DID NOT REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE END
Isn’t that just devastating? Here is a guy who started off desiring God before all else andinstead of remaining faithful to God and having the legacy of the one who builtthe temple, we now know Solomon as the one who built a temple to the one true God but also build pagan shrines because his heart had turned away from God. Even more tragic is that Solomon did not head down this road out of ignorance. Twice he was warned by God to turn away from his evil ways and twice he refused to pay attention to the warning and instead continued on his path of destruction.
Somewhere along the way Solomon’s heart hardened towards God and he was quite comfortable engaging in sin and rebellion. Will the same be said of you and I? Solomon’s life cautions us to the reality that someone can start off strong in their faith but somewhere along the way allow themselves to be led astray. Just because wecome from a strong Christian family or we once were completely sold out to God orwe received spiritual gifts like wisdom doesn’t make us immune from temptationor rebellion.
Solomon’s life is awarning to never take our foot off the gas pedal when it comes to our faith and our pursuit of God. It’s also a warning to never tolerate any idols in our lives, because as we can clearly see, merely putting up with the presence of an idolcan lead us down the road of eventually worshipping it ourselves.
Ironically before David passed down the throne to Solomon, he gave him very wise advice. It was advice that Solomon rejected, but you and I would do well to follow. Closing off with 1 Chronicles 28:9 where David said:
"And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the LORD sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." 1 Chronicles 28:9
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