When our heart becomes full of cultural priorities, and the allurements of the world distract us, God has given us an anchor – God’s Word that keeps us faithful. Our most critical priority every day is to love God and do what He says. Outside of scripture, it’s easy to drift away into the accessible and enticing. The wisest King of Israel, Solomon, demonstrates that staying true to God, more than intellect, depends on your heart for God and His written Word.
Solomon gives us a life lesson that helps understand our need to remain faithful to God and His commands.
SOLOMON LOVES GOD
King Solomon began his rule with honor and humility. Early in his reign, Solomon went to worship at Gibeon with thousands of sacrifices that showed his love for the Lord. That night God appeared and said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (1 Kings 3: 5). Solomon says he is “as a little child” who needs the wisdom and a discerning heart to lead the people.
GOD GIVES SOLOMON WISDOM
God, pleased with Solomon’s request,
promises even more than he asked.
I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life” 1 Kings 3:12-14.
Solomon’s wisdom and breadth of understanding were as “measureless as the sand on the seashore” (1 Kings 4:32-34). The people were awed. Israel’s ally, Hiram, King of Tyre declared that the Lord had given Israel a wise son to rule over the nation (1 Kings 5:7). Solomon the wisest King, was known as a builder, horticulturist, zoologist, writer, musician, excelling administrator, and visionary leader. Three of the five books of wisdom in the Bible were written by Solomon – Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom (1 Kings 4:34)
SOLOMON BUILDS THE TEMPLE
Solomon’s glorious, crowning achievement and fulfillment of his Father’s vision was the opulent Temple that housed God’s presence. Following every detail of God’s instruction through David, the Temple was the most grandiose building in Jerusalem and the nation that housed the presence of God.
DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE
After seven years the Temple is complete. King Solomon‘s beautiful dedicatory prayer is full of thanksgiving to God for faithfully keeping His promises to Israel. The King dedicates the people and intercedes for them fully knowing their propensity towards sin. See 1 Kings 8:44-50.
With great fanfare, thousands of sacrifices, and 120 priests blowing trumpets, along with skilled musicians ushered in God’s presence. Fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The people knelt down on the pavement with their faces to the ground and gave thanks.
Following this dedication of the Temple, the Lord spoke again to Solomon, affirming continued good promises. Solomon would never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel if he would keep God’s decrees, laws, and commandments.
But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name (2 Chronicles 7:19-20.)
SOLOMON DELIBERATELY DISOBEYS
The wisest King did a stupid thing.
Solomon did not obey the Lord but turned away from him. So the Lord was angry with Solomon and said to him, “Because you have deliberately broken your covenant with me and disobeyed my commands, I promise that I will take the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your officials. 1 Kings 11: 9-13
Solomon built a high place for the Moabite god, Chemosh, and the Ammonite god, Molech. These places of idol worship included the abhorrent practice of child sacrifice.
You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods (Deuteronomy 12:31).
This wisest King no longer gave God priority. He cast aside the source of his wisdom and disobeyed the commands through Moses. He no longer sang the songs of his father, David (writer or many of the Psalms). Though Solomon was King in Jerusalem for 40 years, his coldness towards God led to the downfall and eventual exile.
God has given us a guide, a light in the darkness, and a way to know abundant life complete with God’s blessings. As we read, study, and apply the principles, we will know God’s leading and approval.
Solomon gradually drifted from God.
- He began spending more time with others than with God.
- He lost priority in pleasing God.
- He grew self-sufficient with wealth and fame.
- He ignored God’s commands.
- He loved the wrong people and forgot to do what he penned, “Above all things, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23.
The wisest man on earth failed to remain wise in his heart towards God.
THREE THINGS THAT KEEP US FOCUSED:
Reading the Word daily, obeying what it says, and keeping a heart to please the Lord, will guard against drifting away from God.
Read the Word daily.
Obey God.
- Solomon loved his wives more than he loved God. He failed to remember the Source of his splendor as King.
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- When you love God, you will obey God’s commandments (John 14:15 GW).
Please God.
It’s easy to believe God loves us. We show God how much we love Him as we read, obey, and please Him. God’s Word will keep us focused and our heart right!
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12: 1-3
Have you been in the Word today? God-secrets are waiting for you!
