1Kings 11:1-4 - Now
King Solomon loved many foreign women: the daughter of Pharaoh, and Moabite,
Ammonite, E'domite, Sido'nian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the LORD had
said to the people of Israel, "You shall not enter into marriage with
them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart
after their gods"; Solomon clung to these in love. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and
three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 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.
As Solomon aged…he added many women to his haram….one
thousand in all. Seven hundred of those were wives….the others concubines. He let their influence change his heart…and
turned from worshiping the God who had given him his wisdom and wealth…to
worship the gods of his wives and concubines.
He broke his side of the agreement with God…to always walk in his ways...and
worship him alone.
Oh how it must have broken God’s heart when he came to
Solomon to tell him he could no longer keep the agreement he had made with his
father David. He was very angry with Solomon…but remained merciful and kind…out
of respect for his father David. He told
Solomon that he would remain king till he died…but that he would raise up an
enemy to strip all but one tribe’s leadership from his son.
Solomon’s heart had changed so much that he did not even
show any remorse. Somewhere along the
road to his older years…he left his spiritual being far behind…and allowed
satan in his house. His wisdom was limited
to his political affairs….as he allowed the women of his life to overcome his
need for God.
If the wisest man on Earth had a weakness that satan could capitalize
on…then so do all of us. I know for a fact this is true….because I could tell
you a story about a girl who swore on her Bible that she would never
drink. But satan found her weakness….and
while she worked weekends at a restaurant that served alcohol …and since her
own marriage was very weak….she allowed the fellowship and kindness of the ‘party
crowd’ she worked with…to weaken her faith…and turn her heart just enough to
have that first drink.
It would be two long years…and a few other side trips of
more mature drinking in the privacy of my new home after a divorce …before I
realized that satan had pulled me completely from God’s ways…helping me justify
what I wanted to do. Thank God he came
to me in the form of a wonderful church…and showed me how that drinking was not
helping me grow in him….and I have been a non-drinker ever since.
I could probably tell you other stories from my own life
that prove my theory….that none of us are strong enough to fight off the devil’s
sneaky tricks on our own. And Solomon’s
wisdom…separated from God’s love… void of any relationship with God…stopped him from recognizing
satan in his many wives other gods. If I
examine my heart...right now …today…am I letting down my defenses any….allowing
satan to see any weaknesses...that he might be able to attack…and eventually
use to turn me away from God? Or…even
worse….is there something else in my life that I consider so important…that
satan has already twisted my thinking….and I have justified it…even though I
know the Bible clearly says it is wrong?
Father…I ask you to search my heart and reveal to me any
small thing …stumbling blocks….that satan might be able to use to turn me away from
your love. Help me to recognize it as a
stumbling block to building a closer relationship with you…and give me the
strength to remove it from my life.
Thank you for allowing this story of Solomon’s great sin to be recorded
in your word for me to read….to remind me to examine my own life and habits…so
that I might be stronger against satan’s tricks and schemes. Amen.
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