Reading: I Kings 5 - 11
My Verse: "For Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as David his father did" (11:6).
Solomon was one of the greatest men earth has ever seen. "So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had put in his mind" (10:23,24). How does so great a man turn from You, LORD God? He did not have to deal with adversity. He was blessed many times over. And yet, he strayed.
The Queen of Sheba traveled a great distance to meet and talk with him. After meeting him she was, "breathless and overcome." She said, "I did not believe it until I came and my eyes had seen. Behold, the half was not told me. You have added wisdom and goodness exceeding the fame I heard." She said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, Who delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel!"(10:5 - 9). She was indeed a perceptive woman. She realized that all that Solomon was came from God. Luke 11:31 states that she said, "here is more than Solomon." Yes, she knew that You, LORD God made Solomon what he was. It is just so sad that Solomon forgot that.
Yes, Solomon had it all and yet slowly, gradually he slid away from You, LORD God. He placed his focus on collecting and acquiring much - silver and gold, garments, equipment, spices, chariots, horsemen. All this you had forbidden in Deuteronomy 17:16-17. He acquired 700 wives and 300 concubines. "But King Solomon [defiantly] loved many foreign women" (11:1) He did this defiantly because this too You, LORD God warned against. You have always meant that marriage be between one man and one woman. And so these many women "turned away his heart after other gods" (11:4). Solomon stopped looking up. He looked only to what would pleasure him at the moment!
Ecclesiastes, that great book of wisdom echoes the sadness of Solomon's slide from Your fellowship. Ecclesiastes chapter 2 records how he tries to quench his thirst for worldly experiences, desperately trying to make himself happy. In the end he concludes: "This is also vanity" (2:23).
Oh, LORD God, You offer us so much and yet we on our part must make specific, definite steps - actions to walk in the path You plan for us. You provide each of us the wisdom and skills needed to seek out Your fellowship, we need to purpose in our hearts to seek You out each and every day. We can never allow ourselves to become slack in this. Solomon's life illustrates why.
Solomon's conclusion: "The end of the matter, all has been heard. "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement with every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14).
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
My Verse: "For Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as David his father did" (11:6).
Solomon was one of the greatest men earth has ever seen. "So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom which God had put in his mind" (10:23,24). How does so great a man turn from You, LORD God? He did not have to deal with adversity. He was blessed many times over. And yet, he strayed.
The Queen of Sheba traveled a great distance to meet and talk with him. After meeting him she was, "breathless and overcome." She said, "I did not believe it until I came and my eyes had seen. Behold, the half was not told me. You have added wisdom and goodness exceeding the fame I heard." She said, "Blessed be the LORD your God, Who delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel!"(10:5 - 9). She was indeed a perceptive woman. She realized that all that Solomon was came from God. Luke 11:31 states that she said, "here is more than Solomon." Yes, she knew that You, LORD God made Solomon what he was. It is just so sad that Solomon forgot that.
Yes, Solomon had it all and yet slowly, gradually he slid away from You, LORD God. He placed his focus on collecting and acquiring much - silver and gold, garments, equipment, spices, chariots, horsemen. All this you had forbidden in Deuteronomy 17:16-17. He acquired 700 wives and 300 concubines. "But King Solomon [defiantly] loved many foreign women" (11:1) He did this defiantly because this too You, LORD God warned against. You have always meant that marriage be between one man and one woman. And so these many women "turned away his heart after other gods" (11:4). Solomon stopped looking up. He looked only to what would pleasure him at the moment!
Ecclesiastes, that great book of wisdom echoes the sadness of Solomon's slide from Your fellowship. Ecclesiastes chapter 2 records how he tries to quench his thirst for worldly experiences, desperately trying to make himself happy. In the end he concludes: "This is also vanity" (2:23).
Oh, LORD God, You offer us so much and yet we on our part must make specific, definite steps - actions to walk in the path You plan for us. You provide each of us the wisdom and skills needed to seek out Your fellowship, we need to purpose in our hearts to seek You out each and every day. We can never allow ourselves to become slack in this. Solomon's life illustrates why.
Solomon's conclusion: "The end of the matter, all has been heard. "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement with every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14).
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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