Day 164 – Solomon & His Wives

• We’ve followed the life of Solomon for a few days now and much of what we read about his reign been encouraging. Solomon ruled wisely in many respects, although you may have seen hints of moments when Solomon’s choices haven’t always had God at the centre. In today’s passages, his sinful departure from living under God’s Word is shown in a dramatic and devastating way.
• Look at the Deuteronomy passage first. We’ve read it before. What were the three things that God says kings were not to “collect”? How many of these things was Solomon guilty of throughout the passages we have read in 1 Kings? Have a think about why these specific things might have been listed by God.
• How many wives and concubines (lovers) did Solomon have? More worryingly, where were they from? What was so dangerous about this? Be careful about your understanding here. God warns against his inter-country marriage not because of a race issue, but because of the damage of their false gods and practices.
• Solomon was the wisest man on earth and yet his heart was turned by these relationships. Can you see why we might discourage relationships with non-Christians when you read passages like this?
• How did God respond to Solomon’s disobedience, both in 1 Kings 11:6 and in the later words of chapter 11? What does God say will happen to his kingdom, and when?
• Who were the people that were adversaries to Solomon? During this period of punishment, can you nevertheless see God’s grace in Solomon’s life?
• You might not immediately see it, but this is a major point in the historical story of God’s people. The prediction of a split country in 1 Kings 11:31-32 comes true, as we’ll soon read. What’s more, Solomon has started to lead like any other king in one of their neighbouring countries, just as God has said would happen. Future kings, of whom we’ll read over the next month or so, will continue down this sorry path towards greater and greater evil and departure from the God who saved them.
• Years after this point in time, we read in the book of Nehemiah that the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after being in captivity for over seventy years, and Nehemiah reminded the returning people of Solomon’s sin. Why?

Today’s passages give glimpses to the split kingdom and future exile of the nations. It’s a fascinating period, and we’ll be studying it carefully over the coming month or so.

Believe it or not, we can get encouragement from Solomon’s sinful behaviour. Faith, obedience, salvation and happiness are never the result of world possessions. Solomon had everything – health, wisdom, wealth, power, fame, sex. Everything. There was no earthly thing that he didn’t have at his fingertips to satisfy him. We read about this yesterday, didn’t we, as we considered the thoughts of the author of Ecclesiastes. Nothing provided complete fulfilment though, or prevented his infidelity. It’s more likely that they got in the way of following the Lord rather than helping.

Jesus, however, came to the world with nothing. He lived a life of obedience and contentment. In Jesus we know that wealth and power don’t save us any more than poverty or weakness. Salvation and fulfilment have come to use through Jesus himself, who became poor in order that we might have the gift of riches eternal in heaven.