Day 172 – 1 Kings 10-11, 2 Chronicles 9

Talking Points

• Solomon’s wisdom and success are unrivaled. He is renowned for being the world’s richest and wisest king, so much so that the Queen of Sheba heard of him and had to come investigate for herself. As she spent time with him, the queen “[tested] Solomon with difficult questions” that were in her heart (2 Chronicles 9:1). It seems she was also seeking the meaning and purpose of life, wrestling with the hard issues of “life under the sun.” Think of people — all the roads we travel, all the sources we check out trying to find truth. “Maybe this is it?”
• Solomon rebells against God, sinning by taking many pagan wives and concubines. Just as God had warned, Solomon rebells further, worshiping their false gods — an action despicable in the eyes of God. The Bible says he “held fast” to these evil practices, and his heart was divided (1 Kings 11:2-4).
• God raises up adversaries as instruments of judgment against Solomon and the nation. The kingdom will be split. Solomon reigned 40 years and then passes away.
• As Solomon’s life ends, two things stand out:
  
  First — wisdom, success, even proximity to God do not produce obedience. Only a heart wholly given to God does that. Solomon, in all of his wisdom, even having met with God twice, rebels against Him. Solomon’s downfall begins when “his wives turned his heart away” (1 Kings 11:3).
  
  Second — God is faithful. The LORD tells Solomon that He will tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s son’s hand, leaving only “one tribe,” Judah (and Benjamin) (1 Kings 11:36). He raises up adversaries to the south and to the north and from within. The rest of Israel will be given to Jeroboam, after Solomon’s death – because God is faithful to keep His promises, even when we are faithless.
  
  “But to his son I will give one tribe, that My servant David may have a lamp always before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen for Myself to put My name” (1 Kings 11:36). – Praise God, for He provided a Way, to rescue us from our disobedience!

Thoughts

Have you ever watched a toddler after his mom or dad says, “Don’t do that”? Almost every time, the toddler gets a look in his eye, and he just has to do “that” at least one more time. It’s like he’s always weighing what he has seen and knows of his parents against what he wants. And, usually, what he wants wins out.

As I was reading the account of Solomon in 1 Kings, I couldn’t help but think of toddlers. What is it in us that, despite what we’ve seen and know of God, still makes us think we know better? Still makes what we want win out? At what point do we grow up and stop weighing?

We need God’s Word to help us get to that point. We need to remember His character, know His past deeds, and trust in His promises for the future to get to that point. As we fill our minds with these things, our heart becomes convinced of the Lord’s trustworthiness, our faith grows, and we find it easier to obey; we find it a joy to obey. It’s what He wants for us.