Solomon Turns from the Lord

 

1 Kings 11:1-8

 

May 10, 2021

 

Solomon Turns from the Lord

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, 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 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 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.   For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.   So, Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done.   Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem.   And so, he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.

 

I have often said it is a wise person who understands the unique type of flesh God has given them, yet Solomon with all his wisdom never checked out his flesh.  As a boy king, he began strong, seeking God and wanting his will.  But the enemy of his soul also had a plan it worked on Solomon, and it will work on you and me.  The old serpent, the devil or thief, is the way Jesus refers to him “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

 

At some point he listened to the wrong voice, I call that Channel One, the deceptive channel, it is a voice that sounds like ours.  But Solomon had to tune out of Channel two the quieter voice and listen to his flesh desires and not the Holy Spirit of God.  It is clear 
Solomon had lustful flesh, and a desire to do what they wanted, and unlike his father David, was not confronted by a man of God, like Nathan.  David always when confronted by his sins, would humble himself, and repent, we do not see that happening with Solomon.

 

Has the church, of 2021 gone the way of Solomon, paying no attention to or teaching its people about their unique version of the flesh?  The old thief, the devil loves ignorant about such subjects, if one thing is their thoughts and not that of the devil, sending it to them, they are fair game for his plan to destroy, their marriage, family, business, and testimony of what Jesus is doing in their life.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice