Solomon's Downfall

1 Kings Chapter 11

King Solomon loved many foreign women besides the Pharaoh's daughter. He married women from Moaab, Ammon, Edom, Sidon and Hittites. The Lord had clearly instructed his people not to intermarry with those nations because the women would lead them to worship their own gods. Yet Solomon married them anyway and his seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines led his heart away from God. In his old age, Solomon worshiped their gods instead of trusting in the Lord as his father David had done. Solomon went so far as to build a shrine for the god of Moab and Molech and built shrines for his foreign wives to use for sacrificing to their gods.

The Lord was very angry with Solomon. He had warned him about worshiping other gods, but Solomon did not listen. So the Lord said to him, "Since you have not kept my covenant and disobeyed my laws, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your servants. But for the sake of your father David, I will not do this while you are still alive. I will take the kingdom from your son. And I will let him be the king of only one tribe."

Then the Lord raised up Hadad, the Edomite, a member of Edom's royal family to be an enemy against Solomon. Hadad years before had lived in Edom when Joab and David's army had killed every male in Edom. Hadad and a few of his father's royal officials had escaped to Midian and then traveled to Egypt where the Pharaoh gave them refuge and some land. Pharaoh grew fond of Hadad and gave him a wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes, who bore him a son Genubath. Genubath was raised in the Pharaoh's palace. When a grown Hadad in Egypt, heard king David and his commander were both dead, he told the Pharaoh that he must return to his own home.

God also raised up Rezon son of Eliada to be an enemy against Solomon. Rezon had fled from his master the king of Zobah, and became leader of a band of rebels. He was forced to flee to Damascus when David conquered Hadadezar. Rezon hated Israel and continued to reign in Aram.

Another rebel leader was Jeroboam, son of Nebat, one of Solomon's own officials. When Solomon was rebuilding the walls of the city, he saw what an industrious man Jeroboam was and put him in charge of the labor force for the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. One day as Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah from Shiloh met him on the road wearing a new cloak. As they were alone in a field, Ahijah took his cloak and tore it into twelve pieces and told Jeroboam to take the ten pieces, for the God of Israel says he is about to tear the kingdom from Solomon and give the ten tribes to Jeroboam. But Ahijah said he would leave one tribe for the sake of David and for the sake of Jerusalem. He said that God knew Solomon had abandoned God and now worshipped the gods of pagans and had not obeyed the laws of the Lord.

Ahijah further told Jeroboam that God would not take the entire kingdom from Solomon at this time, but would let him reign to the end of his life, then God would take the kingdom away from Solomon's son and give ten of the tribes to Jeroboam. Solomon's son would have one tribe do the descendants of David will reign in Jerusalem. Then God would place Jeroboam on the throne of Israel to rule. And if Jeroboam would follow the ways of the Lord as David did, then God would always be with him and a dynasty would be established much like the one David had. But God would punish the descendants of David because of Solomon's sin, but not forever.

Meanwhile, Solomon ruled for forty years and when he died, was buried in Jerusalem. Then his son Rehoboam became king.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Among the Gods worshipped by Solomon's wive, was the god Molech the Ammonite god whose worship included child sacrifice. Solomon didn't turn away from God in a moment, he withdrew over a period of time with small departures that grew and caused his downfall.

The prophet Ahijah predicted the division of the kingdom of Israel. After Solomon's death, 10 tribes followed Jeroboam. Two tribes, Judah and the area of Benjamin around Jerusalem remained loyal to David. Both Ahijah and Jeroboam were from Ephraim, the most prominent of the 10 rebel tribes.

The Bible states that rest of Solomon's reign and his wisdom were recorded in THE BOOK OF THE ACTS OF SOLOMON. However, nothing is known of this book.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? This is such a sad chapter for us because King Solomon held such promise and here we have the record of his downward spiritual spiral. It is almost painful to read the number of wives and concubines and imagine Solomon building pagan shrines to fly in the face of his own God. The Lord was indeed merciful to allow Solomon to live to be an old man.

This chapter today points out the weaknesses of great men a well as weaknesses in us. It appears that even though we can all have strengths, we also all have the potential to become weak to desires. It can begin with a small sin and mushroom to a split with our Lord. Excusing our sins can cause us the greatest problems. Don't let your sins go unchallenged! Don't make excuses. Go directly to God in prayer and confess your mistakes. Ask God for forgiveness and also ask him to help you resist temptation.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents, and Arlene’s nephew David. Pray for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer. Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS. Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who was given 14 months to live with cancer, but has made it six years. The pain has returned and she needs our prayers.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has 90 percent of her speech back and is home from the hospital and having rehab for the paralysis on one side of her body. Continue to pray for her recovery.
Pray for Robert Sargent with lung cancer and Marthaline Sargent with serious health issues. Update on Stella: She has shed the feeding tube and is taking formula on her own! But breathing problems are still with her, though improving all the time. She continues to have a long road, so prayers are still needed. She has been moved to a St. Louis hospital.
Pray for Carolyn’s friend Margaret and her husband who were in a car accident. As elderly drivers they may face a life change which may cost them their independence. Let’s all raise our voices to God to hear our prayers.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake,those who need jobs, those who are about to lose or have lost their homes. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.