People speak of the “wisdom of Solomon”. And many seem to get the idea that Solomon was the wisest man to live, except Jesus Christ. But this is not exactly the case.
Solomon possessed more wisdom than any other mortal man, but did he USE it?
The Gift of God It is true that Solomon was GIVEN great wisdom by God. As a matter of fact, Solomon began his reign with a great demonstration of humility as we read in 1 Kings 3:1-9. God offered Solomon anything he wanted and Solomon said, “And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in… “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?”
God’s response is one that should excite anyone. “And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.”(v. 10)
God was so pleased that He not only gave Solomon great wisdom but also great riches and honour. God would make Solomon the most powerful and wealthy king of his day.
The Warning of His Heavenly Father
However, immediately after announcing His blessing on Solomon, God made clear that his blessing of wisdom and wealth and honour were CONDITIONAL: “And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.” (v. 14)
This “IF” was a warning. It’s a simple matter. God will not reward rebellion and sin. It’s against His nature to do so. There may be,“the pleasure of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:25) but you can also,“be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23).
The Warning of His Earthly Father
Solomon’s earthly father was King David. David loved Solomon greatly. And before David died, he gave Solomon fair warning. He also used the “IF” condition.
In the account given in 1 Chronicles 28:9 David says, “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.”
Solomon had been told on more than one occasion that compromise and apostasy would be catastrophic. A truly wise man would have heeded the warning.
The Warning of the Written Word
Solomon had been raised to know the Law. There is no doubt that God’s specific instructions for kings would have been taught to Solomon. After all, David learned the lesson of Hosea 4:6 by personal experience when he sought to bring the Ark to Jerusalem and carried it in a cart instead of giving it a proper escort of Levites using the proper method of carrying it with poles through the loops on the ends of the Ark.
It cost Uzzah his LIFE (see 1 Chronicles 13). But David read the Law and eventually carried the Ark into the Holy City CORRECTLY (1 Chronicles 15).
To see the attitude of David toward the Law you can read the Psalms and to see the effect of David’s teaching on Solomon you can read Proverbs. The fact that Solomon KNEW the Law of God is not in question. Therefore he undoubtedly knew…
Deuteronomy 7:3-4 “Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.”
Deuteronomy 17:17 “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.”
A Final Warning from His Heavenly Father
So, Solomon was warned by his “dad”, King David. Solomon was taught the Law of God. And Solomon was warned by God, not once but TWICE.
In 2 Chronicles 7, God honors Solomon’s prayer over the Temple and says:
“And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; “Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. “But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; “Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.” (vs. 17-20)
Now, can it be any plainer than that? Don’t marry pagan women. Don’t multiply wives. Don’t worship false gods.
Wisdom Out The Window
Despite being brought up in the Law. Despite being warned by his dad. Despite being visited by God Almighty TWICE. Solomon threw wisdom out the window.
“But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; “Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.” (1 Kings 11:1-2)
You see, there is a difference between HAVING wisdom and USING it.
There is no doubt that God gave Solomon more practical and spiritual wisdom than any other human being has ever had or will ever have. He said so in 1 Kings 3:12. Jesus Christ was no mere man, but was God and Man so He doesn’t contradict this fact. (Read 1 Timothy 3:16 in a King James Bible, since the new translations corrupt this verse!) As a matter of fact, He was the God who GAVE Solomon his wisdom. (John 1:1-3)
But Solomon discarded the wisdom of God as he got older and his wives lead him into
TERRIBLE sin and apostasy (1 Kings 11:4). The account reads like a nightmare in 1 Kings 11:5-8
“For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.“And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon
“And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.”
I never get beyond the nauseous feeling when I read that. Such a shame.
Sad Solomon
Now, I didn’t write this to bash Solomon. I have never had to handle the unreal temptations that he faced. I’ve never had the modern equivalent of billions of dollars in gold and goods at my disposal. I’ve never come close to having absolute power over a nation, especially one chosen by God! And I certainly never had literally thousands of women throwing themselves at my feet!!
No, the purpose of this article isn’t to kick a dead man. But it is important to learn from his mistakes. And it really comes down to one, single MISTAKE.
Rejecting The Word of God: Spiritual Suicide
I say it to myself all the time. I preach it all the time. And Solomon demonstrates it with his life. If you reject God’s word, God rejects YOU.
When I see someone fall into sin, I have no doubt whatsoever that they simply rejected God’s word in their heart and mind. God tells us what to do and what not to do, if we want to live a Christian, God-pleasing life that will result in a peace and joy that the world cannot even comprehend. We simply must HEED His Word.
Whole denominations have rejected God’s word and now ordain women to the pastorate and homosexuals to “ministry” while preaching a “gospel” that is no Gospel at all. Christian Colleges continue to fall, one after the other, into apostasy. Churches are filled with “pastors” who reject the Gospel of grace and attack the word of God.
These are all REJECTED by God.
It brings me no pleasure to announce such a thing, but it is a dead certain fact. And what does give me pleasure are the numbers of people who have spoken to me, written, e-mailed or called to tell me that they have heard or read our messages and been AWAKENED to the danger and REVIVED in their desire to study God’s word, pray, preach the Gospel and teach others the TRUTH.
The purpose of this article is to show you that even the man known as the wisest of men fell into sin and came under the judgment of God, all because he rejected God’s word.
“And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, “And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. “Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.” (1 Kings 11:9-11)
There Is Victory!
That is a sad note to end on, but that’s how it ended. Solomon died and his spoiled-rotten punk of a son named Rehoboam took over and in only a short time after sitting on the throne, he split the kingdom.
But your life doesn’t have to end like that. Your church doesn’t have to be destroyed. Your family doesn’t have to suffer such heartache. You can have victory in Jesus by believing His word!
And His word is found in the King James Bible.
Get one and begin to read it, study it, memorize it and share it with others. Don’t reject God’s word, embrace God’s word! You’ll fall in love with Jesus Christ our Lord God and Savior. You’ll have new life and begin to live free of fear and free from a desire to be loved by this fallen, God-rejecting world.
You talk about FREEDOM!
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)