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1 Kings Chapter 11
Solomon Turns from the Lord
- 1Kings 11:1 But king
Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of
Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians,
and Hittites;
- 2 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.
- 3 And he had seven
hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his
wives turned away his heart.
This is one of the saddest chapters in
the bible. David made many mistakes and failed many times but he
always repented when it was pointed out to him and never forsook the
Lord. The law given by the Lord to Moses warned them not to marry
women who were worshippers of idols and not follow after the nations
that surrounded them who did many evil things caused by the worship
of idols and false gods who were not real gods. This lured them into
sacrificing live children into the fiery bellies of idols and other
evil works. God warned them not to take multiple wives also. If we
would only listen to God we would avoid so much evil. The things of
this life are temporary. When we leave this body of flesh, we go
into eternity. It's all vanity, all for nothing unless we belong to
the Lord our God and stay faithful to Him.
- Exodus 34:12
Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the
inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a
snare in the midst of thee:
13 But
ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down
their groves:
14 For
thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is
Jealous, is a jealous God:
15
Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and
they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their
gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;
16 And
thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters
go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring
after their gods.
17
Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
God gives us many good things. His Son
Jesus came into human flesh to suffer and die for our sins when He
did no sin. He took our place so that when we believe and receive
Him into our lives, we will still die in the flesh but live in
eternity with a new body that cannot die. Our soul and spirit does
not die only the outward shell. It is our choice. We have a free
will to choose whether or not to give our lives to Jesus and turn
away from
our sins. When we do, Jesus will forgive and cleanse us from all
sin. He also gives us the Holy Spirit to abide with us from then on.
- Proverbs 23:31
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his
colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
- 32 At the last
it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
- 33 Thine eyes
shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse
things.
Strong drink causes imaginations, slurred
speech, and one loses control over his own body. It is dangerous and
cause much evil in our hearts as well and influences our behavior
even toward those that are innocent like children or family members.
It has also killed many when they try to drive automobiles in that
condition. Since their thinking skills are dulled, unless they are
stopped physically by a stronger person, they can get in the cars
and unknowingly become a danger to innocent people or themselves.
Whole families have died when a drunk driver has hit their cars.
- 1Kings 11:4 For it
came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away
his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with
the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
- 5 For Solomon went
after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom
the abomination of the Ammonites.
- 6 And Solomon did
evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the
LORD, as did David his father.
- 7 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.
- 8 And likewise did
he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed
unto their gods.
Even though they were not to marry those that
worshipped other gods or idols, there were exceptions to this law
when someone received faith in the real God and renounced idolatry
and false gods. This did Ruth who was from Moab where Chemosh was
worshipped. This is told to us in the book of Ruth who left her own
country with Naomi and said:
-
Ruth 1:16 And Ruth
said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following
after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou
lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy
God my God:
She later married Boaz from the line of
David from which God chose to bring His Son Jesus into the world to
bring us the message of salvation.
Another exception was Rahab the harlot
who believed in the God of Israel and hid the spies that came into
Jericho. Her faith in God led to her and her family to escape the
destruction of that wicked city.
- Hebrews 11:30 By
faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed
about seven days.
- 31 By faith the
harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she
had received the spies with peace.
This is a preview of salvation by faith
that came from faith that Jesus brought in many years later. Faith
in Jesus was opened up to the Gentiles also. Rabab was the mother of
Boaz that married Ruth. So she was also in the line of which Jesus
Christ came in the flesh to bring us the gospel.
The Lord Raises Adversaries
- 1Kings 11:9 And the
LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from
the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
- 10 And had commanded
him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other
gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.
- 11 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.
- 12 Notwithstanding
in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I
will rend it out of the hand of thy son.
- 13 Howbeit I will
not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy
son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which
I have chosen.
We reap what we sow. If we sow to the
flesh, we will reap corruption. God gives us choices. This saddens
me to read these things. How we hurt God by making the wrong choices
and it comes back to steal kill and destroy while the enemy of our
souls, Satan laughs. It's not worth it in light of eternity. God has
better things for those that stay faithful to Him. He gives us the
chance though to accept or reject.
The kingdom of Israel at this time was
all one kingdom. They were at peace with the surrounding nations but
the minute they rejected God, His hand of protection is no longer
there and the kingdom was divided again at the death of Solomon.
God's word will come to pass. Solomon let the women in his life turn
him away from God. We can't blame the women here. They didn't know
any better. They grew up thinking the idols were real gods. Solomon
could have influenced them but it didn't happen that way. His
kingdom started out so good but the lust of the flesh was his
weakness. He desired many strange women. Strange here means healthen
or idol worshipers.
- 1Kings 11:14 And the
LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he
was of the king's seed in Edom.
- 15 For it came to
pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host
was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male
in Edom;
- 16 (For six months
did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off
every male in Edom:)
- 17 That Hadad fled,
he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go
into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.
- 18 And they arose
out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them
out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of
Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and
gave him land.
- 19 And Hadad found
great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to
wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the
queen.
- 20 And the sister of
Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in
Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among
the sons of Pharaoh.
- 21 And when Hadad
heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab
the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me
depart, that I may go to mine own country.
- 22 Then Pharaoh said
unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou
seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing:
howbeit let me go in any wise.
Joab who was the head of the armies of
Israel when David was king, defeated the Edomites and those that
escaped fled into Egypt for safety. Now that David, Joab and even
Solomon was dead they were free to take vengeance and cause trouble.
This was part of the prophecy given to Jeroboam. That 10 tribes
would be given to him and the rest of Israel would be given to
Rehoboam the son of Solomon. Israel was divided into two kingdoms.
Judah in the south and Israel in the north.
- 1Kings 11:23 And God
stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah,
which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:
- 24 And he gathered
men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew
them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and
reigned in Damascus.
- 25 And he was an
adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief
that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.
The one who was defeated under David became
king of Damascus and sought vengeance also.
- 1 Kings 11:26 And
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's
servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he
lifted up his hand against the king.
27 And this was
the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon
built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his
father.
28 And the man
Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the
young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all
the charge of the house of Joseph.
Solomon at first promoted Jeroboam to
be a ruler not yet knowing the prophecy that he would be over 10 of
the tribes after his death.
- 1Kings 11:29 And it
came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem,
that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and
he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone
in the field:
- 30 And Ahijah caught
the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
The twelve pieces represented the
twelve tribes of Israel that were to be divided because of Solomon's
sin.
- 1Kings 11:31 And he
said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD,
the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the
hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
- 32 (But he shall
have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's
sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of
Israel:)
- 33 Because that they
have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of
the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the
god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to
do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and
my judgments, as did David his father.
- 34 Howbeit I will
not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him
prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake,
whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
- 35 But I will take
the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee,
even ten tribes.
- 36 And unto his son
will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light
alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to
put my name there.
- 37 And I will take
thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul
desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
The tribe left with the son of Solomon
would be Judah which is why the inhabitants of that kingdom was to
be known as Jews to this day. In the end times Israel will be
comprised of all the tribes once again. They are still many
returning and only God probably knows who is from what tribe.
-
1Kings 11:38 And it shall
be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt
walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my
statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I
will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for
David, and will give Israel unto thee.
As with all kings and people God
blesses, there is a big "If". If they keep His commandments and
obey His word, God will be with them and never forsake Him.
There is hope in the end times for all
Israel shall be saved when they recognize Jesus whom their ancestors
had crucified. That hope was the Messiah the Son of God who was sent
to save them from their sins as well and Gentile people that would
receive Him. The kingdom of Israel will rise again united. In fact,
in 1948 was the beginning of this coming to pass but as a nation
they still are outside of the will of God and have not yet
recognized Jesus as their savior that was promised to Abraham. They
will though eventually discover who He was after the coming great
tribulation.
More about this in Revelation and the
book of Daniel. Zechariah chapter 12 shows the whole house of Israel
mourning because their ancestors rejected the real Messiah. Individual Jews
throughout the years have come to the Messiah and
have become good teachers and preachers of the gospel. Unbelief in
Jesus the Messiah will end after much trouble in the latter days.
- 1 Kings 11:40 Solomon sought therefore to kill
Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king
of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.
- 41 And the rest of the acts of
Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written
in the book of the acts of Solomon?
- 42 And the time that Solomon reigned
in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.
- 43 And Solomon slept with his
fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and
Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.
So we see that Solomon somehow heard of
this prophecy given to Jeroboam and tried to kill him to keep it
from coming to pass similar to what King Saul tried to do with David.
When God's hand of protection is with someone, nothing their
enemies try to do will prosper. When we depart from God as a nation,
His hand of protection may surely depart from that nation.
After the coming of the gospel, we now can receive the Holy Spirit to help us to
live holy and not succumb to the trials and temptations of the world
around us, yet we still have the power to choose. God doesn't want
puppets but those that love Him and willingly keep His word and
enter into eternal life my our own choices. Thank You Lord God for
providing a way out of the mess the world is in. I say that not in
pride but in humility. Thank you Jesus. Except for the grace of God,
there go I. - DC
1 Kings chapter 12
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