“HAVE YOU EVER DREAMED OF HAVING ENOUGH WEALTH TO ENJOY LIFE AND BE SECURE? HAVE YOU EVER DREAMED OF HAVING THE ABILITY TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO DO? HAVE YOU EVER DREAMED OF HAVING A LOVE LIFE THAT WOULD BE FILLED WITH UNENDING SATISFACTION?”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about one man who seemingly accomplished all these things, but not to his  satisfaction and joy, rather to his humiliating defeat …

…Have you ever dreamed of having the ability and power to achieve everything you’ve ever wanted in life? Well I know of no man or woman that can measure up to that save one man found in the pages of the Bible. Now everyone has heard his name, and knows something about him. In fact, God used this man to write three books of the Old Testament. In addition, his wisdom and acclaim reached around the world of his day, and his wealth was unsurpassed by any other individual or nation. Who is this man we shall examine today on the broadcast? His name is Solomon, the tenth son of David, and second son of Bathsheba, and the third king of Israel , who reigned for forty years and built the greatest kingdom of Israel ever to have existed. Yes, King Solomon’s life is something to behold, and God has given us his record for our learning and example. Now the story of King Solomon is a beautiful story but has a sad and bad ending. In fact, someone has said, “the Shipwreck of Solomon is surely the most terrible tragedy ever recorded in all the world!” But before I share with some illustrations of King Solomon’s life and some warnings we should note; let’s pause for another moment of music, then I’ll return to talk with you about the life of KING SOLOMON…

…Today we are looking into the Old Testament, and especially into the life of one man, a great man, perhaps the greatest man who ever lived in the day of Israel of old. His name is Solomon, the son of King David and Bathsheba. Now, we know little of the early life of this man who rose to be King of Israel. The name “Solomon” was given to him by the prophet Nathan who schooled him during his early years. Nathan also named Solomon “Jedidiah,” which means, “beloved of the Lord.” Indeed, Solomon was loved and blessed by God all the days of his life. We find that young Solomon took the throne of his father David in early adulthood around the age of 18-20 years. Solomon’s nine older brothers were apparently passed over, as God chose to allow the ascendancy of Solomon to take King David’s place. When Solomon took the throne we read of a great and godly start as Solomon requests God’s leadership and care…

2 Chr 1:1 (NIV)  Solomon son of David established himself firmly over his kingdom, for the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

2 Chr 1:7-12 (NIV)  That night God appeared to Solomon and said to him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” 8 Solomon answered God, “You have shown great kindness to David my father and have made me king in his place. 9 Now, LORD God, let your promise to my father David be confirmed, for you have made me king over a people who are as numerous as the dust of the earth. 10 Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 11 God said to Solomon, “Since this is your heart’s desire and you have not asked for wealth, riches or honor, nor for the death of your enemies, and since you have not asked for a long life but for wisdom and knowledge to govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 therefore wisdom and knowledge will be given you. And I will also give you wealth, riches and honor, such as no king who was before you ever had and none after you will have.”

Wow! What a promise and good start to his kingship and future. God was going to bless him far above any king ever to live or to come, and also equip Solomon with great intellectual ability and wit. No one could ask for more than what God promised to fill young Solomon’s life with. And, best of all God kept His promise too as one reads of Solomon’s days.

Now, the first thing King Solomon did in his life as king, was to honor his father’s request to build a temple to the Lord God of Israel, David was forbidden to do this because of the bloodshed on his hands. In anticipation of God’s promise to King David to build a temple through his son, David amassed and saved millions of dollars worth of gold, silver and other precious metals, a sum of more than 100 million dollars in today’s currency just for this project (1 Chron 29:3-4). As construction of the Temple of the Lord began, Solomon drafted over 200,000 workers to complete the vast and glorious complex. The building took seven years to complete, (1 Kings 6:38 ) but when finished it was one of the most glorious accomplishment of man. It was then, Solomon dedicated the temple with a great and glorious prayer. God was pleased and took up residence there in approval. It was a glorious day for Israel and King Solomon.

Following this, God then began to build the earthly kingdom of Israel and gave it rise to become the most glorious and sought after kingdom among men. Scripture tells us of its vast territory,

1 Ki 4:21 (NLT)  King Solomon ruled all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River to the land of the Philistines, as far south as the border of Egypt . The conquered peoples of those lands sent tribute money to Solomon and continued to serve him throughout his lifetime.

Yes, the riches and fame of Solomon began to rise mightily. It is estimated that Solomon’s yearly income was about 20 million dollars besides other incomes that came from food and other provisions supplied by the people of Israel (2 Chron. 9:13 -14). This young man, who followed God and was blessed accordingly, also became known as the wisest man in the world. In fact, the world sought after him and came to visit him and see the wonder of such fame and fortune (1 Kings 10:1-9). Indeed, God kept His promise to bless Solomon with wealth, fame, intellect, intrinsic brilliance and wisdom. However, the story takes a twisted turn, as God’s Word reveals Solomon’s heart began to veer away from God’s will and purpose for him. Politically we discover Solomon disobeyed clear God’s word for the kingship of Israel ,

1 Ki 10:26 (NIV)  Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem .

He began to trust in his own might and power rather than being God’s gift to him. Furthermore,  Solomon began to turn away from trusting the Lord’s Word for his life and living in the physical and moral realm too. We discover,

1 Ki 11:1-2 (NLT)  Now King Solomon loved many foreign women. Besides Pharaoh’s daughter, he married women from Moab , Ammon , Edom , Sidon , and from among the Hittites. 2 The LORD had clearly instructed his people not to intermarry with those nations, because the women they married would lead them to worship their gods. Yet Solomon insisted on loving them anyway.

Here began the downfall of this great godly man. His eyes were turned away from spiritual truth and teachings to follow his base and sinful desires of the flesh. Moreover, Solomon sought marital happiness outside of Israel and brought to himself heathen godless women, who had no desire for the things of the one true God of Israel. God had plainly commanded any Israelite, especially one who was king to strictly avoid three things: (1) alliance and close friendship with the heathen world about him, (2) amassing wealth for personal security and pleasure, and (3) intermarriage with the godless women of the world. We read of this in,

Deu 7:3-4 (NIV)  Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.

Deu 17:16-17 (NIV)  The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” 17 He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.

King Solomon in the height of his glory, began to take all he had for granted as if he himself had amassed it by his own power and might. His eyes turned away from God, and then as the Bible warns, he began to love the world-system that has no place for God. The New Testament speaks to Christians today of the same deadly desires and their path. We read in,

1 John 2:15-17 (NLT)  Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only the lust for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and pride in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this evil world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything it craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.

Solomon went ever further away from the Lord though, because once he began to seek these things, it grabbed hold of him and wouldn’t let him go. The excesses of such sin are astounding as we read of them in the moral realm,

1 Ki 11:3-8 (NLT) [Solomon]  had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. And sure enough, they led his heart away from the LORD. 4 In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship their gods instead of trusting only in the LORD his God, as his father, David, had done. 5 Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth… and Molech…  6 Thus, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight… 7 On the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, he even built a shrine for Chemosh, the detestable god of Moab, and another for Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. 8 Solomon built such shrines for all his foreign wives to use for burning incense and sacrificing to their gods.

The Lord became angry with Solomon because of his spiritual idolatry and moral compromise. His, “lust of the flesh” and “the pride of life,” consumed him in his latter years as he took his eyes off the Lord and his work in God’s kingdom. As a result, the Bible tells us God took the greatness and unity of Israel ’s kingdom from him, and allowed it to quickly crumble.

Although Solomon bemoaned the sensual and secularized life he chose, instead of walking with God, the biblical record shows no place where he genuinely repented. In place of this, we have his recorded remorse in the books of Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon and the Proverbs. Although God kept his promise and allowed Solomon to reach old age, Solomon did so with remorse, regret, discontent, and self-contempt, but no sobs for his sin, nor a plea for pardon.

As such, God allowed the great kingdom of Israel to split. Ten tribes moved off under the rulership of another king, Jeraboam, (1 Kings 11:31 ) and two remained for his arrogant son, Rehoboam, raised by a sinning and compromised father.

So, here is the story of young Solomon who began well, and was given everything to succeed, but ended poorly because he turned away from God and His Word for life and living.

Now what lessons can we learn from this tragic life? Here are some for us all to take heed to today.

1. THE FUTURE BLESSINGS OF LIFE OFTEN DEPEND UPON A GOOD SPIRITUAL UPBRINGING
It appears that because King David spent so much time with his many wives, he never spent time to rear Solomon or his other nine boys in the ways of God. Now the prophet Nathan apparently raised Solomon with Bathsheba, but there is no substitute for a father’s love and spiritual example. Solomon apparently was never disciplined in his early days, or shown the example of spiritual obedience by his father David. Thus, as someone has said, “What parents excuse in moderation, the children often spend in excess.” David had many wives, but Solomon was drunk with sexual lust and disobedience and sinned more greatly. The fact is, if we want godly children, we as mothers and father must spend the time to be with them and to guide, instruct and example a life of godliness before them. King Solomon himself wrote:

Prov 22:6 (NIV)  Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Solomon literally when he was older departed from the ways of the Lord for his life, which I believe was a result of a poor and failed upbringing. The Bible says to every Israelite father, including an Israelite King!

Deu 6:6-9 (NLT)  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. 8 Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Thus we see that parents are to a major degree, accountable for how their children turn out. Of course, we are creatures of free will, so at times even the best spiritual upbringing and example can be thwarted, but that is not the rule. Solomon’s failure in latter life can be traced to much failure of David to rightly discipline and instruct young Solomon in the ways of God and to produce a fear of the Lord in him. Secondly,

2. AS CHRISTIANS TODAY, WE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO ALLOW THE FALLEN WORLD’S SYSTEM OF LIFE AND LIVING TO TAKE ROOT IN OUR LIVES
Solomon made many alliances with the godless nations about him. The worse of all alliance was his heathen marriages. Any believer who hobnobs with the fallen world, to the exclusion of being fully in fellowship with godly Christians, can expect the world to rub off on them. The truth is, good doesn’t influence evil, but evil always influences the good; especially, since we are all sinners by birth and nature, and we have weakness to its allurements. Solomon’s compromises and worldliness were in effect the result of too close company with the unsaved world and its desires for life. If you are a believer today, be careful how much time you spend apart from God’s family and friends. Your testimony and walk with the Lord can easily be compromised or worse ruined as Solomon allowed to happen to himself by too close relationships with the unsaved. Now the third lesson we can learn from Solomon’s life is that,

3. SOLOMON’S MARITAL AND SEXUAL ABUSES ARE WARNINGS THAT GOD’S WAY IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT WAY
Multiple marriages, polygamy, was not directly addressed in the Old Testament, but God made it clear in the new Testament that He wants one man for one woman for life! The marital abuse seen today with one out of every two marriages failing is a result of disobedience to God’s Word for our lives. Now I know God has made provision for the sinfulness of humanity. I believe God permits divorce under specific circumstances, but still the Bible says, God “hates divorce,” (Mal. 2:16 ) and more marital unfaithfulness. Therefore, all the more, let us cling to the sanctity of marriage, for the Bible warns,

Heb 13:4 (NLT)  Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

The rate of marital failure and adultery among Christians today is appalling. I believe it is because we have failed to teach our children rightly. Therefore, be careful who you allow your godly children to marry. An unsaved mate can ruin their lives and your family too. Now the Bible says, “unless the Lord builds a house, one labors in vain.” Yes, it takes two believers in marriage to make not only a happy home, but a godly heritage for their children.

Now these three lessons can be applied to us all today, can’t it?  But, if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you are not in any position to be blessed by God. Indeed, God loves you and wants to bless your life, but He cannot until you bless His Son Jesus Christ, by turning your heart and life over to Him. God cannot rule a life that does not submit to be ruled by His Son who died on a cross for your sins. Do you know Jesus Christ? Have you accepted Him as your Lord God and Savior?

The Bible tells us God came to this earth and entered our humanity through Jesus Christ so that He could qualify to die in our place for our sins. Scripture makes it clear every soul that sins and is a sinner shall die. You can amass all the wealth, fame, pleasure and fortune in this life as Solomon did, but in the end, if you have not Christ in the heart, you will die and go to Hell. Nothing is worth that, and God wants to change that for all mankind, including you!

But, this can only occur when you turn from trusting in yourself, to Christ, confessing your sins and claiming His forgiveness as the only means of being rightly related to God. Now, once a Christian by faith, we must live this life in obedience and faithfulness not only before Heaven itself, but our homes, families and others.  

King Solomon failed in the latter part of his life as he was derailed by this world’s lure and pleasures. In the end, God not only tore the greatness of the kingdom from him, but also God tore his descendants from the throne of Israel , forever. God took the line of David, to bring us the Messiah, away from Solomon’s children and gave it to David’s son Nathan. Through him the holy line would eventually bring us the Savior, Jesus of Nazareth, David greatest Son.

Oh what a price to pay for such disobedience in following the world without God, to mimic the world rather than Christ, to seek safety, comfort and security in the riches of this world rather than the riches of Christ.

Well my friend, God gave us Solomon’s story so we could learn some lessons. I pray the Spirit of God has spoken to you to either turn to Christ from a fallen world and life, or to avoid these sins in your own life and of course your children’s as well. May God add His blessing to these words for Jesus sake, Amen.