The rise and fall of Solomon centers on how a divided heart can destroy a kingdom. It is imperative that we follow God’s ways in order to see God’s desired outcomes.
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In the last post, I posed the challenge of putting ourselves in the position of needing to ask God for wisdom. If we take seriously the role and responsibility we have been given to influence, protect, and prosper those around us, we should be immediately struck by our need to secure the help we require.
We’ll get into the details of Solomon’s request for wisdom in future posts, but let’s first get to know Solomon a little bit better. At first glance, you might assume that King Solomon, was well, like most kings you see: an adult, who had the kind of life experience that would at least contribute to having this level of leadership, and/or who came from a family of royalty. If that is what you assumed, you would only be a third right. His father was King David. But he was far from an adult, or, having any kind of actual experience that would make him a candidate for kingship.
Getting to Know Solomon
The name Solomon means “peaceable”. Two questions comes to mind as to why they might have named him Solomon. First, did it have anything to do with the fact that the kingdom would be at peace during his reign? And second, was it the desire of his father David that he would be a peaceful leader rather than a warrior like himself? However, he was also given the name Jedidiah. Which means “divine darling” or “The Lord’s Darling”. Perhaps because he was so blessed by God.
Under Solomon’s leadership, Israel rose to its peak in size and glory, with his reign lasting about 40 years and extending to an area just a bit larger than the state of Illinois. That length of time was in part due to his having only been about 19 years old when he became king. Can you imagine? A teenager as king?
Solomon is the third and last king of the united kingdom of Israel, following King Saul and King David. By the end of 1 Kings 11, Solomon is no longer king, and his kingdom is no longer at peace. The zeal with which he sacrifices 1,000 bulls in worship to God recorded early in 1 Kings wanes as he grows older.
“…his zeal for God diminishes in his later years… as a result, the king with the divided heart, leaves behind a divided kingdom.”
Dr. Thomas Constable
This 19 year-old king had quite an eventful start to his rule. As his father David’s health declines (1 Kings 1:1-4), the political maneuvering begins.
Solomon’s brother Adonijah plots to make himself king, disregarding entirely the will and call of God for Solomon to succeed their father David (1 Kings 1:5-10). We see the pride of the older brother as he seeks to exalt himself through a revolt against God’s chosen king, his father and his brother.
Meanwhile, as David draws closer to death, the prophet Nathan and Solomon’s mother Bathsheba hear of Adonijah’s intentions to overthrow the kingdom, and initiate a plot of their own to ensure Solomon sits on the throne (1 Kings 1:11-27).
The Rise and Fall of Solomon
There are two key verses that bookend the rise and fall of King Solomon. They provide for us the spectrum with which to both gauge our current state, as well as see our proximity to the extreme we want to avoid.
On the left side of the spectrum you have the way in which we should walk. It prescribes what a healthy relationship or response to God looks like, and a regiment meant to keep us from the “missteps, misuses, and plan misses” that would eventually divide Solomon’s heart and bring the demise of the kingdom. On the right, is the extreme we are trying to avoid. It is the antithesis of abiding in the call and responsibility we have to our ‘kingdoms’. Simply put, on the left is “God’s way” and on the right is “not God’s way.” I described it as a spectrum because the division of heart is most often gradual, as was the case with Solomon. But you might also look at it as a fork in the road. Either way, we must make a daily choice not to drift or start down a path we have no business being on.
The Rise of Solomon
Solomon’s reign started with so much promise. Called to be king by God at an early age. Successfully withstood the attempt of a hostile takeover by his older brother. And God Himself giving him all that he could ever want. But there was one condition:
“And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’”
1 Kings 9:4-5
Solomon was to pay close attention to the way he walked. That is, his way of life needed to reflect a heart attitude that led to obedience. Our hearts and actions work in concert with one another. We reveal what is on our hearts–what our hearts of made of–by the way we ‘walk.’
An honest, humble heart, faithfully follows a moral compass that directs it to act with integrity despite the audience or circumstances. It doesn’t try to impress anyone, nor is it swayed in the moment by those for or against. The compass is pointed towards the way that is honorable, and the heart walks in it.
Obedience then, is not begrudging obligation. The fruition of a heart that desires truth and uprightness comes in the form of an honorable discharge of duty and is at peace. It is completion that brings satisfaction.
The Fall of Solomon
We actually see signs of Solomon’s heart ‘splintering’ early on. His marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter may have made good political sense, but could very well have been the moral influence that set him on the course of compromise.
“Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.”
1 Kings 11:11
God keeps His promises. Solomon should have not only been aware of this based on what God said to him directly, but because he was also intimately aware of Israel’s history. It may seem harsh that He would ‘tear the kingdom’ from Solomon, but only if we ignore the devastation of disobedience. God’s response isn’t at all overstated–we severely understate the implications of our insubordination.
This is not only on an individual level. When an individual, and especially a country, abandons “the way in which they should walk”, choosing self-rule over God’s rule, the extent of the damage is exponential.
“…every form of human government results in disastrous failure if people do not acknowledge God’s sovereignty. People cannot govern themselves effectively. The result is always decline, disruption, and disintegration. This is one of the great revelations of 1 Kings.”
Dr. Thomas Constable
By using the word ‘disintegrate’ in describing our failure to recognize the sovereignty of God, Dr. Constable reveals the idea of the spectrum I mentioned earlier. A slow, subtle erosion that causes the ultimate demise of our ‘kingdom.’ Our integrity and uprightness becomes diluted, and subsequently, indistinguishable and thus, meaningless and ineffective.
As we respond to the earlier challenge to put ourselves in the position of needing to ask God for wisdom, consider these brief observations and recommendations:
- If you were to read more about Adonijah’s betrayal, you would conclude that it is best not to try and lay claim to a role, authority, or responsibility that is not yours–especially when God has given to someone else.
- As we see Nathan and Bathsheba come to Solomon’s aid, God will provide us the necessary support of His calling on our lives.
- The ending of Adonijah’s life demonstrates how God is serious about doing what is necessary to establish and fulfill his will (killing off those opposed to God’s desire of who should be King).
- Don’t expect your ‘kingdom’ or ‘kingship’ to go unopposed. Learn to respond to manipulative, treacherous people with truth and humility.
- Solomon is king at age 19. Age is irrelevant; God can use you whenever, wherever.
- God may not use a traditional, obvious or popular route to put you in the position He wants you to be in; that path may not be straight and may need defending.
- We also may not have a choice about what God calls us to; Solomon didn’t… it was decided before he was born; God doesn’t make mistakes in His appointments.
Next week, we’ll look more closely at David’s charge to Solomon in his new role.
Wisdom In All Things Special Series: Solomon’s Missteps, Misuses, and Just Plain Misses
Part 1 – Ask for Wisdom as Solomon Asked for Wisdom
Part 3 – Walk in God’s Ways: David’s Charge to Solomon
Part 4 – Solomon’s Missteps as King
Part 5 – Solomon Makes His Request for Wisdom
Part 6 – The Kind of Request That Pleases God