Reflections

¹Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, ²from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.” Solomon held fast to these in love.  ³He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away.  1 Kings 11:1-3

When Solomon was a child he became king and asked God for wisdom in governing the people.  Because Solomon had asked God for wisdom above riches and long life, God said that King Solomon would be the wisest king ever and also the richest and most honored.  God also told King Solomon that as long as he followed God’s statutes and did not turn his heart away from God then God would prolong his life (see 1 Kings 3: 1-14).  King Solomon was the wisest king ever but he did such a foolish thing, he disobeyed God.  King Solomon lusted and loved after foreign women and took hundreds of them as his wives and for his concubines and they turned his heart away from God.  King’s Solomon’s foolishness cost him the kingdom, God took the kingdom of Israel from Solomon and gave it to Jeroboam instead of Solomon’s son except for one tribe (1 Kings 11).

The wisest thing we can do is obey God.  To disobey God is just foolish.  Many times when we are faced with decisions God tells us which way to go, but if we disobey God we invite disaster and foolishness into our lives.  God expects us to walk in obedience and wisdom, they go hand in hand.  We can’t be wise and not obey what God tells us.  God knows best, it is foolish to think we know best.

We must desire wisdom above all things.  The lust of women got King Solomon in trouble even though God made him the wisest man in the world.  Solomon foolishly chose to disobey God.