Week 16 I Kings
First Kings chapter eleven describes Solomon’s crash. It comes abruptly, like a sudden darkening in a high blue Alberta sky.
In chapter after chapter Solomon’s incandescent career has been described. An astute ruler, a master-planner, a state organizer-manager-builder, he’s famous for his prodigious wisdom, staggering wealth and religious faith. For ten chapters his reputation builds as one of the great guys in the bible.
Then chapter eleven verse one begins with the words: now King Solomon loved many foreign women. It’s an innocent-enough sounding verse, an understandable verse. But as of that verse Solomon stops being one of the luminous guys.
The writer makes a very clear point that Solomon had romantic attachments to many, many foreign wives and lovers. The point is so clear that there’s a bit of a temptation to blame the women for his disintegration. But whatever part they were in the mix, Solomon was his own man…
Solomon: turned his heart away after other gods.
Solomon’s: heart was not complete with devotion to the Lord his God.
Solomon: worshiped Ashtoreth and Milcom.
Solomon built temples to other gods.
Solomon: did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.
Solomon: refused to follow the Lord fully.
Solomon: did not listen to the Lord’s command.
So a long, long international procession of gorgeous and sensuous and alluring middle-eastern women turned Solomon’s head.
But when-push-came-to-shove Solomon turned his own heart.
Note: quotes from I Kings 11:1, 4-7, 10 (NASB & NLT versions)