Lesson 286 - Senior
Memory Verse
"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart” (Proverbs 3:3).
Cross References
I Solomon's Downfall
1. The Lord is angry with Solomon, [1KG:11:9]; [ROM:1:18]; [2KG:22:13].
2. A broken covenant with God is the reason for the divine anger, [1KG:11:10-11], [1KG:11:33]; [1KG:3:14]; [1KG:9:2-9]; [DEU:17:14-20].
3. Mercy is shown for David's sake, [1KG:11:12-13]; [2SM:7:11-29].
II The Loss of Peace and the Death of Solomon
1. The Lord stirs up Hadad, [1KG:11:14-22].
2. The Lord stirs up another adversary, Rezon, [1KG:11:23-25].
3. Jeroboam lifts his hand up against Solomon, [1KG:11:26-36].
4. God offers a covenant to Jeroboam, [1KG:11:37-39].
5. Solomon seeks to kill Jeroboam, [1KG:11:40].
6. Solomon dies, [1KG:11:41-43].
Notes
Disobedience
Long before the days of Solomon, even before the Children of Israel had reached the Promised Land, the Lord through Moses gave instructions concerning their king. God said, regarding the king: "He shall not multiply horses to himself, . . . Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold” [DEU:17:16-17]). Solomon in his old age disregarded these plain instructions of the Word of God and the Lord was angry with him.
According to God's plan Israel's king was to write a copy of this Law with his own hand, and every day he was to read there from, "that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel” [DEU:17:20]). Not only did Solomon have the words of this Law in his possession, but the Lord had also appeared unto him twice in special revelations and instructed him to keep the commandments.
Not Ignorant
It is plain to see that Solomon could not plead ignorance of the law of God. The instructions were simple and Solomon was filled with wisdom, but he failed to follow the instructions of God's law or to use the wisdom God had given him. Men and women today are also without excuse for their disregard of the Word of God. The Bible has gone into every land, and he Spirit of God is faithful to every soul, but still the majority of people are not walking in the ways of God. Some of them may plead ignorance but they are all without excuse. Even though a person has never had an opportunity of reading the Bible, there is still no reason for him to be ignorant of the knowledge of God: "Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” [ROM:1:19-20]).
Special revelations in dreams – like those that Solomon had -– are indeed wonderful, but are not given to every Christian. The great wisdom Solomon had came from the Lord; but a knowledge of the way of salvation does not require wisdom above the average, for it is so plain that even a fool can understand it. It is no wonder that the Lord was angry with Solomon, for he had received special revelations; he had been given wisdom above his fellow men; he had partaken of many wonderful blessings from the hand of God. Anger was justified because Solomon had turned against God, in deliberate disobedience of His commands. We are living in an age of increased knowledge, and America has been especially blessed of God with wealth and great abundance, but the hearts of many today are also lifted up against God.
Humility
Humility is a rare virtue. Solomon was very humble as a young man, and the confession from his lips at that time was, "I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in” [1KG:3:7]). Solomon also knew the value of humility, for his own words were, "By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life” [PRO:22:4]). He said, "Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud” [PRO:16:19]). He knew that " a man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit: [PRO:29:23]). It has been said that faith get the most, love does the most, but humility keeps the most. To retain the blessings of the Lord, it is necessary to "walk humbly with thy God” [MIC:6:8]). We are living in the last days when men are "heady, highminded [and] lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” [2TM:3:4]).
Idolatry and Compromise
When Solomon built altars to Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Molech, the gods of the heathen, he no doubt excused himself by saying he was doing it to please his wives and create friendlier relations with the foreign subjects who came to his court. Perhaps it was somewhat the same idea that the leaders of the United Nations Organization had when they refused to open their meeting with prayer for fear of embarrassing those members who did not believe in God. This spirit of compromise is an abomination to God. "And the LORD was angry with Solomon.” Shame on the man or woman who turns from the truth to please a wife, a husband, or anyone else! It is a disgrace for a nation, which has for its motto, "In God We Trust,” to fail to acknowledge God because of the presence of someone who does not believe in God. Let those who believe in God take their stand as Elijah did, who said: "If the LORD be God, follow him” [1KG:18:21]).
Riches
"Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them” [PS:62:10]). Solomon received his wealth as a blessing from the Lord, but it is evident that he let his heart become set upon his riches. (See [1KG:3:13].) The Israelites complained to Rehoboam that Solomon had made their yoke grievous. From this it would seem that Solomon exacted greater taxes than was necessary in order to increase his wealth and maintain the kingdom. "A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent” [PRO:28:20]). Since God gives the power to get wealth, some suppose, that, "gain is godliness”; but we are warned against such reasoning, and are told: "Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” [1TM:6:5-10]).
Adversaries
"The LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon” [1KG:11:14]). God had built Solomon a great kingdom and had made him a great man, but He that plants can also pluck up that which He hath planted. God gave Solomon peace, but He was also able to take peace away from him. Samuel said to Saul, "The LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy” [1SM:28:16]). Our worldly enemies can do us great damage, but how serious a matter it is to have as an enemy the One who "after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell” [LUK:12:5]).
The first of Solomon's adversaries was Hadad of Edom; these second was Rezon of Damascus; and the third was Jeroboam, a servant of Solomon and ruler of the house of Joseph. The first two enemies threatened from without, the latter from within the kingdom itself. God had promised Jeroboam ten tribes after the death of Solomon, but it seems that Jeroboam tried to take the matter into his own hands during the reign of Solomon. Acting in advance of God's will never brings success. If Jeroboam had followed the commandments of the Lord, his house would have continued, and his kingdom would have been like unto that of David.
Wisdom
Solomon had great wisdom, but he departed from the Lord. Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour -– an industrious civil engineer -– but he hearkened not unto the commandments of God. "Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” [1CO:1:20], [1CO:1:26]). What does the wisdom of this world amount to if it does not lead us to eternal life? It is better to be called a "fool” and enter Heaven at life's end than be thought of as a great man and then finally go to hell.
Solomon searched out everything under the sun. He tried wisdom; he tried wealth; he tried merriment, song, and wine; he even delved into the licentious practices of idolatry. But he summed it all up as "vanity and vexation of spirit” [ECC:1:14]), and came to a marvellous conclusion. He wrote: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” [ECC:12:13]). Let us hope that Solomon profited by this final decision and repented before the day that he "slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father” [1KG:11:43]).
Questions
1. Why was the Lord angry with Solomon?
2. Did David or Saul ever turn to idolatry?
3. Why did Hadad the Edomite rebel against Solomon?
4. Why did the Lord delay his judgments upon Solomon?
5. What countries, are represented by the three, that rebelled against Solomon?
6. What was Jeroboam's position before he fled to Egypt?
7. What was the twofold nature of the promise of God to Jeroboam?
8. What were the conditions upon which the house of Jeroboam was to remain in power?
9. Approximately how old was Solomon when he died?
10. Do you think that Solomon reaped the benefits of the promise God gave him in [1KG:3:14]?