Lesson 286 - Junior
Memory Verse
"Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live” (Proverbs 4:4).
Notes
Solomon's Good Beginning
God appeared to Solomon in Gibeon, that wonderful night as he slept. We read that, "Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father” [1KG:3:3]). Once again, perhaps ten years later, God appeared to Solomon at the dedication of the beautiful Temple. King Solomon was very close to God as he prayed: "Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart” [1KG:8:23]).
Solomon had been blessed with a God-fearing father who was none other than David, a man "after mine [God's] own heart” [ACT:13:22]). For a time the early religious training made a deep impression upon the life of Solomon.
Boys and girls who have Christian parents have a decided advantage in life. If they hearken to the Christian teaching, it will help them to get saved as soon as they are old enough to realize they have sinned. Then, as they go on to school, if they remember to pray each morning and each evening, they can keep the love of Jesus in their heart. It is not necessary to backslide and go into sin to find pleasure. No earthly joy can compare with kneeling in prayer while Heaven's blessings are outpoured. The Gospel of Jesus holds the greatest pleasure for the heart of even the very young. There is the Sunday School where they learn more about Jesus and His will; opportunity is given the children to sing and play an instrument in the young people's meetings. They are urged to work for Jesus in many other ways.
Solomon's Failure
We are sure that Solomon loved the Lord when he was very young, and there were many good things ahead for him so long as he followed the Lord. But how sad is the change that came over this great king when he "did evil in the sight of the LORD” [1KG:11:6])! Let us read a few more verses from our text, which show us that he did not keep close to the Lord: "When Solomon was old, . . . his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” "Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.” "He kept not that which the LORD commanded” [1KG:11:4], [1KG:11:6], [1KG:11:10]).
When one serves the Lord with all his heart, and his ways please the Lord, God "maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” [PRO:16:7]). But when one departs from the Lord, there is sure to be trouble. Because of Solomon's failure, God said to him, "I will surely rend the kingdom from thee.” The glory and power that Solomon had been given by God, and the opportunity to be king over all the people, were to be taken from him because he was disobedient. He had been warned; he was without excuse; he knew he must have a perfect heart before God as David his father had.
Increased Riches
But the love of the world and its sinful pleasures had crept into Solomon's heart. His life was a constant round of pleasure. He tried to satisfy his soul with merriment, song, wine, and wealth. With gold and precious stones coming yearly from Ophir, costly spices from the faraway merchants, rich cedar from Lebanon, and gold, silver, ivory, and other valuable merchandise every three years from Tharshish, Solomon would "eat, drink, and be merry.” But true joy and lasting peace does not come that way. Solomon knew that all too well, for we have his own writings that tell us, "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” [ECC:12:13]). But it is one thing to know what one should do, and quite another thing to do it. "To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” [JAM:4:17]). God's judgment of Solomon was something like that pronounced upon a certain church: "I will spue thee out of my mouth. . . . though sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” [REV:3:16-17]).
Those who depart from the Lord and disobey His commandments are sure to find trouble. When King Saul disobeyed the Lord, he lost his throne, and in the end he lost his soul. (I Samuel, chapters 15 and 31). King Belshazzar became lifted up with pride, and was dethroned and slain by his enemies (Daniel 5). God deals with people today the same as he did in days of long ago. The blessings of God follow those who obey, but the curse of God follows those who insist upon turning aside from God.
The Giver of Good Gifts
Solomon was a very rich man. It is not sin in the sight of God to have great possessions; there is no harm in having a certain amount of the better things in life. However, in the Bible we are warned that if riches increase, we should not set our heart upon them [PS:62:10]). God expects us to use freely of the good things He gives us to help others. Riches are a blessing to some, but a curse to others. Some people become lifted up with pride when riches increase. It takes greater spiritual power to stand when things are going smoothly than in the face of financial adversity. We must hold with an open hand the things God gives us, and freely share with others our material gains. By doing so we not only help those in need but help spread the Gospel far and near. But the blessing of the Lord does not fall upon those who lavish merely upon themselves everything they possess; for, after all, it comes from the Giver of every good and perfect gift.
God's Great Mercy
In the last days of Solomon we find, however, mercy mingled with judgment. For the sake of his father, David, the Lord was good to him, even after he turned from God. God said: "I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake” [1KG:11:13]); "that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there” [1KG:11:36]).
Let us see how King Solomon's last days compare with the last days of David. Of David we read: "He died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour” [1CH:29:28]). But the words we find recorded concerning the last days of Solomon are: "When Solomon was old, . . . his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father” [1KG:11:4]). What a contrast! We are told that, "he that endureth to the end shall be saved” [MAT:10:22]).
Solomon did not take heed as much as he should have to the advice of David his father who said, "Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many” [PRO:4:10]). If he had, he, too, would have lived to a good old age. But instead, he died before he reached his "threescore and ten.” Let every young person take heed to his ways and hearken to the very first commandment with promise given in God's Word:
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
"Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)
"That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth” [EPH:6:1-3]).
Questions
1. Tell of the two appearances of the Lord unto Solomon.
2. What did God promise to give him at the first appearance?
3. Why did God say, "I will surely rend the kingdom from thee”?
4. Why was not all the kingdom taken from him?
5. Give the names of those who caused trouble for Solomon.
6. What promise did God make unto Jeroboam?
7. Upon what conditions were the promises based?
8. How long was Solomon king?
9. How do his last days compare with the lat days of David?
10. To whom is long life promised?