Last post, we saw the rise and fall of a great and anticipated king. His fall was surprising when examined in light of his beginnings. However, couldn’t it have been avoided? Couldn’t the shame, the collateral damage upon his family, and the dishonor of God have been replaced with honor, discipleship, and praise? I believe so. But, sadly…it wasn’t the case.
It’s here where we should reflect.
Why? Because: (1) this life often presents cases that are sometimes hard to understand and (2) we’re not immune to failures similar to this great king. Take the recent apostasies in the Christian world. Take us…who are not exempt from making poor choices, nor will we ever arrive.
So, what are the lessons we can learn from the later failures of Solomon of old, as well as the recent apostates (a person who renounces their Christian faith) of today?
What happened to Solomon?
The answer is quite simple, “Now King Solomon loved many foreign women…his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God…“. He loved pleasure more than he loved God’s Word. To be human is to relate to this. The reality is, many choose the love of pleasure more than the love of God’s Word. It takes one example to prove this point: how many more surveys do we need to see that reveal the alarming statistics of the porn industry and its reach into every nook and cranny of society? His love changed, and so can ours.
How could he stoop to such levels?
When your love changes, your focus changes, and when your focus changes, your decisions change. Solomon began his reign with an understanding of need: “…Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in…So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil…”. He came to God–as the Supplier of wisdom–and so started his reign judging wisely. His love for God’s Word was established early.
But, pleasure took root in his heart, he changed his focus, and thus he succumbed to temptations. In other words, he stopped fighting. He cratered, because he was blinded by his human desires and let them run amuck. These desires aren’t bad in and of themselves, of course. They’re given to every human by God. However, they become sinful when they become misplaced–as God’s Word defines. A fire is safe only when it’s contained.
Thus, in letting his appetite for pleasure rule his heart, he let the fire burn unconfined, and brought shame upon himself and affected those around him. Pleasure blinds reality, and brings many a strong man and strong woman to their knees in desperation for more. Ironically sad, but true.
How did these decisions affect his children after him?
Solomon died, and his son, Rehoboam, ascended the throne. “And Solomon slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of his father David, and his son Rehoboam reigned in his place.” Will Rehoboam break the cycle of Solomon? Will he finish well, unlike his father?
Upon taking the throne, Rehoboam was faced with a critical decision that would seal the fate of his kingdom. It’s here where we see how far reaching a father’s shameful example gripped a son. “Then Rehoboam went to Shechem…and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, “Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.” Then he said to them, “Depart for three days, then return to me.” So the people departed.””
Rehoboam’s reign was off to an interesting start. He has to make a decision that will reverberate throughout the history of his nation, and he appears to wisely seek counsel in this decision, but then everything changed. “King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon…But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him.”
The national fallout ensued… “When all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, saying, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel! Now look after your own house, David!” So Israel departed to their tents.”
Rehoboam’s reign began with a united kingdom of twelve tribes, but shamefully ended in a divided kingdom split between ten northern tribes and a two southern tribes. How tragic to see the legacy of David, a man after God’s own heart, lead to the fracture of a unified kingdom and the loss of an opportunity to advance God’s glory in obedience to His Word throughout all the earth.
Could anything have prevented this disgrace?
When we consider what led to this outcome, it’s obvious to see where things went awry. The heart of a king was changed, and the heart of a subsequent king was confined to an echo chamber.
What are the similarities?
In both cases, their hearts wanted ultimate control. In one case, restraint was abandoned, and the other would not allow being challenged. And so, they became the masters of their fate…the captains of their souls.
HOW DOES THIS APPLY TO US TODAY?
- Guard your heart.
- Your passions drive you. Cultivate a love for God through prayer. Write a journal every night about things you are thankful for throughout the day. Don’t like to journal? Then at meal times, have your family members go around and share one thing they’re thankful for. Eliminate things that will distract you and take you off focus. You know what those are for you. Music? TV? Detox for a little while, and then bring them back when they’re not a distraction to your heart. You know what distracts you better than anyone else.
- Don’t live in an echo chamber.
- Surround yourself with accountability that reaches throughout the generations. Pure and simple. Seek counsel from the old and the young alike. Don’t let your news, your music, your podcasts, your TV viewing be the same things. Diversify your media outlets and what you read. It will help challenge you, and strengthen your beliefs. Read Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley to challenge your thoughts on the Church.
- Pursue God…everyday.
- Everyday, meet with God in His Word. Grab a Bible reading plan that takes you through the Old and New Testament reading everyday. You want the counsel of God everyday. Don’t miss this critical discipleship opportunity the Lord has given you in His Word. Everyday…read His Word. Everyday.
Christian, never forget…the Sword you possess in life’s everyday battle(s) is not some play toy, plastic sword. No, no, it’s a Sword sharper than any two-edged sword. Yes, even capable of “…piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
No, the Christian does not wield a Plastic Sword, but the very Word of God. Therefore, Christian men and women, children and youth, make yourself battle-ready with God’s Word. “…always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence…”
Christian, take up your armor…and “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
— August 23, 2019