1000 Worldly Partnerships Lure Heart From God

Solomon

1000 Worldly Partnerships Lure Heart From God

1 King 11-1-13

King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelite, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.

Solomon disobeyed our jealous God when he married women from nations whom the Lord told Israel not married because they would turn his heart from the one true God to other gods.(Deuteronomy 7:3-6) 1000 Partnerships lure his heart away from God, when Solomon in earthly wisdom, formed alliance with neighboring nations by marriage to established covenant, grant mercy and enforce peace- from the Egyptian in the southwest, to the Edomites in the south, the Ammonites and Moabites in the east, and Sidonians in the north.

"God separated light from darkness and saw it was good. What does the light has to do with darkness and what does the temple of God has to do with the temple of Baal? Solomon rather than flee from the lures of nations, held fast to their women in love, which must have been a strong political strategy yet it was detrimental to his relationship with God and this turned his heart away from the Father of light to the father of lies including other deities. ”All things are lawful for me but not all things are beneficial; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify”

"Do not be unequally yoke with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does believers have in common with unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you the temple of the living God…" (2 Corinthians 6:14-16)

Pause& think

• What does God says about intermarriage: between believers and nonbelievers, and among believers then and now?
• Why does God prohibit intermarriage with non-believers and how does his boundaries protect believers from conflict of interest?
• Why did Solomon love the daughters of Belial?

1 King 11:4-8

As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 1000 partnerships lures heart away from God, when He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely. On a hill east of Jerusalem, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable god of Moab, and for Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

Solomon an extravagant worshiper was extravagant in all his endeavors, from 1000 bulls offered to the only true God to 700 hundred wives in marriage and 300 hundred concubines. Solomon quiver was full; he had a good name with riches, godly wisdom and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore. “Do not be overly righteous , nor be overly wise; why should you destroy yourself”

Yet, Solomon rather than strengthen himself in the Lord, unlike his father David, gave his strength to woman, who divided his heart and turn it away from the Lord God. As worshipers, we should ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to identify and acknowledge sins that easily lure us, turn from these sin toward God, and present our members as instrument of righteousness to God and instrument of righteousness to the things of God, instead of things that defile or turn our hearts away from God.

• Jesus said: it’s not what enters into the mouth that defiles that man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.(Matthew 15:11-20)
• Jesus said: “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” (John 8:29)
• Let your heart therefore be loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statuses and keep commandment, as at this day.( 1 King 8:61)

The reoccurring sin in Solomon’s life lingered until his old age.1000 Ungodly Marriages Lure Heart From God, when Solomon married women who did not believe in the only true God, he also worshiped their gods from Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians responsible for fertile wombs and high yielding crops, to Milcom a war god of the Ammonites.  Solomon disobeyed the commandments of God “You shall have no other gods before me, you shall not make for yourself a carve image, you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. “ Exodus (20:1-6) He engaged in abominable acts by worshiping false gods at the same high place where He worshiped the only true God. (1 King 3:3-4, 2 King 23:13)

1000 Worldly Partnerships Lure Heart From God, when Solomon allowed his foreign wives to continue their pagan worship practices, he also joined them in their rituals in burning incense and sacrificed to their gods, which ensnared him and cause him to sin against God. “The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, or you will be snared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 7:29.)

Jesus said: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only (John 4:8)

• My son, don’t forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands.
• Hear, my son, and be wise; and guard your heart in the way- from it flows the issues of life
• My son do not give your strength to women, nor give your ways to that which destroy kings

Pause & think

• Why do ungodly partnership have a potential to lead to spiritual compromise and what measure needs to be taken to overcome compromise?
• How can we maintain a stable walk with God and not stagger at His promises?
• What daily habits can we cultivate to strengthen ourselves in the Lord?

1 KINGS 11:9-13

The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to not follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.So the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates.

Nevertheless, for the sake of David your father, I will not do it during your lifetime. I will tear it out of the hand of your son. Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom from him, but will give him one tribe for the sake of David my servant and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

Solomon heart had turned away from God was evident by the activities he was engaged in: permitting his wives idolatry, building of high places, and his participation in their pagan rituals, even though the Lord had forbidden him to not follow other gods.  “Concerning this temple which you are building, if you walk in my statues, execute my judgment, and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will perform my word with you, which I spoke to your Father David. (1 king 6:12)

However, the beloved King over all Israel, married pagan women who caused him to sin. Solomon forsook the only true God and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites and Milcom the god of the people of Amon and did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, as did his father David. “Because the Lord is jealous for his reputation, you are never to bow down to another god. He is a jealous God.”(Exodus 20:3)  Consequently, the Lord the tore away the kingdom from Solomon and gave it to his subordinates.

Even in judgment, our compassionate Father, who delights in showing mercy, extended mercy to Solomon and graciously permitted Solomon retained 1 of the 12 tribes allotments in the promise land, because of His promise to David and His affection for Jerusalem. Solomon, the pinnacle of Israel wise men, did not have in faith in God, and he did not completely fear God. His lack of faith influence by selfish desire and disobedience to the command of God had a negative impact on his relationship with God. Solomon compromised caused him to sin, which separated him from God, because whatever is not from faith is sin. (Romans 14:22-23, Hebrews 11:6) However, this day, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.(1 John 1:9)

So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

May we glean from Solomon error- scripture is given to make us wise for salvation- and glorify God in worship , through our body and spirit, and serve the Lord our God only. May the Lord turn our hearts from idols toward Him in loyalty, obedience and reverence to the praise of His glory and grace. May we continue to abide in Christ who has become for us wisdom from God-righteousness, sanctification and redemption. In Jesus name, Amen.