1 Kings 10 – 1 Kings 11

Why Solomon? Why? Why? Why?

God’s Spirit gifted you with so much. You had all the wisdom. You had all the knowledge. You had wealth, power, and might. You had absolutely everything. You were blessed in ways that many of us could only imagine. Since you had it all, we can only ponder . . . why Solomon? Why? Why? Why did you have to think with your head? (At this point I’m not referring to the one on his shoulders.)

I can’t even say “typical guy!” Because there is nothing typical about having 700 wives and 300 concubines. How do you even begin to manage that household? Do you have to book an appointment years in advance? Is this a constant breakfast, lunch, and dinner date? Not to mention, 1 Kings 11:4 states “when Solomon was old,” all within the same context of his many wives and concubines. So an aged king that can . . . ? Really? Wow! How? Oh, never mind in the end it all boils down to “Why Solomon? Why? Why? Why did you have to think with your (other) head?”

After all God blessed you with! After all of God’s divine guidance and provision! Now, we come to realize that Solomon isn’t as great as we might think for his true weakness is women. Women who lead him astray. So far astray that he builds temples to the false gods of the surrounding countries. If only Nathan the Prophet were still alive. How would he respond at this moment? I am reminded of 2 Samuel 12:7, as Nathan cries out: “You are the man,” after David’s affair with Bathsheba. Guess the apple didn’t fall too far from the tree on this one. In the end, if Nathan were around, I could imagine something much more to the point, as Solomon begins his downward spiral.

This spiral will be on a downward turn for quiet some time. For now the kingdom is torn. The fall into lust, greed, wickedness, selfishness only grows. The sin of the Nation of Israel will continue to grow and grow especially as it will soon fall into the hands of the rest of the kings. Like a balloon, being trust full of air with each sinful leader, you can imagine how this is all going to end! Which leads me back to that opening thought of today . . . . why Solomon? Why? Why? Why did you have to think with your (other) head?

Peace,
Pastor Bailey

Our next reading: 1 Kings 12 – 14