From Wise to Stupid

O. T. #779  "From Wise to Stupid"
June 22, 2016
1 Kings 11-Part 2
...the God of Israel says: I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and I will give ten to the tribes to you! 1 Kings 11:31

LET IT GLOW

I'm sure we can all recall some stupid things we did when we were young or teens. Things that may have had bad repercussions for years to come. Regretful now years later, but we didn't heed the warnings then, did we? Solomon, though the wisest man on earth, made some mistakes, too. Stupid one, I call them. Yep, he went from wise to stupid, in my books.

Solomon went astray, led away from God by his 700 wives and 300 concubines. These foreign women worshiped foreign gods  in the form of idols. As Solomon built idols for them to worship, he joined them. Now if there is one sin that God will not tolerate, it is idolatry. He demands to be first place, the One and Only God, and  rightfully so. His women and worship were as sign of this king's double disobedience.

Now he is going to reap what he has sown. We see the wisest man on earth turning into the most stupid of all. Solomon's divided heart loved the world and tried to serve God. We can't serve two masters, for we love one and hate the other.
A divided heart leads to a divided kingdom. Today, believers bring division into their marriage, their families, and their churches when they fail to guard their hears and set them on eternal concerns.
(D. Jeremiah)

Being a believer, follower, and servant of Jesus Christ is not a part-time thing. It requires our all.
God kept His word to Solomon after his death, with Solomon's kingdom being divided into two kingdoms-northern and southern, with Rehoboam, Solomon's son, reigning as king of Judah and Benjamin, the southern tribes. (We  will read about this in the next  chapters.)

God keeps His promises. There may be times we wish it not so, but He is faithful. It is up to us to be thankful for them, to be in the position to receive them with praise to Him.


LET IT GROW

Warren Wiersbe tells us that God sent several disciplines to bring the erring king back to the faith:

1. A warning message, found in verses 1-13, where God threatened to give Solomon's kingdom away to another.
2. An invasion by Edom, verses 14-22, as King Hadad took revenge on Israel for David's slaughter of Edom (2 Samuel 8). Egypt turned out to be an ally with Edom.
3. Trouble with Rezon, verses 23-25, occurred when this band of warriors took Damascus, harassing the borders for many years, and established a strong dynasty with kings of Syria that troubled Israel in the ninth century.
4. Competition from Jeroboam, in verses 26-43, whom God chose to be the king over Israel's ten northern tribes, and Prophet Ahijah shared with him.

When things are going good for us, that is when we need to be closest to God. Although our situation is well, we are to give God the glory, for He is amazing God.

LET IT GO

Heed the warnings which God sends my way.

Search my heart to see if there be anything dividing it from God.