God gave Solomon wisdom and great understanding, and largeness of heart like the sand on the seashore. Thus Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. (1 Kings 4:29,30,32)
It's sad that a man this blessed by God should fall in disfavor with God later on in life. And this was the reason...
"Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites; of the nations concerning which God said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love.
He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart.
For it happened, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of God, and didn't go fully after God, as did David his father.
Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. So did he for all his foreign wives, who burnt incense and sacrificed to their gods. God was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he didn't keep that which God commanded. Therefore God said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. (1 Kings 11:1-11)
We must never take for granted, the blessings that God has given us because he is rich in love and mercy. It is only God's grace that keeps us from falling and we must always be grateful to him for that.
The Apostle Paul writes to the believers at Corinth,
"Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn't fall."
Good advice for all believers in Jesus Christ.
Dr. Johnson Cherian
www.johnsoncherian.com
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