It seems incredible that Solomon near the end of his life should be so foolish as to turn to other gods. Today’s chapter tells us “when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.” [1 Kings 11 v.4]

The wives that turned away his heart were “foreign wives” [v.8] and he made “high places” for them where they could worship their own gods and even got involved in such worship himself [v.5]. We ponder how this could possibly happen.

Now it was only possible for him to have all these wives, and such was the culture of that age, because he had so much wealth and resultant esteem. His wisdom, his proverbs and the grandeur that displayed his wealth brought him so much fame. Now think back to what we read of his first personal encounter with God. We read this in Ch. 3 when “the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, ‘Ask what I shall give you’. And Solomon said, “ ... give your servant ... an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may be able to discern between good and evil” [v.9]

God granted his request, but also said, “I give you also what you have not asked for, both riches and honour, so that no other king shall compare with you ...” [v.13] Was that only a great additional blessing? Was it not also a test – a test which in the end found a weakness in Solomon’s character?

His wealth and honour was a test for him, and he did not fully pass the test. In another way he failed to. He wrote over a thousand Proverbs, one that is often quoted, was, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he shall not depart from it” [22 v.6]. It seems he was so pre-occupied with his building projects that he neglected the training of his son Rehoboam, with disastrous results as we shall read tomorrow.

The lesson for us is the truth of that maxim, ‘Practice what you preach.’ Paul put it very well in his first letter to the Corinthians, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” [10 v.11,12]