Turn Back; Don't Turn Away

Based on 1 Kings 11-13

There are so many difficult situations we face in life...so many distractions which could sway our focus off the things that matter, especially God. The important thing to do is to stay grounded & rooted in God's Word. Every day presents its own battles, so we need a daily refreshment of spiritual encouragement. It's not enough to read the Bible once in our lives-it's our daily Bread against our daily battles! Unfortunately, Solomon allowed his distractions to get the better of him, and his kingdom crumbled because his relationship with God crumbled first.

"But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the Lord said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart." 1 Kings 11:1‭-‬3.

Solomon was only king because God gave him that position, and he was blessed beyond measure because he once obeyed God. Now, in Solomon's disobedience, his loyalty to God was destroyed. In loving all of those wives, he even resorted to worshipping their gods! The man who once only wanted wisdom and wanted to please God was becoming so unwise and only wanted to please himself. God gave him more than he ever asked for, but now he went out and got wives outside of the abundant blessings God already gave him. Instead of turning back to God, he completely turned away in serving these other gods. So, God had to fulfill the consequences stated way back when Solomon first became king...

Solomon once had all the tribes of Israel, plus other kingdoms, in favor with him. Now, not only was the kingdom going to be divided, but Solomon would gain some adversaries as well. What once was peaceful was now parted & problematic:

"Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen." 1 Kings 11:11‭-‬13.

A servant, not even Solomon's son, would gain most the kingdom...except for one tribe kept to Solomon's son for David's sake! Solomon must have been pretty thankful that David did everything he could to keep his heart right with God!

"And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom." 1 Kings 11:14.

This man, Hadad, plus another adversary, caused mischief & trouble continuously all the days of Solomon. And besides the division already taking place in the kingdom, Solomon's son Rehoboam afflicts the Israelites even more than they ever were while Solomon reigned:

"And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions." 1 Kings 12:10‭-‬11.

There was affliction everywhere the people turned. Solomon's sin affected everyone because God put him in a position of leadership.

Then the servant Jeroboam, who received the 10 tribes, gets a word from a man of God against him that one day Josiah shall be born to reign...the man of God was told not to eat or drink in that same place he came, but after many tempting offers, he did because a prophet lied and said God told him to tell him that.

"And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth." 1 Kings 13:34.

This deception of the man of God shows how far the people were drifting. Where was Solomon's wisdom? What did he leave behind after he died? There may have been beautiful buildings filled with treasures once dedicated to The Lord, but they meant nothing if there was an empty, hollow heart for God at the end of his life. David left behind a heart after God's own heart. He repented deeply after his mistakes. David turned back instead of turning away, so we must do the same! It's never too late for a turn-around!