For some people, it’s hard to maintain an allegiance to God. For those who lived by the Old Testament, one’s allegiance to God is measured by the consistency in which they abide by the Laws God gave in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. But unlike the directives in the New Testament, the Laws in the OT are just Laws; Except for loving God with all your heart, soul and might, and loving your neighbors and strangers, most of the OT Laws do not seem to reach out to a person’s heart.
One example is Deuteronomy 7:1–5 which says you shall not intermarry with those who follow other Gods “for they would turn away your sons from following” him, “to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.” Well, we know from Exodus that God is a jealous God. So, there is no reaching of the heart in Deuteronomy 7:1–5. God may have been more concerned that His Creation of the Chosen People continue to the thousandth generation than his concern involving peoples’ love engagements. On the other hand, it is God’s universe and like a doting father he makes the rules as to whom his children may marry. And God, being what He is, can rightfully determine what love is, which in certain people may conflict with their earthly conception of love.
There is a great irony in King Solomon’s seeking the wisdom from God in 1 Kings 3:6–15 to rule over his people and to discern between good and evil in the course of governing God’s people. King Solomon indeed learned the lessons of wisdom, to the point where he was regarded as the wisest in the region he ruled. And up to a certain point, his rule was successful. So, what happened, that he ended up having hundreds of wives who followed other Gods? Surely, he knew this was evil in terms of the Law God gave in Deuteronomy 7.
One can only guess as to what may have turned him over to evil, giving in to earthly temptations of greed, pride and, perhaps, lust. When Solomon asked God for wisdom he did not have the riches he ended up with. Could it be that the riches and honor that God gave him for asking God for wisdom is what eventually turned him from the very wisdom he received from Him? Could it be that having gotten a taste of the riches and honor that God provided him with, he became more interested in getting more of such things than he was in ruling his people as a governing authority envisioned in Romans 13:1? And as he got more, he became corrupt to the point where he threw wisdom he was well known for, under the chariot so to speak.
So, pride, greed and lust were more important to him. And in the end, around the time he passed away, he was judged in 1 Kings 11:6 to ‘have done evil in the sight of the Lord,’ and the Lord tore Solomon’s kingdom apart as He said He would in 1 Kings 11:11–13.
What is the lesson here? Perhaps it’s that all the wisdom in the world will not prevent a person from committing evil if his actions turn away from what is good.
One example is Deuteronomy 7:1–5 which says you shall not intermarry with those who follow other Gods “for they would turn away your sons from following” him, “to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.” Well, we know from Exodus that God is a jealous God. So, there is no reaching of the heart in Deuteronomy 7:1–5. God may have been more concerned that His Creation of the Chosen People continue to the thousandth generation than his concern involving peoples’ love engagements. On the other hand, it is God’s universe and like a doting father he makes the rules as to whom his children may marry. And God, being what He is, can rightfully determine what love is, which in certain people may conflict with their earthly conception of love.
There is a great irony in King Solomon’s seeking the wisdom from God in 1 Kings 3:6–15 to rule over his people and to discern between good and evil in the course of governing God’s people. King Solomon indeed learned the lessons of wisdom, to the point where he was regarded as the wisest in the region he ruled. And up to a certain point, his rule was successful. So, what happened, that he ended up having hundreds of wives who followed other Gods? Surely, he knew this was evil in terms of the Law God gave in Deuteronomy 7.
One can only guess as to what may have turned him over to evil, giving in to earthly temptations of greed, pride and, perhaps, lust. When Solomon asked God for wisdom he did not have the riches he ended up with. Could it be that the riches and honor that God gave him for asking God for wisdom is what eventually turned him from the very wisdom he received from Him? Could it be that having gotten a taste of the riches and honor that God provided him with, he became more interested in getting more of such things than he was in ruling his people as a governing authority envisioned in Romans 13:1? And as he got more, he became corrupt to the point where he threw wisdom he was well known for, under the chariot so to speak.
So, pride, greed and lust were more important to him. And in the end, around the time he passed away, he was judged in 1 Kings 11:6 to ‘have done evil in the sight of the Lord,’ and the Lord tore Solomon’s kingdom apart as He said He would in 1 Kings 11:11–13.
What is the lesson here? Perhaps it’s that all the wisdom in the world will not prevent a person from committing evil if his actions turn away from what is good.
