1 Kings 12:1

1 Kings 12:1 says, And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.  Rehoboam went to Shechem and all the people went there as well to make him king.  Evidently, the fact that God had chosen Jeroboam to be king of most of Israel was not a well-known fact.  When we select leaders in the church today, we need to make sure that they are the person that God has chosen.  Who their parents were should not be a determining factor.  Verse two adds, And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;)  Jeroboam heard that Rehoboam was to be anointed king while he was still in Egypt.  We need to know what is being done in God's name today wherever we may be.  Verse three continues, That they sent and called him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake unto Rehoboam, saying,  The people of Israel, or at least most of them, went with Jeroboam to speak to Rehoboam.  They didn't just come and say they weren't going to follow him but presented him with an option if they were going to.  If someone is going to be placed in a position of authority in the church today, I believe that we need to make sure that they are following God's will and doing what is best for the church as a whole and not just looking for a position of power and self-glorification.  Verse four continues, Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.  They told Rehoboam that Solomon had made their yoke heavy and asked that he make it lighter if they were going to serve him as their king.  I believe that those in power today should be working to make the burdens of Christians lighter and not heavier.  Verse five concludes, And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed.  Rehoboam told them to go away for three days and then he would give them his answer.  At least he was taking the time to consider what he was going to do.  We today should always take the time to consider our actions before we take them, and as Christians, we should always seek God's guidance before we take any action.  Verse six states, And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?  Though we aren't told that Rehoboam prayed about the situation, he did consult with the old men who had served Solomon about what he should do.  Of course, as Christians, the first thing we should do if we have a decision to make, whether about a personal issue or an issue with the church, is to pray about it, but then we would also be wise to consult with those who are older Christians and ask their advice.  Verse seven adds, And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.  These older men told Rehoboam that if he would be a servant to the people of Israel and would treat them fairly that they would be his servants forever.  As followers of Christ, He is our King and we can be certain that He will always do what is best for us spiritually as long as we are following Him, so we should always serve Him faithfully.  Verse eight continues, But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:  Rehoboam did not listen to the old men because they didn't tell him what he wanted to hear.  Some people in power today are not going to listen to anyone who tells them that they are there to serve the people and not to enrich or glorify themselves.  Verse nine says, And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?  He then asked what the young men would advise him to tell the people who said that he needed to lighten the yoke that Solomon his father had put on them.  Leaders in the church today should not put a heavy burden on the people that they are supposed to serve in order to support a luxurious lifestyle or even to support a luxurious building that really should not be there just as a showplace.  Verse ten adds, 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.  The young men who grew up with Rehoboam then joined in, telling him to tell the people that the yoke Solomon had placed on them was going to be light compared to what he was going to do.  We may get advice from younger people that is not consistent with what the church is supposed to be about.  This is not to say that younger people are always wrong, but sometimes they can be more self-centered.  Verse eleven continues, 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.  The young men continued to tell Rehoboam to tell the people that he was going to be even more oppressive to them than Solomon had been.  At least they were advising him to be honest about his intentions.  He would have had better success by promising them that he would ease their burden and then increasing it after he was established in power.  Sometimes, would be leaders today will promise us that things are going to be better for us if they are in power than they are now, but they really aren't concerned as much about all the people as they are about themself and their friends.  So, the people of Israel should at least be thankful that Rehoboam was advised to be truthful with them.  Verse twelve states, So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.  After three days, Jeroboam and the people of Israel came to Rehoboam again for his answer.  We need to remember that Jeroboam had already been anointed by God to be the king of ten tribes of Israel, but he didn't come making that claim to power.  Like David with Saul, he was not just assuming the position that God had appointed him to without any respect for Rehoboam who could have believed that he was the rightful king.  Still, if God has called us to a position, we need to fill that position as soon as He tells us to, and God had already told Jeroboam that the majority of the kingdom was being taken away from Rehoboam and given to him.  Verse thirteen adds, And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they gave him;  Rehoboam answered the people roughly while rejecting the advice of the old men.  I believe he was acting out of arrogance and self-pride, and we still encounter leaders and would be leaders who act the same way today.  Verse fourteen continues, And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.  Rehoboam followed the advice of the young men, once again we should notice without seeking God's guidance in the matter.  We as Christians can never afford to act without seeking God's guidance first.  Verse fifteen concludes, Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the Lord, that he might perform his saying, which the Lord spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.  Though God was credited with Rehoboam's answer to fulfill a prophesy, I believe that He just knew what was in Rehoboam's heart or nature.  I don't believe that God ever causes people to act outside His will, but He will always allow them to do so.  

1 Kings 11:34

1 Kings 11:34 says, Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:  After God told Jeroboam that He was going to give him ten tribes to rule over, He then said that He was not going to take the whole kingdom from Solomon's descendants because they were descendants of David also and David had remained true to Him.  Of course, we cannot be saved because of our parent's faithfulness to God.  Verse thirty-five adds, But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.  Even though God wasn't going to take the whole kingdom from Solomon's descendants, He was going to give the majority to Jeroboam.  If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we will never have our place in His kingdom taken away from us, but if we allow sin back into our life, we may have the gifts that He was going to bless us with in this world taken away and given to someone who is obedient to Him.  Verse thirty-six continues, And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.  God also said that He was going to give Solomon's descendants one tribe that included Jerusalem, because David was to always have a descendant on the throne.  This promise was fulfilled with Jesus Christ and the promise is no longer about a physical location but is about the attitude of a person toward Jesus Christ.  We can either accept Him as our personal Savior and Lord, or we will forever be outside the Kingdom of God.  Verse thirty-seven states, And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.  God promised Jeroboam that He would make him the king over most of Israel and he would reign according to his heart's desire.  I believe this meant in accordance with Jeroboam's covenant relationship with God, which should have led him to desire what God wanted for Jeroboam himself and the people of Israel.  I do know that once we become a Christian that we are not promised whatever we may selfishly desire but are only promised what we need to accomplish God's work.  I don't believe that God is ever going to just give us whatever we want just to fulfill our own desires, though some people may preach and teach that.  Verse thirty-eight adds, And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.  We have the "if" that comes with God's promises quite often.  In order for God to make Israel great under Jeroboam as it was under David, he had to be obedient to God.  If God is going to make us a great Christian or a great Christian nation, we must be obedient to His commandments.  We are not saved by keeping His commandments, but once we are saved, that does not mean that we can ignore them.  God's Laws will last forever.  Verse thirty-nine continues, And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.  God also said that He would afflict the descendants of David, but not forever.  Even though the earthly kingdom may never have been totally restored to a descendant of David, God's promise to him that one of his descendants would always rule over Israel, God's chosen people, was fulfilled through Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ, a descendant of David, will rule forever over God's chosen people, which includes everyone who puts their faith in Him as their Savior and Lord.  Verse forty says, Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose, and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt until the death of Solomon.  Much like Saul with David, when Solomon became aware that Jeroboam had been chosen to be the next king, he attempted to kill him.  Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live had not only started worshipping other gods, but he was attempting to defy God's plan for Israel.  We may have all the wisdom in the world, but if we do not come to Jesus Christ by faith, we are the dumbest of people.  Also, like David with Saul, Jeroboam had to flee until Solomon died.  Like David, Jeroboam didn't just immediately attempt to claim the throne.  We as followers of Christ are called on to spread the gospel to the world, but that doesn't mean that people of the world will always welcome us.  As a matter of fact, they may attempt to kill us to silence us forever.  Still, we must continue to live by faith in God no matter what.  Verse forty-one adds, And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?  Evidently, there was a book written about all the acts of Solomon that we do not have.  I believe this is because this book likely focused on Solomon and not God's work through Solomon.  I also believe that the things we do that are not for God's glory will also never be remembered.  Verse forty-two continues, And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years.  Solomon had ruled for forty years, during which time Israel was basically at peace and prosperous, but for all his wisdom, Solomon had strayed away from God and started worshipping other gods.  Even if we were to be in a time of peace and prosperity today, we must never stray away from God and start worshipping other gods. which can be anything that becomes more important to us than God.  Verse forty-three concludes, And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.  Solomon died and was buried with David, and his son Rehoboam ruled in his place.  Once again, as with Saul and David, we would have a man appointed king, Rehoboam, and a God appointed king, Jeroboam.  Today, as Christians, we can have only one King, and that is Jesus Christ.

1 Kings 11:26

1 Kings 11:26 says, And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.  Not only did Solomon have enemies outside of the kingdom of Israel, but he had enemies within as well.  It is bad enough to have enemies outside the church, but we need to pray that we don't start fighting with one another as Christians.  Verse twenty-seven adds, And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.  Jeroboam went against Solomon because Solomon had built Millo and repaired the breaches in Jerusalem, the city of David, his father.  Since Jeroboam was of the tribe of Ephraim, he may have believed that Solomon was doing too much in other parts of the country and not in Ephraim, but Matthew Henry says that Jeroboam being in charge of the building there believed that Solomon was abusing the people of Israel for his own gain.  Whatever the reason, he began to oppose Solomon and we will see later that God endorsed this, but we as Christians cannot afford to start opposing other Christians and still be effective in doing God's work.  Of course, we could make the point that Solomon was not doing God's work by this time, and if those who profess to be God's people begin to teach and follow things against God's will, we need to oppose them.  Verse twenty-eight continues, And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.  Solomon saw that Jeroboam was a young man of valor, so he put him in charge of the house of Joseph, or Ephraim and Manasseh.  Even if someone is young and a hard worker today, it may not mean that they are the best person to put in charge in the church.  Sometimes, they may think that they are more important than the people who appoint them.  Of course, this doesn't mean that Jeroboam felt that way.  Verse twenty-nine states, And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:  When Jeroboam was out of Jerusalem, Ahijah from Shiloh found him, and they were alone in a field.  Matthew Henry says that the people of Shiloh had not deserted God and He had raised up a prophet from there.  God will never be without those who follow Him as long as this world stands.  Verse thirty adds, And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:  Ahijah took Rehoboam's new garment and tore it in twelve pieces.  I don't know how Rehoboam felt about this, but if God destroys something we own today to get our attention, I wonder if we would be upset about it or if we would look to God to see what He is telling us.  Verse thirty-one continues, And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:  Ahijah told Jeroboam to take ten take pieces, and that represented God taking ten tribes from Solomon and giving them to him.  So, we see that Jeroboam was not just acting out of his own self-will, but was appointed by God, as hopefully new people who take over God's work in the church today will be.  Verse thirty-two says, (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)  Ahijah said that God was going to leave Solomon with one tribe for David's sake.  God never went back on His promise to David, and He will never go back on His promises to us today as long as we fulfill our part of the covenant with Him and always put our faith in following Jesus Christ, Who is the fulfillment of God's promise to David.  Verse thirty-three adds, Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father.  God said He was doing this because the people of Israel had not remained true to Him under Solomon's reign, but they had started following other gods.  We cannot be a follower of Christ and follow after other gods at the same time.  

1 Kings 11:14

1 Kings 11:14 says, And the Lord stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.  Since Solomon was worshipping other gods, the God of Israel, the only real God that there is, stirred up enemies against him.  Matthew Henry says it was Hadad and Rezon and that they could have been no threat to Solomon as long as he remained faithful to God.  If we as followers of Christ allow false gods back into our life today, we can be certain that God is going to stop blessing us and may even allow us to suffer at the hands of our enemies.  Verse fifteen adds, For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom;  We are then referred to a time in David's rule.  The things that have been done to people in the past may affect their relationship with other groups of people today, especially those who they feel they were wronged by are Christians.  Verse sixteen continues, (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:)  During David's reign, Joab had gone to Edom and remained there for six months until every male was killed.  This could certainly lead to bad feelings about Israel on the part of those who remained or grew up afterward.  I know that many times in the Old Testament that the people of Israel were called on to kill all the inhabitants already in the Promised Land, but this is not our calling as to how to treat our enemies today.  We are called on to reach out to them with love and the gospel.  Verse seventeen concludes, That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.  When Joab was killing all the men of Edom, Hadad was a young child and fled to Egypt along with some of his father's servants.  We can be certain that this would have likely inspired a hatred of the people of Israel in him.  If we as Christians mistreat those of a particular group people today, we can be fairly certain that their descendants are going to dislike if not outright hate Christians.  This is one reason that we should treat all people fairly with a Godlike love.  Veres eighteen states, And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.  Hadad began to gather an army and went to Pharoah in Egypt and asked for his help, and Pharoah first gave him a place to stay and food to eat.  We also know that the enemies of God today often support other enemies of God.  Verse nineteen adds, And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen.  Pharoah liked Hadad so much that he gave him his wife's sister as his wife.  This made him a brother-in-law to Pharoah.  Though we don't hear of it too often anymore if ever, there was a time when a man and a woman who were considered a part of royal families would marry to increase the strength of both families.  Of course, we cannot grow God's kingdom by marrying non-believers, no matter how important they may be in the world.  This does not keep the people of the world from seeking alliances with other groups to fight against Christians though by whatever means necessary.  Veres twenty continues, And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh.  Hadad's son grew up in the household of Pharoah like one of his own sons.  There was indeed a close bond between Hadad and Pharoah, just as there are often close bonds between the enemies of God today, whether they feel like family or not.  Of course, we as followers of Christ should have that same close bond with our fellow Christians, but they will never be our children spiritually, but will be our brothers and sisters.  Verse twenty-one says, And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.  After hearing that David and Joab were dead, Hadad asked Pharoah for permission to return to his own country.  Hadad may have believed that David and Joab were the powers behind the victories of Israel, but it was God, and He certainly wasn't dead.  We need to make sure that as Christians we always let people know that God is the source of our victories, and that like Him, our faith in Him will never die.  Verse twenty-two adds, Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.  Pharoah asked Hadad what he had lacked while living in Egypt and he said nothing but asked Pharoah to let him go to his own country anyway.  People of the world may be thriving where they are but not be satisfied.  I don't believe anyone can ever be satisfied by what this world has to offer if they don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Of course, those who do have this personal relationship with Him should be content with whatever God blesses them with in this lifetime.  Verse twenty-three states, And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah:  As stated earlier, Hadad and Rezon were both going to be used by God to punish Solomon.  We can debate whether God actually empowered them of just removed His protective hand from Solomon, and I believe the latter to be true.  Verse twenty-four adds, And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus.  Matthew Henry says that even though the Syrians had been defeated by David, that Solomon grew careless about dealing with them and Rezon began to rule in Damascus once more.  We may defeat sin in our lives today by the power of God, but we cannot become careless in dealing with sin in the future.  Verse twenty-five continues, And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria.  Rezon was an adversary of Solomon for all of Solomon's reign besides what Hadad was doing.  Some groups of people have been adversaries of Christians their whole lives, and unless we reach them with the gospel and they accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, they always will be. 

1 Kings 11:9

1 Kings 11:9 says, And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,  God, Who appeared to Solomon twice at this time, was displeased with him because he had turned away from God.  I don't believe that God had only spoken to Solomon twice in all this time, but that He appeared to Solomon twice in such a way that he could not deny the reality of God as opposed to these other gods who were not real.  Though He is not going to appear to us physically, Jesus Christ is going to appear to us spiritually in a way that we will know of His reality, and once we accept Him as our personal Savior and Lord, He is going to be upset with us if we allow some other god to begin to influence us.  Verse ten adds, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord  commanded.  During these appearances, God warned Solomon that he should not worship other gods.  When we accept Jesus Christ, He warns us that we cannot also worship other gods.  Solomon, who had asked God for wisdom and had been given it, now wasn't wise enough to listen to God.  No matter how wise we are, since true wisdom comes from God, if we don't listen when God speaks to us, we are of all people most foolish.  Verse twelve continues, 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.  God told Solomon that since he had not remained true to his covenant relationship with Him, that He was going to take the kingdom from Solomon and give it to Solomon's servant.  God didn't say that He was removing Solomon from the family of Israel though.  I am not sure that we can accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord and follow after other gods, but we can allow other things to become more important than God, thereby making them like a god to us.  If we do, we are not removed from God's family, but He may give what would have been our blessings to others.  Verse twelve states, 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.  God told Solomon that He wouldn't remove the kingdom from him during his lifetime for David's sake, but that He would remove it during the reign of Solomon's son.  We are saved by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and if we have accepted Him as our personal Savior and Lord, we will never be removed from the family of God for His sake.  If he could lose those that He had saved, He would be less than all-powerful.  Still, if we do not live and witness for God, our children may be lost from His kingdom.  Verse thirteen adds, 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.  God then said He wouldn't take the whole kingdom from Solomon's son but would leave him with one tribe for David's sake and Jerusalem, which He had chosen.  As Christians, we are preserved by the power of God, and even if we lose material blessings today because we have not followed His will, we will not lose our salvation.

1 Kings 11:1

1 Kings 11:1 says, But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites:  Solomon may have been wise and rich, he may have built a Temple for God, but he did not follow God's law concerning marriage.  He loved and married many foreign women starting with the daughter of Pharoah.  We may be a follower of Christ and yet allow some sinful action into our life, but we can never be content to allow it to stay, much less grow.  Verse two adds, 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.  Slomon loved these women in spite of God's warning to the people of Israel not to marry women of other nations, because these women would lead them away from God.  We have the same warning as Christians today.  Verse three continues, And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.  Solomon not only disobeyed God's design for marriage and his warning about marrying women of other nations, but he also completely obliterated it, having seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines.  Once we allow a sin into our lives as Christians, we should not be surprised if it begins to multiply.  These women turned Solomon's heart away from God, just as any sinful desire will do to us today.  Verse four states, For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.  When Solomon was old and had allowed his wives and concubines to turn his heart away from God and to other gods, his heart was no longer perfect with God as his father David's had been.  I believe the difference was that even though David sinned as well, he never followed after other gods.  I don't believe that we can really be a Christian and follow after other gods as well.  If we begin to do so, then I would have to question the reality of our faith in Jesus Christ to start with, since as Christians we should know that He is the only way to salvation, and we are to worship no one nor anything else.  Verse five adds, For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.  Two of the gods Solomon began to worship were Ashtoreth, the goddess of fertility, and Milcom, the chief god of the Ammonites who was called the abomination of the Ammonites.  We can be certain that any god we follow other than the one true and living God will be an abomination.  Verse six continues, And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father.  Solomon may have been given great wisdom by God, but he did not continue to use it throughout his life by being led to follow other gods and doing evil in God's sight.  We have been given enough wisdom to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, and if we don't, then we are doing evil in God's sight.  Verse seven declares, Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.  Solomon may have built a beautiful Temple for God, but he was now building places of worship for other gods.  They were both called abominations.  We cannot worship God and any other god at the same time, and if we allow anything to become more important to us than God, then that is what we are doing.  Verse eight adds, And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.  Not only did Solomon worship these false gods, but his foreign wives did as well.  If a Christian marries a non-Christian, too often the Christian is led to follow the gods of the spouse, and this should never be.   

1 Kings 10:21

1 Kings 10:21 says, And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.  Solomon's own drinking vessels were made of gold, which really had nothing to do with bringing glory to God in my opinion.  I believe that today too many Christians want only the best of everything for themselves instead of simply wanting what will serve the purpose effectively.  Verse twenty-two adds, For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.  Solomon partnered with Hiram and his navy to continue to bring gold, silver, ivory, apes and peacocks to himself.  Matthew Henry says in their prosperity that the people of Israel had begun to pursue opulence and childlike entertainment.  We today need to be more devoted to doing God's work than to simply looking to find pleasure for ourselves as Christians.  Verse twenty-three continues, So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom.  Solomon exceeded all other kings in both riches and wisdom.  I believe this still holds true, with the exception of Jesus Christ, Who is wiser even if He wasn't richer in His earthly life, because Solomon asked God for wisdom above all else and God blessed him with both wisdom and riches.  Of course, some rulers today do attempt to have more opulence in their lives than Solomon did.  Verse twenty-four states, And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.  People from everywhere came to hear Solomon, because God had given him wisdom.  We as Christians have this same wisdom available to us today, but even if we use it, we likely never have many people coming to us for us to share it with them.  Verse twenty-five adds, And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and mules, a rate year by year.  The people who sought Solomon's wisdom also brought him presents, and when we seek the wisdom of God today, we need to bring Him the present of ourselves and everything that we own.  I believe that all that God blesses us with should be used for His purpose.  Verse twenty-six continues, And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at Jerusalem.  Solomon also built up his army with fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen.  Too often today people look to military might to bring security to a country instead of looking to God for security.  Verse twenty-seven says, And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and cedars made he to be as the sycamore trees that are in the vale, for abundance.  Silver was as abundant in Jerusalem as stones were and cedars were as prevalent as sycamore trees.  Israel was truly wealthy during Solomon's reign, but they shouldn't have been serving God just for material wealth, and neither should we.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price. Verse twenty-nine continues, And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they bring them out by their means.  Solomon was trading with Egypt at this time as well.  Though the people of Israel had once been slaves in Egypt, they were now in a position of superiority.  We were once enslaved to sin, but by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, we are set free.  Of course, once we are we don't need to continue to be friendly with sin, though we should with the sinner.