1 Reis 11

1 Reis 11

Meyer - It would have been useless to argue with Solomon for the claims of idols. He could at once, by his wisdom, have annihilated all infidel arguments, and have established the existence and unity of God. But, step by step, he was led by silken cords, a captive, to the worship of other gods. And his heart was not wholly devoted (shalem; Lxx - teleios - complete, meeting the highest standard) to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been - NET - "His heart was not complete with the LORD." One could interpret this not wholly devoted problem of his heart as either the cause or the consequence of his being unequally yoked (it was probably both). What makes this statement especially sad, it that Solomon himself had appealed to Israel to "Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted (shalem; Lxx - teleios) to the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day.” (1Ki 8:61+) Note in his prayer that a whole heart leads to a holy walk! As noted in related passages, David had prayed for Solomon to have a perfect (whole) heart. It seems that in the first half of his reign, Solomon did have a whole heart, but he began to backslide later in his reign. THOUGHT - This description of Solomon's heart begs the practical question "Have you (I) had a "heart checkup" recently? Or to use another medical analogy, "Have you (I) had a stress test recently?" We do well to recall the words of 2 Chronicles 16:9+ which says that “the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely (shalem) His. You (ASA) have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.” (Spurgeon's Sermon = A Lesson from the Life of King Asa) THOUGHT- Oh, to have a heart wholly devoted to Jehovah, that we might experience the good hand of the Lord on our lives and the lives of our family. Amen The result of the creeping pace of accumulated compromises, the fruit of a conscience de-sensitized by repeated permissiveness Dale Ralph Davis: This infidelity is also subtle because it is gradual. Verse 4 has a scary line: ‘When Solomon was old, his wives had turned away his heart after other gods.’ It was not some sudden attack or irresistible assault that explains Solomon’s plunge into pagan ecumenism. No, it took years—the result of the creeping pace of accumulated compromises, the fruit of a conscience de-sensitized by repeated permissiveness. (ED: OH HOW WE ALL NEED TO READ THAT LAST CLAUSE AGAIN!) William