Topic: “But Solomon Loved Many Strange Women”
Opening Prayer: Grant me grace dear Lord to apply what you will teach me today as I read this passage.
Scripture: 1 Kings 11:1–25
Reflection
• Is there any warning for me to heed?
Message: Solomon sowed the seeds that finally destroyed his reign and the nation of Israel. You may have noted some of these seeds in 9:10–21; 10:1–21. This is a sad story of somebody who had started very well, and the Lord had even talked to him twice (v.9). Let us now see three factors that were part of this tragedy. Sexual immorality: This is the sin that many people get trapped into (Genesis 39:12).
Joseph, however, gave us an example of how to avoid it. Also read 2 Timothy 2:22 and seek total deliverance. God can break the evil power of lust in our lives. He can forgive, cleanse and fully restore us to himself.
Idolatry: Solomon did not have to believe in the many gods of his wives. It was enough that they made it difficult for him to be “fully devoted to God” (v.4). The man who, at the beginning of his reign, built a magnificent Temple for the true worship of God Almighty, ends up building temples for idol worship (v.5).
You can see how destructive unequal yoke (marriage to an unbeliever) can be? Judgment of God (vv.9–13): Solomon’s condemnation was minimized by the legacy of devotion left by his father David, who provided the shield of grace for his successors.
⁂ Any new insight or reinforcement of what you already know?
Practice/Word Application
• And so: What did you inherit and what legacy will you leave behind for your children?
Desires
Desires are not necessarily evil or immoral but are evil if they are contrary to the will of God. Temptation often comes from evil desires inside of us. If we are not watchful, desires can have full grip on us and lead us to sin. It is easy for us to be drawn into wrong desires by the pressures from any of our immediate family members, sometimes from friends. Wrong desires which can lead to sin must be shunned.
Prayer Points
• Ask the Lord to help you finish well in your Christian pilgrimage.
• Pray for interdenominational Christian fellowships operating in our campuses – IVF, SUCF, NIFES, FCS and such others – to blossom and be instruments of unity in the body of Christ.
• Offer a prayer of faith in line with Psalm 34:4
Read the Bible in one Year
2 Sam. 3–5; 1 Tim. 6
READ: Seeds of Destiny 24 October 2020 – Disregard for Authority
Scripture Union Daily Guide 25th October 2020 – Scripture Union is an international, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian organization. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world. The organization’s stated aim is to use the Bible to inspire children, young people and adults to know God.
