1 Kings 11
McGeeCHAPTER 11THEME: The shame and death of SolomonSolomon is the most colossal failure in the pages of Scripture. “…For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required …” (Luk_12:48). He had the greatest opportunity of any man who ever lived. He began by failing to remove false religion (1Ki_3:3). What was at first only a spot became a plague of leprosy. He had a harem of one thousand wives, pagan women, who turned his heart away from the Lord. For this reason God stirred up enemies against Solomon and allowed Jeroboam to rise to prominence and finally split the kingdom.
1 Kings 11:1
SOLOMON FORSAKES GODAs far as women were concerned, Solomon was patterning his life after his father David. It is too bad he did not pattern his life after other areas of David’s life, but he did not. Remember that Solomon had been brought up in the king’s palace. He was sort of an effeminate fellow, unaccustomed to the rough and rugged life that David had known. Solomon began to gather women, just as someone else might have a hobby of gathering antique automobiles. He collected women of all nationalities. Now these women turned the head of Solomon, causing him to go into idolatry and to permit it in the land. He violated God’s prescribed law at this particular point.
1 Kings 11:2
I think this is the one place in Scripture where the word love can be changed to sex. That was Solomon’s motive. He had been raised in the women’s palace and had never known anything rough or manly. When he became an adult, Solomon spent his time gathering women. He was accustomed to their company. He was a dandy. He was like many men we have in our society today. God is going to deal with him in this connection. The Lord did not approve of what Solomon did, for the Scripture says:
1 Kings 11:9
“The LORD was angry with Solomon.” Let’s be fair with the Word of God. There are those who say, “Oh, look, God permitted Solomon to have a thousand wives.” The record gives us the number accurately; that is history. But God’s attitude toward it is also revealed: “the LORD was angry with Solomon.” The Lord said that he would not rend away all of the kingdom from Solomon. One tribe would be left for Solomon’s son. That one tribe, I would say, was Benjamin. Solomon was a member of the tribe of Judah; naturally that tribe would also stand with him. So Benjamin and Judah were in the division that will go with the family of David. The other ten tribes in the north will follow Jeroboam.
1 Kings 11:14
SOLOMON IS CHASTENEDNow we come to the time at the end of Solomon’s reign. God begins to stir up trouble for this man. “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked” (Isa_57:21). Solomon had enjoyed peace. Now for the first time during his reign there was to be warfare. Next we are introduced to Jeroboam.
1 Kings 11:26
Although Jeroboam was the son of a servant, Solomon recognized that he was a young man of considerable ability and talent. Solomon, therefore, elevated him to a high position and made him overseer of his public works.
1 Kings 11:29
Ahijah the prophet took Jeroboam’s new garment and tore it into twelve pieces. He gave ten pieces to Jeroboam and said to him, “God is going to give you ten tribes. The kingdom is going to be divided.” Why would God divide Israel into two kingdoms?
1 Kings 11:33
The prophet continues with his message. For David’s sake, God will not take the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, but He will take it out of the hand of Solomon’s son and give ten tribes to Jeroboam. After these things, Jeroboam is forced to flee for his life.
1 Kings 11:41
SOLOMON’S DEATHWe will see more of the acts of Solomon and his wisdom in 1 and 2 Chronicles. He was a colorful ruler in the sense that he accumulated so much of this world’s goods. Everything in the kingdom denoted wealth, affluence, and prosperity. In the New Testament our Lord refers to the glory that was Solomon’s. There was indeed an earthly glory in his kingdom.