King Solomon is recorded in Scripture as being the wisest person to ever live. He was blessed by God to receive knowledge and understanding that far surpassed that of anyone before or that would follow after him. The Lord blessed Solomon in this way because of his dedication to Him. As well as the humble attitude Solomon had in regards to leading God’s people Israel. Yet despite being at one time fully sold out to God, experiencing firsthand God’s power, and possessing all the wisdom one can Solomon still fell to sin. Ultimately forsaking the Lord His God to serve the false gods of the nations surrounding Him. All because he began to trust in his wisdom above that of the Lord.
1 Kings 4:30 (ESV)
30 so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
The Bible tells us that Solomon’s ultimate downfall was his love for foreign women. In fact, by the end of his life, he had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. God had warned his people to keep from marrying non-Israelites because they would turn their hearts from the only true God to false gods. Which was exactly the case in the life of King Solomon.
1 Kings 11:1–8 (ESV)
1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
We know that because of the wisdom Solomon had he would have known this command from the Lord. He would have known that his actions were wrong and out of God’s will. The Bible even tells us that God warned Solomon not to turn to other gods. Yet, even with all this knowledge Solomon still went against the commands of the Lord. But why? Why would someone like Solomon who knew all God had said still disobey? Because he trusted in his own wisdom over that of the Lord. Believing that he could marry such women and not have his heart turned away from God because he knew better. Which we can clearly see wasn’t the case as he fell just as easily as a foolish person would.
1 Kings 11:9–10 (ESV)
9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded.
Solomon fell into sin because he trusted in his wisdom more than that of the Lord. Instead of trusting that what God said was true regardless of personal situation Solomon believed he could marry those who served other gods and be unaffected because he knew better. He was deceived by his own knowledge and ultimately thought he knew better than God. But what he failed to understand is that while he was wiser than any other man, God is not a man. God’s wisdom still vastly outweighs that of Solomon and He is never wrong. What God says will happen always happens just as He says it will.
So while we are not blessed with the same wisdom that Solomon had we must still be careful today. We must ensure that we never place our wisdom, thoughts, personal beliefs, desires, or anything else that comes from man, above the commands of God. It is not our place to assume certain passages of scripture do or don’t apply to us. We do not make the call on what is necessary or unnecessary, true or false. As Christians and in order to be saved our job is to submit ourselves to the wisdom and teaching of God. Just as Solomon should have done.
James 4:6 (ESV)
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:6 (ESV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
Romans 12:2 (ESV)
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Scripture declares that the heart is deceitful above all and that there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death. These verses point to a common message that we cannot trust in ourselves to determine what is right. Instead we must cast off whatever we may feel or believe is right and allow our beliefs to be formed by the word of God alone. No human is wise enough to determine what is right or wrong. By trusting in ourselves we will only be deceived just as King Solomon was. But if we place all our trust in God and live according to His word we will be saved.
Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)
9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
Proverbs 14:12 (ESV)
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
Proverbs 3:5–6 (ESV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
This means living according to God’s word even when it doesn’t make sense or feel good to you. It means trusting that God is right despite what you think you know and that God’s word is not just speaking to others but you as well. So don’t allow your wisdom and knowledge to deceive you when it comes to God’s word. Avoid teaching that is pleasing to the ears but detrimental to the soul. View God’s word as the truth it is and live accordingly.
Where God says to put away sin, put away sin. Know that because God said all who live sinful lifestyles will not inherit the kingdom of Heaven it is true. Because God said in His word to be baptized do so without arguing over the necessity of it. Trust that all God has said in His inspired word has a reason and that God is never wrong. As Christian, our goal should be to always live out the fullness of God’s word to the best of our abilities despite any wisdom we may possess.
Romans 6:6 (ESV)
6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Acts 2:38 (ESV)
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Don’t end up like Solomon and fall into sin because you thought you were wise enough to go against God’s word. Living for God is easy and His commands are not burdensome. So put aside your personal beliefs and simply trust that God in His unending wisdom is always right. Following your own personal options or belief is not worth risking your faith and eternity in Heaven for. Your wisdom won’t save you but trust in God’s will. So keep God’s wisdom where it belongs in a place of respect far above that of your own understanding.
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