Then in the Bible comes Chronicles 1 and 2, and that is where Solomon comes in. So actually, we have covered quite a bit so far. Of course, much more in detail when you read the whole Bible.
After David, his son Solomon became king of Israel. I have to tell you a little bit about Solomon.
King Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived and also one of the most foolish. God gifted him with wisdom like no other, which Solomon squandered by disobeying God’s commandments. He totally blew it. God appeared to Solomon in a dream and promised him anything he asked. Solomon chose understanding and judging the people justly. God was so pleased with the request that he granted it, along with great riches and power. Solomon's downfall began when he married the daughter of the Egyptian Pharaoh to seal a political alliance. He could not control his lust. He loved women and back in the day, I guess they could have as many as they wanted. Soooo Among Solomon's 700 wives and 300 concubines, were many foreigners, which angered God. The inevitable happened: They lured King Solomon away from God into worship of false gods and idols. (women are trouble in the old testament) The one thing God warned him about. Over his 40-year reign, Solomon did many great things, but he succumbed to the temptations of lesser men. The peace a united Israel enjoyed, the massive building projects he headed, and the successful commerce he developed became meaningless when Solomon stopped pursuing God. He did accomplish many things. Solomon built the first temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, a seven-year task that became one of the wonders of the ancient world. He also built a majestic palace, gardens, roads, and government buildings. He accumulated thousands of horses and chariots. After securing peace with his neighbors, he built up trade and became the wealthiest king of his time. There has never been anyone more wiser or wealthier than Solomon.
King Solomon possessed great wisdom, granted to him by God. He was a prolific writer and poet, you should read it.. . His skills in architecture and management turned Israel into the showplace of the middle East. As a diplomat, he made treaties and alliances that brought peace to his king, but he had weaknesses, just like everyone else.
To satisfy his curious mind, Solomon turned to worldly pleasures instead of the pursuit of God. He collected all sorts of treasures and surrounded himself with luxury. In the case of non-Jewish wives and concubines, he let lust rule his heart instead of obedience to God. Solomon taxed his people heavily, forced them into his army and into slave-like labor for his building projects.
King Solomon's sins speak loudly to us, in our materialistic culture. When we worship possessions and fame over God, we are headed for a fall. When Christians marry an unbeliever, they can also expect trouble. God is our first love. We should let nothing come before him.
Solomon was a wise king who built the temple in Jerusalem and extended the wealth and boundaries of Israel to levels never before attained. To the Israelites, it looked as though God's promises to Abraham had finally been fulfilled. But as Solomon grew old, he gave way to pressure from his 1,000 foreign wives and concubines to build temples for their gods. God grew angry with Solomon and the peace and security Israel had experienced collapsed. When Solomon died, Israel split into two countries: Israel (in the north) and Judah (in the south). It was a disaster. In the bible it says you have to love God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind. Solomon fell for the earthly life. When he got old and was close to dying, he realized all he had done. He realized that all the things in this world were worthless, without God. You can have everything, but you have nothing in the end if you do not have God in your life. I agree.
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