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Royalty and Ruin
arate from God. “Solomon made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh
king of Egypt; he took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the
city of David.”
1 Kings 3:1
, NRSV.
From a human point of view, this marriage seemed to prove a
blessing, for Solomon’s heathen wife united with him in worshiping
the true God, and Solomon apparently strengthened his kingdom
[20]
along the Mediterranean seacoast. But in forming an alliance with
a heathen nation and sealing the treaty by marriage with an idol-
worshiping princess, Solomon rashly disregarded God’s provision
for keeping His people’s purity. The hope that he could convert his
Egyptian wife was a feeble excuse for the sin.
In His mercy, God overruled this terrible mistake for a time,
and by following a wise course the king could have done much to
stop the evil forces that his poor choices had set in operation. But
Solomon had begun to lose sight of the Source of his power and
glory. Self-confidence increased, and he reasoned that political and
commercial alliances with surrounding nations would bring these
nations to a knowledge of the true God. Often he sealed these
alliances by marriages with heathen princesses.
Solomon deceived himself into thinking that his wisdom and
example would lead his wives to worship the true God and that
the alliances would draw the nations into close touch with Israel.
Foolish hope! Solomon made a fatal mistake by thinking he was
strong enough to resist the influence of heathen associates.
The king’s contacts with heathen nations brought him fame,
honor, and riches. “The king made silver and gold as common
in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedar trees as abundant as
the sycamores which are in the lowland.”
2 Chronicles 1:15
. In
Solomon’s day an increasingly large number of people became
wealthy, but the fine gold of character was marred.
Wealth and Fame Bring a Curse
Before Solomon was aware of it, he had wandered far from
God. He began to trust less in divine guidance. Little by little he
withheld unswerving obedience from God and followed more closely
the customs of the surrounding nations. Yielding to temptations
that came with his honored position, he forgot the Source of his