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Solomon’s Deep Repentance
God gave Solomon plain instructions and wonderful promises,
yet the Bible says, “He did not keep what the Lord had commanded.”
“His heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared
to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that
he should not go after other gods.”
1 Kings 11:10, 9
. His heart was
so hardened in transgression that his case seemed nearly hopeless.
From the joy of fellowship with God, Solomon turned to the
pleasures of the senses. He says, “I made great works; I built houses
and planted vineyards for myself; I made myself gardens and parks,
and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. ... I bought male and
female slaves. ... I also gathered for myself silver and gold. ...
“So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in
Jerusalem. ... Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them;
I kept my heart from no pleasure. ... Then I considered all that my
hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was
vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained
under the sun.” “So I hated life. ... I hated all my toil in which I had
toiled under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 2:4-11, 17, 18
, NRSV.
By bitter experience, Solomon learned that life is empty when it
seeks its highest good in earthly things. Gloomy, disturbing thoughts
troubled him night and day. He no longer had any joy or peace of
mind, and the future was dark with despair.
Yet the Lord did not forsake him. By reproof and severe judg-
ments He tried to awaken the king to the sinfulness of his course.
He permitted enemies to harass and weaken the kingdom. “The
Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite.”
And “Solomon’s servant, Jeroboam,” “a mighty man of valor,” “also
rebelled against the king.”
1 Kings 11:14, 26-28
.
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