Ever been frightened by a passage of Scripture? I have.
The other day I was reading in the book of 1 Kings, and I came across this verse.
As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been.
1 Kings 11.4
In truth, the following verses are even more unnerving.
He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done.
1 Kings 11.5-6
This is Solomon, remember? The ruler of God’s people, Israel. If he can go astray this badly, what about me?!
KING SOLOMON IN OLD AGE
I wonder if you’ve ever seen the painting, ‘King Solomon in Old Age’ by Gustave Doré. You can see a copy here. It depicts a wizened figure sitting alone. If you’ve seen The Princess Bride, you may remember the old king in that movie. The king in Doré’s painting somewhat resembles him, although he rather lacks that character’s sunny disposition. Instead, he looks positively grumpy. Flung about him are various paper sheaves and scrolls, though he still holds one sheet in his skinny left hand. To those of us rapidly heading in the same chronological direction, it may seem a rather sad and scary image. Indeed, it was those two emotions that gripped me as I read these verses: sadness and fear.
As I read these Old Testament narratives nowadays, I find that sadness often lurks. 2 Samuel starts with such promise. The young(ish) King David seems to have so much potential; he’s eager to honour and obey the Lord, a stirring contrast to King Saul. However, so much of what follows is deeply disappointing and upsetting; much of the book is taken up with the consequences of David’s sin and foolishness. And this is the greatest of all Israel’s kings!
In the book of I Kings, Solomon starts his reign with a humble heart, desiring wisdom. But it doesn’t end that way. We’re told why this happened: ‘his wives turned his heart after other gods’ (1 Kings 11.4). But let’s not judge these women too harshly. It’s important to remember that they were probably girls on their wedding day, and would not have had much choice in the matter of who they married. They were just trading chips in the hands of Ancient Near-Eastern rulers and despots, victims of that era’s realpolitik. So, you can understand why, as a matter of survival, they would have been keen to make the most of every scrap of influence they had. Secondly, it’s clear that Solomon wasn't modelling for them the faithful, loving heart of his covenant-keeping God. The very fact that he had more than one wife tells us that.
Solomon is to blame for allowing his heart to be seduced in this way.
Why did he allow this to happen?
I’m sure his male ego had something to do with it. No doubt he enjoyed the idea of multiple wives competing for his attention. He may have regarded their religious ideas as quaintly foolish at first. (We’re not told about this but we can speculate). However, as their influence grew, perhaps he became happy to indulge them in their religious practices. Maybe his extensive studies had induced in him a weary cynicism about the nature of truth. (The writer of Ecclesiastes? Cynical? Surely not?!). It seems too much comfort, luxury, and pleasure in the company of these wives produced a corrosive effect on his faith.
EARLY WARNING SIGNS
Deuteronomy specifically warns kings against this. Hear the prophetic nature of these verses.
The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
Deut 17.16-17
The role of Israel’s king is not to fight glorious battles, or even to judge with fairness; his primary role is to keep God’s word before him. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees’ (Deut 17.19). By doing this, Solomon would be able to guard his heart against the seduction of great wealth, a large cavalry, and far too many wives.
Does Doré’s painting, with its strewn scrolls, suggest that this is what went wrong for Solomon? Did he lose his grip on God’s word?
WHAT ABOUT US?
So here’s my confession. I share some parallels with Solomon, which means I may also be in danger. I too have known the wonderful, remarkable, unmeasurable grace and special favour of the Lord. Like Solomon, as I grow older, my heart could also be seduced. I’m not worried that my own wife might lead me astray—far from it, she’s far more prayerful and godly than I am. Polygamy is unlikely, but of course, for both men and women, there is always a danger that our affections may drift into unwise places. Such sin can produce shocking and painful results for our families and communities.
However, it’s not just sexual temptations that can ensnare us. The temptations that tug at our heart-strings, that pull us away from the Lord, will be subtly different for each of us, and this verse prompts me to examine my heart.
For me personally, where does danger lie? And what about you?
THE CALL OF THE CARPET SLIPPER
I’m intrigued by the thought that for Solomon, spending time with these women was a retreat away from the heavy affairs of state. In one of her poems, Amy Carmichael prays against ‘the subtle love of softening things’. It’s that love of comfort and retreat that perhaps worries me most at this stage of life. The call of the carpet slipper is maybe the biggest danger. After all, haven't I worked hard in ministry for quite a number of years now? You couldn’t really blame me, could you, for just wanting to take it a bit easier?
This is a powerful temptation precisely because there are realities here to be faced. As we age, it’s wise to learn to pace ourselves; I do find myself getting more tired more quickly. The right time for ‘formal’ retirement will come at some point. There’s also the glorious principle of Sabbath that we should never forget. It is good, right, and proper—indeed it’s a joy—to take regular time off to rest and be refreshed. To do so is an act of faithful obedience. Regular sabbaths are possible because my work is in God’s hands. He neither slumbers nor sleeps, and that enables me to rest. God can cope without me, actually. Moreover, I’m learning that my fruitfulness for the Lord doesn’t depend on my producing lots of activity, trying to do as much as possible. It’s not about energy spent and it’s certainly not about achievements. Instead, my faith and my life in ministry is dependent on my heart remaining fully devoted to the Lord. I am living well when my heart is soft before him, my ears are attuned to his voice, my eyes alert to his leading, and I look beyond my own comfort, my own ease.
I suppose the whole point of these narratives is that they leave us yearning for a better king. In that case, they certainly do their job. Praise the Lord that a better king has come, one who does God’s will where all others have failed. How comforting it is to know that he has taken the curse of our folly, pride, and divided hearts, and defeated the powers that keep us in their grip. And as we consider our own frailties, the temptations that come upon us, how wonderful it is to know that we’re not alone. Within each of us, God’s Spirit lives. He is the one who walks alongside us, strengthening us, and enabling us to serve our Lord whole-heartedly.
It is by keeping this king ever before me that my heart finds the strength and determination to remain fully devoted to him. When I remind myself of his beauty, his glory, his loving sacrifice, when I make much of my communion with him and I spend time in his presence so that he shapes the desires of my heart, that’s when the danger recedes. That’s when he satisfies me so much more than anything this world offers.
It's Jesus I need. It’s Jesus you need. Every moment of every day.
For when our hearts are fixed on him, we’re much less likely to follow in the footsteps of Solomon. We’ll be far too busy following in the footsteps of the one true and everlasting king.
The king of all kings.