Nearly 3,000 years have passed since King Solomon wrote the Book of Proverbs, yet this timeless treasure of practical wisdom is still applicable today. The wisest man of his day, King Solomon failed to heed his own advice and fell into idolatry. Let us take a look at his life, for there is much we can learn.
King Solomon’s life had great beginnings. The young King of Israel was humble, and his heart was devoted and surrendered to God. One night he had a dream and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.” Solomon replied, “Give me wisdom and knowledge to govern the people.” Pleased with Solomon’s request, God gave him not only wisdom and knowledge but also wealth and honor.
King Solomon was greater in wisdom and wealth than all the kings of the earth. During his 40 year reign, Israel was the most powerful and prosperous nation in the region. Silver and gold were as plentiful as rocks on the roadside. His reputation as a man of great wisdom spread far and wide, and people came to hear him speak from all nations.
King Solomon built the first Temple in Jerusalem and adorned it with the finest gold and polished stones. He engaged in massive construction projects and built cities and ships and a magnificent royal palace. He was a superb statesman who expanded commercial trade with surrounding nations, thus increasing the wealth and riches of the nation of Israel.
Beneath the gold and glitter of Solomon’s reign, serious problems were surfacing. He made an alliance with Egypt and married the daughter of Pharaoh – one of his many political marriages – which led to his downward spiral. He had 700 royal wives and 300 concubines, many of whom practiced paganism. God had warned His people not to take multiple wives and intermarry with pagan nations, but Solomon ignored it. He compromised his faith by building pagan temples for his wives and worshiping with them. King Solomon’s divided heart resulted in a divided kingdom. The Kingdom of Israel was split during the reign of Solomon’s son, Rehoboam.
Near the end of Solomon’s life, he wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes and reflected on his life. All of his accomplishments had left him unfulfilled. Here was a man who had everything – power, wealth, intellect and fame – yet he declared it all meaningless in the end. He had seen it all, tried it all, and done it all, yet it left him dissatisfied and wanting more. He took a hard look at his life and concluded that only through God can there be true fulfillment.
King Solomon’s life reminds us that the problems associated with power, lust, and greed in our modern world have existed for thousands of years. He teaches us that perishable pursuits do not satisfy in the long run, and we always want more than we have. He teaches us that life apart from God is meaningless, and true fulfillment comes from knowing His purpose for our lives. Above all, Solomon teaches us to guard our hearts against anything that will cause us to stray or compromise our walk with God.
Father, thank you for teaching us valuable truths from the life of King Solomon. Let these truths lead us to a deeper commitment to Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
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