David and Solomon
Take a minute this evening to consider the difference between King David and King Solomon. Both were kings of Israel. Both had received God's Spirit and His blessing. Both ruled for 40 years and saw much accomplished in Israel. However, there was one important difference. It will do us well to remember how they were different in God's eyes.
David sinned by committing adultery, lying, and in committing murder. Solomon sinned, as well, by forsaking God to worship the false gods of his foreign wives.(I Kings 11:4) I would say that both were guilty of serious sins, wouldn't you? However, David remained loyal to God. He never worshiped other gods. Then, when he was convicted of his sins, he repented and confessed his sins to God.(Psalm 51)
Solomon drifted from God to worship false gods, and he never returned. He never repented. He was not loyal to God. He forsook the God who gave him his wisdom, his riches, and his fame. That is the main difference between him and his father. I feel sure he still believed in God, but he accepted the false gods, so that, in effect, God was not Lord of his life. We can do the same thing, if we are not careful to stay close to Him and to confess our sins and repent when we realize we have sinned.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 12-14.
David sinned by committing adultery, lying, and in committing murder. Solomon sinned, as well, by forsaking God to worship the false gods of his foreign wives.(I Kings 11:4) I would say that both were guilty of serious sins, wouldn't you? However, David remained loyal to God. He never worshiped other gods. Then, when he was convicted of his sins, he repented and confessed his sins to God.(Psalm 51)
Solomon drifted from God to worship false gods, and he never returned. He never repented. He was not loyal to God. He forsook the God who gave him his wisdom, his riches, and his fame. That is the main difference between him and his father. I feel sure he still believed in God, but he accepted the false gods, so that, in effect, God was not Lord of his life. We can do the same thing, if we are not careful to stay close to Him and to confess our sins and repent when we realize we have sinned.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 12-14.