The tribes were just thattribes, not distinct nationsfor at least two reasons: a) Each tribe, separately, did not have its own king. That is when he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. . It does not have to be foreign women or something like an all-consuming hobby. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. How Were People Saved Before Jesus Came 2. Did Solomon Repent? : r/Christianity - Reddit Solomon failed to heed this wise principle. Contempt may be too strong a term in many cases, but this tendency is a built-in weakness that grows unless we take some purposeful action to counter it from time to time. Men see all kinds of possibilities in which they can use this new technology, but will it make life any less vanity-filled? 33:1-9), the lack of mention of Solomons sinfulness suggests that God regarded Solomon in a special way so that He inspired the writing of this book of Scripture that does not say explicitly that he sinned against God. The individual twelve tribes that Solomon ruled were not sovereign nations in their own right, constituting a company of twelve nations. Vast territories: "Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the [Euphrates] River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt" (I Kings 4:21). God said, Ask something of me and I will give it to you. Solomon answered: You have shown great favor to your servant, my father David, because he behaved faithfully toward you, with justice and an upright heart; and you have continued this great favor toward him, even today, seating a son of his on his throne. That the tribes disintegrated into separated units would show, politically that in secular terms, he was ahead of what was possible to achieve. But surrounded by sin and despite His righteousness, He was subject to the futility, vanity, and meaningless of this world. There is no doubt that the son about whom it is written here is Solomon. The unification of a people under one central control, or government. Donations to this ministry aretax-deductible. When God promised David He would establish his throne forever, He also stipulated that, if his son sinned, He would "chasten him with the rod of men" (II Samuel 7:14). The following answer is based on the important assumption that Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon as strongly implied in Eccl 1:1 and as commonly WebWisdom of Solomon. (2 Samuel 7:12-16)(NASB). Dont we all think we are well intentioned? This is why God responded as He did. Feed the good wolf. He utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded" (Joshua 11:12). I will tear it out of the hand of your son. What did He do? He made his decision, and God made His. This is just as true in regard to religion as it is to civil liberty under a government. In brokering peace and power for Israel among neighboring nations, Solomon acquired 1000 women. If death didn't exist, the first single-cell organism would have divided, the two child cells would have divided again, and the process would have I believe we will see him in heaven. As a result of Solomon's perverted disobedience, several of his corrupt successors to the throne even caused their children to "pass through the fire" (II Kings 16:3; 21:6). Little Compromises. What was Solomon dedicated to? Bad moral behavior gets excused, and ever so subtly we turn less to God more to the gods of this world. All indications are that Solomon compromised with God's way because of expediency; he decided to give in to his wives' idolatrous practices for personal and political peace or advantage (I Kings 11:1-8). John W. Ritenbaugh Is there mention made that he indeed slept with all, or even any, of the l000 wives. Gods chastening Solomon in His mercy to him (cf. At some point, he learned this principle, writing in Ecclesiastes 8:11: "Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil." These Solomonic high places for Chemosh and Molech stood for three centuries before Josiah finally destroyed them (II Kings 23:10, 13). Was it the foreign entanglements ignited by that greed and desire for power? Israel under Joshua and his immediate successors did not totally possess the land God had promised the patriarchs. Based on my study of Scripture, I believe that there are at least nine solid reasons to hold that he did not perish eternally. Here is a man with all the wisdom in the world and then some. Conclusion Both the OT and the NT provide information that implies that Solomon did repent before he died. Some people have erroneously interpreted I Kings 4:20-34a description of Israel's prosperity under Solomonalong with related scriptures, as a fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs. But I dont agree with your conclusion. Did Solomon repent his sins in the book of Kings before he died? 11:30]) will not be condemned with the world (1 Cor. Hebrews 2:1-3 does not say what we lose by rejecting God's truths, only that we can drift away through neglect, by failing to take care of the responsibilities God has called us to perform. Solomon had more than one wife, as did David. Pardon my speculation. Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 2), Searching for Israel (Part Five): Solomon and the Divided Kingdom, Deception, Idolatry and the Feast of Tabernacles, Ecclesiastes and the Feast of Tabernacles (Part 1), Distinguishing between Sacred and Profane, Spiritual Gifts for Edification of Church, Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Thirteen): Hebrews 2 and the Next Five Years. Scripture does not give any clear indication that Solomon repented of his sinfulness before he died. Was it lust? The "thing" in this context is not what we might normally think of. The Bible gives no indication that Solomon repented before he died. Our wisdom, our Bible knowledge, our wealth, our fame, our wife/husband, our whatever it is is not what God is interested in. But Solomon also had a problem. Many Bible scholars believe that the man who wrote these truths could not but repent before death and wrote these things when he was already old. Normally, that would be good. He was not in a position to take the gold and lumber. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. Is that so? God wanted His people to rely on Him. 1 Kings 4:30-32 notes that his wisdom surpassed all the people of the east and also Egypt and credits Solomon with 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs. He compromised on what he thought were small concernsmatters he probably considered well into the gray areasto do things his way rather than God's. The passage doesnt directly state that Solomon will be in heaven, but to some readers, its a reasonable inference. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you. And, Why Outside the City Gate, Not in the Temple, See What the End Shall Be A Homily for Palm Sunday. This reminds me of myself. How could such a tremendously wise man, a man who wrote scripture (Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes), a man who built the temple of God go wrong? The Lord stirred up adversaries against Solomon who plagued him for the rest of his life (1 Kin. In other words, "I don't know how to conduct the affairs of office. Moreover, Gods sending a prophet to give him a special name Jedidiah, which means beloved of the Lord, highly emphasizes Gods special love for Solomon. His ultimate conclusion, found in verse 26, is that God determines whether we experience joy. There were kings who did much evil throughout their lives, such as Ahab and Manasseh, but they repented for the evil they had done. Chinese water torture Youre locked in a chair. You cant move. Every five seconds, a small drop of water drops onto your head. After being in this yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. :2] continues: "Before the sun, the light, the moon, or the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain" - This refers to the day of death. 3rd and 4th century a.d.; abba moses once told one of the brethren that if he stayed in his cell (a monks living quarter in the desert, usually a cave) it would teach him everything he needed to learn and know about living an ascetic life as a monk and gaining humility the crowning acheivement of a monk (the desert monks I speak of were Christians). Like his illustrious father, he died peacefully. And like all Jews, there is no question that he repented for any missteps. * Further information W Solomons porch in the Temple V. Hebrews 11 and the Eternal Destiny of Solomon God did not deal with them with any unusual harshness; in fact, the fact that he gave the wicked people such a long time to repent shows His love. 1 Kings 11:3 tells us that he had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. In the face of Joab's support of Adonijah, however, Solomon still became king. We could compare it to America today. once delivered" ( Jude 3, KJV). By the end of his reign, he had 700 wives, not to mention an additional 300 mistresses or concubines (I Kings 11:3)! Solomon did not have political or military hegemony over a company of nations. Find more Bible verses about Solomon: b) Each tribe did not have its own unique body of law. Of course, the Bible indicates that these things flowed from Godfor his benefit and the nation's. The men of Nineveh will rise up in judgment and condemn the people of Jesus' generation because they did not respond to the message of repentance He brought. Theres hope though As for the other events of Solomons reign all he did and the wisdom he displayed are they not written in the book of the annals of Solomon? (Maybe he is indeed IN THE BOOK!) 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. There are four examples of this: In addition, he had clear evidence of God's power working directly for him. Sauls rule as king was characterized by failure and rebellion. Once we compromise, the process of sin has begun, and its ultimate end is death (see James 1:14-16). Many other Scriptural considerations confirm this interpretation. In fact, Solomons father, David, had committed serious sins for which he repented before God and was forgiven, although he suffered serious consequences. 3:11-12). Just like modern man. is in scripture (eg 1 Kings 11). Solomon's compromises gradually but inexorably distorted his understanding of God's laws and ways. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. Did King Solomon die in a state of broken fellowship with God? Had the normal custom been followed, Adonijah would have been made king, but it fell to Solomon instead. John W. Ritenbaugh They argue that, since God fulfilled them, they have no further meaning today or in prophecy. In my own life, I had drifted away from the Church when bad things happened to me. Solomon drifted away from God like a boat drifts away from a harbor of safety out into the rough sea. Unless information from God's Word is consciously kept fresh within us, we will begin to stray! And in the time I drifted away from the Church (sometimes for a few months, or longer) my life went as downhill as it could go. Peter specifies that those whom God inspired to write Scripture were special men: 2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. It is untenable to hold that Solomon was such a man of God when he wrote the Scriptures that he wrote but then he apostatized to perish eternally. Because death is not alive it is a property or a state which happens to living beings. Why is light never dark? Because it is a matter of definiti A nation with this level of war materiel put their reliance on it as it made the army such a powerful fighting machine. John W. Ritenbaugh Each new wife confirmed his decision to violate God's law. If we look at the modern day scientist we see a similar mindset. What is the meaning of know the Father in 1 John 2:12-14. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. I sha Nine Reasons Why Solomon Did Not Perish Eternally. evil things! This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Here is his conclusion. 1-9) does not explicitly mention anything about Solomons great sinfulness. Wealth: Solomon "made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as abundant as the sycamores" (II Chronicles 1:15). He did not say obey but walk with. Davids focus was the success of the kingdom, but it also appears that he was trying to encourage Solomon to develop a relationship with God not just sterile obedience. References Was Solomon saved? Probably not. This is a remarkable promise. Nut all the details of his life and even the judgment that he turned from the Lord due to his many wives etc. (NASB) 1 Kings 3:2-3. 11:6) also implies that he yet had a continuing relationship with Him. God did this to honor His promise to David that He would "establish the throne of [Solomon's] kingdom forever" (II Samuel 7:12-13). Past time cannot truly be redeemed. But he did, and he paid a bitter price. Yes. Second, there are any many other reasons to believe that Solomon did repent before his death. 6 So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not follow the LORD completely, as David his father had done. Even if he did not repent before he died, we would be right in inferring that God chastened him with death for his being an unrepentant believer so that he would not be condemned with the world (1 Cor. Indeed, much outlying territory remained to be conquered after his death (Joshua 13:1-6). Holland Lop Bunnies Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. Solomon's conclusions regarding matters are very important to those of us who do not have the powers or the capacities of mind that he had, though we might wish to do the things that he was able to do. 11:14-25), and Jereboam rebelled against him (1 Kin. Of course not. Every Christian sect uses the terms "born again," "salvation," "saved," and "redemption." Although his love for God was incomplete, it was genuine because God first loved him (2 Sam. It is this question that Ecclesiastes addresses. Furthermore, Ecclesiastes also does not explicitly say that Solomon sinned against God. A person is then enabled to meet the trials of life, knowing that there is a grand purpose in all that is happening. Obviously, God manipulated things to put him on the throne. King solomon will never be wise if he couldnt save his soul. 11:41-43a-b). On the other hand, in 1 Kings it is not stated that his wives turned his heart away to other gods when he was old. Those who believe Solomon repented his sins before he died rely on Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. He was without sin, but on the cross all your sins and my sins were placed on Him, and He died in our place. He was also known as Jedidiah (beloved of the Lord). However, Israel neverfully dispossessed the inhabitants of their land, never dislodged them from it. Only then did I become aware that I had drifted. We know he has mercy and forgiveness for us. There can be no doubt about it: Israel's stature under Solomon certainly represents a typical fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs. King Solomon is a great example of several spiritual principles. Population growth: "Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing" (I Kings 4:20). How you see, dear reader, we can not give a complete and clear response on the eternal fate of Solomon. Despite all this, Solomon experienced a vision form God early in his reign. Long before Solomon had been born, God made some special promises to David about a special son named Solomon (1 Chron. So Nathan the prophet was a schemer and Adonijah was executed merely on a pretext, huh? Or just to the promise that the royal dynasty will not be given to another nation? It came as a result of having to live in this world of despair that Solomon lived in and wrote about. Our spouse will affect our relationship with God! For instance, he traded twenty Galilean cities for the gold and lumber provided by Tyre (I Kings 9:11). There are 20 passages in the bible that layout to us where the bad guys go after this life. It reveals the fact that Solomon for awhile was not walking with God. It is a very sad tale. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). Msgr. He asked God for wisdom to discern evil from good. 5:10; Rom. He had to be subject to circumstances that were beyond His control. By carefully studying the shoreline, I realized that it was not the same as the one where I had entered the water. I Kings 11:4 sums up the matter of his turpitude: Solomon's "heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.". 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