This week’s study on the Rise and Fall of Israel’s Monarch’s continues with a look into the life of King Solomon – David’s son. Solomon will reign as King of Israel for a total of 40 years and he will expand the borders of the kingdom to their largest ever for any King who ruled over Israel. During Solomon’s reign he will build the Temple and will live at peace with his neighbors unlike his father David. Solomon will be blessed by the Lord with wisdom, wealth, honor, and a long life. Solomon will speak or write over 3000 proverbs (several hundred of which are preserved in the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes), he also wrote 1005 songs (one of which was recorded as The Song of Songs) and he was an expert in botany and zoology. Solomon was considered to be one of the wisest men to ever walk this planet and yet in spite of that wisdom, he failed to guard himself against complacency and the temptations of evil. As we will see in this portion of our study, Solomon makes a number of bad choices during the middle portion of his reign which leads to a pattern of sin that brings severe judgment upon him. In addition, his pursuit of worshipping false gods really becomes his undoing and will bring about the division of the Kingdom of Israel. It is a bit of a sad turn of events for a man who was given so much wisdom and wealth but Solomon will admit in other writings what happens when we get our focus off of the Lord and turn that focus on earthly things. Solomon will eventually write the Book of Ecclesiastes which will serve as an acknowledgement of his failures, an admittance of his errors and an assent toward repentance as he openly declares that the whole duty of man is to fear God and keep His commandments. Sadly this change of heart is too little too late and the damage is done as the United Kingdom of Israel will fracture in two. Stay tuned – more to come.
Lesson 4 – King Solomon (Student Copy)
Good News Bible Studies - Mike Southwick 