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The Davidic Covenant was given in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17. There are specific promises given in this Covenant. These promises were spoken and given to David and his seed just as the promises were given to Abraham and his seed. God said to David, “the LORD telleth thee that He will make thee an house” (2 Samuel 7:11). The Lord says of this house:
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“I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for My name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But My mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever” (2 Sam. 7:12-16).
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- In Chronicles the Covenant states:
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“Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house. And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son: and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: But I will settle him in Mine house and in My kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore” (1 Chronicles 17:10-14).
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Three promises can be accounted of in this Covenant. Concerning David’s seed, God says, 1) “I will establish his Kingdom,” 2) “He shall build an house for My Name,” and 3) “I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.” These three promises are emboldened above. Take note of what God says following these three promises in the text that is a lighter shade. Steadfast mercy, unfailing faithfulness, and persevering grace were promised to the seed of David – a covenanted relationship unlike what happened to Saul. When Saul sinned, God took away mercy from him and so went the kingdom, but with Solomon, God says, this would not be so even if he sins. If Solomon sinned, God said that He would “be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But My mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.” On the basis of this fatherly relationship, it was therefore reasonable to believe the following PROMISE to be inevitable, irreversible, and without question, unalterable: “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.” My reader, do you think this promise could be breached even though the content of the promise itself appears to be unconditional and unalterable?
First, I desire to prove to you that these promises were intended for Solomon. I want to go through the accounts where David, the Lord, Solomon, and all the people acknowledge that this Covenant was to Solomon. Also, since it was not fulfilled in Solomon, seeing that he fell short of fulfilling the last promise, I want to draw out the reason he succeeded as far as he did, and why he failed in the end. Two of the three promises in the Covenant were performed and one promise was breached.
David understood the Covenant to be for Solomon and instructed Solomon to lay hold of it.
- These promises were intended (God in the ways of man) for Solomon.
- These promises were intended (God in the ways of God) for Jesus Christ, however, at the first it was understood that these promises were to Solomon and his immediate, subsequent generations.
First, I desire to prove to you that these promises were intended for Solomon. I want to go through the accounts where David, the Lord, Solomon, and all the people acknowledge that this Covenant was to Solomon. Also, since it was not fulfilled in Solomon, seeing that he fell short of fulfilling the last promise, I want to draw out the reason he succeeded as far as he did, and why he failed in the end. Two of the three promises in the Covenant were performed and one promise was breached.
David understood the Covenant to be for Solomon and instructed Solomon to lay hold of it.
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1 Chronicles 28:6-11
6 And He said unto Me, Solomon thy son, he shall build My house and My courts: for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. 7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day. 8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever. 9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, he will cast thee off for ever. 10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. 11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat” |
In this passage we can clearly see the promises, the fatherly relationship of unconditional mercy, and the clear intent to “establish his [Solomon’s] kingdom for ever.” This is parallel to the account of the Covenant given to David in 1 Chronicles 17 & 2 Samuel 7, but in these two accounts there were no IFs, which would give the appearance that it is impossible to be cast off forever by God. There was not any conditional language at all. Emboldened in the text directly after the promise which was given in 2 Sam. 7 and 1 Chron. 17 is a condition that was not present when the scripture accounts the establishment of the Covenant. Have you ever studied all the “IF” warnings in the New Testament? Here in the Davidic Covenant, though the condition was not given in the accounts which detailed the reception of the Davidic Covenant, though the condition is written in another place in scripture, and though the Covenant seems to be unconditional by its very content, this condition binds still: “if he be constant to do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day.” In verse 8, notice the commonly used clause, “that ye may,” which frames the former address to remind us of the conditions. Keeping these conditions is maintaining saving faith, and like Abraham (Gen. 17:1-2), keeping these conditions is what it is to be found “perfect” in walk or heart before God. Thus David says in verse 9, “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever.” Solomon does keep a perfect heart as to be given the throne of David (promise #1) and build the house of God (promise #2), but he fell from perfection after the house was built and therefore came short of the everlasting throne and Kingdom (as it was meant and intended for his immediate, physical seed). David is greatly burdened for Solomon to maintain a perfect heart. Read his prayer for Solomon, and consider, have you prayed these things for yourself? Solomon needed a perfect heart to build the Temple:
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1 Chronicles 29:17-19
17 I know also, my God, that Thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy Thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto Thee. 18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of Thy people, and prepare their heart unto Thee: 19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep Thy commandments, Thy testimonies, and Thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision. |
Perfection in Solomon was a life of loving obedience to God, “and Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father” (1 Kings 3:3). A perfect heart strives and presses to obtain (Php. 3:14), fulfill (Rom. 8:4, Gal. 5:14, James 2:23), and lay hold (1 Tim. 6:12, 19) on the promises of God. Do you have this mind toward the promises of God in the NT? Saving faith is objectively defined by a carefulness to fulfill the Covenantal conditions, that it could not be said that a person savingly believes while their present behavior is to be blamed by one of the conditions of God. Most trust they are savingly believing God, and His promises, but are they keeping the conditions of those promises? Reader, are you burdened for “perfection?” Look how Solomon sets his face to build the Temple as we must set our face to “lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:12).
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1 Kings 5:5
5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto My name. |
David said to Solomon:
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1 Chronicles 28:20
20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. |
He was not purposing or striving according to his own power to fulfill the promises. He was seeking God, that through the deeds of faith he would behave himself in a perfect way as David his father did. David said: “I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt Thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart” (Psalm 101:2). David can say, “I will behave” and “I will walk,” nevertheless he knows that he can do nothing by himself. He confesses that “it is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect” (Psalm 18:32), and again, “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me” (Ps. 138:8). Amen! So David said to Solomon in 1 Chron. 28:20 (written above), “Be strong and of a good courage, and do it… for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee!”
When the Temple began to be built and the building was in process, the Lord spoke to Solomon yet another reminder of the conditions. If Solomon kept these conditions, he would have the performance of the promise he seeks, which is to finish building the Temple. If a man sets his face aright, he ought to be mindful of the conditions that he may be careful to fulfill them, even while those promises are partially fulfilled, or at present are being fulfilled. Grace at present does not ensure grace in the future; nay, only unless faith in perfection is kept, for we “are kept by the power of God through faith” (1 Pet. 1:5).
When the Temple began to be built and the building was in process, the Lord spoke to Solomon yet another reminder of the conditions. If Solomon kept these conditions, he would have the performance of the promise he seeks, which is to finish building the Temple. If a man sets his face aright, he ought to be mindful of the conditions that he may be careful to fulfill them, even while those promises are partially fulfilled, or at present are being fulfilled. Grace at present does not ensure grace in the future; nay, only unless faith in perfection is kept, for we “are kept by the power of God through faith” (1 Pet. 1:5).
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1 Kings 6:11-13
11 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, 12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in My statutes, and execute My judgments, and keep all My commandments to walk in them; then will I perform My word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: 13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel. |
David warned Solomon of conditions… then God did likewise through a personal appearance before this choice man. It is doubly sure that Solomon was to keep this ever in his mind, that God said, “IF…THEN will I perform My word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father” (verse 12). God stated the conditions by which He will perform genuine promises. David’s clear understanding of the principle of conditions is evident in how he warned Solomon of God’s ability to discontinue a promise because the covenanted people did discontinue their faith -->
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1 Kings 2:2-4 2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; 3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: 4 That the LORD may continue His word which He spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said He) a man on the throne of Israel.
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Solomon kept the faith, was granted power through grace to finish the Temple, and at the dedication prayer of the completed Temple he gave all the glory to God. This prayer is after the cloud of glory had filled the Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11), signifying God’s acceptance of the Temple and the fulfillment of the promise. It was all accomplished by God, through God, by grace through faith and not of works. Solomon said, God “spake with His mouth unto David,” “hath with His hand fulfilled it,” and “performed His word that He spake,” “as the LORD promised.” In this, Solomon acknowledged two of the promises of the Covenant being fulfilled: 1) “I am risen up in the room of David my father,” and, 2) “have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel” (verse 20).
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1 Kings 8:15-20
15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with His mouth unto David my father, and hath with His hand fulfilled it, saying, 16 Since the day that I brought forth My people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that My name might be therein; but I chose David to be over My people Israel. 17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. 18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto My name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. 19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto My name. 20 And the LORD hath performed His word that He spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. |
Solomon did “lay hold” of two promises by faith, but there was one left. Setting his face to the third promise of the Covenant was his next endeavor.
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2 Chronicles 6:14-16
14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like Thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto Thy servants, that walk before Thee with all their hearts: 15 Thou which hast kept with Thy servant David my father that which Thou hast promised him; and spakest with Thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with Thine hand, as it is this day. 16 Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with Thy servant David my father that which Thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in My sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that thy children take heed to their way to walk in My law, as thou hast walked before Me. 1 Kings 8:22-26 22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven: 23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like Thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with Thy servants that walk before Thee with all their heart: 24 Who hast kept with Thy servant David my father that Thou promisedst him: Thou spakest also with Thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with Thine hand, as it is this day. 25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with Thy servant David my father that Thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in My sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as thou hast walked before Me. 26 And now, O God of Israel, let Thy word, I pray Thee, be verified, which Thou spakest unto Thy servant David my father. |
Solomon was in “terror” (2 Cor. 5:11) over the conditions, and this is why he prayed for the performance, keeping, fulfillment, and verification of the promises. When I was a Calvinist, I prayed for the fulfillment of the promises of God only because I saw that men did this in the scripture, but I didn’t understand why. When I was a Calvinist, I warned about being a castaway only because I saw this in scripture, but I never had such a mindset that was evidently and personally in the apostle Paul. I could not understand how to have such a mind in the theological boundaries of Calvinism. Now here, Solomon was earnestly praying for the performance of the last and third promise given to him BECAUSE he is aware of the conditions, of perfection, and was desperately in need of God to prepare his heart in this way. God is a God that “keepest Covenant” (1 Chron. 6:14), and in Solomon’s life God had “kept… that which” he “promised,” and thus Solomon prayed for God to, “NOW THEREFORE,” “keep with Thy servant David my father which Thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in My sight to sit upon the throne of Israel” (2 Chron. 16). It was a promise to David, intended for Solomon, and Solomon prayerfully sought it, saying, “And now, O God of Israel, let Thy word, I pray Thee, be verified, which Thou spakest unto Thy servant David my father” (1 Kings 8:26). Solomon knew the promises that had been fulfilled, or would be fulfilled, were and would be fulfilled because God keeps His Covenant and mercy with His servants that are His servants indeed: “that walk before Thee with all their hearts” (2 Chron. 6:14), that “take heed to their way to walk in My law” (2 Chron. 6:16), and that is perfection. Solomon knew this. He knew that God could forsake him, his people, and the promises, if they didn’t have perfect hearts. After the prayer, Solomon blessed the people in 1 Kings 8:54-66, and in verse 56-61, he clearly portrayed this burden of perfection: that God, to Solomon and Israel, would “incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers,” would make “your heart therefore perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day.” When Solomon prayed for the word of God to be fulfilled, verified, performed, and kept, he was praying for this perfection of heart, and therewith the obedient deeds that are necessary for a Covenant’s performance.
Solomon’s blessing after the Prayer -->
Solomon’s blessing after the Prayer -->
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1 Kings 8:54-66 (KJV)
54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto His people Israel, according to all that He promised: there hath not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised by the hand of Moses His servant. 57 The LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers: let Him not leave us, nor forsake us: 58 That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers. 59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that He maintain the cause of His servant, and the cause of His people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require: 60 That all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else. 61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in His statutes, and to keep His commandments, as at this day. 62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD. 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. 64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings. 65 And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days. 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David His servant, and for Israel His people. |
In response to Solomon’s prayer, the Lord appeared to him a second time with the same warning of conditions. Are you burdened and focused on the NT conditions? If God were to speak anything to the NT Churches today like as He did to the NT Churches in the province of Asia in Revelation chapters 2-3, His burden would be those things which we must do, those deeds which are the extension of a perfect heart, so that we can go to heaven and obtain the NT Covenant promises (Rev. 2:2-5, 9, 13-14, 19-20, 23, 26, 3:1-2, 8, 15). Are you burdened with the Lord’s burdens? The second appearance of the Lord to Solomon-->
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2 Chronicles 7:17-22
17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before Me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe My statutes and My judgments; 18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. 19 But if ye turn away, and forsake My statutes and My commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; 20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of My land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for My name, will I cast out of My sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. 21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house? 22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath He brought all this evil upon them. 1 Kings 9:2-9 2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared unto him at Gibeon. 3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before Me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put My name there for ever; and Mine eyes and Mine heart shall be there perpetually. 4 And if thou wilt walk before Me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep My statutes and My judgments: 5 Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. 6 But if ye shall at all turn from following Me, ye or your children, and will not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: 7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for My name, will I cast out of My sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: 8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house? 9 And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, Who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil. |
Solomon did not keep a perfect heart (1 Kings 11:4) and therefore failed to obtain this third promise that was intended for him:
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1 Kings 11:3-6
3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. |
The Lord appeared to Solomon twice: he saw the glory of God in a cloud and fire consume the sacrifice, and he was as one of the faithful elders in Joshua’s day, “who had seen all the great works of the LORD that He did for Israel” (Judges 2:7). Because these men saw all the great works of God, they stood faithful to God throughout the test of time and trial. As long as they were alive, the people of Israel followed their example. Those that “knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10) did rebel against God. What deceived the heart of so seasoned a saint, so choice a man as Solomon? What snare of pride or deceit of the devil was able to destroy the wisest man on the earth?
A commandment to the Kings of Israel was written by Moses in Deuteronomy 17:17 – “neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away.” Solomon’s heart did not turn away in a single day. He did not suddenly apostatize the day he had too many wives. The effect of many wives OVER TIME did slowly and steadily infect his heart to finally and eventually turn away from God. It was “when Solomon was old” that the effect of his many wives did turn his heart from perfection. Think of all the times that David and God warned Solomon to focus, take heed to, and be careful to remember the condition of a perfect heart. Solomon could have thought that, since he had a perfect heart then, at present in his today, then he would have a perfect heart 2 years from that day. He could have thought that he would never turn away from God after he saw all the great exploits of the Lord’s faithfulness alongside two personal appearances. Nevertheless, God said that a perfect heart obeys His statutes and that Solomon should be careful and focused on obedience. One of God’s statutes, if transgressed, warned of an inevitable and promised damnation to any caliber of saint, even the seasoned, elderly, wise, and virtuous King Solomon. It was a promise of God to damnation that, if Solomon multiplied wives, he would eventually turn from God. When God warns of the promise of spreading wickedness like leaven, spreading uncleanness like as it was by touch, or the certainty of corruption in some forbidden circumstance of company, God expects men to cast aside their self-confidence and arrogant reasoning. Solomon could have forgotten the commandment; he could have reasoned within himself, ‘how many wives are too many?’ He could have forgotten the commandment because he did not believe his heart could easily turn away from God. Since Solomon was sure he had a perfect heart at present and could discern no foolish thought
or appealing temptation to turn away from God, seeing that he was so “perfect” in heart at present, he could have trusted he would not be turned away in the future. Nevertheless, he put himself in a situation that promised damnation, and that situation did not damn him immediately but over time. NT Christian, do you know where the promises of damnation are in the NT? Do you know what the situations of damnation are in the NT?
Do you know what situations you can put yourself in that will damn you through seeds of infection and rebellion that are dormant at present, like Solomon’s wives, yet with these seeds there is a promise of a growing, eventual, and effectual apostasy? Solomon was not conscientious of rebellion against God, nor was Eve, but the word of Almighty God did warn that Solomon’s wives were a daily influence that is subtle, slow, yet sure, that he and those in situations like it will be led astray without knowing it. Do you know situations like this are in the NT? Perhaps you have never become aware of them because you never believed that the promises of your eternal life do hinge upon your obedience to these conditional commands and warnings. Though you are right with God now, though you love Him at present, and though you cannot perceive a future of eventual backsliding from Him, do you have the humility to believe God when He warns you that, just as Solomon was turned away, you can be “leavened” (1 Cor. 5:6-13) and made unclean (2 Cor. 6:17), and thus God judicially refuses to recognize you as His son or daughter (2 Cor. 6:17-18) just as He forsook King Saul and refused him as king henceforth. Like as Solomon’s warning, both of these NT warnings are addressing your “company” (1 Cor. 5:9-11), “fellowship” (2 Cor. 6:14), and “yoking” (2 Cor. 6:14) with those who do not bear the fruits of a true confession in Christianity, and that they, if you choose to be in Christian company, practice, yoking, and fellowship with them, will infect you, turn your heart, “leaven” you, and cause you to be unclean in God’s sight by their uncleanness. We are therefore commanded, as Solomon was, to remove ourselves from these persons because they create a harmful and dangerous spiritual environment which will eventually turn us away from God. This act of removing is the call of “purging” (1 Cor. 5:7) or “putting away” from the Church “that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:9-13) until you are “perfected” in a “holiness” (2 Cor. 7:1), a “separateness,” “wherefore come out from among them” (2 Cor. 6:17), God says!
Unwillingly and unconsciously, while maintaining a perfect and whole heart, we can commit this sin in its NT form, and as Solomon, our inevitable fate through time will be our corruption from a perfect and whole heart, even if we do not know what sin is causing our slow departure from God. A high-mindedness that you will be “ok”, irrelevant of the promised woe of curse and corruption declared by God, is a high-mindedness which comes from a “trust” in the eternal security of salvation without any condition at hand to change the blessing, love, and salvific mind of God into a woeful, angry, damning, and cursing mind as a recompense to your own works – God is not mocked.
Nehemiah learned a severe lesson from Solomon’s backsliding, and so should we. What deceived the wisest man on earth could certainly deceive you and I. Nehemiah warned of the deceptive allurement of disobedience, using Solomon as the example, saying, “Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things? 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” (Neh. 13:26). As “outlandish women” did cause Solomon to sin, so for us, unfruitful, un-perfected, backslidden, professing Christians will cause us to sin. Have you kept your church pure? Or do you win the world by yoking with the world? Friend, the world will win you if you do that. Thus said the Lord: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). Since Solomon did not, God says, “keep My Covenant,” which was contained in, God says, “My statutes” (1 kings 11:11), therefore God says, “I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee” (1 Kings 11:11). The everlasting throne and secure Kingdom is breached for Solomon, likewise your eternal life will be (your throne – Eph. 2:6, Rev. 2:26-27, Lk. 19:11-27) if you do not keep the Covenant which is agreed upon conditions.
A commandment to the Kings of Israel was written by Moses in Deuteronomy 17:17 – “neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away.” Solomon’s heart did not turn away in a single day. He did not suddenly apostatize the day he had too many wives. The effect of many wives OVER TIME did slowly and steadily infect his heart to finally and eventually turn away from God. It was “when Solomon was old” that the effect of his many wives did turn his heart from perfection. Think of all the times that David and God warned Solomon to focus, take heed to, and be careful to remember the condition of a perfect heart. Solomon could have thought that, since he had a perfect heart then, at present in his today, then he would have a perfect heart 2 years from that day. He could have thought that he would never turn away from God after he saw all the great exploits of the Lord’s faithfulness alongside two personal appearances. Nevertheless, God said that a perfect heart obeys His statutes and that Solomon should be careful and focused on obedience. One of God’s statutes, if transgressed, warned of an inevitable and promised damnation to any caliber of saint, even the seasoned, elderly, wise, and virtuous King Solomon. It was a promise of God to damnation that, if Solomon multiplied wives, he would eventually turn from God. When God warns of the promise of spreading wickedness like leaven, spreading uncleanness like as it was by touch, or the certainty of corruption in some forbidden circumstance of company, God expects men to cast aside their self-confidence and arrogant reasoning. Solomon could have forgotten the commandment; he could have reasoned within himself, ‘how many wives are too many?’ He could have forgotten the commandment because he did not believe his heart could easily turn away from God. Since Solomon was sure he had a perfect heart at present and could discern no foolish thought
or appealing temptation to turn away from God, seeing that he was so “perfect” in heart at present, he could have trusted he would not be turned away in the future. Nevertheless, he put himself in a situation that promised damnation, and that situation did not damn him immediately but over time. NT Christian, do you know where the promises of damnation are in the NT? Do you know what the situations of damnation are in the NT?
Do you know what situations you can put yourself in that will damn you through seeds of infection and rebellion that are dormant at present, like Solomon’s wives, yet with these seeds there is a promise of a growing, eventual, and effectual apostasy? Solomon was not conscientious of rebellion against God, nor was Eve, but the word of Almighty God did warn that Solomon’s wives were a daily influence that is subtle, slow, yet sure, that he and those in situations like it will be led astray without knowing it. Do you know situations like this are in the NT? Perhaps you have never become aware of them because you never believed that the promises of your eternal life do hinge upon your obedience to these conditional commands and warnings. Though you are right with God now, though you love Him at present, and though you cannot perceive a future of eventual backsliding from Him, do you have the humility to believe God when He warns you that, just as Solomon was turned away, you can be “leavened” (1 Cor. 5:6-13) and made unclean (2 Cor. 6:17), and thus God judicially refuses to recognize you as His son or daughter (2 Cor. 6:17-18) just as He forsook King Saul and refused him as king henceforth. Like as Solomon’s warning, both of these NT warnings are addressing your “company” (1 Cor. 5:9-11), “fellowship” (2 Cor. 6:14), and “yoking” (2 Cor. 6:14) with those who do not bear the fruits of a true confession in Christianity, and that they, if you choose to be in Christian company, practice, yoking, and fellowship with them, will infect you, turn your heart, “leaven” you, and cause you to be unclean in God’s sight by their uncleanness. We are therefore commanded, as Solomon was, to remove ourselves from these persons because they create a harmful and dangerous spiritual environment which will eventually turn us away from God. This act of removing is the call of “purging” (1 Cor. 5:7) or “putting away” from the Church “that wicked person” (1 Cor. 5:9-13) until you are “perfected” in a “holiness” (2 Cor. 7:1), a “separateness,” “wherefore come out from among them” (2 Cor. 6:17), God says!
Unwillingly and unconsciously, while maintaining a perfect and whole heart, we can commit this sin in its NT form, and as Solomon, our inevitable fate through time will be our corruption from a perfect and whole heart, even if we do not know what sin is causing our slow departure from God. A high-mindedness that you will be “ok”, irrelevant of the promised woe of curse and corruption declared by God, is a high-mindedness which comes from a “trust” in the eternal security of salvation without any condition at hand to change the blessing, love, and salvific mind of God into a woeful, angry, damning, and cursing mind as a recompense to your own works – God is not mocked.
Nehemiah learned a severe lesson from Solomon’s backsliding, and so should we. What deceived the wisest man on earth could certainly deceive you and I. Nehemiah warned of the deceptive allurement of disobedience, using Solomon as the example, saying, “Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things? 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” (Neh. 13:26). As “outlandish women” did cause Solomon to sin, so for us, unfruitful, un-perfected, backslidden, professing Christians will cause us to sin. Have you kept your church pure? Or do you win the world by yoking with the world? Friend, the world will win you if you do that. Thus said the Lord: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33). Since Solomon did not, God says, “keep My Covenant,” which was contained in, God says, “My statutes” (1 kings 11:11), therefore God says, “I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee” (1 Kings 11:11). The everlasting throne and secure Kingdom is breached for Solomon, likewise your eternal life will be (your throne – Eph. 2:6, Rev. 2:26-27, Lk. 19:11-27) if you do not keep the Covenant which is agreed upon conditions.
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1 Kings 11:9-14
9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. 11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. 12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. 13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David My servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen. 14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king’s seed in Edom. |