In the records of such a great life as that of King Solomon, we find it very sad to see his frailty, failures, and fall. How is it that one who began so well, could fall so far? Beyond that God had given him wisdom far beyond any other human. He built the temple. And even saw the Glory of God descend upon the temple. God spoke to him directly, warning him not to worship other gods. If he failed Israel would fall and the temple he built would be rejected. So, what happened? Years had passed, he had grown older. So much power, money, position, and human knowledge had made him complacent. The years weigh heavily on each of us, and our hearts are frail, quickly drawn away. Let us look at 7 things that will help us remain faithful and finish well in a crazy world.
The first 10 chapters of I Kings tells us of all the wonderful achievements of King Solomon. A Display of how to remain faithful began his life. Suddenly in chapter 11, we are told of his failures, God’s Wrath, and the death of Solomon. Was it possible to not finish well? Did he fail to remain faithful and why did he fail?
1 Kings 11:1-8 NET
King Solomon fell in love with many foreign women (besides Pharaoh’s daughter), including Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites. 2 They came from nations about which the Lord had warned the Israelites, “You must not establish friendly relations with them![a] If you do, they will surely shift your allegiance to their gods.”[b] But Solomon was irresistibly attracted to them.[c]
3 He had 700 royal wives[d] and 300 concubines;[e] his wives had a powerful influence over him.[f] 4 When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to[g] other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been.[h] 5 Solomon worshiped[i] the Sidonian goddess Astarte and the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.[j] 6 Solomon did evil in the Lord’s sight;[k] he did not remain loyal to[l] the Lord, as his father David had. 7 Furthermore,[m] on the hill east of Jerusalem[n] Solomon built a high place[o] for the detestable Moabite god Chemosh[p] and for the detestable Ammonite god Milcom.[q] 8 He built high places for all his foreign wives so they could burn incense and make sacrifices to their gods.[r]
But think about this.
Is not God Sovereign? Absolutely yes. Did He not know exactly what was going to happen? He did and He warned Solomon. Does God’s Sovereign knowledge negate the responsibility for the choices Solomon made? Absolutely not! In fact, it heightens it to some degree. Much like Jesus telling Peter he would deny him. However, Peter did not even believe how depraved his own heart was until he had to face his own frailty. The same is true of each of us. I know it is for me. I never knew how dark and broken are the crevices of my own heart until the light of God step by step reveals it to me as He shines His light deep within.
God, knowing the sins I have and those which lie before me, allows me free will. Without free will, there is no possibility I can choose to love Him either. And without choice, my love nor my worship would be genuine. Therefore, He allows even what He hates to accomplish what He loves. How marvelous His grace which has accepted me even amid my failures. Step by step He guides my heart so I might see His Glory and that I might love Him earnestly. Yet, how can I finish well, remaining faithful to the end? This journey at times seems to hard and my heart too frail. Perhaps like that of Solomon.
God’s Response to Solomon
9 The Lord was angry with Solomon because he had shifted his allegiance[s] away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him on two occasions[t] 10 and had warned him about this very thing, so that he would not follow other gods.[u] But he did not obey[v] the Lord’s command. 11 So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you,[w] I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. 12 However, for your father David’s sake I will not do this while you are alive. I will tear it away from your son’s hand instead. 13 But I will not tear away the entire kingdom; I will leave[x] your son one tribe for my servant David’s sake and for the sake of my chosen city Jerusalem.”
42 Solomon ruled over all Israel from Jerusalem for forty years. 43 Then Solomon passed away[br] and was buried in the city of his father David.[bs] His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.[bt] I Kings 11 (NET)
Was Everything Loss? Or did Solomon turn?
Did Solomon remain faithful in the end. Did he finish well?
How sad if this is all we are given about Solomon’s ending. But thankfully it is not. We have the other writings of Solomon himself to help to guide us. Song of Solomon written at least in part while he was still a Prince. Then there is the book of Proverbs, many of which are collections during his reign as King. Ecclesiastes written in his later years reflecting upon his own failures, the vanities of life, and reaching a final conclusion.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Ecclesiastes 12:
What about our lives? All the trials, sorrows, pains and sufferings have laid heavy at times. At other times, the moments of success and bits of glory have also weighed heavily as well. Now in these later years, I look back and see all the years wasted. All my own failures and how they reflect back to me in the sufferings of my own children and family. I also see the darkness of the world around me. I ponder, how despite my knowing the truth, the darkness weighs so heavily on my own heart.
Faithful to the End to Finish Well.
Faithful to Labor while the Day is Here
Jesus said, “4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9 NET)
Faithful to Remembering who is your Anchor
11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises….19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus. (Hebrews 6 KJV)
Be Faithful in Studying the Word
Do not let mercy and truth[g] leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.[h]
4 Then you will find[i] favor and good understanding,[j]
in the sight of God and people.[k] Proverbs 3: NET
Faithful in Trusting Him (Even when you don’t understand)
Trust[l] in the Lord with all your heart,[m]
and do not rely[n] on your own understanding.[o]
6 Acknowledge[p] him in all your ways,[q]
and he will make your paths straight.[r] Proverbs 3:5-6 NET
Faithful with Giving
9 Honor[y] the Lord from your wealth
and from the firstfruits of all your crops;[z]
10 then your barns will be filled completely,[aa]
and your vats[ab] will overflow[ac] with new wine.[ad
Never, ever Forget His Mercy
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. 13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. 14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. Psalm 103: KJV
Faithful to Remember all He has done in the past
Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103 KJV
So How Do We Remain Faithful and finish well?
There are times in this world, we will feel homesick. Sadness will creep in to steal our joy as we look around us and see so much pain and suffering. Yet, if we keep our eyes on Jesus, we know that He will hold us fast. For in His presence is fullness of joy. When sadness fills your heart draw closer to Him.
24 Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling,[cu] and to cause you to stand, rejoicing,[cv] without blemish[cw] before his glorious presence,[cx] 25 to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen. Jude
Yes, there it is! In the end, it is His grace that keeps me safe to the end.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Psalm 37:23-24
And what makes me good? I have been clothed in a righteousness not my own by the blood of Jesus Christ, shed for me. Declared righteous because He paid the price for my sins: past, present, and future. Not that I should walk any more in them; but that I should lean on Him, knowing He will finish the work He began in me. I will finish well because He will see to it. Whatever it takes to cleanse this heart until all I see is Him, I willingly desire to walk through.
A Final Thought on How to Finish Well
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a preacher in Germany who assisted in the Anti-Hitler activities for which he was ultimately imprisoned and killed. He wrote:
“When all is said and done, the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every available weapon against the flesh.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship, we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death—we give over our lives to death. Thus, it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ.
When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time—death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at his call.
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship 99
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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DISCLOSURES
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New English Translation (NET)
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