Solomon was very very wise and very very rich. That much is made clear in chapters 8 and 9. We read of an almost utopian society where everything is clad with gold, the king is wealthy, the people are wealthy, but even more importantly God has kept his promise to Solomon. Perhaps these chapters are more about God keeping his promises than the impressiveness of Solomon himself. Remember that it was God who made Solomon in chapter 1. We see another promise kept in chapter 10:15, “for it was a turn of affairs brought about by God that the LORD might fulfill his word, which he spoke by Ahjah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.” This promise is recorded in 1 Kings 11:29-39. God keeps his promises and yet the people are held responsible for their actions. In chapter 10 we clearly read of Rehoboam, Solomon’s Son, acting unwisely where his father always acted wisely. This unwise action results in the division of the kingdoms, to the north Jeroboam reigns over the northern kingdom Israel, and to the south Rehoboam reigns over Judah. We read in these chapters both mankind being held responsible for their sin, and at the same time God’s sovereign plan unfolding.
Reflect: Do you find it difficult to hold together God’s sovereign plan and the responsibility of mankind for their sin? If God is good, why would he allow the division of his kingdom? What is his purpose? As you consider Christ who was broken so that we might be healed, how might the Gospel story inform why in God’s sovereign plan he allows the kingdom’s to divide? What is it about being broken and restored that it so important? What does this look like in your life?
Connect- 1 Kings 11: 29 And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country. 30 Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces. 31 And he said to Jeroboam, “Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes 32 (but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel), 33 because they have[a] forsaken me and worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and they have not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my rules, as David his father did. 34 Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of David my servant whom I chose, who kept my commandments and my statutes. 35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand and will give it to you, ten tribes. 36 Yet to his son I will give one tribe, that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. 37 And I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires, and you shall be king over Israel. 38 And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. 39 And I will afflict the offspring of David because of this, but not forever.’”
– Rev. Joseph Bianco