How can we apply Solomon's mistakes to our own spiritual leadership today? Solomon’s Sobering Finish “Solomon therefore sought to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam arose and fled to Egypt…” (1 Kings 11:40) Where Did the Wisest Man Go Wrong? - Drifted from wholehearted love for God (11:4) - Multiplied wives and idols (11:3–8; cf. Deuteronomy 17:17) - Ignored prophetic warning (11:11–13) - Tried to silence God’s discipline by force—hunting Jeroboam instead of humbling himself (11:40) Warning Lights for Spiritual Leaders 1. Half-Hearted Devotion Becomes Whole-Scale Disaster - 1 Kings 11:6 “…he did not follow the LORD fully.” - 1 Corinthians 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” - Leadership collapses first in private affection, then in public action. 2. Ungodly Alliances Shape Ungodly Altars - 1 Kings 11:2 “You must not associate with them… they will surely incline your hearts after their gods.” - 2 Corinthians 6:14 warns of mismatched yokes. - Who (or what) we court, we eventually serve. 3. Ignoring Scripture Silences Conscience - Deuteronomy 17 outlined a king’s guardrails; Solomon outgrew them. - Today: neglect of personal Bible intake sterilizes sermons and shepherding. 4. Fear-Driven Control Replaces Faith-Driven Service - Attacking Jeroboam (11:40) reveals insecurity, not strength. - James 3:16 links envy and selfish ambition to every evil practice. - When influence is threatened, true leaders repent; counterfeit leaders retaliate. Timeless Principles for Today - Stay small in your own eyes (1 Samuel 15:17). Success never exempts from daily dependence. - Keep the Word near: read, copy, and rehearse it (Deuteronomy 17:18-20; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). - Guard intimacy: cultivate godly friendships and flee compromising ties (Proverbs 13:20). - Lead to serve, not to secure your throne (Mark 10:42-45). - Welcome correction—prophetic voices are gifts, not threats (Proverbs 27:6). Hope Beyond Solomon - Matthew 12:42 sets Christ above Solomon: wisdom without wavering, kingship without corruption. - In Him we find the grace that keeps leaders from repeating 1 Kings 11, and the mercy that restores when we do. |
    |