How does Solomon's story connect with the first commandment in Exodus 20:3? The First Commandment: Undivided Devotion “ ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.’ ” (Exodus 20:3) • God’s first word to Israel demands absolute exclusivity. • “Before Me” literally means “in My presence,” excluding every rival loyalty. Solomon’s Early Commitment • 1 Kings 3:3 – “Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.” • God granted him wisdom and unprecedented prosperity (1 Kings 4:29–34). • Psalm 72 and Proverbs highlight Solomon’s initial focus on honoring the LORD alone. The Gradual Drift • 1 Kings 11:1–4: “King Solomon loved many foreign women… his wives turned his heart after other gods.” • Deuteronomy 17:17 had warned Israel’s kings not to “multiply wives,” because divided affections invite idolatry. • What began as political alliances became spiritual compromise. Open Violation of the First Commandment • 1 Kings 11:5–8 lists the idols Solomon built altars for: Ashtoreth, Milcom, Chemosh, Molech. • Verse 6: “So Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not follow the LORD fully, as his father David had done.” • By honoring these deities “in the presence” of the LORD, Solomon shattered the very command that undergirded Israel’s covenant. Consequences Underscore the Command • 1 Kings 11:9–13 – God’s anger leads to the kingdom’s division under Solomon’s son. • Ecclesiastes 2:10–11 reveals Solomon’s later recognition that pleasure, wealth, and idolatry are “vanity and chasing after the wind.” • The penalty shows that God’s first command is not optional; it safeguards the nation’s spiritual and social life. Timeless Lessons • No heart is so wise or blessed that it can ignore, supplement, or “update” the first commandment. • Jesus echoed its core: “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). • 1 Corinthians 10:14 exhorts believers, “Flee from idolatry,” applying Exodus 20:3 to every generation. Summary Connection Solomon’s life moves from faithful obedience to direct infringement of “You shall have no other gods before Me.” His story is a living commentary: blessing flows from exclusive worship; idolatry invites judgment. God’s unchanging first commandment remains the compass for every believer’s heart today. |
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