"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Psalms 119:18 (KJV)
Strange Things Change Things
Some things should be “strange” and foreign to a person that wants to please God. Most of the things a Christian should keep away from are against the principles for him as commanded in God’s Word. Most of those practices will make a believer act the same as the losing, unsaved side. King Solomon is an example of what happens to a godly person, when he lets down his guard and does what the ungodly world is doing.
Solomon started out serving God and had the blessings of the Almighty:
- He was king.
- He had God blessing and helping him in all he did.
- He had wisdom. “Behold, I God have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.” 1Ki 3:12
- He had wealth. He earned it. He acquired it in battle. Wealth was given to him by other countries, and leaders, including the Queen of Sheba.
- He built cities, and had many more blessings, because God’s hand was on his life. Solomon had it “all”, or so, many would have believed.
However, as he got older, his desires and love for God changed. His wonderful, God-directed life changed, when his heart to please God changed:
“ But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart . 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. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.” I Kings 11:1-6
King Solomon knew he should only fellowship with those of like faith. However, he let his wandering, lusting eyes have too much control in his life. Soon, he was not only in close contact with the ungodly; he developed an interest in their women. It was not long until he disobeyed God’s command to stay away from the heathen, and was marrying them — over 700 times!
His heathen wives turned his heart in the idolatrous direction their hearts were, and the once God-loving king, was “evil” in God’s eyes. If he had only obeyed God’s command to be separate from the ungodly, he would not have made such a spiritual mistake. God’s hand of blessing was off King David’s son, and Solomon’s sin cost him much, including:
- Loss of love and respect from his people
- Help from His God
- His heritage to his loved ones: “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. 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.” I Kings 11:11-12
- His wisdom.
- The possibility of having a long life (I Kings 3:14).
His life would have been a lot different if he had kept his first love of wanting to please his Maker. Hopefully, we can learn from Solomon’s example. No one gets away with the price tag on sin. We may not make the foolish decision to pick ungodly friends and mates, but we can have our lives ruined by “strange” things. These “strange” things include:
- Wrong priorities: If other things are more important than God is, they will reign and control your life much as Solomon’s wives’ beliefs controlled his life.
- Wrong spiritual food: Are you feeding the flesh or spirit? The one which is fed the most will control you. Do you read your Bible? Do you pray? Do you do what God has lain on your heart to do, or are you doing what feels good or what everyone else is doing? A child of God is not “everyone else.”
- Wrong practices: If we do things that are too close to being sin, it will not be long until we fall into iniquity.
- Wrong places: Are you in the place God wants you? Does God want you in a bar, a fishing hole on Sunday, or in a situation that will ruin your testimony or not spiritually strengthen you?
- Wrong friends. Do your friends encourage you in the things of God? If not they can quickly pull you away from doing what pleases God. Do not be an “I-used-to-do-what-God-told-me-to-do-BUT” person.
- Wrong input. Does what goes into your eye and ear gates help you be what God wants you to be, or does it hinder you? Does the music you hear or the television you watch edify and strengthen you concerning the things of God, or does it strengthen and feed the flesh that will sin? If it is not spiritually edifying, it will break down your sensitivity to flee from sin. A good test to tell if it will spiritually help you is to consider if the things you are listening to or watching are something you would be embarrassed to watch if God were physically sitting next to you?
God had wonderful plans for Solomon; but the king canceled God’s planned future for him, because of his sin. If you are a child of God, He also has big plans for you. If you are saved, you are on the winning side. Acting, dressing, talking, thinking, and living like the ungodly will only guarantee that your life will end as did King Solomon’s.
This lesson was featured in The Bible View #165.