1 Kings 11:1-13: a reflection

1Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites, 2of the nations concerning which the LORD said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love. 3He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away. 4When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father was. 5For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6Solomon did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and didn’t go fully after the LORD, as David his father did. 7Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8So he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9The LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he didn’t keep that which the LORD commanded. 11Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. 12Nevertheless, I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake; but I will tear it out of your son’s hand. 13However, I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”

Solomon, who had begun so well, wise and devoted, came in his old age to a sad end: his heart was turned away from God. His many foreign wives, whom God had warned against, gradually turned his heart after other gods, until his heart was no longer wholly the LORD's, as his father David's had been. It did not happen all at once; it was a gradual turning, over time, until the wisest of men, who had begun in devotion, ended with a divided, turned-away heart. Even Solomon's heart was gradually drawn away.

Notice the gradual turning of Solomon's heart, even after so good a beginning. He had begun wise and devoted, his heart set on God; but over time, through wrong loves and influences, his heart was gradually turned away, until it was no longer wholly God's. The turning was not sudden but gradual, a slow drift over the years, until the heart that had begun devoted ended divided and turned away. Even the wisest of men, who had begun so well, did not finish faithful; his heart was gradually drawn away by influences he tolerated. A good beginning did not guarantee a good end.

That is a sobering warning, for our own hearts too can be gradually turned away, even after a good beginning, and we must guard them to the end. We can begin well, devoted to God; but our hearts can be gradually turned away over time, through wrong loves and influences we tolerate, until, like Solomon, we end divided and drawn away, despite a good start. A good beginning does not guarantee a faithful end. Guard your heart against being gradually turned away from God, even after a good beginning; do not tolerate the influences and loves that would slowly draw your heart away, as Solomon's wives turned his heart. Take care to finish faithful, not merely to begin well, guarding your heart to the end against the gradual turning that drew even the wise Solomon away; for a good beginning is not enough, and the heart must be guarded against being gradually turned away, that we may finish, as well as begin, wholly the LORD's.

Lord, Solomon, who had begun so well, wise and devoted, came in his old age to a sad end: his heart was turned away from you. His many foreign wives, whom you had warned against, gradually turned his heart after other gods, until his heart was no longer wholly the LORD's, as his father David's had been. It did not happen all at once; it was a gradual turning, over time, until the wisest of men ended with a divided, turned-away heart. Show me the gradual turning of Solomon's heart, even after so good a beginning. He had begun with his heart set on you; but over time, through wrong loves and influences, his heart was gradually turned away. The turning was not sudden but gradual, a slow drift, until the heart that had begun devoted ended divided. Even the wisest of men did not finish faithful; his heart was gradually drawn away by influences he tolerated. Take that sobering warning to my heart, for my own heart too can be gradually turned away, even after a good beginning, and I must guard it to the end. I can begin well, devoted to you; but my heart can be gradually turned away over time, through wrong loves and influences I tolerate, until I end divided, despite a good start. Keep me from tolerating the influences and loves that would slowly draw my heart away from you, Lord, as Solomon's wives turned his heart. Help me take care to finish faithful, not merely to begin well, guarding my heart to the end against the gradual turning that drew even the wise Solomon away.