Friday, February 15, 2013

Solomon's Idolatry (part 1 of 2)


When Solomon became old, his wives shifted his allegiance to other gods; he was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. – 1 Kings 11:4  (NET)

As Solomon is reported to have “had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines” (11:3a), even though he was the king in a deeply patriarchal society, it is wholly unsurprising to find that “his wives had a powerful influence over him” (11:3b).  Israel’s God had warned His people that such entangling relationships “will surely shift your allegiance to their gods” (11:2b), but Solomon, unfortunately, is said to have not taken heed to this warning. 

He had been very much a king in the mold that the God of Israel had intended for His covenant people.  According to the Scriptural narrative, the Creator God had made Solomon something of a shining light.  It can be read that God had granted him “firm control of the kingdom” (2:46b), while also giving him “supernatural wisdom to make judicial decisions” (3:28b).  During his reign, “The people of Judah and Israel were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore” (4:20a), which is a hearkening voice to God’s covenant with Abraham to make his descendants as numerous as the dust of the earth, reminding the reader that all of Israel’s history must be viewed within the falling shadow of the covenant promises to Abraham.  In what is most likely designed to be another allusion to the promise that Abraham’s descendants would bless all peoples, we find that “People from all nations came to hear Solomon’s display of wisdom; they came from all the kings of the earth who heard about his wisdom” (4:34). 

With that, the eyes of the reader (and the ears of the hearer) can be rightly drawn (and alerted) to the second Psalm, where it is read, “So now, you kings, do what is wise; you rulers of the earth, submit to correction!” (2:10).  In many ways, it is Solomon that provides the model for Israel’s messiah; and the reported flourishing of the Creator God’s people under his rule points to the blessings bestowed upon the people of God in union with His anointed Messiah (Jesus the Christ).  Yes, “King Solomon was wealthier and wiser than any of the kings of the world.  Everyone in the world wanted to visit Solomon to see him display his God-given wisdom” (10:23-24).  Thus, Solomon was indeed a shining light of the God of Israel’s glory, on display for all of the world to see.

But then, the story of Solomon breaks from this glorious path, with a descent into idolatry.  This is not unlike the story of Adam (who is often looked to as a microcosm of Israel), who was created to be, and initially function as a shining light for the glory of the Creator God, rightly bearing His image, but who can be understood to have descended into an idolatry of self.  Thus it could also be said that Solomon too is a microcosm of Israel.  This makes sense and provides a natural symmetry, at it is Adam, Israel, and then Solomon who are referred to in the Scriptural narrative as sons of the Creator God. 

Looking at Solomon specifically, it is seen that “The Lord was angry with Solomon because he had shifted his allegiance away from the Lord, the God of Israel, Who had appeared to him on two occasions” (11:9).  By his idolatry, Solomon had broken faith (shifted allegiance).  He had violated the primary terms of God’s covenant with His people, which were to avoid idolatry, to reverence His sanctuary, and to keep His Sabbaths.  His entrance into idolatry is the context for his God coming to him and saying, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant” (11:11b).  With that, “The Lord brought against Solomon an enemy” (11:14a).  It becomes quite clear that this can be looked upon as a repetition of the stories of Adam and Israel

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