Bible Chapter: I Kings 11 & 12

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    There is head knowledge and there is heart knowledge.  It appears that King Solomon allowed all the wisdom that God had given him turn into simply head knowledge.  He broke God’s commands by making alliances with other nations and marrying many foreign wives.  God had forbidden the kings to do both of these things.  As King Solomon got so powerful and wealthy, he quit depending on God and thought he could do anything he wanted.  He got used to simply giving a command and seeing people jump and giving him anything.
    As a result, God brought up adversaries who rose up against Israel.  Because of the nation’s sins, God split the nation and judged it.  The northern ten tribes became the nation of Israel.  The southern tribes became Judah.  When Solomon died, his son, Rehoboam, became king of Judah.  Jeroboam became king of Israel.  Jeroboam turned the nation of Israel against God by setting up golden calves for them to worship and creating a priesthood that was made up of unqualified people.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Reading the history of Israel in the Bible shows how quickly a person’s heart can turn against God.  They had received so many miracles and blessings in their history. God had made so many promises to them.  They knew better.  Having started out loving God, the nation, and at this point, Solomon, went down a slide of spiritual decline.  That can happen to anyone who gets their focus away from God and on to anything but God.  Pleasure, wealth and personal desires can all take a person in a dangerous direction.  How quickly we can forget.  The Bible says that King Solomon’s wives turned his heart away from God.  God, in His wisdom knew that this would be the result.  That is why He warned the kings not to do what Solomon did.  Yes, God is very wise.  He knows what He is talking about. That is why we must listen and apply what he says.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see the sly deception of the evil one.  It is easy to get to a spiritual point where a person thinks they are so strong spiritually that nothing can harm them.  Let him that thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall.  Stay close to the Savior.