Read: Deuteronomy 17:14-20
And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away. (v. 17)
If you’ve been on this earth for a while, you’ve seen some notable person “fall from grace” in a shocking and tragic way. Perhaps it was a popular pastor who was caught in an affair, or a politician discovered in a financial cover-up. “How did this happen?” we ask. But as we look back, we can often see clues that we missed before: a little lie here, an extravagant purchase there. Eventually a pattern is established, and we see where virtue began to erode in a person’s life.
We have seen much that is admirable in Solomon, but we have also begun to see an “erosion” of the godly principles he must maintain as king. In Deuteronomy 17, there is a list of things that Israel’s kings are not to do: he is not to take many wives, “lest his heart turn away”; nor is he to acquire a great number of horses, or large amounts of silver and gold (vv. 16-17). His trust is to be in the Lord, not in his armies or his wealth. But Solomon, in his wealth and his pride, has done all the things he ought not to have done. These are clues to the even greater sin that he eventually commits.
Small compromises can lead to big sins! Solomon’s heart is turning from God, and these are the first signs of trouble. But the worst is yet to come. —Laura N. Sweet
As you pray, ask for God’s help to be faithful in all things, both small and great.
About the Author
Laura N. Sweet is a wife, mother, grandmother, and former Christian schoolteacher from Midland, Michigan. She writes devotional material for both adults and children, and her work has appeared in more than a dozen publications.
