Solomon has turned from the Lord and built altars to other gods. Therefore, the Lord kept His Word from 1 Kings 9:6-9. The Lord promises to take the kingdom and give it to the other 10 tribes. Adversaries also rise up against Israel.
So, what do we learn from this? God is a God of wrath? Don't follow His ways and He will come down on you with great punishment? God is unfair?
Absolutely not. What we learn is that God keeps His Word. God states exactly what is given, what is expected, and what will happen. He gave David the kingdom. David obeyed God, so God's promises where fulfilled. God gave Solomon the kingdom. Solomon turned away from God, so God took back the kingdom.
But why such a harsh punishment? First, let'schange the word punishment. Instead, let's use discipline. A loving father watches over his children. He steps in when they endanger themselves or others. Understanding that there are natural consequences to actions, a father will sometimes allow the natural consequence so that the child learns from his mistakes. Other times the father will provide a consequence in order to teach a lesson. For instance, my child ignores my instructions to stop and is running into the street amid traffic. Do I let my child experience the natural consequence by allowing him to get hit by a car? No. I stop him, physically if need be. Because of the seriousness of the situation, I may provide a consequence of my own. Perhaps a grounding, a scolding, a spanking. Whatever the consequence, the purpose is to help the child learn to listen in order to avoid injury. God is our Heavenly Father. He has given us instructions to keep us safe. He provides us consequences when we ignore or turn away from those instructions.
Why did Solomon receive such a harsh consequence? Well, allowing altars to other gods is a big deal. Not only did it break relationship with God, it put others in danger. These altars weren't just pretty statues. They were places of worship. These gods where worshiped in terrible ways - human sacrifice, forced prostitution. By allowing these practices, people were being destroyed physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
I feel so blessed to have a Heavenly Father that loves me so much He would not only provide me with instructions to keep me safe, but He corrects me when I am wrong. It gives me the opportunity to repent, grow, and achieve a healthy, peaceful, joyful life. Isn't that what we are all seeking?
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