Warnings and Admonitions
A guest post by Chad Ramsey.
Solomon’s life is well documented in Scripture.
King Solomon’s Rise to the Throne.
The son of David and Bathsheba, Solomon is described as one whom the Lord loved (2 Samuel 12:24). As his father David’s death neared, Solomon was anointed and presented as successor to the throne (1 Kings 1:28- 53). After securing his position as king, he requested wisdom from God. He asked:
“Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted. Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” (1 Kings 3:7-9).
Because the Lord was pleased with King Solomon’s humble request, he granted him wisdom as well as riches, honor, and the hope of long life (1 Kings 3:11-14). Additionally, it was said of him:
“So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom” (1 Kings 10:23).
Solomon’s Downfall.
But as great as Solomon was, he was not perfect.
His desire to advance the interests of Israel led him to make allegiances with the surrounding nations. Often the treaties made with foreign powers were sealed with his marriage to a foreign princess (cf. 1 Kings 3:1; 11:1-3).
Eventually, these wives and concubines influenced Solomon and led him away from the Lord (1 Kings 11:4).
Solomon’s Search for Life’s Meaning.
Thankfully, our knowledge of Solomon does not end with his departure from God in old age. Other information, which he wrote, may well indicate he turned back to God before his death.
This information is found primarily in the book of Ecclesiastes.
According to its opening statement, it was written by “the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). When we read Ecclesiastes, we find Solomon was searching for life’s meaning.
Although he looked for such in wisdom (1:18), pleasure (2:1-3), wealth (2:4-11), popularity (4:13-16), and ambition (6:3), he concluded his pursuit was a failure. Summarizing his search, he reported:
“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).
King Solomon discovered that life’s meaning is not found in the physical pursuits individuals generally engage themselves in. Instead, it is found only in complete dedication to the Lord. So he wrote:
“Let us hear the conclusion on the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
This does not mean Solomon found life meaningless or felt nothing can make physical life better. Throughout the book he emphasized the value of certain actions and attitudes over others.
Ultimately, however, he concluded meaning can only be derived from God.
Chad Ramsey preaches for the Gloster Street Church of Christ in Tupelo, Mississippi. You can access their Bible classes and Chad’s sermons on Gloster Street’s YouTube page.
Chad was - and still is - “my preacher” from when I spent my high school and early college years at Gloster Street. I’m thankful to be able to share some of his writings with you.
