And yet, grave as was this disregard of law, it was but a worm that was at work in his soul—only self love and self confidence (cf. Isaiah 30:1); only the lust of the eye and the pride of life. He is still the Lord's anointed: his tips distil knowledge; he still offers hecatombs, but his "heart is not right," etc.
And so the years passed by. To all outward appearance his glory and magnificence increased. It is very suggestive to consider how hollow was that prosperity which was the marvel of the world, and how that wisdom which was so renowned was foolishness with God. The court became more splendid, more voluptuous, more dazzling, but the man became year by year poorer and meaner and baser. It only needed one step more—and apparently he was not long in taking that—to complete his defection. The other monarchs of his time had their seraglios. It was necessary that he too should have an establishment of this kind, and he must have it even greater than theirs. He knew that the law forebade the multiplication of wives, but what of that? He had violated the law already: he might just as well do it again. An obsolete precept, he may have argued, suited to primitive times, must not stand in the way of his pomp or his pleasures. And so the Lord's anointed gathered round him in the holy city a thousand strange, immodest women. His fleets and merchants brought him mistresses from every land. And they brought with them their foreign rites, and the effeminate king was taken captive by their charms, and they had their way, and nothing would suffice them but he must tolerate their religion, and what he did for one he must do for all, and—and so the end of sin and shame is reached, and the decline becomes a fall, and "the darling of Jehovah," the wisest of men, the representative of Heaven, the builder of the temple, the type of our Lord, builds altars to the "abominations" of Moab and Ammon "in the hill that is before Jerusalem" (1 Kings 11:7).
This mournful history is full of admonition and instruction. It must suffice to indicate the following lessons:—
1. A man may preach to others and yet be a castaway (1 Corinthians 9:27). Solomon's Prayer (1 Kings 8:1-66.), Psalm (Psalms 127:1-5.), and Proverbs should be studied in the light of his fall. "Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?" (Romans 2:21). Compare verses 22, 23 with Proverbs 5-7.; and remember the constant references to the "law" in the dedication prayer.
2. "Nemo repente turpissimus fuit." "He that despiseth little things shall fall by little and little."
"It is the little rift within the lute
That by and by shall make its music mute."
3. "Out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications," etc. (Mark 7:21). It was not to an assault from without, it was to treachery within that Solomon yielded—Solomon who had said, "Keep thy bears with all diligence," etc.
4. "The love of money is the root of all evil" (1 Timothy 6:10). May we not say," Behold two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand?" (2 Kings 10:4). "Children, how hard it is for them that trust in riches," etc. (Mark 10:24). "Take heed, and beware of covetousness" (Luke 12:15), "which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).
5. The course of sin is downhill. Vires acquirit eundo. The sinner is on an inclined plane; and the gradient at first is almost imperceptible. Let us learn, too, "the deceitfulness of sin."
6. Woman, made to be man's helpmeet, too often becomes his snare. It is seldom that a man is ruined but a woman has had a share in it.
7. Solomon was old at the time of his fall, etc. (1 Kings 11:4). Hot youth has its dangers and temptations; but mature age has them also. David was not less than fifty when he fell. See p. 225.
1 Kings
1 Kings 10 - 1-kings-10 - worlddic.com