King Solomon’s compromise of his faith led to troubles and a lack of peace. In his early years Solomon was visited by God being woken in the night. Because God found favor in Solomon, He allowed Solomon to ask a request of Him. Solomon’s desire was to have wisdom to serve God’s people. This pleased God and He gave Solomon profound wisdom and great wealth. In today’s currency Solomon’s combined wealth over the course of his reign totaled in the neighborhood of two trillion dollars. He was at rest and had peace all around him while he built the temple for the Lord and followed in His ways. His devotion to God was seen in details of the temple such as the lilies that are on top of the pillars that were for God’s eyes to look down upon and not where man could see them. However, Solomon began marrying foreign wives. He came under their influence. Not only did he allow his wives to worship other gods, but he also engaged in pagan practices, and built shrines to false gods. This angered God who warned him about the consequences of him abandoning His commandments.

Today’s scripture shows Solomon’s bed that he traveled around in surrounded by 60 valiant soldiers to protect him because of the fear of the night. This was the same man who began his career having to be woken in the night from a restful sleep for God to have a chat with him. Remember that Solomon at that time in his life was in right standing with the Lord and that his actions and desires were pleasing to God. Now, he was living in sin, despite all that the Lord had given him and was having to set 60 armed soldiers about him in order to try to rest due to fear. His mobile bed could also indicate that he was trying to run from God seeking out distractions at the very least to bide his time. 

Are you in a place of unrest in your life? Has the presence of sin in your life stolen your peace? We know that sin is a labor requiring effort and its wages are death. Matthew 11:28-30 says “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Are you weary from being out of the will of God? Come to Jesus today. Give your burdens to him, confess any sin in your life and turn from it. 

Solomon ultimately found out that life lacked satisfaction when pursued outside of God as the book of Ecclesiastes indicates. His kingdom was split as a result of his disobedience.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the message on Sunday and for the reminder that there is no wisdom, no insight, and no plan that can succeed against the Lord. Thank You for the example that not even Solomon, the wisest man on earth, could have peace in the midst of his idolatry. Oh Lord, I rarely think of myself as an idolater, but I'm sure few idolaters do. Shine Your light into my heart and expose any hidden idolatry – that is, anything I value above Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Expose any witchcraft or other evil also. Take away my peace, just as You took Solomon's peace, until my repentance is complete, honest, and productive. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

 

Solomon’s sin opened the door to fear and torment. His response was to move around a lot and try to protect himself by human strength. Peace will not be found in making yourself busier. Peace will not come until you are at peace with God. In prayer, ask God to show you whether there is sin in your life that is stealing your peace, and get right with God. Then, when fear or anxiety try to invade, you can call it out for what it is and lay it at the foot of the cross, asking for peace and wisdom with confidence.