Watch out! It’s not the world that’s forbidden—it’s loving it. “Love not the world,” says John (1 Jn 2:15).
The little flock of Israel had been abandoned to the enemy by the foolish behavior of their shepherd, Solomon. Now the wolves were moving in. The last chapter in the king’s life recounts those who wanted to wrestle the kingdom from him. We first are told the strange story of Hadad the Edomite (1 Ki 11:14-25). It almost seems to mimic the stories of Joseph or Moses—a little boy, a non-Egyptian, who ends up living in Pharaoh’s house. But Hadad had a grudge to settle in Israel because of Joab’s slaughter of the Edomites when David reigned. “So when Hadad heard in Egypt that David rested with his fathers, and that Joab…was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, ‘Let me depart, that I may go to my own country’” (v 21). We don’t know the rest of the story, but suffice it to say that, by his return to live in Edom, on the southeastern flank of Israel, he fulfilled his purpose, because “the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite” (v 14). After this, “God raised up another adversary against him, Rezon…He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon (besides the trouble that Hadad caused); and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria” (vv 23, 25). Then there was Jeroboam (vv 26-40), who tore ten of the tribes from Judah’s rule in the days of Solomon’s foolish son. But more of that later. It’s enough to note that Solomon’s kingdom once had “rest on every side” (5:4) but was now plagued with self-inflicted trouble. This brings us to the closing scene: “Then Solomon rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David” (11:43). The obvious point? In the end, success is not measured in gold bullion or grand buildings. It’s godliness that counts. So then, let’s “pursue…godliness” (1 Tim 6:11).