1 Kings chapter 9 is a recap of the first 20 years of Solomon’s reign. We read of Solomon’s buildings and business dealings and once again God reiterated His conditional promise, but one thing is missing. There is not one mention of Solomon opening his heart to God. The chapter begins, “When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, the Lord appeared to him a second time“. Perhaps God chose this time because He knows our tendency to get distracted when we have extra time on our hands? God declared, “I have heard the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there“. I am convinced that God loves to hear from us. Note the personal terms used, ‘the eyes and the heart’; communicates the deep affection of God toward His people. Then God restated His promise to Solomon, “As for you, if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever“. God gave Solomon the gracious freedom to be as fallible as David. David was far from perfect in honoring God, but David knew to seek forgiveness when he sinned. Sadly, Solomon followed the failures of David but overlooked his repentant heart toward God.
God’s promise continued, “But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. Israel will then become a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples“.Clearly God desires to be the only object of worship. This is an exclusive relationship and not to be one of many. God promised the consequences of turning away would be severe, “Because they have forsaken the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them that is why the Lord brought all this disaster on them“. And again contrary to God’s Word, Solomon kept a large number of pagans in the land to use as cheap labor; “their descendants remaining in the land, whom the Israelites could not exterminate these Solomon conscripted for his slave labor force“. Generally, it is a series of little compromises that we make along the way that cause problems later on.
Solomon seems to only do what was required. “Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations“. Guys we are missing the blessing when we serve God only out of obligation. Going through the religious motions will never produce joy. Psalm 51 is an incredible prayer of David in which he pours out his heart asking God for forgiveness and restoration. David understood God’s forgiveness begins in our heart. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart These, O God, You will not despise”