LUST EXPRESSED

 As I come into 1 Kings 11, I can see there is trouble brewing with King Solomon and his addiction to excess: chariots, horses, 700 wives, 300 concubines, the worship of the idols of Ashtoreth, Baal, Chemosh, and  Molech.  Not sure about what they did about children that were born from 1, 000 women,  but I do recall that Molech included child sacrifice.  You may draw your own conclusions.  It is no mere slight statment, "The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice."  Of course, Solomon also threw in the worship of the Lord God  which is called syncretism. Syncretism is the almalgrammation of religions, cultures, or the schools of theoughts.  Scripture says that all of the wives turned his heart after other gods, but I am more prone to think plain old LUST, I WANT WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT IT AND I AM GOING TO HAVE IT!  Lust is not always expressed in sexual liasons...I think it involves anything which I MUST have and I  am willing to pay any price for it be it health, relationships, money, drugs, alcohol, eduation, selfishness,  occupation, housing, clothing, possessions, promotions, entitlements....I think I have listed enough variety that you get my reference.  Anthing which controls me and drives me!

God gives him the fist to the gut with the news that the kingdom will be torn from his son since he would not keep the covenants and decrees which God had commanded him.  But I would think the bleed-out would be that "God raises up against Solomon an adversary." Later, there will be another adversaries.  His son, Rehoboam becomes king, the kingdom of  Israel and Judah are torn apart,  and King Rehoboam is left with the tribes in Israel only.  

God is not obligated to bless our disobedience and presumption.  Many years later, Isaiah warns Israel and the words are still pertinent for 2017, "Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin, will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly , in an instant.It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern....In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it."   Dear Ones, run into His arms, and cry out in confession and repentence.  Broken relationships with others and broken fellowship with the Lord God is not worth the agony faced for disobedience and rebellion.  1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."   Promise made; Promise kept.  Forever learning! In process!  #IHAVETHREESONS