READ: 1 Kings 11
“As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his Gearod, as the heart of David his father had been” – 1 Kings 11:4-5, NIV
When you do not understand why God blesses someone, you will quickly forget important principles he lives by. A deeper understanding helps you to have a better memory. That is why teaching deploys various techniques to induce a greater understanding of issues. The more you understand, the more you remember! An ancient Chinese proverb says, “You hear you forget; you see you remember; you do you understand.”
King Solomon remembered how God had been angry with his father and decided to avoid falling into his father’s sins. Probably, this is why he married so many women. He did not want to commit adultery so he decided to marry every girl he saw. In the end, he had married one thousand women. This in itself is a miracle. But Solomon did not understand that David was ultimately a man after God’s own heart who wholly and passionately served God in spite of his human failings.
Many people think that God was displeased with Solomon because of the numerous women he loved. Although these numerous women in his life caused problems, this was not the reason why God rejected Solomon.
The Bible tells us clearly that God rejected Solomon because he was not devoted to the Lord and he worshipped idols in his old age. King David never worshipped idols and there was no mention of any such thing during his time. Perhaps, not understanding the secret behind someone’s success will lead you to set aside the very thing that made him great.