Solomon’s Ecumenical Movement

But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, I Kings 11:1-9

Steps: 1, 2, 3

In this section of Scripture God reveals that Solomon’s heart had been turned away from God by all of his heathen wives. God had warned Solomon of this in Deuteronomy 17:17, yet Solomon thought he was wiser than God and could handle these things on his own. Solomon did not realize that he was conducting his own ecumenical movement by getting involved with so many women of different belief systems. In the Bible a woman is equated with a church as seen in Jeremiah 6:2 “I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.” This concept is also seen in the New Testament as well in II Corinthians 11:2 “For I am jealous over you (God’s New Testament church people) with Godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” This concept is also seen in the pure woman of Revelation 12 and the impure woman of Revelation 17. When Solomon brought all of these women together he felt he could turn their hearts to God but God’s prediction was true for they turned him against God. This same warning is given to us.

Prayer for Today: Help us to recognize again that Your ways are better than ours. Help us to surrender to You and trust Your ways over our own.