The stark contrast between David and his son Solomon lies in their devotion to God. David’s unwavering commitment from the beginning to the end of his life starkly contrasts Solomon’s fluctuating faith. This difference in devotion is a key theme in our analysis, and it’s important to note that both David and Solomon were renowned and affluent individuals.
1 Chronicles 29:28-30 Contemporary English Version: David was rich and respected and lived to be an old man. Then he died, and his son Solomon became king.
1 Kings 4:29-33: And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish.
Both men were famous, as shown in the above two scriptures. What made David finish strong was that he was devoted to God in terms of fellowship, devotion, and communion, as shown in Psalm 23 vs. 6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
David was committed to staying in the house of the Lord forever, irrespective of his busy schedule, fortune, and fame. He consistently had morning devotions during which he studied the word of God and prayed. Psalm 63 vs 1: O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is
Solomon’s mistake was allowing money and women to influence him more than God.
1 Kings 11: 1-3 King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides Pharaoh’s daughter—Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians and Hittites. They were from nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, because they will surely turn your hearts after their gods.” Nevertheless, Solomon held fast to them in love. He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.
Mathew 6:24 No one is able to serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and he will love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and he will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and mammon.
From 1 Kings 8: 41-42 Solomon became the center of attraction instead of God. As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple,
Practical things that can inspire one’s fervency in the things of God.
- Never go a day without prayer: Psalm 84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
- Never forsake the gathering of the saints.
- Never make yourself the center of attraction. God should be the center of attraction.
- You can never rise above the influences you keep around you. Surround yourself with godly people who will motivate you to seek more of God.
- Run away from people whose primary focus in ministry is money.
- Make up your mind not to impress people; do ministry for the glory of God.
- Keep yourself from idols. An idol can be anything that disrupts your attention from God.
If you want to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Savior, email us at wereigning247@gmail.com
Leave a Reply