Apostasy. Solomon had wisdom for everybody else but would not apply it to himself (Rom. 2:21–24). The man who wrote Proverbs 4:23 did not obey it (v. 1 Kings 8:61). The king was required to write a personal copy of Deuteronomy and study it (Deut. 17:18–20), so surely Solomon knew Deuteronomy 7:1–11; 17:17. It is one thing to know the Word but quite another thing to do it (James 1:22–25).
Anger. God’s blessings are given by grace, but they are enjoyed by obedience. Solomon was disobedient, and yet surely he knew that the covenant included warnings about disobedience (2 Sam. 7:14; 1 Kings 3:14; 9:4–9).
Adversaries. God had a special love for Solomon (2 Sam. 12:24–25); therefore, He had to chasten him (Prov. 3:11–12). Hadad, Rezon, and Jeroboam all created problems for the king as the flimsy tissue of Israel’s “peace” began to fall apart. Solomon even planned to murder his rival, Jeroboam! God was kind to Solomon only for the sake of David (v. 32), but how long can a nation (or a church or a family) live on the spiritual dividends of their ancestors’ sacrifice and obedience?
