11:91 Kings 11:9

The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from Him after He had appeared to him twice with approval, counsel, promises, and clear warning to stay humble and obedient and not follow other gods.SG4 100.3–4+2 He turned by taking many wives from idolatrous nations against God's command, and their worship drew him after other gods and broke the covenant.SG4 100.3–4+1 His turning was so gradual he hardly knew it, as prosperity, honor, self-reliance, pride and desire for wealth and power led him to form heathen alliances and marriages, conform to surrounding customs, indulge appetite and passion, and slowly forsake implicit obedience until he bowed to idols.2T 305.3+4 Because the covenant was broken the kingdom would be taken from him and given to his servant, ending his prosperity and rule as universal monarch.SG4 100.3–4+1 His fall warns that even the wisest, greatest, and most honored will fail without trust in God and obedience, for age, wisdom, past faithfulness, privilege, light and divine gifts make no one safe, and only obedience guards against apostasy.SG4 100.3–4+2

The Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.SG4 100.3–4+4 Those two appearances brought approval, counsel, promises, and clear warnings to remain humble and obedient, to keep His command, and not to follow other gods.SG4 100.3–4+3 Solomon did not keep that command, and his disobedience broke the covenant.SG4 100.3–4+2 His apostasy and hardened heart made his case seem nearly hopeless.PK 75.1+1

His heart turned when he took many wives from idolatrous nations in disobedience to God's warning and command, and their worship led him after other gods.SG4 100.3–4+1 This came after many years of upright walking with heavenly wisdom to rule God's people with impartiality and mercy.RH Dec 21, 1905 Though named Jedidiah, Beloved of the Lord, specially honored with remarkable tokens of divine favor and world-wide fame for wisdom and uprightness, and giving wise counsel to others, he darkened a morning of great promise by turning from the worship of the true God to bow before the idols of the heathen.RH Dec 21, 1905 His turning was so gradual he was hardly aware of wandering far from God, as he slowly lost sight of the need for implicit obedience to the plain precepts of Scripture, conformed more and more to the customs of the surrounding nations, and yielded to the temptations of prosperity and honored position until he forgot God and the conditions of success.RH Dec 21, 1905

Love of women and uncontrolled, lustful passion enslaved him, drew him into idolatry, made him surrender principle, lose firmness of character and integrity, and separate from the source of his strength.2T 305.3+4 This happened despite his being beloved, specially favored with wisdom, riches, honor, and power, with appetite and passion incurring God's displeasure.2T 305.3+4 Pride, self-seeking, and desire for greater wealth and power led him to form political alliances and marriages with heathen worshipers of false gods, crossing the barrier God set between Israel and other peoples and breaking His safeguards.RH Aug 17, 1905+2 Each compromise weakened faith and made the next easier until he corrupted his faith, abandoned God's standard, and darkened a promising reign with dishonor to himself, Israel, and God.RH Aug 17, 1905+1

He had received wisdom through earnest prayer and dependence on God, but when he relied on himself and turned from his strength he fell to temptation.GC 509.3+2 His remarkable God-given abilities then made him a more effective agent of evil.GC 509.3+2 Grasping for high wages and opportunity for luxury and extravagance fostered covetousness and corruption, oppressed the poor by the rich, weakened self-denial and self-sacrifice throughout God's service and the kingdom, and helped lead him to turn from God.PK 64.3+2 He turned by trusting his own wisdom and way instead of trusting God and accepting His counsel, corrupted by human praise, self-exaltation, and injudicious friends.Ms 81, 1900, par. 28–29+1 He even went to other nations to secure facilities for building the temple when he could have built it with what the Lord had provided.Ms 169, 1902, par. 8–9

Once wholly dedicated to God and entrusted with praying for Israel's undivided loyalty, he later followed a course opposed to that prayer.RH Mar 10, 1910 He joined pagan beliefs and worship with his religion instead of leading the heathen to truth, turning to other sources for wisdom so that his God-given gift was perverted.RH Mar 10, 1910+1 He no longer regarded God as the only true and living God.RH Mar 10, 1910

The anger of the Lord meant the covenant was broken and the kingdom would be taken from Solomon and given to his servant, ending his prosperity and his rule as universal monarch.SG4 100.3–4+1 His many wives from idolatrous nations had led him after other gods in disobedience to God's command and warning, and that turning of heart brought this judgment.SG4 100.3–4+1 Even the wisest and most honored and greatest will fail without trust in God and obedience to His commands.SG4 100.3–4+1

His apostasy brought rebuke and judgment and sure punishment intended to awaken him to his sin.RH Feb 8, 1906+1 God's retributive justice never fails and the wages of sin is death.ST May 31, 1910 When he turned aside to work contrary to God's designs the Lord was angry and could not cooperate with him.Ms 58, 1904, par. 6+1 God's blessing and cooperation continue only while His workers look steadfastly to Him as Teacher and Example, and turning aside forfeits that cooperation.Ms 58, 1904, par. 6+1

The Lord desires to encircle His people with His protecting arm, blessing them above all other people and preserving them in purity while they remain closely connected with Him.Ms 169, 1902, par. 8–9 He had favored Solomon with wisdom, riches, and honor on condition of walking in His ways and keeping His statutes and His judgments.Ms 169, 1902, par. 8–9 If they depart from Him they will share the sorrows of Solomon, who departed by going to other nations to secure facilities for building the temple when he could have built it with what the Lord had provided.Ms 169, 1902, par. 8–9 Mature years and former steadfastness did not make Solomon safe, for despite age, wisdom, past faithfulness, and great privilege he fell under temptation and turned away.PK 82.1 Light and blessings and divine gifts do not protect when they are not accepted, and only obedience to God's requirements guards against apostasy.PK 83.2

When those entrusted with great responsibility turn from God to human wisdom, their light becomes darkness and their abilities become a snare.PK 83.2 His fall warns that watchfulness and strength from God are needed to remain faithful to the end, for love of women and uncontrolled passion led even the gifted Solomon into idolatry until he surrendered principle, lost firmness of character, and separated from the source of his strength.2T 305.3 Misuse of entrusted gifts led to apostasy, and his history warns that prosperity can tempt people to trust in money and status, become self-exalting, and follow their own desires, weakening faith and religious life.Ms 40, 1898, par. 20

Pride and self-seeking and desire for greater wealth and power led him into political alliances and marriages with heathen worshipers of false gods, crossing the barrier God had set, and each compromise weakened faith and made the next easier until he abandoned God's standard and dishonored himself, Israel, and God.RH Aug 17, 1905+1 The king who had been specially beloved became enslaved to passion and sacrificed integrity, and his story warns God's people in every age that worldly influence and conformity to standards contrary to God's law and compromising with God's enemies can corrupt the soul and lead away from hope, happiness, and heaven.RH Aug 17, 1905+1 His history warns those who serve God not to mingle error with truth or cherish worldly doctrines, because these obscure truth and lead away from right principles.RH Mar 10, 1910 Errors presented attractively can draw from simplicity of faith and damage the landmarks of truth, so his recorded history stands as a warning to the religious world against treating error as legitimate or tampering with truth.Ms 47, 1898, par. 39–40

The same departure happens when His people link up with unbelievers to gain something and hide distinctive truth and call His work undenominational, whereas the Lord desires His people to remain forever a peculiar people true to the principles of His message so the people can be warned.Ms 169, 1902, par. 15–16 His fall is recorded together with the sins of Adam and Eve, Noah, Lot, Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Jonah, Israel's idolatry, Peter's denial, and Paul and Barnabas, not to excuse sin but to warn against unbelief and disobedience.ST May 31, 1910 That record teaches avoidance of the evil recorded and imitation only of righteousness.ST May 31, 1910 It is also given for encouragement, showing that those who strive, waver, and fall can through grace and pardoning mercy gain fresh vigor upon repentance, rise above evil nature, recover ground, fight in the strength of the Lord, conquer through faith and the virtue of the atoning sacrifice, and be blessed and forgiven.ST May 31, 1910

The same standing in disobedience is taken by one who follows a course God had forbidden, pushes his own plan for binding institutions together, links denominational institutions with unbelievers, and refuses the testimonies and instruction God sends.Ms 168, 1905, par. 33–34+3 Solomon stood in disobedience after God had spoken to him twice and did not receive what God sent him.Ms 168, 1905, par. 33–34+1 Truth will triumph in every soul that gives it right of way.Ms 135, 1906, par. 27–30