KING SOLOMON
King Solomon was the son of king David. Solomon was an amazing man in more than one way. For starters, Solomon asked God for wisdom, and God made Solomon wiser than all men, (cf. 1 Kings 3:310). God also gave Solomon great riches and honor, (cf. 1 Kings 3:13, 2 Chronicles 9:22). Solomon also built God's temple, (cf. 1 Chronicles 22). But, Solomon did something else that was amazing, though not commendable at all. Solomon married many pagan wives (actually 700) and in the course of his relationships with them, he began building temples for them to worship their false gods. This sin is why the NEST says that Solomon lost eternal spiritual salvation. We read about the details in 1 Kings 11,
"1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which Yahweh had said to the sons of Israel, 'You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for, surely they will bend your heart after their gods.'" (1 Kings 11:1)
["Bend your heart" is the literal translation of the Hebrew, (see footnote 1 below) The text continues;]
"Solomon held fast to these in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives bent his heart. 4 For when Solomon was old, his wives bent his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted ["true," ESV, "loyal," NKJV, "not perfect with" KJV] to Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and did not follow Yahweh fully, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon. 8 Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 Now Yahweh was angry with Solomon because he bent his heart from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what Yahweh had commanded. 11 So Yahweh said to Solomon, 'Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. 12 Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son.' ... 30 Then [the prophet] Ahijah ... said to Jeroboam, ... 'thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you ten tribes ... 33 because they have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did. 34 Nevertheless I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of My servant David whom I chose, who observed My commandments and My statutes; 35 but I will take the kingdom from his son's hand and give it to you, even ten tribes.'" (1 Kings 11)
Some who believe in the NEST say that Solomon rejected Yahweh and became an idol worshipper, and so he doomed himself to hell. This is the same king Solomon who wrote many books of the Bible--the same Bible that we recognize to be God's Holy Word. This is the same Solomon who wrote many of the Psalms; the same Solomon who wrote many of the Proverbs; the same Solomon who wrote the sermon of Ecclesiastes; the same Solomon who wrote the Song of Solomon (cf. Song 1:1). So, this is the Solomon, who, through being moved by the Spirit of God, wrote Holy Scripture. This is also the same Solomon who was blessed beyond measure. But, we see that Solomon sinned. He married a bunch of pagan women in disobedience to God, and with a heart bent away to "not follow Yahweh fully" according to 1 Kings 11:7, Solomon started building temples to the false gods of his wives. Further, the warning that God gave to Israel concerning the marrying of foreign women, came true; Solomon "went after" their pagan idols. Because of these sins, some people assert that Solomon was not chosen for eternal spiritual salvation. On the other hand, some people assert that Solomon was chosen for eternal spiritual salvation. Let us analyze both suggestions by taking a close, and comprehensive, look at the Biblical record,
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As a first consideration, we need to recognize that we have no direct assertion in the Bible that Solomon was chosen for eternal spiritual salvation, and neither do we have a direct assertion in the Bible that states that Solomon was not chosen for eternal spiritual salvation. Therefor, any opinion that concludes that Solomon was eternally spiritually saved, or eternally spiritually damned, must be analyzed from an overall argument that considers a wide variety of details. For example, one may think that the heart bending that Solomon's wives did to Solomon in swaying Solomon to not follow Yahweh fully, from 1 Kings 11, means, as The NEST asserts, that:
A) Solomon was not chosen for eternal spiritual salvation;
B) Solomon supposedly lost eternal spiritual salvation that he is said to have had once beforehand.
But we must go further and consider all of Scripture concerning the issue according to the great hermeneutic principle of tota scriptura, which is simply the practice of utilizing the whole Bible for Biblical interpretation. Certainly Solomon was chosen to be king, and he was chosen to write a large portion of the Bible. God even says,
"14 I will be a father to [Solomon] and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My loving kindness shall not depart from him," (2 Samuel 7:14-15 emph. mine)
Did God mean what he said concerning Solomon, and in fact, God's loving kindness shall not depart from Solomon; and did not depart from him? Some say yes, and some say no. But, either way, each side must be scrutinized comprehensively.
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As a Second consideration, we are never told that Solomon actually rejected Yahweh as God, or that Solomon became an idol worshipper, though we are told he sinned against Yahweh in bending his heart from Yahweh. This is an important point because anytime anyone sins, they bend their heart from Yahweh by not keeping his commandments, and statutes, (as God goes on to explain in 1 Kings 11:11 concerning Solomon). This does not mean that everyone walks away from Yahweh when they sin. This does not mean that believers quit believing that Yahweh is the One true God whenever they sin. Rather, what is of concern is the sin issue itself, which is the context of 1 Kings 11. The issue of sin has to do with one's heart when one's heart bends away in the very act of seeking to sin. Such an act is to purposely miss the mark of God's standard of righteousness. In doing so, one's heart is bent away from complete devotion to God in a comprehensive respect. To put it another way, you can not be completely devoted to Yahweh with your whole heart when you are sinning against Him.
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This leads us to a third consideration, and that is that speculating concerning whether Solomon repented of this particular sinful activity before He died is a major thrust of some who believe in the NEST. But, even if one believes that Solomon rejected Yahweh, became an idol worshipper, and then Yahweh rejected Solomon completely at a point in Solomon's life, the NEST must admit that Solomon may have repented to Yahweh concerning such a sin before he died. To counter this logical assessment, the NEST would have to go to further heights of speculation to assert that there is some inside discernment that reveals that Solomon did not repent before he died. Nevertheless, there is no such discernment, or revelation, and so the point is that even if this NEST speculation did have merit, (which it does not) only Yahweh knows with 100 percent surety whether Solomon was chosen for eternal spiritual salvation.
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A fourth consideration that must be mentioned, is that the language in the Scriptural record does not state that Solomon ever actually worshipped, or sacrificed to the idols of his wives. Actually worshipping false Gods is to be an idolator who rejects Yahweh as the One true God that He is. The text leaves plenty of room to understand the chronicle to mean that Solomon may have never actually believed his wives' false gods were really anything other than worthless idols. A strong case can be made that Solomon sinned in allowing his heart, which is the heart that God put wisdom in, (according to 1 Kings 3:28, 10:24, and 11:3) to be bent from comprehensive obedience to Yahweh in foolishness because Solomon wanted to placate his many wives. The straight wise heart, then becomes a bent foolish heart in this respect. Certainly it is clear that Solomon went after his wives' idols in respect to building temples for his wives to have their way in idolatrous worship. In this manner, Solomon's heart was bent from Yahweh in respect to comprehensive obedience. Additionally, the only people, other than Solomon's wives, who are said to have "forsaken" Yahweh, and actually "worshipped" the idols are the ten tribes that Yahweh gives to Jeroboam, recorded in 1 Kings 11:33 (ref. "they" in 1 Kings 11:33). This is a major point. But, this is not just a major point, in that the ten tribes and the wives are the only ones recorded as worshipping the idols (and not Solomon), but this fact also identifies a grave consequence of a wise king's heart being bent according to foolishness and sin. In other words, the wisdom that God put in Solomon's heart, was meant for governing, for ruling, for managing, discerning, and judging in respect to Yahweh's instructions. According to 2 Chronicles, 1:8-12, wisdom was put in Solomon's heart so that he would judge God's people.
These four things then are recognized as Solomon's sin:
1) marrying foreign women (pagan non-Israelites);
2) financing their pagan worship, and allowing idols in the camp, which equates to going after the idols;
3) failing to heed God's commands;
4) failing to use wisdom to judge and lead God's people.
As we look at the actual wording of the Biblical record, we see how this type of bending of Solomon's heart after other gods, and going after the various idols, is a plausible interpretation with strong exegetical merit, and is, in fact the view promoted here. In the flow of thought we read,
"King Solomon loved many foreign women ... 2 from the nations concerning which Yahweh had said to the sons of Israel, 'You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for surely they will bend your heart after their gods.' Solomon held fast to these in love." (1 Kings 11:1-2)
Solomon disobeyed the Lord, married these pagan women, loved them, and held fast to them. We notice that this is where the manipulation begins:
"... when Solomon was old, his wives bent his heart after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted ["true," ESV, "loyal," NKJV, "not perfect with" KJV] to Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father had been. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth ... and after Milcom ... 6 Solomon did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and did not follow Yahweh fully, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh ... and for Molech ... 8 Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods." (1 Kings 11:4-8 emph. mine)
We also notice that it was Solomon's wives who actually worshipped the idols, and we notice that He did all of this, not for his own religious cravings, but rather, "... he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods" in appeasement of their religious cravings. Solomon's heart, which was blessed with the wisdom that God put in it to rule and judge people in Israel, was bent from Yahweh in respect to Yahweh's covenant, statutes, and commands, in that Solomon, manifesting the foolishness of a bent heart, was seduced to build temples and high places for others. This explains why this passage, and the rest of scripture, does not say that Solomon quit following, trusting, or believing in Yahweh completely. Rather, Solomon did not follow Yahweh as "fully" as David had done. In other words, the statement that Solomon's
"heart was not wholly devoted ["true," ESV, "loyal," NKJV, "not perfect with" KJV] to Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father had been" (1 Kings 11:4)
is defined by the following statement that Solomon
"did not follow Yahweh fully, as David his father had done." (1 Kings 11:6 emph. mine)
The context defines itself for us. The point is that partial devotion, trueness, loyalty, perfection and the additional statement of not following Yahweh "fully," are not necessarily terms of complete rejection, or idol worship. In fact, verse 4 clearly states that Yahweh is Solomon's God, ie. "Yahweh his God." Still, we must notice that the explaining sentence, in the complete context taken as a whole, is verse 8,
"8 Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods." (1 Kings 1:8)
This is the contextual point. This defining verse demonstrates how, and in what manner, Solomon went after the idols with his bent heart, which should have manifested the wisdom God put in it. This sin alone, of doing these foolish things specifically for all his foreign wives and their penchant for their pagan rituals, as a complete transgression of God's commands, was sin enough to have the kingdom ripped from king Solomon. This is given even more illumination for us in what is said next, starting in verse 9,
"9 Now Yahweh was angry with Solomon because he bent his heart from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what Yahweh had commanded. 11 So Yahweh said to Solomon, 'Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you,'" ( 1 Kings 11:9-11)
Notice that Yahweh does not rebuke Solomon for worshipping false gods. Yahweh rebukes Solomon for not obeying in full devotion, and for going after the gods of his wives, which we have seen in the prior verse, (verse 8) was his action in placating all these seducing, sinful, pagan women. The problem, then, becomes crystal clear: Solomon became one flesh with 700 manipulating infidels. He did not obey God, so God's warning became a reality, and Solomon's resolute strength was weakened. The great wise, rich, king Solomon of God's covenant people through Abraham, Israel, and the Law, was reduced to a befuddled, manipulated, sugar daddy of the very worse kind. The sad result is that the ten tribes, that Solomon had responsibility for, went on to start worshipping in the very high places and temples which Solomon financed, and built according to 1 Kings 11:33.
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This leads to a fifth consideration, and that is that Yahweh is the only true God, and consequently, Yahweh is the only one who was made manifest to Solomon's father, David, and twice before to Solomon. Yahweh is the only God who talked to Solomon, so Solomon experientially understood who the one true God was. In fact, Solomon realized that Yahweh was the one who killed his brother, made Solomon king, gave him his wisdom, made him extremely rich, and honorable among men. So, considering this fifth point, the evidence weighs heavily toward the fact that Solomon, though allowing, and even helping, all his pagan wives to worship their false gods, did it never believing that any of the false gods were really living gods alongside Yahweh. He did it knowing Who the One true God was all along. And so, as an Israelite, and as king, his marriages to the foreign pagans, and the assistance he gave to enable their pagan worship, was big enough of a sin in the sight of God to merit not only the penalty of ripping the kingdom away from Rehoboam, Solomon's son (culminating in the prophetic curse generations later with the Babylonian captivity in 604 BC), but additionally, such sin describes the only other activity short of worship that can be explained according to the language. In other words, going after other gods, and bending his heart after other gods, if not worship, then, must be the sin of placating his wives along this line, and thus failing as king by leading ten Israelite tribes away from Yahweh into actual worship of the detestable idols. The point is that Solomon did not have to worship the false gods directly to be sinning the sin described, and getting the consequence described.
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This leads to a sixth point and that is that the punishment follows the context. Solomon's punishment is neither recorded as being death, nor is it recorded as being the damnation that we would expect of being a worshipper of hundreds of idols. No, rather Yahweh's punishment is that Solomon's son will later have most of the kingdom taken away and given to Jeroboam. This goes along with what Yahweh says the sin is in verse 11,
"Yahweh said to Solomon, 'Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant.'" (1 Kings 11:11)
It was the covenants and the statutes, that Yahweh commanded Solomon, which Solomon broke when Solomon did this. It is Solomon's heart of wisdom for judging the people of God, according to God's covenants and statutes, that was being bent into wrong judgment. It is manifested in marrying foreign women, then further, in enabling idol worship among his pagan wives, and financially supporting the practice, but worse of all, it is bringing idols among the Israelites that Solomon as king had stewardship over. Nothing is said of rejecting Yahweh and becoming a false god worshipper.
Next, we read Ahijah's prophecy, and we see the place that God finally mentions worship, but keep in mind, Ahijah does not say that Solomon worshipped false god's as Israel's king. Nevertheless, we do see the consequence of bringing the idols into the kingdom as the king who is supposed to judge wisely. Yahweh says that 10 of the tribes that Solomon was supposed to be the wise judging leader, had, as a result of Solomon's sin, started to worship the false gods that Solomon brought into his kingdom for his wives! Notice how precisely the text words that "they" worshipped, rather than "he" Solomon worshipped, as we read,
"thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I will tear the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and give you [Jeroboam] ten tribes ..." (1 Kings 11:31 emph. mine)
[Next we recognize why;]
"... 33 because they [which is the ten tribes] have forsaken Me, and have worshiped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the sons of Ammon; and they [Which is the ten tribes again] have not walked in My ways, doing what is right in My sight and observing My statutes and My ordinances, as his father David did." (1 Kings 11:33 emph. mine)
What we see, then, is that this is a leadership problem. It was because of Solomon the king of the people, that "they" were not just being allowed by Solomon to worship Ashtoreth, Chemosh, and Milcom, but "they" were being tempted and enabled to do so because of his work. Solomon was supposed to build Yahweh's temple. He was supposed to lead God's people in allegiance to the one true God of the universe, and of course that involves worship in the one temple. Solomon failed. He failed because he sinned, and married all those pagan women. They bent Solomon's heart toward their idols and false god's in that he placated his wives. As a result, the Israelite tribes had been cursed by their own king. Many of them started worshipping the very idols that Solomon allowed to infect the land. There is no one else to blame for building all the temples that the ten tribes ended up going to for worship. So, in this sixth point, where the punishment follows the context, we see that God does not kill Solomon, as He killed Saul, nor does God mention eternal spiritual damnation, but rather remedies the situation by giving the 10 idol infected tribes to another king, (Jeroboam, who later turns out to be just as bad of a leader, and actually created two false gods for the ten tribes that deserted Rehoboam, cf. 1 Kings 12:28-33) and leaves Judah for Solomon's son to rule in respect to the Davidic promise, (cf. 1 Kings 11:33-36). This action by God, is in line with what Nathan prophesied to David before Solomon was born. As we read in 2 Samuel 7:11, where Nathan while prophesying, says,
"11 ... Yahweh also declares to you that Yahweh will make a house for you [David]. 12 When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant [Solomon] after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My loving kindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."' (2 Samuel 7:11-16)
What we find here is that God in His exhaustive knowledge and determination of all things, past, present, and future, already knows that Solomon, God's son, will come along and commit iniquity. Nevertheless, God does not say that He rejects Solomon. Rather God says this,
"14 I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My loving kindness shall not depart from him," (2 Samuel 7:14-15 emph. mine)
God does not kill Solomon as per passages such as Ezekial 18. Rather, like a father to him, God chastises Solomon whom He loves, as is taught in Hebrews 12, which is what God means by correcting Solomon with the rod and strokes of men. The main point, though, in Solomon's chastisement, is that God says, "but my loving kindness shall not depart from him." So earthly consequences, which are made manifest after Solomon dies, and are consequences that he never gets to personally see himself, are what he brought about with his bent heart, rather than eternal spiritual lostness and damnation. This is what follows the context. We see this same thing from the second time that Yahweh spoke to Solomon in Chapter 9,
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which leads to a seventh consideration, where we read Yahweh's words that he spoke in Chapter 9 to Solomon,
"4 As for you, [Solomon] if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, 5 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, 'You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.' 6 But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8 And this house will become a heap of ruins; everyone who passes by will be astonished and hiss and say, 'Why has Yahweh done thus to this land and to this house?' 9 And they will say, 'Because they forsook Yahweh their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them, therefore Yahweh has brought all this adversity on them.'" (1 Kings 9:4-9)
In this warning, there are various contingencies for having the lineage of the throne ripped from the Davidic line. Yahweh tells Solomon these are the conditions:
a) If Solomon will walk before Yahweh as his father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that Yahweh has commanded Solomon, and will keep Yahweh's statutes and ordinances, (cf. 1 Kings 9:4);
b) this will guarantee that Yahweh will establish the throne of Solomon's kingdom forever, just as had been promised David, in that there would always be a man on the throne of Israel, (cf. 1 Kings 9:5);
d) but if Solomon or Solomon's sons turn away from following Yahweh, and do not keep His commandments and His statutes which He has set before Solomon, then Yahweh will cut off Israel from the land, and cast aside the house of Solomon, which is what happened, (cf. 2 Chronicles 12);
e) additionally, Solomon is told that if he or any of his "sons" go and serve other gods and worship them, then Yahweh will cut off Israel from the land which He gave to them, and He will cast aside the house that Solomon just built and was consecrated for Yahweh's name, (cf. 1 Kings 9:9). History demonstrates that this is what happened in 604 BC with the halting of the Davidic throne, and then in 70 AD with the destruction of Jerusalem.
Solomon did not walk before Yahweh as his father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that Yahweh had commanded him in keeping Yahweh's statutes and ordinances, (cf. 1 Kings 9:4). He transgressed by first marrying the foreign woman, then by appeasing them in building their temples, and finally by enabling Israel to worship in the temples of his wives. As has been stated before, we have no record that Solomon actually worshipped false gods, (though he is warned not to) but we do have ample record to show that his sons down the family line did worship false gods, and so did Israel and Judah. The abomination of Israel under the leadership of king Jeroboam (previously Solomon's servant), and Judah under the leadership of Solomon's son king Rehoboam, expresses the idol worship transgression of the second part of the warning. Subsequently, after decreeing that the kingdom would be torn from Solomon, in the next generation, we see that the Lord punished the corporate "they" Israel under Jeroboam according to the proverb in 1 Kings 14:9,
"they forsook Yahweh their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them, therefore Yahweh has brought all this adversity on them.'" (1 Kings 14:9)
We see initial scattering in this first generation, where "they" as Israel are punished for becoming idolators under Jeroboam's horrible leadership. Speaking of Israel under Jereboam,
"15 For Yahweh will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; and He will uproot Israel from this good land which He gave to their fathers, and will scatter them beyond the Euphrates River, because they have made their Asherim, provoking Yahweh to anger." (1 Kings 14:15)
Additionally, Judah under Solomon's son, king Rehoboam, also went haywire in respect to the sin of idol worship, as we see in 1 Kings 14:22,
"22 Judah did evil in the sight of Yahweh, and they provoked Him to jealousy more than all that their fathers had done, with the sins which they committed. 23 For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. 24 There were also male cult prostitutes in the land. They did according to all the abominations of the nations which Yahweh dispossessed before the sons of Israel." (1 Kings 14:22-24)
Ultimately the last acts we find recorded in 2 Chronicles that are given as a sad tribute to Solomon's son, King Rehoboam, are these,
"14 He did evil because he did not set his heart to seek Yahweh." (2 Chronicles 12:22-24)
This type of thing just keeps on going down the bloodline, as we read of the next decedent of David to become king, who is Rehoboam's son. His name is Abijam, (or also Abijah, ie. 1 Chronicles 3:10);
"3 He [Abijam] walked in all the sins of his father which he had committed before him; and his heart was not wholly devoted to Yahweh his God, like the heart of his father David." (1 Kings 15:3)
We see this type of thing happening with one king after another down throughout the centuries; with many of them becoming direct idol worshippers. It goes on to the final disruption of the Davidic line of kings in 604 BC. But this does not let Solomon off the hook, and of course, Yahweh warned Solomon not to disobey His commandments, and not to
"... go and serve other gods and worship them," (1 Kings 9:9; 2 Chronicles 7:19)
Since Solomon definitely did something with multitudes of foreign false gods, in that he went after them for his wives, and built temples and high places for his wives to worship in, then Solomon is guilty of the first half of this last part of the warning. The first half is to not "go and serve other gods." Solomon did not have to believe in the other gods to serve them. Solomon served the other gods, in that he, as financier, building project director, and compromising leader, built their temples for them. He served them by giving legitimacy to their residence within the jurisdiction of the city of David. Clearly, in building the temples for the idols in appeasement of his wives, though not worshipping them directly (which his intelligence sought to justify), he was not fighting against them as their enemy he is supposed to be. As it is, Solomon served God's enemies, whether he believed they were actually living entities alongside Yahweh or not. So when we read in 1 Kings 11, where Yahweh,
"10... had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what Yahweh had commanded." (1 Kings 11:10)
it is logical to recognize that going after other gods, in serving them by financing the worship of them for his wives is what is in view, since "worship" itself is not mentioned.
This is easy to understand by way of analogy.
If I am a Christian leader of a construction business, and I am asked to build a Muslim Mosque, I do not believe that Allah is the one true god as the Muslims do. I do not believe that Allah is existing as a real living deity alongside Yahweh. So, in this respect, I would never worship Allah. But, there is a way that I could go after the Allah god, and serve the Allah I do not believe in as being a real living being. I would serve Allah and the purposes of Allah as is assigned to it by its religious followers, if I build its temples for its followers, and in so doing, I am building the temple (mosque) for it. My motive was money, which I may justify with some sort of excuse, like "Hey, it's the American way!" Or something like that, but my heart was not loyal to my Yahweh and my Christ--my God Who is opposed to Allah. This is what Solomon did, thinking himself to be acting in wisdom, but in reality, he was being a fool in this area. His motive was to appease his wives, but the One True God, recognized that the act was not a service unto Him, but rather a service to the false gods of Solomon's wives. The point is that worship does not necessarily have to be the sin that Solomon sinned in any context given in scripture.
So, once again, as in consideration number 6, earthly consequences, which come after Solomon dies, and are consequences that he never gets to personally see himself, are what he brought about with his bent heart, rather than eternal spiritual lostness and damnation. The curse was simply continued through Jeroboam on one hand, and then down the line of Rehoboam on the other hand.
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This leads to an eight consideration, which has to do with what Yahweh says concerning the sin of king Jeroboam in making the idols for false worship. Notice what Yahweh says to Jeroboam,
"7 ... 'Thus says Yahweh, God of Israel, Because I exalted you from among the people and made you leader over My people Israel, 8 and tore the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you--yet you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in My sight; 9 you also have done more evil than all who were before you, and have gone and made for yourself other gods and molten images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back--" (1 Kings 14:7-9 emph. mine)
What Jeroboam had done, which Yahweh describes as "more evil" than what Solomon did, is Jeroboam went and made for himself other gods and molten images. Yet, some who believe in the NEST, accuse Solomon of worshipping other gods, and molten images too. Additionally, Solomon made temples for the false gods of his wives.
We must not miss the point here: Either Solomon worshipped false gods, or he did not. If, in fact, Solomon worshipped false gods, which the Bible explains is really worship and sacrifice to demons in 1 Corinthians 10:20, and Revelation 9:20, then why is such an act considered less evil compared to Jeroboam's "more" evil above? According to 1 Kings 11:33, the Israelites already started worshipping the false gods of the temples that Solomon built. These are the same Israelites that Jeroboam became king over. So, Jereboam already has leadership over some idol worshippers. It is with these things in mind, that it is logical to recognize that the reason why Jereboam had done more evil than Solomon before him in making for himself other gods and molten images, is that Solomon never worshipped the fake gods of his wives, and of course, never intended to do so. Solomon, never made the gods and molten images for himself ("yourself") as Jeroboam did, according to 1 Kings 14:9, and Solomon never made the temples for the Israelites either. He made them for his pagan wives. Unlike Jeroboam, Solomon never intended for Israelites to worship false idols.
/9/
which leads to the ninth consideration, and that is that there is a marked Biblical emphasis on the fact that:
A) Solomon loved the One true God;
B) the One true God loved Solomon.
After Solomon was born, we read that God wanted to label Solomon with the love that He had for him. We read,
"Yahweh loved him [Solomon] 25 and sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedediah for Yahweh's sake." (2 Samuel 12:24-25)
So we first see the assertion, and then an expression. The assertion is that Yahweh loved Solomon. The expression is that God marked Solomon out with the name Jedediah, which literally means, "Loved one of Yahweh." In fact, it was the Lord who earlier told David that his son's name would be Solomon (which is interpreted to mean peaceable; perfect; and one who recompenses). Here we see that God goes a step further and calls Solomon, Loved one of Yahweh. In the passage where God told David that his son would be called Solomon, God also says this about His own fatherly relationship to Solomon,
"10 He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.'" (1 Chronicles 22:10)
We see God saying it again in 1 Chronicles 28. The relationship of Yahweh to Solomon is that Solomon was God's son, and Yahweh was Solomon's Father, which illustrates a very special love that God foreknew, predestined, and committed to in the past, even while foreknowing what Solomon would do in the future. Early on, we read plainly in 1 Kings 3:3,
"3 Now Solomon loved Yahweh ..." (1 Kings 3:3)
It is not possible to love Yahweh and also love other so called gods. Solomon's love for Yahweh is confirmed generations later at the preaching of the great expository preacher, Nehemiah, where we read,
"26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? [in marrying foreign women] Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin." (Nehemiah 13:26)
Nehemiah recognizes that Solomon was loved by Yahweh, and never indicates that Yahweh hated Solomon for his sin, though of course, God hated Solomon's sin, and chastised Solomon for it by ripping the kingdom from Solomon's son, with an eventual, and full disruption in 604 BC, until Christ came to break the curse 400 years later. Further, on this ninth point, it can not be over emphasized that there is an apparent once saved always saved (OSAS) proclamation of Yahweh here, where He promised David,
"I will correct him [Solomon] with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15 but My loving kindness shall not depart from him," (2 Samuel 7:14-15)
If this is true, then God's loving kindness has never departed from Solomon, though Solomon was chastised, reproved and corrected. And, of course, we must not forget that the Lord chastises those whom He loves, as we see declared in Hebrews 12:6, which is quoting Proverbs 3:12.
"12 For whom Yahweh loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights." (Proverbs 3:12)
/10/
A tenth consideration is that we have a Biblical record of Solomon's sermon of Ecclesiastes, which reflects Solomon's thinking process in his later years. This sermon is important because Solomon's sin occurred in his "old" age, (cf. 1 Kings 11:4). To understand why this is pertinent, we must recognize that Solomon shows in Ecclesiastes that he has a heart for the Lord; he seems to have shown remorse, and seems to have learned from his sin. Being a sermon that was written in Solomon's later years, where he mentions his past, including the fact that he had many concubines in the past according to Ecclesiastes 2:8 (see footnote 2 below) we see that old Solomon had a heart for the Lord in spite of his sin. Solomon even mentions the same plain truth that John repeats in 1 John 1. Solomon says in Ecclesiastes, 7,
"20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
Solomon understood this truth first hand, and it disturbed him. Certainly, it is logical to surmise that Solomon the preacher, grouped himself into his category of being "a righteous man." Certainly we are compelled to think that Solomon was righteous enough to be the one preaching and writing huge portions of our Bible as one who is inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so. Nevertheless, Solomon, by the same Holy Spirit, recognizes that indeed there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins--Solomon being the premiere sermon illustration of his own sermon. Solomon also instructs younger men in chapter 11, by saying that if they choose to sin while they are young by following the impulses of their hearts and the lusts of their eyes, they need to know that,
"God will bring you to judgment for all these things." (Ecclesiastes 11:9)
It is starkly evident that Ecclesiastes is instruction around the one true God that Solomon, in those later years after building his empire and falling into sin, still knows and still worships. It is also clear that Solomon respects the same Yahweh who says He is Solomon's father in 1 Chronicles 22:10. Solomon is imparting wisdom to the younger men concerning what he experienced by the prophecy to his father David from Yahweh, where Yahweh promises to correct Solomon with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, but Yahweh's loving kindness shall not depart from Solomon, (cf. 2 Samuel 7:14-15). Solomon has learned some vital lessons. We also see that Solomon instructs others to "fear God" in Ecclesiastes 5:7; (cf. 7:18. 8:12-13). Of course, we recognize that Solomon is speaking of fearing Yahweh his one true God, and not dozens of idols of his 700 wives. He says, in 9:18, reflecting upon first hand experience,
"18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good." (Ecclesiastes 9:18)
Certainly, this is what happened in Solomon's own life, when he enabled most of Israel to sin when they worshiped the false gods of his wives (cf. "they" of 1 Kings 11:33). He goes on to tell young people,
"1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth," (Ecclesiastes 12:1)
Solomon asserts that people are individually created, and that there is only One Creator, and of course Solomon is preaching about the One creator, which is Yahweh. Solomon says, "Remember Him," meaning, while young, before, "the spirit will return to God who gave it," (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:6-7) These are not the instructions of an idol worshipping pagan, but they are the instructions of someone who is not happy about sin against Yahweh, and its consequences. Solomon finally ends the sermon with this extremely revealing exhortation in light of our study, where he says,
"13 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14 For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
These are the words of an old wise servant of Yahweh who is imparting the eternal wisdom of fearing the one true God, and keeping his commandments, which in this historical context would be God's preceptive aspects of God's will as is outlined in the Law of Moses that David charged Solomon to keep in 1 Kings 2:3. Of course, Solomon experienced first hand what he just preached. The one true God, which is Solomon's one true God, will bring every act to judgment.
/11/
This leads to an eleventh consideration, and that is that the very detail oriented book of 1 Chronicles mentions the fall of king David in great detail. It mentions the fall of king Saul in great detail, but interestingly enough, it does not mention the fall of Solomon. Such an important detail being left out of the very detail oriented book of 1 Chronicles implies the strong probability that Solomon repented of his sin at the end of his life, or at least, that the sin was not one that was as damning as actually becoming an idol worshipper and turning away from Yahweh in the respect of actually rejecting God, thus incurring the dooming penalty that all actual worshippers of false gods partake in.
/12/
This leads to a twelfth consideration, and that is that in 2 Chronicles 8:11, we see that though Solomon married a pagan woman by marrying Pharaoh's daughter, he showed reverence to Yahweh, and would not let her enter into the "holy" house of his father David, as we read,
"Then Solomon brought Pharaoh's daughter up from the city of David to the house which he had built for her, for he said, 'My wife shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the places are holy where the ark of Yahweh has entered.'" (2 Chronicles 8:11)
It is interesting that this detail is recorded for us, but yet, there is never another detail given in the Bible that indicates that Solomon changed this policy later on, even when his heart was bent toward the idols in placating his other pagan wives.
/13/
This leads to a thirteenth consideration, which has to do with one of the main passages that the NEST uses to suggest that Solomon was not chosen to eternal spiritual salvation. The passage records David giving advice to Solomon, and so David says,
"9 As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake [abandon, NET] Him, He will cast you off [ESV] forever [permanently]." 1 Chronicles 28:9
Certainly Solomon sought God, and God let Solomon find him, as Solomon later became king and was visited by God on more than one occasion, was blessed by God, and had God's loving kindness "never depart" from him. So, what needs to be understood about this verse is what must be understood about Solomon's throne being ripped from him to begin with. It was ripped away from Solomon's genetic bloodline, starting with his son, (king Rehoboam). The kingdom was divided, and the human kings through the lineage of David, were finally halted in 604 BC, until the sinless God-man Christ would come as King of kings and Lord of lords. We know this from the context, because directly before this warning we see what Yahweh is talking about. Remember, context is key. Context opens up to us what is meant in a passage. Let's look at Yahweh's words as David relates them going right into verse 9,
"6 He [Yahweh] said to me [David], 'Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him. 7 'I will establish his kingdom forever if he resolutely performs My commandments and My ordinances, as is done now.' 8 So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek after all the commandments of Yahweh your God so that you may possess the good land and bequeath it to your sons after you forever." (1 Chronicles 28:6-8)
With this in mind, we see that Solomon did not forsake, as in abandon Yahweh as the One true God, with the consequence being that Solomon himself was cast off forever. But Solomon sinned against Yahweh, (because all sin is sin against Yahweh) and so he paid the price for the sin that Yahweh had warned about beforehand. If Solomon would have forsaken Yahweh and abandoned Him by turning his back on God completely, then Solomon would have been cast off forever himself. As it is, the "good land" and the kingdom that would have been bequeathed to his sons "forever" is what is cast off according to 1 Chronicles 28:8. Now, to fully understand this, we must look at David repeating this same concern just before he dies in 1 Kings 2:2. As we read this, it is vital that we do not miss the finer details, where David words it this way;
"3 Keep the charge of Yahweh your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 so that Yahweh may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'" (1 Kings 2:3-4)
We see the focus--David's sons, meaning Solomon, (and descendants) are to be careful of their way, to walk before Yahweh in truth with all their heart and with all their soul. If so, then David shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel. Conversely, if they do not do this, then the throne is ripped away. Solomon went on to break the rules. Solomon did not keep God's statutes, God's commandments, God's ordinances, and God's testimonies. Solomon multiplied wives, (cf. Deuteronomy 17:17). He married foreign wives, (cf. 1 King 11:2), and his heart was bent to give attention to their idols by building temples for his wives to worship in. So, here is the prophetic outcome: After the breakup of the kingdom between Jereboam and Rehoboam that God made happen because of Solomon's sin, the Davidic line of kings went on through history in segmented turmoil. It finally came to an end at the Babylonian captivity in 604 BC, with Jehoiakin being the last king. This occurred 400 years before Christ came to fulfill the covenant promise to David, yet as God incarnate, Who came to take the eternal throne. David's bloodline continued through the generations, and is traced to Joseph and Mary. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary. Christ came into this world as the great King of kings and Lord of lords, thus breaking the curse and establishing His throne of blessing forever according to Yahweh's covenant of Psalm 89. This section then, in 1 Chronicles 28:7-9 indicates that Solomon was neither killed by God, nor cast off from being chosen for eternal spiritual salvation.
/14/
This leads to the fourteenth and final consideration; namely this consideration is that all of God's chosen people of history past who died before the Christ covenant, are only eternally spiritually saved through the Christ covenant. There are two aspects to this truth that must be understood:
A) The blood of bulls and goats that were sacrificed for sins by God's people in history past before the New Covenant, was blood that was never able to take away sins.
B) People who lived before the Christ covenant, were not regenerated, nor indwelt by God's Holy Spirit.
{A}
Looking at this great truth of the necessity of being eternally spiritually saved through Christ, we must first look at the the first aspect of the atonement and propitiation for sins that is necessary in Christ's blood, even though the Old Testament saints constantly shed blood sacrifices to temporarily cover their sins. The writer of Hebrews clarifies the whole thing by saying,
"1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He [Christ] comes into the world, He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME; 6 IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE. 7 "THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'" 8 After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second." (Hebrews 10:1)
The great necessity is that only in Christ, can anyone be, and is anyone, saved. The masses of sacrifices of bulls and goats that were made in the past only temporarily covered sins. All Old Covenant people needed their sins completely taken away to receive eternal spiritual salvation, and that would only happen later, in Christ. This is why we read in Hebrews 9,
"14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." (Hebrews 9:14-15)
Those people of the past, who were God's chosen people, could not enter into their resurrected glory until the proper time, which is the New Covenant time,
"8 The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tent is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time." (Hebrews 9:8-9)
So, it was only in Christ, the One Who entered through the veil for all His people, that they could, would, did, and will also enter through at the appointed time,
"14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM," He then says, 17 "AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brethren, since we (have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh," (Hebrews 10:14-20)
All the saints of old, died and awaited their entrance into eternal glory through the better covenant in Christ. They waited in Abraham's bosom, (cf. Luke 16:19-30, Luke 23:43). In one of the most important passages which clarifies all of this; Hebrews chapter 11, we see the explanation that all the saints of old who had faith in the one true God, Yahweh, would only experience their eternal redemption in the future in Christ, long after they died, as we read in Hebrews,
"13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them. ... 39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:14-16, 39-40)
The main point is that apart from the New Covenant, which is the better covenant that God has finally provided in Christ, any and all people of God in the past would not, and could not, be made perfect, and yet, one must be made perfect to experience eternal spiritual salvation (cf. Matthew 5:48, Christ's prophetic sermon). This is why Jesus said to the Jews,
"56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." (John 8:56)
Solomon, of course, was subject to the Law, so therefor he could never attain righteousness. Solomon, demonstrated the futility of trying to be justified by the Law, even though he was commanded to keep God's law perfectly (cf. 1 Kings 6:11-13). This is why Solomon declared, by the Holy Spirit,
"20 Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins." (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
This is why his father David also declared by the same Spirit,
"7 Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." (Romans 4:7-8, cf. Psalm 32:1-2)
It was not until the future that the same Spirit explained through Paul the apostle in Romans 5:20, that the Law came in so that sin would increase. Christ came in, on the other hand, so that grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Him.
"19 For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:19-21)
This is why Paul inaugurated his preaching ministry with the liberating message of his first recorded sermon at Pisidian Antioch, preaching by the Spirit, he said to His Israelite brothers according to the flesh,
"33 that God has fulfilled this promise to our children in that He raised up Jesus, as it is also written in the second Psalm, 'YOU ARE MY SON; TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU.' 34 "As for the fact that He raised Him up from the dead, no longer to return to decay, He has spoken in this way: 'I WILL GIVE YOU THE HOLY and SURE blessings OF DAVID.' 35 "Therefore He also says in another Psalm, 'YOU WILL NOT ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY.' 36 "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; 37 but He whom God raised did not undergo decay. 38 "Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, [he's talking to Israelite brothers] that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses." (Acts 13:33-39, cf. Galatians 3:22-26)
The point is that people who were living under the Old Covenant Law, only temporarily had their sins covered by the blood of the sacrifices. The sins must be taken completely away, and that only occurred in Christ. It is only through the Christ covenant at the right time in history, that through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
{B}
This now leads us to that second aspect concerning the necessity for anyone to be eternally spiritually saved by being saved in Christ. That second aspect is that people who lived before the New Covenant in Christ, were not indwelt by God's Holy Spirit, and yet one must be indwelt by God's Holy Spirit to be saved. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is necessary, because under the New Covenant, the person of the Holy Spirit indwells us as part of the New Covenant. The Holy Spirit is the unbreakable seal of being once saved in eternal spiritual salvation, as we read in Romans,
"5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us 6 For while we were still helpless, [Solomon was helpless too] at the right time Christ died for the ungodly [which describes everyone who does not yet have the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed to them before actualized salvation in Christ]. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, [which describes everyone before salvation] Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified [made the righteousness of Christ] by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." (Romans 5:5-9)
The indwelling Holy Spirit of the New Covenant is what is needed to be established, sealed, and pledged to God, as we read,
"21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge." (2 Corinthians 1:21-23)
It is what Paul means when he says concerning salvation that must come in Christ, that,
"13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
In fact, the seal is for the day of redemption of the old cursed body into a resurrected super-glorified body, (cf. Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit is of vital importance to be once saved in eternal spiritual salvation. Without the seal of the Holy Spirit, salvation simply does not exist. This is why Paul can say that we, who are joined to the Lord Jesus Christ, are one spirit with Him, (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:17). To never have the Holy Spirit in you as God's divine nature, to be partaken in according to 2 Peter 1:4, is to go on forever as eternally spiritually lost. The Old Covenant people of God did not yet have this unique aspect of the Holy Spirit's ministry. It is a work of God and ministry of the Holy Spirit that came in the future. Once again, Hebrews 9, explains so much,
"14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." (Hebrews 9:14-15)
The ministry of the Spirit is eternal because of the "eternal spirit," which of course, guarantees the "eternal inheritance." This is why Jesus explained to Nicodemus that to receive eternal spiritual salvation, one must be born again, whether you are a deceased old covenant person who had been chosen, or whether you are a chosen person who is alive after the inauguration of the New Covenant at the cross and resurrection of Christ. Every single person must be born again through the indwelling Holy Spirit to be saved in eternal spiritual salvation. Salvation is a miracle. It is more than a concept. It is a miracle of the Holy Spirit, where our spirit is joined with Him and He indwells us forever. Our union with Christ is union with the life giving Spirit, (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:45). The Old covenant, on the other hand, never was a ministry of the Spirit, as Paul explains, that God,
"6 also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter [Old Covenant] but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. [It is the eternal spiritual life of salvation] 7 But if the ministry of death, [Old Covenant, which is not of the Spirit] in letters engraved on stones, [Ten Commandments] came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit [New Covenant of the Spirit Who gives life, verse 6] fail to be even more with glory? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, [Old Covenant] much more does the ministry of righteousness [New Covenant] abound in glory. 10 For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory." (2 Corinthians 3:6-11)
In summation, no where do the Scriptures declare that Solomon turned away from the faith, or that He rejected the One true God, Yahweh, and worshipped a bunch of fake gods. Such a statement is not made anywhere in the Bible. Further, no where do the scriptures state that a true Christian can die spiritually because of sin. Additionally, we never find a statement anywhere in the Bible, (or in conjunction with theology that comes from the entire Bible), that Solomon was not chosen for eternal spiritual salvation, or, as one rather enthusiastic merchandiser of the NEST asserts;
"saved then later turned from God and never came back." [sic.]
What we do see in scripture concerning Solomon, is that there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins, and further, Yahweh says,
"I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, but My loving kindness shall not depart from him," (2 Samuel 7:14-15)
__________
FOOTNOTES:
(1) See footnote in New English Translation.
Also, Wigram, "Hiphil: Generally expresses action which is causative. It differs from the piel in that the piel generally depicts the subject as acting to bring about a certain state or condition, while the hiphil depicts the subject as causing a particular action to be performed (e.g.: 'go' becomes 'to cause to go' or 'to lead'). The hiphil stem typically expresses action in the active voice." Wigram's Hebrew Verb Parsings
(2) cf. 1:12; 2:4-11, 18-19, which may be a reference to Jereboam; 7:15
