1 Kings 11:1-8 – “But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites —  2 from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. 8 And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.”  NKJV

In today’s politically correct world, much is being said about sexual impropriety and lasciviousness.  It is a prevalent problem in today’s world.  Solomon, a man who began right because of his desire to do good and serve, received the Lord’s blessing in incredible wealth, power, position, and wisdom.  However, in all his getting, he forgot to heed the word and warnings of the Lord and allowed his flesh to rule his life.  He made bad alliances in taking to himself many foreign wives who neither knew Jehovah God nor honored him. 

The Bible says Solomon had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines, and his wives turned away his heart.  This had to be about more than physical attraction and sexual gratification.  It revealed a root problem in his heart far beyond simply fleshly desires.  It was about allowing the Flesh to dominate; I believe he allowed himself to become the ‘center of his universe.’   Adam and Eve did that in the Garden when they fired God as Lord of their lives and became gods to themselves.  Power corrupts!

God warned about bad associations.  That truth was repeated in 1 Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’”  Paul also addressed this in Galatians 5:9 and 1 Corinthians 5:6, telling us that “a little leaven leavens the entire lump.” 

In 1 Corinthians 5:9, Paul warned to ‘not associate with immoral people.’  In 2 Corinthians 6:14, there is a clear warning about wrong relationships, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?”  And we dare not forget the words of Psalm 1:1, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers!”

Solomon knew well the directive in Leviticus 20:23, “Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.” 

Likewise, he knew the words of Numbers 16:26, “Depart now from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, or you will be swept away in all their sin.”  Solomon allowed the prize of his eyes and the cravings of his flesh to overrule his spiritual reason and became corrupted by the influence of unbelievers. 

The warnings of God through Moses in Deuteronomy 12:30 should have been heeded, “…beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’”  Solomon’s wives followed other gods and his love and devotion to them tugged at his heart and opened the door to his spiritual downfall.  It was his choice and demonstrated the power of the flesh if we do not maintain our focus on God. 

Never allow the flesh to rule you; instead, heed the cry of Paul in Galatians 5:16-26, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” 

Make a decision of heart and conscience, as Joshua declared, “…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”   

God bless you as you faithfully follow the Lord!