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| Multiple Wives... |
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11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, [that] his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as [was] the heart of David his father. 11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 11:6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as [did] David his father. So does this means on God's scale that having multiple wives is somehow worse than just sleeping with one and killing her husband? |
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| Sin is sin. "Worse" when describing sin just doesn't work. Anything that separates us from God's will in our life is terrible....whether it be wives, money, or white lies...they are all sin. |
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I guess the question is more that how did David get labeled as someone who went fully after the Lord and Solomon didn't? They both were steeped in sexual sin, somehow God was more OK with David's sins than Solomon? Did their actions before and after the events come into play?
These are just the questions I come to when I am doing my daily reading, thought I would post them here and get feedback. These aren't critical, just trying to understand God better. ;-) |
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Russ |
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June 17, 2007 at 1:26pm |
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Good discussion ...
As man, we look on the outward actions and we try to place a weighting or rank of sin so that we can make sure "ours" is okay. God looks on the heart.
Solomon writes the intent of his heart: 2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also [is] vanity.
He sought after pleasure. This is evident throughout his life as he "experimented" with other things as well, e.g., witchcraft.
David, on the other hand, was "thirsty" to know God more.
63:1 + 63:2 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; 63:3 To see thy power and thy glory, so [as] I have seen thee in the sanctuary. The issue isn't the sin. We all sin. More so, according to Isaiah (Isaiah 64:6), even our righteous acts are as filthy rags. Thank God for grace (and mercy). He looks on our heart -- a new one that is thirsty for him and that wants to know him more. |
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Hey canuck, I think it is healthy and commendable of you to ask such questions..especially when you are seeking to know God more (and more deeply and intimately). As Russ mentioned, God looks upon hearts, and He saw David's heart; He also saw Solomon's heart and his wives drew his heart away from God and to "other" gods. David made some big mistakes, but he kept his heart pursuing God's heart. That is the key! It's aslo a great lesson for us.
Here's another verse that doesn't fit with most of our concepts of God: "'I also gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if {that had been} too little, I would have added to you many more things like these!" (II Sam. 12:8). |
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| CCanuck, good questions, good discussion. I like Russ' response really well. David, had a lot of issues, but his heart was always after God. Solomon asked for wisdom, got it, then didn't follow his own advice. Sad to say, I am more like Solomon than I am a David, but I long to be like David...he is certainly one of my heros. |
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That makes a lot of sense, thanks for the information.
hmmm I have a list of questions I have kept when I do my readings maybe I will post more of them here... |
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| I tend to agree with Russ as well. When I read David's writings I want to be like him and have that type of heart (sold-out) for God. John reminds me of David in the NT. Just to be that close to Christ! |
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JayKTX |
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June 23, 2007 at 9:17am |
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This is the way I see it: David was tender-hearted toward the Lord and always came into agreement with Him in the end. He was a great repenter! Soloman was not. Soloman started out well but ended up far from God. (The more I read the Bible, the more I am convinced that God is more heart-conscious than he is sin-conscious.) 15:5 because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uri'ah the Hittite. |
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