The Genesis of a Fall

Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for thy dwelling for ever. (2Chronicles 6:1, 2)

We have always been taught that women were the downfall of Solomon.

But recently God showed me something that explains how far back Solomon’s fall can be traced.

Does it not surprise you as it did me that he was boasting (or something like it) to God when the temple was completed?

Yet was that the truth?

Let us look at the whole process.

David is the one who had the vision and burden for building God a house. And it was to him a worship response to the God he knew as opposed to a need God had that he needed to sort like Solomon was saying.

Of course he was explained by God why he could not build. But that did not stop him.

He bought all the materials, from the ornamental to the building ones.

He then drew the architectural plans.

He bought the land on which the temple would be built.

Then he raised the building experts.

He even raised encouragers so that Solomon can maintain the motivation to build.

He even had the singers and other ministers for the temple organised.

What then did Solomon do?

It can be equated to signing a document his father had negotiated for years.

Then he boasts of his negotiation prowess after signing that document!

His confession seems to trash all the work that had been done long before he even came into the picture. A plaster or wallpaper supervisor has claimed responsibility for the building that started before he was even born.

But that is not the only problem.

He then starts behaving as if God owes him one for that excellent work. This explains why he started treating God’s word and revelation as optional. You see, according to his contribution, he was surely exempt from those many rules.

We can call it pride, but I think the more accurate word for it would be entitlement.

You see, according to that confession, misplaced as it was, he was the only person in Israel who had built God a house. Imagine he had done something that all the fathers of faith had never conceptualized!

Yet that was only according to him. And that memory lapse cost him a spiritual relationship with God.

Even the reason (or purpose) for that building got completely lost.

You see, David did not seek to build God a house because God needed a house. It was his relationship with God that drove him there.

But Solomon thinks he has met God’s need for a house. In other words he had done God a very good turn. He therefore qualified for a return one from Him.

Why then waste time on the scriptures when God owed him? Why restrict himself only to beauties from a few nations that God had indicated (and only a few as per the scriptures) when God was in his debt?

I am convinced that was the context at which Solomon fell.

Compare that with his father, David.

In 1 Samuel 30 we have Amalekites raiding Ziklag in the absence of David’s army and taking off with everything and everyone as well as razing it.

The army comes and is so discouraged that they want to stone David.

David then prays and gets an answer from God. Pursue them and you will recover all.

As they pursue they get to a river where some are too tired to cross. They are therefore left with the supplies as the main army pursues.

Well, they succeed and even amass much spoil.

When they get to their colleagues who were left, some in the army (it is interesting that the Bible calls them wicked sons of Belial) tell them that they will get nothing from the spoil, of course because they did not fight for it. But look at David.

Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. (1Samuel 30: 23, 24)

The army was more justified than Solomon in trashing the ones who did not join the war. But David brings out the wholesome perspective.

The first is that it was God who had given the victory He had promised. And second is that the ones who remained with the stuff had made it possible for the army to fight light. This made it possible then for them to fight better.

Unlike Solomon, no single person deserved all the kudos for a job well done. That was the context under which the spoils were shared equally. You see, when God gives the victory, the human element is not exceptional as he is only cooperating with God as opposed to Solomon who was boasting to God about building Him a house.

One other person in the Bible suffered a similar fate.

Hezekiah did a tremendous job of leading Israel to God.

Then God tells him to hand over the kingdom as his assignment was complete.

He prays and cries bitterly, feeling that probably he has not reaped the fruit of his work, probably because he had no heir.

God adds him fifteen years.

That is where his problems started.

Like Solomon pride rears its ugly head. I can imagine how he felt changing God’s declaration concerning him.

I suspect he became the expert on prayer that moves mountains, or something like that.

Then he became content and self-focused. To the point that even when the said posterity is prophesied to be made eunuchs due to his error he does not seem to mind.

No wonder he produced Manasseh, the wickedest king of all, the one who had to be captured to know the God of his fathers.

What am I saying?

Gratitude is not just about thanking God for what He has enabled you do. It must include the other players God used in the process.

You may be the visible player in that ministry or work. But there are many other players, some you have no capacity of knowing, who contributed in a great way to your being able to do what you did.

Like those tired soldiers, they keep the supplies safe so that you can fight light without baggage.

Will you start being grateful for things and people God hides as He allows you to shine?

As an example, how many people cheer me to success in ministry? How many pray ceaselessly for my victory yet will never tell me so? How many give secretly so that I do not know them? How many encourage my wife and children so that they do not become an extra burden to my ministry?

How many enemies whose focus on breaking me have contributed to my great focus and clarity as I continue serving?