October-December
We learned in previous issues of the Youth Messenger that tragically, during Solomon’s reign as king—exactly when he might have enjoyed the most spiritual prosperity as Israel’s chosen monarch—he fell prey to the temptations of the enemy of souls.
“Yielding to the temptations incident to his success and his honored position, [Solomon] forgot the Source of his prosperity. An ambition to excel all other nations in power and grandeur led him to pervert for selfish purposes the heavenly gifts hitherto employed for the glory of God. The money which should have been held in sacred trust for the benefit of the worthy poor and for the extension of principles of holy living throughout the world, was selfishly absorbed in ambitious projects.
“Engrossed in an overmastering desire to surpass other nations in outward display, the king overlooked the need of acquiring beauty and perfection of character.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 55.
“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. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father” (1 Kings 11:4–6).
Solomon separation from God through communication with idolaters was his ruin. As he cast off his allegiance to God, he lost the mastery of himself. He who said: “there is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12) departed from purity and law.
We cannot serve two masters, and just as God warned Solomon of his danger, so today He warns His children not to imperil their souls by affinity with the world and the snare of greed.
“By messages of reproof and by severe judgments, [God] sought to arouse the king to a realization of the sinfulness of his course. He removed His protecting care and permitted adversaries to harass and weaken the kingdom.”—Ibid., p. 77.
“Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the word of God or through His messengers is a knock at the door of the heart. It is the voice of Jesus asking for entrance. With every knock unheeded, the disposition to open becomes weaker. The impressions of the Holy Spirit if disregarded today, will not be as strong tomorrow. The heart becomes less impressible, and lapses into a perilous unconsciousness of the shortness of life, and of the great eternity beyond. Our condemnation in the judgment will not result from the fact that we have been in error, but from the fact that we have neglected heaven-sent opportunities for learning what is truth.”—The Desire of Ages, pp. 489, 490.
Finally, “the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son” (1 Kings 11:11, 12).
Solomon was at the bottom of the barrel!
“In penitence [Solomon] began to retrace his steps toward the exalted plane of purity and holiness from whence he had fallen so far. He could never hope to escape the blasting results of sin, he could never free his mind from all remembrance of the self-indulgent course he had been pursuing, but he would endeavor earnestly to dissuade others from following after folly. He would humbly confess the error of his ways and lift his voice in warning lest others be lost irretrievably because of the influences for evil he had been setting in operation.”—Prophets and Kings, p. 78.
“Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiates 11:9–12:1).
None can be stable without watchfulness and prayer as our only safety for both young and old.
“Those who heed the warning of Solomon’s apostasy will shun the first approach of those sins that overcame him. Only obedience to the requirements of Heaven will keep man from apostasy. God has bestowed upon man great light and many blessings; but unless this light and these blessings are accepted, they are no security against disobedience and apostasy. When those whom God has exalted to positions of high trust turn from Him to human wisdom, their light becomes darkness. Their entrusted capabilities become a snare. . . .
“All who enter the City of God will enter through the strait gate—by agonizing effort; for ‘there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth’ (Revelation 21:27). . . . God hates sin, but He loves the sinner. ‘I will heal their backsliding,’ He declares; ‘I will love them freely’ (Hosea 14:4).”—Ibid., pp. 83, 84.
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7).
“The end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer” (1 Peter 4:7).
“Shall the warnings given by Christ be passed by unheeded? Shall we not make diligent work for repentance now, while Mercy’s gracious voice is still heard?”—Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 269.
“Every warning, reproof, and entreaty in the word of God or through His messengers is a knock at the door of the heart."