Sounding the Shofar

ANGRY—God Grieved and Provoked to Anger The most outstanding example of grieving and provoking God is found in the life of King Solomon, one of David’s nineteen sons (1 Chron. 3), whose illustrious reign reached its zenith in power for Israel, but ended in great national apostasy. It is a picture of today’s America, a world superpower that began as a God-fearing people in the land of the free and has gradually become reduced to a weak, morally, and now financially bankrupt nation. My generation that valued God, the Bible, prayer, patriotism, strong family values, honesty, etc. has now seen America become dysfunctional, corrupt, immoral, and bankrupt financially—a laughing stock among all nations (Deut. 28:37)! King Solomon was the greatest disappointment to God, and would have been also to King David, who united the tribes of Israel and gave his kingdom to his son, only to have it later split into two warring factions. Both God and David had great expectations of Solomon’s leadership ability to rule righteously and to be a good example to his people. Prayers and prophecies were spoken over Solomon by his father David, and the Lord appeared to Solomon twice and exhorted him, so that he and the Israelites would be a blessed people, and that he would have a long life. The condition was that they must keep God’s commandments and walk in his ways (1 Kings 3:5–14; 9:1–9). None of this came to be. Even with the wisdom, riches, and power God gave Solomon, he was a dismal failure in the eyes of God and his subjects (1 Kings 12:3–11). In the often quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14, God told Solomon, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. This “If . . . then promise” of God came with a warning of what would happen if King Solomon and his people forsook God and committed idolatry (2 Chron. 7:19–22). Disobedience of God meant being subject to His judgments, being cast out of His sight, and being spoken ill of by other nations. This also applies to America and the rest of the world. America has rejected God and forsaken His ways. She has forgotten Him, grieved, and provoked Him to anger with her sins and backsliding! God is calling us to repent and obey his commandments so that we will be blessed, and not incur His judgments! FAILING GOD—Solomon’s Two Big BUTS To learn the lessons God has for us in His Word requires study and meditation (2 Tim 2:15), allowing the Holy Spirit to teach us what to learn and how to learn, e.g. looking for clues in key words like “if- then,” “because,” “ifs,” “ands,” and “buts” and for such conjunctions and other qualifying words. In the book of 1 Kings, there are two chapters that begin with but, which revealed King Solomon’s character and how he fell from his place of favor with God and his place of grandeur and power over his kingdom.