Fri.’s Devo - The Downfall of Solomon’s Kingdom

Read: 1 Kings 11:1-12:19; Acts 9:1-25; Psalm 131:1-3; Proverbs 17:4-5 Solomon did exactly what the Lord told him not to do. He loved foreign women who turned his heart away from the Lord. He followed them in worshiping false gods and did evil. He built a pagan shrine to Chemosh on the Mount of Olives. He built another for Molech and other gods of his foreign wives. *** God was very angry with Solomon and told him he was going to take the kingdom away from him once he died. He would leave him one tribe for the sake of David. *** God raised up three advocates: Hadad the Edomites, Rezon of Damascus and Jeroboam of Nebat. Of the three, Jeroboam was the biggest threat to Solomon’s kingdom. God had chosen Jeroboam to be the ruler over the ten tribes and sent a prophet to tell him. The prophet explained to Jeroboam that God was taking the kingdom from Solomon because he had worshiped other gods and not followed the Lord. God promised Jeroboam that if he followed the Lord and obeyed his laws, then God would always be with him and establish his dynasty as he did for David. *** Solomon died and his son Rehoboam became king. All Israel gathered at Shechem and the leaders of Israel asked Rehoboam if he would lighten their load and not work and tax them like his father did. Rehoboam told them he would report back in three days with an answer. *** Solomon first consulted the elders who advised David. They told him to listen to the people and be kind to them and they would follow him all his days. Solomon then asked his own peers who told him to threaten the people and tell them he would be even tougher than his father. Solomon took the advise of his peers and when he told the people his speech, they cursed the dynasty of David and broke from Rehoboam. He was left with those who lived in the towns of Judah. He sent Adoniram, the commander of the labor force to calm the people down. When they killed him, Rehoboam fled for his life. *** In Acts, Saul was on the war path to imprison all Christians. As he was coming into Damascus on his mission, he was blinded by a light from heaven. He fell to the ground and heard a voice asking him why he was persecuting him. Saul asked who he was, and he said he was Jesus. Jesus told him to get up and go into the city and he would then tell him what he must do. *** When Saul stood, he realized he was blind. He had to be led to Damascus and stayed there waiting for three days not eating or drinking. *** A believer named Ananias lived there and God told him to go to a certain house and ask for Saul of Tarsus who had been praying. Ananias was to lay his hands on him and pray that he could see again. *** Ananias recognized Saul’s name and knew of his persecutions. He argued with the Lord, but God told Ananias that He had chosen Saul to take the message to the Gentiles and kings, as well as the people of Israel. He would suffer greatly in Jesus’ name. *** Ananias found Saul and prayed for him. Scales fell from his eyes and he could see. He was first baptized, then he ate. Saul stayed in Damascus a few days with believers and began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues telling everyone that Jesus was the Son of God. *** The people were amazed at his change of heart. Some believed his teaching and others plotted to kill him. He was told about their plans and was lowered in a basket through an opening in the wall where he escaped. *** There is no greater miracle than a changed heart. *** Lord, may our hearts always be loyal to you. May we boldly proclaim who Jesus is and how great our God is.