Preparing for the Future

When Solomon was old, his wives seduced him to follow other gods. (V 4)
Then The Lord said to Solomon, "since you have done this and did not keep My commandments and My statutes, which I commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. However, I will not do it during your lifetime because of your father David, I will tear it out of your son's hand. Yet I will not tear the entire kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son because of my servant David and because of Jerusalem that I chose." I Kings 11:4, 11-13

Obviously there were prophets and one spoke to Solomon about his behaviour. Nathan had received a word for David when he had sinned by taking Bathsheba and killing her husband. David had heeded God's judgement and repented. We do not see that Solomon heard the word of The Lord or that he repented. Perhaps he had only acknowledged the prophet as one voice, not 'the voice'.

All that had been amassed was coming to nothing. The gold overlaid walls of the temple would one day be stripped and eventually the whole place destroyed all because the son did not have the father's heart for The Lord.

Every one of us will die and one of our family, or perhaps a chosen successor, will inherit. Will we choose wisely? Will we have done all to teach those who inherit to follow our God so that all that has been done will not be wasted.

I am currently studying Estate Planning (wills) and the resultant taxation that ensues. A well prepared plan is a must but more importantly is choosing wisely by the testator who will succeed them and inherit.

David had a heart to build The Lord a temple but because he was a man of war he was prevented. Nevertheless he amassed great wealth to be used in the construction of the temple. Solomon his chosen successor started well but did not have David's heart for The Lord and was seduced into idolatry.

David's dream was coming apart in the matter of a man's lifetime. His desire to build a house for The Lord was admirable but his sons did not have his heart. Perhaps he could have spent time imparting what a heart for their God was like. Perhaps he tried, we are not told. Scripture seems to indicate he didn't.

We can be so caught up in building and fail to look to the future. How will that look if the right people do not inherit? Have we spent time imparting a right heart? Of all building we do this is the most important. Amen!

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