Solomon was great in some ways. In other ways, however, he failed profoundly. Towards the end of his reign, Solomon’s heart strayed from the Lord. He became idolatrous. He gave in to his flesh. He built altars to idols. He had multiple wives and concubines. Solomon became a syncretist and he sullied much of his legacy.

Text:

11 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, ² from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. ³ He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. ⁴ For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. ⁵ For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. ⁶ So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. ⁷ Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. ⁸ And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods. (1 Kings 11:1-8)

Context, Context, Context: Syncretism is the blending and/or combination of opposing worldviews. For example, if I said that as a Christian, one of the core beliefs is that Jesus rose bodily from the tomb in Jerusalem on a Sunday and was seen by hundreds of people afterwards, and even ate with them. That is a truth claim. It’s either true or it isn’t.

But let’s say Joe Snuffy claims he’s a Christian, too, but that he believes that Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, Sun Myung Moon, and Joseph Smith are just like Jesus, prophets of God and ‘good’ men. Well, Houston, we have a problem. Because both claims cannot be simultaneously true. I could be right or wrong. The second guy could be right or wrong. We could both be wrong. But we cannot both be right. This is where apologetics can be helpful.

Well, think of Solomon. He’d earlier prayed for wisdom and God granted him that. Solomon’s wisdom was world-famous. As was his wealth. But Solomon got too big for his britches, we might say. He grew proud. He grew increasingly prurient. He grew self-absorbed. And syncretism crept in. He tried to blend or combine contradictions, but reality is not a contradiction. Either God is who he says he is and has revealed himself to be, or idolatry is just fine and dandy. But idolatry is not just fine and dandy, of course. God calls his people to genuine holiness and devotion to the truth, not to play around with erecting statues, poles, Asherah, or high places for Chemosh (1 Kings 11:7). God will not share his glory with idols.

God’s Response: “And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the LORD commanded” (1 Kings 11:9-10).

Encouragement/teaching: The chastisement of the Lord among his people is demonstration of God’s love for his sheep. Divine discipline is indicative of the heavenly Father’s love of his people. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives” (Hebrews 12:6). Trying to blend contradictory allegiances is at the heart of syncretism and it is nothing short of idolatry. Keep short accounts with God, the only living and true God, because all else is wood, hay, and stubble.