Prophesy Fulfilled

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)

In Luke 21, Jesus gave us a prophetic utterance that unveils a period of trials and tribulations for the people of Israel—a time marked by dispersion and the subjugation of Jerusalem. Jesus depicted the harsh reality of warfare and conquest that would come upon the Jewish people. He specifically said they would be led away captive unto all nations. The word nations in the Greek is ethnos and means different people groups. The Jewish people would be scattered among all nations. They would be in exile for nearly 2000 years.

For nearly two millennia, the Jewish people had no homeland, and anyone looking at the situation would say that there was no way for it to change. Now, there were still some Jewish people in Jerusalem. In fact, God made it clear that the Jewish people would never be completely defeated or fully kicked out of their land.

Thank God, Jesus’ prophesy about the Jewish people didn’t end with them scattered around the world. Yes, Jerusalem would be trodden underfoot, but Jesus said there would be a time that the subjugation of Jerusalem by Gentiles would end. There would be a returning. There would be a redemption, and that has happened. After World War II, Jews from all over the world repatriated themselves in their homeland. On May 14, 1948, Israel became a nation and was first recognized by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. Jerusalem came back under Jewish control after their victory in the Six Day War of 1967.

Practical Application

God’s prophecies always come to pass. The story of Israel is the story of a prodigal. God’s plan is always to redeem. God pursues those who have walked away from Him. He wants to restore them and reignite a vision of a future hope with Jesus.

Isaiah 63:18; Revelation 11:2

Solomon’s Legacy

Wherefore 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 is known as the wisest king of all time, but his story took a disturbing turn when he entered into relationships with women who didn’t have a relationship with God.

When Solomon took wives of false religions and allowed them to continue to practice their idol worship and make their sacrifices, he went against God’s way. He followed his flesh and did not consult God about his relationships. Marriage is a covenant, a divine relationship with the person which unites husband and wife. Therefore, when Solomon’s wives worshipped false gods, so did a part of Solomon.

Solomon exchanged the wisdom of God for earthly, natural knowledge that breached God’s covenants and law. The consequence for Solomon’s sin was that his kingdom, that was once united, would one day face the fracture of division.

Solomon must not have understood the gravity of his choices. His sin would affect his son, who would inherit his throne as well as the entire nation! The penalty for Solomon’s relationships with women outside of covenant with God was the separation of his kingdom.

The repercussions of Solomon's choices reverberate through Israel's history, full of narratives of good and bad kings, triumphs, tribulations, and wars. Instead of the legacy of wisdom, Solomon left a legacy of division.

Practical Application

Who are you connected to? What friendships and relationships are causing you to get closer to God and which are causing you to draw away from His plan and pursue His presence? Evaluate the relationships in your life and choose only to be around those who push you toward Him.

1 Kings 11:31; 1 Kings 12:16

Solomon Syndrome

And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. 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. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the Lord commanded. (1 Kings 11:3-10)

One great thing about the Bible is not only does it tell us of the victories of great men and women of faith, it also tells us of their struggles and their failures. Solomon was one of the wisest men to live on the planet, but he fell away from the things of God because of his unholy desires. Having seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines changed him. Solomon’s heart, once perfectly aligned with the Lord, started to waver. The sacred commitment he made to follow the Lord's commandments got overshadowed by his affections for foreign women.

Solomon’s connection with these women caused him to give place to false gods. Ashtoreth of the Zidonians, Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites, Chemosh, the god of Moab, and Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon, were all given a place in Solomon’s kingdom and his heart.

The story of Solomon is tragic. The wisest and richest man, perhaps ever, fell away from God because of his lust for women. Don’t fall for the Solomon Syndrome!

Practical Application

Be discerning of your relationships. Guard your heart against things and people that would try to influence you away from God’s will.

Deuteronomy 7:4; 1 Kings 11:2