Wednesday, June 11, 2025
King Solomon loved many foreign women in addition to Pharaoh’s daughter: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women from the nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, and they must not intermarry with you, because they will turn your heart away to follow their gods.” To these women Solomon was deeply attached in love. He had seven hundred wives who were princesses and three hundred who were concubines, and they turned his heart away. When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away to follow other gods. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord his God, as his father David had been. Solomon followed Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites. Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, and unlike his father David, he did not remain loyal to the Lord. At that time, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abhorrent idol of Moab, and for Milcom, the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites, on the hill across from Jerusalem. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who were burning incense and offering sacrifices to their gods. 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. He had commanded him about this, so that he would not follow other gods, but Solomon did not do what the Lord had commanded. 1 Kings 11:1-10
Misplaced Affections
Solomon was King David’s son who became the King of Israel after David died. He was a good King at first, seeking the Lord for wisdom, building the temple and faithfully dedicating it to the Lord. But Solomon ignored and disobeyed a very important command from the Lord that would protect not only his heart, but the whole nation.
King Solomon loved many foreign women in addition to Pharaoh’s daughter: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women from the nations about which the Lord had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, and they must not intermarry with you, because they will turn your heart away to follow their gods.”
Solomon did not carefully guard his heart which resulted in choices that allowed idols in – not only into the nation of Israel but into his own heart. He did not follow the Lord’s command to not intermarry the foreign women who worshiped idols. He married them and they would not give up their gods, so they brought them. Solomon built high places, which were places of worship built on elevated pieces of ground that were dedicated to idol worship.
At that time, Solomon built a high place for Chemosh, the abhorrent idol of Moab, and for Milcom, the abhorrent idol of the Ammonites, on the hill across from Jerusalem. He did the same for all his foreign wives, who were burning incense and offering sacrifices to their gods.
Solomon was not using the wisdom that God have given him. God had given this command because he knew this was an issue with Solomon and would lead him astray. Then Solomon led others astray by letting this into the kingdom. He led them all to worship something other than the One True God that truly deserves our worship.
Solomon made some mistakes that resulted in misplaced affections that led his heart astray. He had the opportunity to tear down the high places and lead the people back to God, but he chose not to. Instead, he idolized and worshipped the affections of his wives and the people more than the affections of God. His wives convinced him that he needed to build more high places and not tear any of them down. This became a big problem for Solomon, that eventually caused his downfall.
Like Solomon, we make high places in our lives where we elevate something above God, resulting in misplaced affections. It could be anything - even family or teaching a bible study. If it becomes more important than God, it is an idol, and God is knocked off the throne of the place only He deserves - our hearts. There are no holes in our lives that are meant to be filled by idols. We have to move something out of the way to make room for these idols in our lives and that means that we have to displace something that is supposed to be there, and most often that is God. Our misplaced affections knock God out of the way and draw us further and further away from Him. We must guard our hearts against misplaced affections.
What high places have you constructed in your life?
What are you worshipping besides God?
God deserves our highest affections and only He belongs in the first place in our lives. Tear down the high places and give God back the place He deserves as the only thing that deserves our worship.
