What To Do - What Not To Do

I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time. [Ecclesiastes 9.11]

I find Solomon's life and "wisdom" quite depressing today. Is everything really all just controlled by chance? Of course not.

How much of Solomon's "wisdom" can we rely on? Consider this:

In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the LORD his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the LORD’s sight; he refused to follow the LORD completely, as his father, David, had done. [1 Kings 11.4-6]

If wisdom and riches got Solomon to this place in his life, what are we doing trying to increase our knowledge and wealth? Well, for one thing, it wasn't wisdom and riches that caused Solomon's fall. It was his insistence upon having all the women in his life. Lest I be mistaken to be making a gender attack here, let me be crystal clear that Solomon's fall had nothing to do with gender other than the fact that Solomon disobediently failed to control his lust for fulfillment found in the opposite gender. This might further be supported in the Song of Solomon's complete exclusion of God from its entire narrative.

In contrast to Ecclesiastes 9.11, Deuteronomy 28 says that bad things happen to disobedient people and good things happen to obedient people. Deuteronomy 28 leaves nothing to chance but hinges everything upon the absence or presence of obedience. 1 Kings 11.4 clearly states that Solomon became unfaithful in his old age. And yet, Solomon, Mr. Wiseguy, starts proudly making his own rules, "everything is by chance," instead of humbly acknowledging the consequences of sin.

The Bible is an amazing book. Consequently, there is great responsibility on all who call themselves students of it. The Bible must necessarily include Solomon's life story in order for us to clearly see the danger in being unfaithful to God. But there is also inherent danger in the casual reader of the Bible failing to comprehend stories like Solomon's providing contrast instead of instruction. This is precisely what the modern church deals with in 'doctrines of suffering' today that make sickness, disease, and loss out to be random events instead of indicators of unfaithfulness.

Solomon's story is in the Bible just like Judas Iscariot's story is in the Bible. We must remember that.

Father, help me to see and understand the Bible in light of Who You Are and what You do. Help me to distinguish what stories are given for an example of what I should do, and what stories are given as an example of what not to do! And, let me remain forever mindful, when all else is unclear, that Jesus is my example.