God’s Love That Waited for Solomon

The prodigal son took his share of his father’s estate, went off to a far country and squandered it all. When the money ran out, people abandoned him and he ended up among the pigs. Only then did he long for his father and set out for home, and his father was already waiting with open arms. Solomon, too, once he had been given wisdom, wealth and power in abundance, came to think he could live without God, and he brought in foreign gods and idols.

Solomon swelled with pride as he watched people serve him as though he were a god, yet within, his soul had no peace. He had to guard his own life and power by himself, and the only things around him were idols and people who meant to use him. The wealth and power that could be seen had made the unseen grace of God look worthless.

To keep his promise to David, God did not withdraw his favor as he had from Saul, but led Solomon to repentance in his old age. Solomon realized that he could not straighten his crooked life by his own strength, and, lamenting that all is vanity of vanities, he returned to God. The message is that those who have sinned must not simply stay where they are, full of regret, but must leave that place while Christ is waiting for them.