King Solomon was widely known for his wisdom and wealth, as well as starting his reign with deep devotion to God. He built the magnificent temple in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6) and led Israel in worship. Yet, despite his strong start, Solomon’s heart drifted toward misplaced worship, and the consequences were tragic.
Scripture tells us, “King Solomon loved many foreign women… from the nations concerning which the Lord had said… ‘You shall not enter into marriage with them… for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.’” (1 Kings 11:1–2). Solomon ignored God’s clear command, marrying many pagan women who influenced him to worship false gods.
By the end of his life, Solomon had built high places for Chemosh, Molech, and Ashtoreth—gods associated with detestable practices like child sacrifice and sexual immorality (1 Kings 11:5–8). This wasn’t just a political compromise; it was a spiritual betrayal. God had warned Israel repeatedly about the dangers of idolatry, yet Solomon allowed love, power, and cultural acceptance to redirect his worship.
The fruit of Solomon’s misplaced worship was devastating. His spiritual discernment faded. His heart was “not wholly true to the Lord” (1 Kings 11:4). God became angry and promised to tear the kingdom from Solomon’s descendants (1 Kings 11:11). What began as wisdom and glory ended in division, strife, and decline.
Solomon’s life is a sobering reminder that even the wisest can fall when worship is misplaced. Our hearts were created to worship God alone—when we give that devotion to anything else, the result is spiritual decay. Let Solomon’s story challenge us to examine our own hearts: What competes for your worship today? Let us return to wholehearted devotion to the One who alone is worthy.