Why was marrying people of other nations not OK for Israel? (v1-8, Deuteronomy 7:1-6)
- They will turn their hearts away to other gods
- From the one true God of Israel
- According to Deuteronomy:
- Because they will turn away the sons and daughters of Israel
- To serve other gods
- Which would kindle the anger of God
- And they would be destroyed
- Which would kindle the anger of God
- To serve other gods
- Israelites are the chosen people of God
- Because they will turn away the sons and daughters of Israel
- We see it in action in Solomon’s life
- He went after the gods of
- Sidonian’s goddess
- Ammonites abomination
- Built a high place for the abomination of Moab
- And the abomination of Ammon
- Burned incense and sacrificed to the gods of
- All of his foreign wives
- He went after the gods of
Do we have such rules today?
- The real problem here has to do with:
- Turning away from the true God
- Which is a consequence of evil companionship
- Turning away from the true God
- So the rule is not about foreign wives (or husbands – Deuteronomy)
- But about bad company that could turn your heart away from God
- This rule is still valid as mentioned by Paul to Corinthians
- But about bad company that could turn your heart away from God
- What if someone made a mistake and is married? Should they divorce?
- To such Paul himself writes (1 Corinthians 7:12-13)
- A believer should not leave the unbelieving spouse
- To such Paul himself writes (1 Corinthians 7:12-13)
- Example: Ruth was from Moab. However, she accepted the God of Israel as her God.
- And ended up not only as the great grandmother of Solomon
- But also one of the women in the genealogy of Jesus
- And ended up not only as the great grandmother of Solomon
What was the consequence of Solomon’s sin? Why was he spared? v9-13
- God was angry with Solomon
- Because Solomon’s heart was turned away from God
- Even though God appeared to Solomon twice!
- Because Solomon’s heart was turned away from God
- Solomon’s kingdom would be taken away from him
- However, because of God’s covenant with David
- Kingdom was not taken away immediately
- But during Rehoboam’s time (next study)
- Literally given away to a servant
- Not the entire kingdom – only 10 tribes
- One tribe would still remain with David’s descendants
- Kingdom was not taken away immediately
- However, because of God’s covenant with David
Conclusion
- Evil companionships corrupt good morals
- Actions have consequences – some have impact over generations
- 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins …
Main Passage 1 Kings 11:1-13 – World English Bible (WEB)
1 Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites; 2 of the nations concerning which Yahweh said to the children of Israel, “You shall not go among them, neither shall they come among you; for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon joined to these in love. 3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines. His wives turned his heart away. 4 When Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with Yahweh his God, as the heart of David his father was. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and didn’t go fully after Yahweh, as David his father did. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the mountain that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the children of Ammon. 8 So he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 Yahweh was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from Yahweh, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he didn’t keep that which Yahweh commanded. 11 Therefore Yahweh said to Solomon, “Because this is done by you, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. 12 Nevertheless, I will not do it in your days, for David your father’s sake; but I will tear it out of your son’s hand. 13 However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”
Notes / Cross References
Deuteronomy 7:1-6 1 When Yahweh your God brings you into the land where you go to possess it, and casts out many nations before you—the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—seven nations greater and mightier than you; 2 and when Yahweh your God delivers them up before you, and you strike them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them, nor show mercy to them. 3 You shall not make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter for your son. 4 For that would turn away your sons from following me, that they may serve other gods. So Yahweh’s anger would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. 5 But you shall deal with them like this: you shall break down their altars, dash their pillars in pieces, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their engraved images with fire. 6 For you are a holy people to Yahweh your God. Yahweh your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Leviticus 20:2 “Moreover, you shall tell the children of Israel, ‘Anyone of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners in Israel, who gives any of his offspring to Molech shall surely be put to death. The people of the land shall stone that person with stones.
1 Corinthians 15:33 Don’t be deceived! “Evil companionships corrupt good morals.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-16 14 Don’t be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship do righteousness and iniquity have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 15 What agreement does Christ have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer have with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement does a temple of God have with idols? For you are a temple of the living God. Even as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk in them. I will be their God and they will be my people.”
Romans 12:2 Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Ruth 1:16 Ruth said, “Don’t urge me to leave you, and to return from following you, for where you go, I will go; and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God.
