His Holiness Pope Shenouda III presents in this lecture a comprehensive view of King Solomon, showing how his life began with blessing, divine calling, wisdom, and glory, but ended in downfall because of the desires of the heart. He explains how Solomon’s life reveals the danger of spiritual negligence, no matter how many gifts one receives, and that a person must always remain watchful.

1. A beginning full of blessing and divine calling

• Solomon was a king who inherited the throne from his father David without struggle.

• God promised that He would be a Father to him and would establish his kingdom.

• God gave him unmatched wisdom, wealth, royal majesty, and appeared to him twice with promises and blessings.

• David prepared everything for the Temple: gold, wood, and all materials.

• Even the strong enemies of David submitted before Solomon.

2. The glory of the kingdom and Solomon’s wisdom

• People came from all countries to hear his wisdom, such as the Queen of Sheba who said: “I saw in you more than what I heard.”

• He built houses, palaces, pools, and fulfilled everything his eyes desired.

• He wrote three books: Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes.

3. The beginning of decline — the desire for women

• The cause of the fall was not the women themselves but Solomon’s desire toward them.

• He married foreign women from pagan nations, with an enormous number of wives.

• These women turned his heart toward foreign gods like Ashtoreth and Milcom.

• He built high places for these gods, and this became his great downfall.

4. Divine punishment and consequences of the fall

• God disciplined him as He had foretold: “I will chasten him with the rod of men.”

• Enemies rose against him: Hadad the Edomite, Rezon, and others.

• God declared that He would tear the kingdom, leaving him only one tribe for David’s sake.

• The gifts he received did not protect him because he did not use them for God’s glory.

5. Other aspects of his life

• Solomon was strong and decisive, carrying out justice regarding Joab, Adonijah, and others.

• He honored his mother Bathsheba but did not obey her when she requested what contradicted God’s command.

• Despite his fall, the Church still honors him as a writer and wise king.

Spiritual conclusion

Solomon’s life is a living lesson:
Glory does not preserve a person, wisdom alone is not enough, and grace requires continuous vigilance.
Downfall begins within, from a small desire left without struggle.
God is faithful—He gives, blesses, disciplines, yet never removes His mercy.
A person must guard the gifts he received and not be deceived by glory, power, or knowledge.

It is a message of watchfulness:
Guard yourself…
Walk rightly…
For grace alone is not enough without man’s faithfulness.

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