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I. NEITHER AGE NOR EXPERIENCE BRINGS ANY RELEASE TO A MAN FROM HIS EXPOSURE TO SIN. "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods." There is no fool worse than an old fool. Wise man it was who said, "Count no one safe or happy till he dies."

II. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR EVEN A DEVOUT MAN TO BECOME A PRACTICAL IDOLATER IN HIS SECRET HEART. "For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Zidonians." We are solemnly warned against idols in our hearts, three times in one chapter, by a prophet. Idolatry is still a possible sin to dread.

III. PROGRESS BY STEPS OF PERSISTENT ADVANCE INTO DEEPER SIN MAY ALWAYS BE EXPECTED WHEN ONE HAS TAKEN QUICK START AWAY FROM THE RIGHT AND TOWARDS WRONG. "Then did Solomon build a high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab," etc. There is nothing more to be feared than the unperceived inroad of what might be termed a little sin. The old parable relates that the trees of the forest once held a solemn parliament, wherein they consulted concerning the innumerable wrongs which the axe, first and last, had done unto them and their neighbours. They insisted that this dangerous implement of steel had no power of its own; and they therefore instantly passed an enactment that no tree should hereafter be allowed to furnish any blade with a helve on pain of being itself cut down to the root. So the axe journeyed through the forests, begging but a bit of wood from the oak, from the ash, from the cedar, from the elm, from even the willow and the poplar; but a stern denial met it at each turn; not one would lend it so much as a splinter from its branches. At last, it desired just this small indulgence: give it but a chip — a mere handle with which it could trim away useless boughs, or cut off briers and bushes, for such suckers, as was well known, only used up the juices of the ground; they always hindered the growth of any thrifty tree and obscured its fairness and beauty. The forest win, impressed with such moderation in the argument; it agreed that the axe in this instance might be supplied with one fragment which a storm had riven from an unfortunate sapling — a mere little stick, lying there, which no one prized and no one dreaded. But the instant that keen edge of steel was fitted with any sort of a handle, it struck off the branch of a sturdy oak at a stroke, then hewed itself a new helve at its will; and down went the elms, over toppled the cedars, and the hills grew bare as never before. The time for all defence was passed when the forest surrendered.

IV. THE GUILT OF ALL TRANSGRESSION IS IN THE SIGHT OF A HOLY GOD AGGRAVATED BY PAST WARNINGS GIVEN. "And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel," etc.

V. RETRIBUTION GATHERS UP THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE SINNER, EVEN IF IT IS DISCHARGED IN ONE ACT. "Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou has not kept My covenant and My statutes which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant." Henceforward it would do no good for this rejected monarch to awake himself to paternal zeal, and try to build up the fortunes of his shattered realm for his children. It is often worth while to attempt to avert a great catastrophe; but one of the punishments sometimes inflicted for sin is the denial to the sinners of all success in after usefulness.

VI. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO MISUNDERSTAND AND EVEN PERVERT GOD'S FORBEARANCE INTO EXCUSE FOR FURTHER SIN. "Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy sore Howbeit, I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son, for David My servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen." On the shore of eternal history stands this beacon-light for human warning. The wisest man in the world lived to behave like a fool!

(C. S. Robinson, D. D.)

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KJV: And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.

WEB: Solomon did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and didn't go fully after Yahweh, as did David his father.