The Lord lays out two very clear options before Solomon here. Either Solomon and his descendants walk faithfully before the Lord and receive his blessing on themselves and their nation, or they turn away from him and experience disaster.

It can sometimes feel strange to read God’s dire warnings to the people he has chosen – the people he loves. It would all be so much more comfortable if God could just be ‘nice’. Yet the truth is, life without God is a disaster and it’s important that everyone knows that. There is nothing ‘nice’ about letting people walk down a path to utter destruction.

The Lord works to draw all people towards himself precisely because there are disastrous consequences for those who reject him. He explains it very clearly to Solomon here. When the people walk by the ruined temple and the crumbling, broken city walls, they will know that this terrible devastation was a consequence of the people turning their back on the Lord who had been so faithful to them.

Israel, as God’s chosen people, would be a demonstration to all the nations of the richness of God’s eternal blessings to those who followed him, and also of the terrible, eternal consequences of turning their backs on him. The choice was stark – live abundantly with the Lord, or face ruin without him. Though the Israelites would later struggle and suffer in captivity, this is nothing compared to the prospect of eternity without God.

In the end, the sovereignty of the Lord will be demonstrated, with or without us. How much better it is for us to remain in the place of obedience and blessing!

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NEWBOLD COMMUNITY CHURCH