Solomon's Drift: When Wisdom Leads to Compromise

Devotional

Day 1: Ask God for wisdom to lead.

Solomon loved the Lord and asked not for long life or riches but for an understanding mind to govern God’s people; God was pleased and granted him wisdom, showing that true leadership begins with asking God for discernment rather than trusting merely in human cleverness. [27:29]

1 Kings 3:3-14 (ESV)
3 Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar.
5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, "Ask what I shall give you."
6 And Solomon said, "You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day.
7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in.
8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted.
9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?"
10 It pleased the LORD that Solomon had asked this.
11 And God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,
12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.
13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days.
14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days."

Reflection: What is one leadership decision or pressure you are facing where you tend to rely on your own insight? Name that decision, set aside ten minutes today to pray specifically for God’s wisdom about it, and call or message one trusted believer to ask for their counsel before taking the next step.

Day 2: Leaders must keep God's law daily.

God’s instruction for a king was not only about position but about daily obedience: write a copy of the law, keep it close, and read it every day so the heart will not be lifted up, showing that continual engagement with God’s Word prevents pride and drift. [33:04]

Deuteronomy 17:14-20 (ESV)
14 When you come to the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and you say, "I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,"
15 you may indeed set a king over you whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.
16 But he shall not multiply horses for himself, or cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the LORD has said to you, "You shall never return that way again."
17 And he shall not multiply wives for himself, that his heart may not turn away, nor shall he greatly increase silver and gold for himself.
18 And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests.
19 And it shall be with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes,
20 and that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.

Reflection: What is one daily habit you will establish this week to keep God’s Word before you? Choose a single verse or short passage to write on an index card, read aloud each morning for seven days, and tell one person you trust that you will do this so they can ask you about it by day seven.

Day 3: Compromise with idols leads to ruin.

A single compromise—Solomon’s political marriage and growing tolerance for foreign practices—gradually opened his heart to other gods and led to catastrophic spiritual decline, teaching that small concessions to convenience or culture can become gateways to destruction. [40:09]

1 Kings 11:1-11 (ESV)
1 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,
2 from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the people of Israel, "You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love.
3 He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned away his heart.
4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.
5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done.
7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem,
8 and so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, 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 did not keep what the LORD commanded.
11 Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Since this is your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.

Reflection: Identify one relationship, habit, or “small compromise” in your life that draws your heart away from the Lord; what boundary will you put in place today to remove that influence, and who is one person you will tell now to hold you accountable by name?

Day 4: Without God, wisdom ends in vanity.

In the end Solomon—the man of unmatched wisdom—testified that without wholehearted fear of God and obedience, knowledge and achievement feel meaningless; true purpose is rooted in fearing God and keeping his commandments. [43:11]

Ecclesiastes 12 (ESV)
1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, "I have no pleasure in them";
2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain,
3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those who look through the windows grow dim,
4 and the doors on the street are shut—when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low—
5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and desire fails, because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets;
6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is shattered at the cistern, or the wheel broken at the well,
7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, all is vanity.
9 Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care.
10 The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.
11 The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd.
12 My son, be warned: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Reflection: Which of your accomplishments or pursuits would feel empty apart from God? Tonight, replace thirty minutes of entertainment with reading Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 and pray, asking God to show one practical change you can make this week so your life points more clearly to fearing God and keeping his commands.

Day 5: The Holy Spirit dwells to guide believers.

Unlike Solomon’s occasional encounters with God, believers today have the Helper living with and in them—Jesus promised the Holy Spirit who teaches, reminds, and empowers believers to obey, run from temptation, and stay the course. [53:33]

John 14:15-17, 25-26 (ESV)
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
25 "These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Reflection: What is one area (patience, holiness, courage, discernment) where you need the Spirit’s help today? Pray a short, specific prayer asking the Holy Spirit to empower you in that area, then take one obedient step this afternoon (a single act of service, confession, scripture reading for 15 minutes, or a conversation you’ve been avoiding) and ask a trusted friend to pray for you about it.

Sermon Summary

We walked the rise and fall of Solomon to name something many of us feel but rarely diagnose: the slow, almost imperceptible drift of the heart. Solomon began beautifully—loving the Lord, asking for wisdom to serve God’s people, receiving honor and abundance he didn’t even request. But wisdom could not keep him faithful when compromise went unchecked. A political marriage “for the nation” became many alliances, many loves, and finally many gods. The king who built the temple also built altars to foreign deities. Drift began with inches and ended in exile.

To understand why it mattered, we revisited God’s standard in Deuteronomy 17: a king was to resist amassing horses, wealth, and wives; not return to Egypt; and keep a personal copy of God’s law, reading it daily so his heart would stay low before God and near God’s ways. Solomon did the opposite. His story is a cautionary map of where small justifications lead when they go unchallenged: divided affections, divided kingdom, and finally captivity.

But this is not just Israel’s story—it is ours. Drift rarely feels dramatic. It feels “practical,” “smart,” or “not a big deal.” That’s why we run from temptation rather than negotiate with it. That’s why we stay in accountable community where someone who loves us can say what we don’t want to hear. And that’s why we hold God’s gifts with humility, remembering they were given for service, not self.

Here is our hope: what Solomon lacked, the Spirit supplies. The Holy Spirit indwells believers—teaching, reminding, empowering. Wisdom alone couldn’t save Solomon, but Jesus can stop the drift, restore direction, and anchor a restless heart. If you’ve been sliding—into cynicism, secrecy, pride, or numbness—take His hand. The One who calms storms can steady a skidding soul.

Key Takeaways

1. Small compromises calcify into idolatry A “wise” justification today becomes a rival love tomorrow. Solomon’s first political alliance opened the door to a thousand competing voices and a divided heart. Examine the stories you tell yourself to make disobedience feel reasonable, then bring them under God’s Word daily. Tiny course corrections now prevent catastrophic outcomes later. [45:14]
2. Run from temptation, don’t negotiate Temptation feeds on delay and dialogue; the longer we linger, the stronger it grows. Fleeing is not fear—it is wisdom that guards what you most treasure. Make pre-decisions before the moment arrives, and change your environment so escape becomes your default path. God’s commands protect your joy, not stifle it. [46:31]
3. Choose community that can say “no” Proximity shapes worship; the people closest to you will either reinforce your loyalties to God or erode them. Invite voices that pray, ask real questions, and will gently confront drift. Accountability is not suspicion; it is shared stewardship of each other’s souls. Isolation feels safer but always proves costlier. [48:06]
4. Blessings are for service, not self Gifts become snares when they eclipse the Giver. Wealth, influence, and skill are holy trusts meant to lift others, not elevate ego. Practice gratitude and secrecy in your serving to keep pride from metastasizing. Stewardship keeps blessings as channels of grace rather than reservoirs of self. [50:25]
5. Wisdom without the Spirit will drift Information can sharpen judgment but cannot change the heart. The indwelling Spirit does what human brilliance cannot—He convicts, empowers obedience, and keeps us tender to God. Draw near to Scripture with the Spirit, and wisdom becomes worship rather than self-reliance. What Solomon met twice, you carry always. [52:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[25:43] - Opening prayer and Route 66 setup
[27:29] - Solomon asks for wisdom
[29:21] - The danger and pattern of drift
[33:04] - God’s standard for kings (Deut 17)
[35:59] - Solomon’s first compromise: Pharaoh’s daughter
[37:16] - Fame spreads: Sheba and renown
[39:05] - Egypt’s horses and ignored warnings
[40:09] - A heart turned by many loves
[42:02] - Consequences: division and exile
[43:11] - “Vanity of vanities”: Solomon’s verdict
[46:31] - Run from temptation; return to God
[48:06] - The gift of accountable community
[52:20] - Beyond wisdom: the Holy Spirit’s help
[56:46] - Closing prayer and sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

1 Kings 3:3–14 — 3 Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, only he sacrificed and made offerings at the high places. 4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place. Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” 10 It pleased the LORD that Solomon had asked this. 11 And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, 12 behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. 13 I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. 14 And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”

Sermon Clips

Solomon, the man who wrote Proverbs 9, verse 10, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Drifted. Solomon, the man who wrote Proverbs 3, verses 5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding and all your ways submit to Him. He will make your path straight. Comes to the end of his life saying, It's all meaningless. [00:43:18] (22 seconds) #WisdomIsNotEnough

And then ends Ecclesiastes with these chilling words, Fear God, keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment with every secret thing, whether good or evil. And we can hear in his voice, regret. You see, Solomon's wisdom couldn't save him. Our salvation is not in knowing more. It's in knowing Jesus. Amen? That was sort of weak. [00:43:41] (37 seconds) #KnowJesusNotKnowledge

So what's our takeaway? What does this text, these stories, these drifting kings, Solomon's drift, these falling empires, there's a few things that we can take away from this. Is drifting from faithfulness into idol worship. Compromise leads to collapse. Run when you're tempted. We all need accountability. God's blessings can lead to pride. And wisdom isn't everything. The drift is so easy. It's so easy to let things slide, isn't it? [00:44:19] (46 seconds) #AccountabilityMatters

It's not so that we just do right by him, but to ensure that we are healthy, that we have peace, that we aren't reeling in our destructive behavior. Anybody been there? Besides me? Just me. We run from temptation, not to please God necessarily, sure, but to protect our hearts, our minds, and our spirits from becoming negative, downcast, regret-filled. All is vanity. Yikes. Yuck. [00:47:08] (31 seconds) #ProtectYourHeart

God is good. He loves us. His plans and purposes are wonderful, but sin blinds us from the goodness of God. So turn and run from temptation and run into the arms of Jesus Christ. And to help us run from sin, to help us stand firm in our faith, uncompromisingly firm, God places us in a community for accountability. You see, faith without accountability will drift. Amen? [00:47:40] (31 seconds) #FaithWithAccountability

You can spend years just kind of like, you know, Christians kind of bug me. Church seems full of hypocrites. You can go down this long list. And eventually, those folks just end up way out in left field. As Solomon aged, he allowed the influence of wives who did not honor or worship the Lord. And those influences allowed him to start worshiping other gods. The people that he surrounded himself with enabled sinful desires and pursuits that were unhealthy and sinful and against God rather than pointing them out, helping hold him accountable to God's callings and standards. [00:48:12] (43 seconds) #ChooseFaithfulFriends

And we all need godly people to pray over us, encourage us, correct us, hold us accountable to God's word, to God's plan for our lives, to see what the gifts that God gives and to encourage them in us. The church is God's gifts to us. In it, he gives us the gift of accountability. He gives us brothers and sisters for encouragement and correction. Are you in a Bible study? Are you in a life group? Do you make this? [00:48:54] (23 seconds) #ChurchIsCommunity

It doesn't have to be. It's not about this place. Don't think I'm like trying to put some pressure on you. We always say go somewhere. Be in a community that holds you accountable to the best that you can be and who God is calling you to be and how God is calling you to live that out and find people that you trust and love that are faithful. That'll tell you the truth sometimes. Ouch, that hurt. Thank you though. I know you're right. [00:49:18] (31 seconds) #LiveAccountably

``So if you've been drifting, there's good news. The wisest man who ever lived got amazing gifts from the Lord. But today, I'm here to give you the best gift of all. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born, lived, and died for you to forgive you, to save you, and to give you the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell in you. He comes for you today and He offers it as a free gift. So come and take hold of His hand. [00:55:36] (34 seconds) #TakeHisHand

The drift can end. Jesus is a transforming presence. He will transform your life. He will forgive your foolishness. He will give you a life, a purpose, a path. He will hold you and keep you from drifting. And He's reaching out for you today. For you. And let me tell you something. It'd be wise of you to take His hand. [00:56:10] (28 seconds) #EndTheDrift

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