1 Kings 11:1-6
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 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 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.
God had commanded the Israelites to only marry other believers (verse 2), because He knew that if you marry someone who does not follow God, they will not encourage your faith but instead will encourage you to turn away from God. This is precisely what happened to Solomon. Solomon, as a rich and powerful king, probably was able to choose the most beautiful women in the land for his wives. But outer beauty is a snare if there is no inner beauty to match it.
Lord, help me to look beyond outer beauty, and may my spouse be an encouragement to my faith, as I encourage their faith.
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 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 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.
God had commanded the Israelites to only marry other believers (verse 2), because He knew that if you marry someone who does not follow God, they will not encourage your faith but instead will encourage you to turn away from God. This is precisely what happened to Solomon. Solomon, as a rich and powerful king, probably was able to choose the most beautiful women in the land for his wives. But outer beauty is a snare if there is no inner beauty to match it.
Lord, help me to look beyond outer beauty, and may my spouse be an encouragement to my faith, as I encourage their faith.