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Now the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the Lord had commanded.
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As King David was dying he appointed his son Solomon to succeed him as king of Israel. He commanded him to “keep the charge of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses.” {1Ki.2:3} He was to serve the people of God!

The Scriptures testify to the fact the Lord gave Solomon wisdom and that ‘Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men.’ {1Ki.4:30-31}

What the Lord calls people to do He equips them for—however, that does not necessarily mean they will faithfully use those gifts. Solomon is the perfect example (actually the very imperfect) of not using God’s gift well or even at all! So, he would wind up saying: “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Why then have I been extremely wise?” So, I said to myself, “This too is vanity.” {Eccl.2:15}

He forgot why God had given him wisdom. If you read Ecclesiastes 2 (and I strongly suggest that you do) you will clearly see that Solomon’s focus went from being fixed on the nation and the people of God—his ministry—to a total focus on himself, Mr. Solomon! He speaks of ‘My works, my houses, my vineyards, my male and female slaves, my silver and gold, my pleasures’, etc., etc. He had forgotten the words of his father who had said that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. {Ps.24:1}

You and I my brothers and sisters, each and every believer, has a ministry from the Lord just as it says in 1 Corinthians 12:7…“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” And each one of us will be required to give an account for how we have used what we have been entrusted with! {Mat.25:19-29}

All ministry is about serving, not being served. God was angry with Solomon because he had lost sight of that, and the Lord condemns that behavior wherever and whenever He sees it, then and now! The danger was then, as it still is today, as British Lord Acton wrote to an Anglican bishop in 1887 saying, “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Consider God’s words to the shepherds, the leaders of Israel through the prophet Ezekiel as He rebuked them for feeding on the flock rather than feeding the flock! {Ez.34:2-3} Then consider the teaching and the example that Jesus Himself gave the apostles, and us, as He knelt down and washed the feet of His disciples saying: “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” {Jn.13:13-15}

Jesus, the Son of God, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the King of Glory said:

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE IN LOVE