The Danger of “Small” Compromises

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. – 1 Kings 11.9, CSB

Things can change so quickly. One compromise here leads to another one there. Solomon had received such favor from the Lord that the world took notice.  “Emissaries of all peoples, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom” (1 Kings 4.34, CSB). “The whole world wanted an audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom that God had put in his heart” (1 Kings 10.24, CSB). The wisdom God gave to him made Solomon wiser than “all of the people of the East” (1 Kings 4.30, CSB). And because Solomon’s heart desired to be wise so he could lead and govern God’s people well, which pleased God, God blessed him even more (1 Kings 3.10-13). God even appeared to Solomon twice, something his father David didn’t experience even once. And yet, Solomon was lured away from following the Lord. 

How could this have happened? With all that God had blessed him with, how could someone with such wisdom and blessing turn away from following the Lord?

Compromise.

In the book of Deuteronomy, God made clear what any future king of Israel was supposed to do and what to avoid. Solomon failed to heed God’s instructions.

“…he must not acquire many horses for himself or send the people back to Egypt to acquire many horses” (Deuteronomy 17.16, CSB). So what did Solomon do? “Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue. The king’s traders bought them from Kue at the going price” (1 Kings 10.28, CSB). 

“He must not acquire very large amounts of silver and gold for himself” (Deuteronomy 17.17b). Again, Solomon went against this. It is estimated that Solomon was worth approximately two trillion dollars. “The weight of gold that came to Solomon annually was twenty-five tons, besides what came from merchants, traders’ merchandise, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land” (1 Kings 10.14, CSB).

“He must not acquire many wives for himself so that his heart won’t go astray” (Deuteronomy 17.17a). And yet, Solomon “was deeply attached in love” to seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines (1 Kings 11.3-4). And what God told Moses would happen if a future king took “many foreign wives” who worshiped foreign gods happened to Solomon. “When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away to follow other gods. He was not wholeheartedly devoted to the LORD his God” (1 Kings 11.4, CSB).

But how could Solomon have known all of this? What could he have done to ensure he did not get lured and enticed toward these things?

Obey what God instructed the king to do. 

I know it sounds so simple because it is. As I have said before and often, it’s not easy, but God’s instructions are simple and straightforward.

“When [the king] is seated on his royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do these statutes. Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue reigning many years in Israel” (Deuteronomy 17.18-20, CSB). 

He was to saturate himself with God’s word. He was commanded to write a copy of God’s law in the presence of the Levitical priests and then read from it for the rest of his life. The purpose behind this was not so he would keep busy. The purpose was so the king would learn to fear the Lord and obey his commands. And Solomon failed to do this.

As I read this, I asked the Lord to convict me of any compromises in my life that would lure me away from him. Small compromises never lead to small problems. Small compromises lead to more compromises, and more compromises multiplied breed disastrous results. And the worst of all is to anger the Lord and fall out of fellowship with him. 

O, God, please show me every small and great compromise I’ve allowed into my life that goes against you. Please reveal them and help me destroy them. Please give me a greater desire and yearning to saturate myself with your word, not veering off to the right or the left but remaining focused and obedient to what you say (Joshua 1.7). Please teach me to honor you in all I do as I offer myself to you in humble service and joyful worship. Please convict me of anything that would take my focus off of you. I want to follow you wholeheartedly without compromise.