Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

August 26
Wednesday


THE IMPORTANCE
OF THEOLOGY

READ:
1 Kings 11:4-13
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When looking for a new car, potential buyers look at more than the exterior styling. They check out the inner workings that make it run smoothly and efficiently.

When choosing a spouse, however, some are not so careful. They discover too late that a beautiful body is camouflaging a defective mind and soul. Men and women both make this mistake, but author Carolyn Custis James was specifically concerned about men when she wrote: "[A] woman's interest in theology ought to be the first thing to catch a man's eye.... [Her] theology suddenly matters when a man is facing a crisis and she is the only one around to offer encouragement."

Solomon should have known this. He was, after all, the wisesT man who ever lived (1 Kings 3:12; 4:29-34). But Solomon followed his own desires rather than God's command and married women whose allegiance was not to God (11:1-2). The results were disastrous. Solomon's wives turned his heart toward other gods (vv.3-4), and God became angry with him (v.9). The kingdom of Israel was eventually divided and defeated (vv.11-13).

Good theology is important for everyone. And it is difficult to make good decisions if our allegiance is to someone who does not know and love God. __Julie Ackerman Link
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````````````````````````THINKING IT OVER`````````````````````

`````````Why is it unwise for a follower of Christ to marry an`````````
````````unbeliever? What advice does Peter give to wives of`````````
``````````````unbelieving husbands? (see 1 Peter 3:1).`````````````
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Faulty beliefs about God lead to
faulty decisions about people.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Kings 11:4-13***********

4 For it was so, when
Solomon was old, that his
wives turned his heart after
other gods; and his heart
was not loyal to the LORD
his God, as was the heart of
his father David. 5 For
Solomon went after
Ashtoreth the goddess of the
Sidonians, and after Milcom
the abomination of the
Ammonites. 6 Solomon did
evil in the sight of the
LORD, and did not fully
follow the LORD, as did his
father David....

9 So the LORD became
angry with Solomon,
because his heart had turned
from the LORD 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 had commanded.

11 Therefore the LORD said
to Solomon, "Because you
have done this, and have
not kept My covenant and
My statutes, which I have
commanded you, I will
surely tear the kingdom
away from you and
give it to your servant.

12 Nevertheless i will not do
it in your days, for the sake
of your father David; I will
tear it out of the hand of
your son. 13 However I will
not tear away the whole
kingdom; I will give one
tribe to your son for the
sake of My servant David,
and for the sake of
Jerusalem which I have
chosen."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The people of Israel were repeatedly warned not to intermarry with
the pagan people in the land of Canaan (Ex. 23:32-33; 34:15-16;
Deut. 7:1-4). Solomon had married 700 wives and 300 concubines
(1 Kings 11:1-3), and was severely punished (v.11). __SIM KAY TEE