Great Start--Bad Finish

2/4/2024
1 Kings 3:5-14 and 11:1-12 Great Start-Bad Finish
Intro: No one started out as great a Solomon. He was appointed by God as king. He built an incredible house of Worship and a house for himself. God was pleased with him and blessed him greatly. God ws impressed by Solomons request for wisdom instead of power. And God gave him both. But Solomon didn’t finish well. He had a long kingship of 40 years. But in his later years things crumbly away. I think Solomon is a microcosm of Israel as a nation. They started out so well as God’s chosen people with a promise to be a great nation with a land of their own. The were given the law of God but ended up being scattered throughout the world. They had a great start but a terrible finish. But it is not over yet. Israel is back in their land and is the burdensome stone to the world…… but one day God will save them and be king over them.