1 Kings 9-12
It’s painful to think about the repercussions of the fall of God’s people – whether the Old Testament nation or followers of Christ today. It is not that we have had no warning of these pains, though. When God responded to Solomon’s prayer about the Temple, He also reminded the king of the results of unfaithfulness: “Israel will become an object of scorn and ridicule among all the peoples. Though this temple is now exalted, everyone who passes by will be appalled and will scoff” (1 Kgs 9:7-8). The failure of the people would result in taunting from their enemies.
Moreover, the people who were called to be a kingdom of priests—the ones through whom the nations would know that the Lord is God (1 Kgs 8:60)—would be instead the focus of ridicule. How important it is that we walk with the Lord “with a heart of integrity and in what is right” (1 Kgs 9:4).
RESPONSE: Live with a heart of integrity.
