Solomon’s Decline
Category: Failure of covenant faithfulness
Could endure: Walk in God’s ways and keep the covenant.
“If you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness… I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever.” (1 Kings 9:4–5)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 17:17–20; Psalm 119:1.
Chose wrongly: Married foreign wives and turned to idols.
“King Solomon… loved many foreign women… his wives turned his heart after other gods.” (1 Kings 11:1–4)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 7:3–4; Nehemiah 13:26.
Endured (negatively): Enemies raised up against him, kingdom divided after his death.
“Since this is your attitude… I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you.” (1 Kings 11:11)
Cross-Refs: 1 Kings 12:16–20; Hosea 8:4.
Why (wrong motive): Love of women, compromise, divided heart.
“His heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God.” (1 Kings 11:4)
Cross-Refs: Matthew 6:24; James 1:8.
Result: Kingdom fractured, legacy stained.
“So the LORD said to Solomon, ‘Since this is your attitude… I will tear the kingdom away from you.’” (1 Kings 11:11)
Cross-Refs: Ecclesiastes 2:11; Proverbs 14:12.
Jeroboam’s Golden Calves
Category: Failure of worship & leadership
Could endure: Rule Israel in obedience to God’s covenant.
“If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me… I will build you a dynasty.” (1 Kings 11:38)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 6:13–14; Psalm 119:2.
Chose wrongly: Made golden calves to prevent people from going to Jerusalem.
“He made two golden calves… ‘Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’” (1 Kings 12:28)
Cross-Refs: Exodus 32:4; Hosea 8:5–6.
Endured (negatively): His sin became a snare for all Israel.
“This thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other.” (1 Kings 12:30)
Cross-Refs: 1 Kings 13:33–34; 2 Kings 17:21–22.
Why (wrong motive): Fear of losing power and people.
“If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah.” (1 Kings 12:27)
Cross-Refs: Proverbs 29:25; John 12:43.
Result: Jeroboam’s dynasty destroyed.
“Because of the sins he had committed… the house of Jeroboam was destroyed.” (1 Kings 15:29–30)
Cross-Refs: 2 Kings 10:29; Hosea 10:5.
Ahab & Jezebel
Category: Failure of truth & justice
Could endure: Lead Israel in covenant faithfulness.
“I have found David… a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” (Acts 13:22, contrast with Ahab)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 17:18–19; Psalm 78:72.
Chose wrongly: Promoted Baal worship, murdered Naboth.
“Ahab son of Omri did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him.” (1 Kings 16:30–31)
Cross-Refs: 1 Kings 21:25; 2 Kings 17:16.
Endured (negatively): Prophetic judgment, violent deaths.
“In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!” (1 Kings 21:19)
Cross-Refs: 1 Kings 22:38; 2 Kings 9:30–37.
Why (wrong motive): Covetousness, idolatry, manipulation.
“There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.” (1 Kings 21:25)
Cross-Refs: Micah 6:16; James 3:16.
Result: Dynasty wiped out, Jezebel thrown down.
“When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, ‘Have you come in peace, Jehu?’ ‘How can there be peace,’ Jehu replied, ‘as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?’” (2 Kings 9:22)
Cross-Refs: 2 Kings 9:33–37; Revelation 2:20.
False Prophets
Category: Failure of truth & courage
Could endure: Speak the word of the LORD.
“But Micaiah said, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.’” (1 Kings 22:14)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 18:18–19; Jeremiah 1:7–8.
Chose wrongly: Prophesied lies to please the king.
“Now Zedekiah… made iron horns. He declared, ‘This is what the LORD says: With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’” (1 Kings 22:11)
Cross-Refs: Jeremiah 23:16; Ezekiel 13:6–7.
Endured (negatively): Exposed when Ahab was killed despite their words.
“So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead… and the king of Israel was killed.” (1 Kings 22:29, 37)
Cross-Refs: Deuteronomy 18:20; Zechariah 13:3.
Why (wrong motive): Fear of man, desire for favor.
“The other prophets are all predicting success… Let your word agree with theirs.” (1 Kings 22:13)
Cross-Refs: Isaiah 30:10; Galatians 1:10.
Result: Shamed, truth vindicated by Micaiah.
“Micaiah declared, ‘If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.’” (1 Kings 22:28)
Cross-Refs: Lamentations 2:14; 2 Thessalonians 2:11.