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Question:
What do you think about Solomon, who sinned so much against God, committing fornication with so many women and serving many other gods? Was he saved or went to hell? God bless you.
The Bible does not give a clear answer about the fate of King Solomon in eternity. I will try to present here the existing arguments for both positions.
Solomon seriously sinned before God
In 1 Kings we find the following story about the fall and the sins of Solomon:
Now King Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the sons of Israel, “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods.” Solomon held fast to these in love. He had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines, and his wives turned his heart away. For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and after Milcom the detestable idol of the Ammonites. Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not follow the LORD fully, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the detestable idol of the sons of Ammon. Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. Now the LORD was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD had commanded. So the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and you have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you, and will give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days for the sake of your father David, but I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However, I will not tear away all the kingdom, but 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.” (1 Kings 11:1-13)(NASB)
This fall was a great and serious one and the worst is that it is not mentioned in the Bible about a repentance for the sins committed by Solomon. Salvation without repentance is not possible to anyone. There were kings who did much evil throughout their lives, such as Ahab and Manasseh, but they repented for the evil they had done. In fact, Solomon’s father, David, had committed serious sins for which he repented before God and was forgiven, although he suffered serious consequences. We regret that we do not find recorded in the pages of Scripture about Solomon’s repentance, but that does not give us enough reason to believe that there was no repentance.
God promised to not depart His grace from Solomon
Here’s what God promised to King David, Solomon’s father:
When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-16)(NASB)
There is no doubt that the son about whom it is written here is Solomon. He is the descendant of David who came out of his body, he was placed by God as king and he built a house for the name of God. He is also the one who committed iniquity and so, the promise of God that He would not depart from him His lovingkindness, is also about him. Does this promise also refer to his fate in eternity? Or just to the promise that the royal dynasty will not be given to another nation? I let the reader draw his conclusions.
Solomon was aware of God’s judgment
We all know that Solomon was the wisest of men. However, this wisdom was not enough for him to remain faithful to God. His concerns and intellectual quest were recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes and it says that he tried to find pleasure in all, but remained disappointed and at the end of the book, he made these conclusions:
Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. (Ecclesiastes 11:9)(NASB)
And also …
The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)(NASB)
Many Bible scholars believe that the man who wrote these truths could not but repent before death and wrote these things when he was already old. On the other hand, in 1 Kings it is not stated that his wives turned his heart away to other gods when he was old.
Solomon is not listed as a hero of faith
In Chapter 11 of the Epistle to the Hebrews there is a list of the heroes of faith. There Solomon is not mentioned and this is an argument that makes us believe that Solomon will not be saved.
How you see, dear reader, we can not give a complete and clear response on the eternal fate of Solomon. Therefore, seek to enter the New Covenant with Jesus Christ and to live a holy life, so that you will have all the assurance of salvation.
Translated by Felicia Rotaru