1 Kings 11:1
“But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;”
There were two words in Solomon’s life that destroyed the latter years of his life. Solomon was a good king. When you look at the kings that Israel had, he was easily at the top of those who were spiritual. Face it, God used him to pen the Book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Yet, two little words destroyed his life.
The first word is found in 1 Kings 3:3 when it says, “And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.” Notice, he loved the LORD and he obeyed what his father told him to do. If the verse had ended there it would be great, but the verse continues and says, “only.” The word “only” is another word for “unfortunately.” In other words, God was saying he did right, but unfortunately he sacrificed and burnt incenses “in high places.”
The second word is found in the verse above when it says, “But king Solomon loved many strange women,…” Solomon did right, “but.” If that three letter word had not been in Solomon’s life, imagine how different his life would have ended. If that three letter word had not been in his life, he would have never served other gods at the end of his life.
It is amazing that a man who did so much for God was destroyed by the two words, “only” and “but.” Solomon built the temple, “but.” Solomon made a place for God to be worshipped, “but.” Solomon penned two books in the Scriptures, “but.” Solomon was known for how he worshipped God, “only.” The Queen of Sheba was impressed by how Solomon and his servants conducted themselves around the palace and how they served God, “only.”
Friend, these two words will destroy your life as well. There should never be a “but” and “only” in your life. God doesn’t want most of what you do to be right, He wants all of what you do to be right. God doesn’t want you to serve him six days a week, but He wants you to serve Him seven days a week.
Sadly, it can be said about many Christians that they did right, “only.” God doesn’t want you to put away some of your sins, but He wants you to put away all of your sins. God doesn’t want partial obedience, but God wants complete obedience. It doesn’t matter how much good you do, if there is an “only” in your life, then it will eventually destroy you.
Let me ask you, what is the “but” and “only” in your life? Whatever the “but” and “only” is in your life, you need to do your best to remove them. God should never be able to say about you, “but” and “only.” Those two words destroyed Solomon in the latter years of his life, and they will destroy you if you don’t remove them.