Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) Bible-Presbyterian Church (BPC): What spiritual lessons can we learn from Solomon and the divided Jerusalem?

Nov 6, 2026

What spiritual lessons can we learn from Solomon and the divided Jerusalem?

I would draw five important biblical lessons.

Lesson 1: Sin can destroy what previous generations have built.

David established a united kingdom. Solomon inherited peace, prosperity and wisdom. Yet Solomon's unfaithfulness weakened the spiritual foundation of the nation.

A person can build something wonderful but also damage it through disobedience.

Bible reference: 1 Kings 11:1–13.

Application:

- Leaders must remain faithful to God.

- Churches must not sacrifice biblical truth for worldly success.

- Spiritual faithfulness is more important than outward achievements.

Lesson 2: Bad leadership can create division.

Rehoboam had an opportunity to preserve the unity of the kingdom. Instead of listening to the people, he responded with arrogance.

A kingdom that had been united under David and Solomon was divided under his leadership.

Bible reference: 1 Kings 12:1–19.

Application:

Church leaders must exercise wisdom, humility and patience. Leadership is not about demonstrating authority but serving God's people.

Jesus taught:

"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant." (Matthew 20:26).

Lesson 3: Religious division does not necessarily mean God has abandoned His people.

Even after the kingdom divided, God continued speaking through His prophets.

He sent Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and others to call His people back to Him.

God continued to preserve His covenant promises despite the failures of human leaders.

This teaches us that God's faithfulness is greater than human unfaithfulness.

Lesson 4: Jesus came to bring reconciliation.

One of the most touching passages is Luke 19:41–44.

When Jesus approached Jerusalem, He wept over the city.

He knew that Jerusalem would experience destruction because its people did not recognise the time of God's visitation.

Jesus did not celebrate the destruction of Jerusalem. He wept over it.

This gives us an important understanding of Christ's heart.

He came to seek the lost, forgive sinners and reconcile humanity to God.

Through His death and resurrection, Jesus brings people together through the Gospel.

Ephesians 2:14 says:

"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility."

This passage originally addresses the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles through Christ. It gives us a powerful principle for understanding Christian unity.

The Church must not become another place of division, hatred and hostility.

Lesson 5: The ultimate hope is the New Jerusalem.

The Bible does not end with a divided Jerusalem.

It ends with the vision of the New Jerusalem.

Read Revelation 21:1–4.

John saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.

There will be:

- No more death.

- No more mourning.

- No more crying.

- No more pain.

- God dwelling with His people.

This is the ultimate hope of Christians.

Our hope is not simply that East Jerusalem and West Jerusalem will become politically united. Our ultimate hope is that God's kingdom will be fully established through Jesus Christ.

6. A theological conclusion: From Solomon's divided kingdom to Christ's New Jerusalem

We can understand the biblical story through this progression:

David

Unity under God's covenant

Jerusalem becomes the capital of a united kingdom.

2 Samuel 5–6

Solomon

Unfaithfulness and idolatry

The king's heart turns away from God.

1 Kings 11

Rehoboam

The kingdom is divided

Israel and Judah become two kingdoms.

1 Kings 12

Jesus Christ

The Saviour who brings reconciliation

Through the cross, Christ reconciles sinners to God and brings people together.

Ephesians 2:13–18

New Jerusalem

The everlasting kingdom of God

God dwells with His people forever.

Revelation 21:1–4

My final reflection

There is a powerful message here for the Church today.

Jerusalem was the city of David, the city of Solomon's Temple, the city where Jesus was crucified and resurrected, and the city where the early Church began its mission.

Yet throughout history, Jerusalem has experienced division, destruction, war and conflict.

The story of Solomon reminds us that even a prosperous kingdom can fall into division when its leaders turn away from God.

However, we must not conclude that every modern conflict is a direct punishment for Solomon's sin. The Bible does not make that connection.

Instead, we should learn from the history of Israel and seek to become people who pursue faithfulness, humility, justice, peace and reconciliation.

The lesson is this: Solomon's kingdom was divided because of unfaithfulness, but Jesus Christ came to reconcile people to God and to one another. Our final hope is not in an earthly kingdom, but in the everlasting kingdom of God.

One passage I would particularly encourage you to use is Psalm 122:6:

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure."

We should pray for Jerusalem, for Israelis and Palestinians, for Jews, Christians and Muslims, and especially for peace, justice, mercy and the protection of innocent people.

That is a Christian response shaped by the heart of Christ.

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The Purpose in writing this blog

The authors are full-time ordained ministers and preachers in the Bible Presbyterian Church in Singapore. The goal of this blog is to encourage all Bible Presbyterian pastors, elders, and leaders, as well as the flocks they serve, to turn to the Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ. To unite under the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Accepting our minor differences while focusing on the cross. Being described as one family under God the Father. We are called to be together in our diversity. Pride is the fault of all Bible Presbyterian Churches worldwide. Lust has blinded theologians at Far Eastern Bible College. It is at this heavy, serious, and gloomy moment in our Christian walk, rebuking these pastors and theologians, the remarks in this blog are heavy and severe in order to prompt them to repentance. May God help and bless us.

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell; The third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead; I believe in the Holy Ghost; I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen.

Nicene Creed

We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.

LUTHER'S MORNING PRAYER

Errors in King James Version

Read Romans 8:26...the KJV has "the Spirit itself..." This is an error; the Holy Spirit is our God, and we must address Him correctly! How may "itself" be used to approach God, the Holy Spirit? "It" is used to address an item or an animal, not a person or God! The KJV translators had insulted the Holy Spirit! However, in another verse, the KJV translators used the term "him" to designate Satan. What an insult to KJV readers! Read Luke 11:18: "...if Satan also be divided against himself..." The KJV uses the phrase "himself..." when addressing Satan! The KJV translator used "it" for the Holy Spirit, but "him" for Satan!!! Mark 3:28 "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, Mark 3:29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"

One Another

Unity In Diversity for Bible Presbyterian Churches in Singapore Like a peal of bells the word allelon-'one another'-rings through the pages of the New Testament. 'Accept one another' allelon 'Serve one another' allelon 'Wash one another's feet' 'Confess your sins one to another' 'Pray one for another' 'Forbearing one another and forgiving each other' 'Teaching and admonishing one another' 'Comfort one another and build each other up' 'Bear one another's burdens' 'Love one another as I have loved you' Those who have the flow of mutuality in their relationship with each other need not be vocal or exuberant in expressing it.

John Calvin's consent

To new readers, I greet you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, may God grant us good theologians, humble servants of the Lord, and faithful believers in these last days, may God use this blog to call some one for self searching and repentance, and here we are blogging in theological debates. In 1547, Jacques Gruet, he was arrested by Calvin, tortured for a month and beheaded on July 26, 1547.. The civil court condemned him to death and, with Calvin's consent, he was beheaded. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Calvin) John Calvin consented to kill a man for his theological stand, but I rather use strong words to achieve that!

Statement

1. The authors of this blog do not believe that the KJV Bible is the perfect Bible. The KJV has problems and inaccuracies because it is a man-made translation. 2. The inerrant Bible is in the autograph. All subsequent copies of Hebrew and Greek manuscripts have God's Written Word. We have God's written Word preserved in the NIV, KJV, and ESV. 3. There is no such notion as Verbal Plenary Preservation on a single TR Greek Text underlying the KJV, and the authors do not believe that the entire Greek text underlying the KJV Bible, or the TR, is error-free. 4. The authors believe that the Bible was inspired verbally and plenarily preserved in NIV, KJV, ESV, NESB….other faithful Bible versions. 5. The authors recommend NKJV, NIV, ESV, and NLT New Living Translation. 6. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the living Word.