Solomon - Affinity with Pharaoh of Egypt

"And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the Lord, and the wall of Jerusalem round about." I Kings 3:1

In this text we see that Solomon made a decision that already would place him in a negative experience regarding the law of God. God had told Israel, and especially her king, that he was not to return unto Egypt. "But he (Israel’s king) shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: foreasmuch as the Lord hath said unto you, "Ye shall henceforth return no more that way." Deuteronomy 17:16. To make affinity with Pharaoh of Egypt is to violate God’s laws in two ways. God told the king not to go back, especially to purchase horses, which we will cover in more detail in a later chapter. And God told Israel to make no covenant with the nations of Canaan, do not worship their gods, and do not give your sons or daughters to them in marriage and do not take their sons or daughters in marriage. God considered His people to be a holy people and a mixed marriage of this kind would turn them from God. See Deuteronomy 7:1-11 and Exodus 34:10-17 This has always been the case in the history of Israel and would the case throughout all time.

In the NT the concept is presented again the following way:
"14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." II Corinthians 6:14-18
So the question would be when God counsels you not to enter into agreement with Egypt, and you proceed anyway, you are breaking the commandments of God.

In addition to entering into this agreement with Pharaoh, Solomon also took Pharaoh’s daughter into a marriage relationship, also violating the above counsel. This is a similar event as the Sons of God taking the daughters of men as wives and turning their hearts from God. Genesis 6:1-6 God warned all of His people through time to not get into mixed religious marriages for it never enhances ones relationship with God, for to enter into the relationship is a violation of God’s expressed will.

Ellen White, in the book Prophets and Kings, comments to this event in Solomon’s life. She refers to this decision as a "terrible mistake". Prophets and Kings page 53. This decision to enter into a marriage relationship with the daughter of Pharaoh sets the stage for further violations of God’s laws and eventually into apostasy. But even here God displays His mercy and patience. She states the following:
"For a time God in His compassionate mercy overruled this terrible mistake; and the king, by a wise course, could have checked at least in a large measure the evil forces that his imprudence had set in operation. But Solomon had begun to lose sight of the Source of his power and glory. As inclination gained the ascendancy over reason, self-confidence increased, and he sought to carry out the Lord's purpose in his own way. He reasoned that political and commercial alliances with the surrounding nations would bring these nations to a knowledge of the true God; and he entered into unholy alliance with nation after nation. Often these alliances were sealed by marriages with heathen princesses. The commands of Jehovah were set aside for the customs of surrounding peoples." Prophets and Kings 53-54

Jesus still loved Solomon and there was hope that Solomon would learn from this mistake, and not to continue to tread upon the commands of God. Even now, with this mistake, God was going to bless Solomon with abundant wisdom and continue to warn and counsel Solomon at Gibeon. Oh, that Solomon would have listened to the words of God and would have chosen not to proceed into this dangerous area.

But where Solomon got into difficulty we can learn from his mistakes. We can rest assured that what God tells us to do something it is for our best benefit to listen and obey Him. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." I John 3:4