King Solomon: How the Corruption Started

Solomon's Four-Part Corruption

Foreign Wife System

1,000 wives and concubines from pagan nations bringing their blood religions to Israel

Unauthorized Temples

Built temples YHWH never asked for, creating religious hierarchy systems

Priest System Creation

Established Levitical priesthood that practiced forbidden human sacrifice

Child Sacrifice Introduction

Brought Molech worship and child burning to the people of YHWH

The Foreign Gods Solomon Served

Ashtoreth
Sidonian goddess of sensual love - temple prostitution and sexual rituals

Molech/Milcom
Ammonite god requiring children thrown into fire as sacrifices

Chemosh
Moabite god demanding human blood offerings and burnt children

Multiple Others
"He built similar shrines for all his foreign wives" - blood religions

"Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods." - 1 Kings 11:7-8

YHWH vs. Solomon: Two Different Religions

YHWH's Way (Pure Hebrew Faith)

No human sacrifice: "You shall not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech" (Leviticus 18:21)
No temples required: "I have not lived in a house... I was traveling with them in a tent" (2 Samuel 7:6)
Forgiveness through repentance: No blood required
Direct relationship: No priest system needed

Solomon's Corruption

Child sacrifice: Threw his own children to Molech
Unauthorized temples: Built what YHWH never asked for
Blood system: Introduced pagan sacrifice requirements
Priest hierarchy: Created Levitical system for control

YHWH Never Asked for Temples

When David proposed building a temple, YHWH said NO:

"Go, tell my servant David: 'This is what YHWH says: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in? I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent.'" - 2 Samuel 7:5-6

Yet David and Solomon ignored YHWH's clear rejection and built temples anyway. Some scholars now recognize that "Solomon's Temple was not God's will but was the product of David's flesh."

YHWH Explicitly Forbids Human Sacrifice

YHWH's position on child sacrifice was crystal clear:

"Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him." - Leviticus 20:2

"They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination." - Jeremiah 32:35

Yet Solomon introduced exactly what YHWH called an "abomination" - the sacrifice of children to foreign gods.

The Progression of Corruption

Pure Hebrew Faith (1400 BC - 1000 BC)

YHWH's name preserved, no human sacrifice, no temple system, direct relationship with YHWH

Solomon's Corruption Begins (970 BC)

Foreign wives bring pagan gods, unauthorized temple built, priest system established

Child Sacrifice Introduced

Molech worship with child burning becomes accepted practice among Solomon's followers

System Spreads

Future kings follow Solomon's example - Ahaz, Manasseh sacrifice their own children

YHWH's Judgment

Both temples destroyed - First Temple (586 BC), Second Temple (70 AD)

YHWH's Verdict: The Temples Were Destroyed

If YHWH wanted temples, they would still be standing.

First Temple

586 BC
Destroyed by Babylonians

Second Temple

70 AD
Destroyed by Romans

No Third Temple

2000+ Years
YHWH prevents rebuilding

The destructions prove YHWH never wanted Solomon's temple system. He allowed them to be destroyed because they represented corruption of pure Hebrew faith.

"Solomon started it. He built shrines to his wives' gods and temples YHWH never asked for. He created the Levitical priests who sacrificed children. YHWH forbids that. YHWH allowed the temples to be destroyed - if He wanted temples, they would still be standing."