Book Review of King Solomon by Phillip Graham Ryken

Israel was never more powerful than in the years when Solomon was their king. Having had his predescessor and father David establish the kingdom, Solomon was able to grow the nation of Israel in power and wealth. Yet it is the lust for power, wealth, and sex that ended up poisoning Solomon's life, and diminishing the kingdom for each generation that followed.

KING SOLOMON chronicles the life of Solomon. It in author Phillip Graham Ryken shares about how blessed and gifted Solomon was by God as a leader of Israel. He shares the different ways that Solomon starts well in relationship to God and his subjects. Then it shows how Solomon's life was diminished by allowing himself to be subject to the desires for wealth, power and sex.

This book, while telling the story of Solomon, makes quick work of drawing parallels between the life of Solomon and the temptations he faced with the plight of Western Christians and Western Christendom as a whole. Many in the church, and much of the church as a whole, is also easily tempted to surrender their mission in order to be sucessful, powerful, and financially secure. KING SOLOMON teaches us that comprimise to these temptation ultimately destroys lives, kingdoms and cultures, so we better be beware.

In the book KING SOLOMON, Ryken has written and intelligent and prophetic book that will challenge many of us. With a study guide in the back the book would be great for individual study and for group study. The book is an easy read, but its message is not easy to hear. We would, however, be wise to heed it.