It is considered by some estimable brethren that Solomon’s marriage with the daughter of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, is a picture of the union of Christ and the Church―a Gentile wife sharing the throne of Jehovah with the man of His choice. This suggestion, however, presents a difficulty. When Solomon brought up the ark of Jehovah into the city of David, he felt constrained to remove his Egyptian wife elsewhere. 2 Chronicles 8:11 tells us, “Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife shall not dwell in the house of David King of Israel, because the places are holy, whereunto the ark of Jehovah hath come.” The reason assigned for the change is startling! Solomon felt that there was nothing in common between this Egyptian woman and the holy things of God. She was as completely out of fellowship with Solomon spiritually as Michal was with his father (although Michal was of the chosen nation―2 Samuel 6:20). If Solomon was sensitive to the extent of removing Pharaoh’s daughter from proximity to the holy places, why did he marry her? “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Do not his own words suggest that he had blundered in this union? 1 Kings 3:1 suggests that the affair was political in character. The sacred ordinance of marriage should never be used for such ends. True, Solomon gained the important frontier city of Gezer as dowry with his wife. The place was still held by a remnant of Canaanites, whom Egyptian forces exterminated for Solomon’s benefit (1 Kings 9:16). But should not the Ephraimites have taken the place long before, trusting in God? (Josh. 16:10)
The whole business was on a low level, not in keeping with Solomon’s unique position as the man of God’s choice. Faith is nowhere discernible in the matter, and “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23).
It is refreshing to turn from Solomon to Christ. In Ephesians 5:25 we read that He “loved the Church, and gave Himself for it.” None of those whom His grace is bringing thus nigh to Himself possessed naturally any fitness either for His holy company or for those surroundings of glory into which He will introduce His bride at the last. Solomon felt it was impossible to suit the Egyptian to the holy places of Jerusalem, her tastes being at variance with them. Christ, on the contrary, is rendering His own a continuous loving ministry in order to fit every one for all that He has in store. “He has delivered Himself up for it, that He might sanctify it, purifying it by the washing of water by the Word” (J.N.D.). The result: “that He might present the Assembly to Himself glorious, having no spot, or wrinkle, or any of such things; but that it might be holy and blameless.” His Bride, composed largely of Gentile sinners, will be perfectly suited to all His desire, so perfect is His work.
There was, alas, a background to Solomon’s Egyptian marriage. He was in transgression even before he ascended the throne. Although very young, he had already taken to wife an Ammonitish woman, and Rehoboam was the fruit of the union. Seeing that Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, he was a babe of twelve months old when Solomon began to reign. It is twice repeated in 1 Kings 14 that “his mother’s name was Naamah an Ammonitess” (vv. 21-31). The Holy Spirit mentions the fact again in 2 Chronicles 12:13. Solomon’s first marriage was flagrant sin. Here is the divine command: “An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of Jehovah forever.” This was thus the beginning of an evil course which led ultimately to Solomon’s ruin, and also to the ruin of the whole order of things of which he was the divinely appointed center. First, a woman from Ammon; then a woman from Egypt; and later a whole host of women from near and far, who brought their abominable idolatries into Jehovah’s land, and into Solomon’s heart. The Egyptian princess is again expressly mentioned in 1 Kings 11:1 as if she were the advance guard of this host of evil. “King Solomon loved many strange (or foreign) women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh.”
Brethren, let us watch against the beginning of fleshly indulgence in any form. In the light of the great truth that in God’s account we have “died with Christ,” let us “mortify our members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). If fornication is no special snare to us, its twin-brother covetousness may be. Let us beware. It has been truly said: “The slippery path of sin is always trodden with accelerated steps, because the first sin tends to weaken in the soul the authority and power of that which alone can prevent our committing still greater sins—that is, the Word of God, as well as the consciousness of His presence, which imparts to the Word all its practical power over us.”
“Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an unbeliever?” (2 Cor. 6:14-15).
“Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16).