When Everything Falls Apart
When Everything Falls Apart, God Remains Faithful
As I worked through 1 Kings 8–9, 2 Chronicles 7, and Psalm 89 this week in my Reading Through the Bible in a Year plan, one theme rose above everything else:
The faithfulness of God.
At first glance, the story doesn’t seem like it should be about faithfulness at all.
It’s the story of Solomon—a man blessed with extraordinary wisdom, immense wealth, and unparalleled opportunity. He built the temple, led Israel during a season of peace and prosperity, and experienced God’s blessing in remarkable ways.
Yet Solomon did not finish well.
His heart gradually drifted from wholehearted devotion to the Lord. After his death, the kingdom divided. Idolatry spread. The northern kingdom eventually fell to Assyria, and the southern kingdom later fell to Babylon.
If we only looked at the circumstances, it might appear that everything had fallen apart.
And that is exactly where Psalm 89 meets us.
The psalmist wrestles with a difficult question: If God promised David an everlasting dynasty, why does it seem as though His promises are failing?
The answer is found in God’s character.
God had promised David an enduring kingdom, but He had also promised to discipline David’s descendants when they turned away from Him. Both promises were true. Both promises were being fulfilled.
God’s faithfulness was not absent in the blessing, nor was it absent in the discipline.
In Psalm 89:34, God declares:
“I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.”
What a powerful reminder.
God is faithful to every promise He makes.
He was faithful when He blessed Solomon.
He was faithful when He disciplined Israel.
He was faithful when the kingdom divided.
And He was faithful to preserve His covenant promises through generations of failure and rebellion.
As I reflected on these passages, my mind drifted back to our trip to Israel.
I remember standing on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. Before me stood a city that has been conquered, destroyed, rebuilt, and fought over countless times throughout history.
The Jewish people were scattered among the nations for nearly two thousand years.
Yet God preserved them. In 1948 Israel once again became a nation. Ezekiel’s prophecy of the dry bones coming together came true.
Just as He promised.
Standing there, I was reminded that God’s promises are not fragile. They do not expire. They are not dependent upon human circumstances.
The God who made promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and Israel has not forgotten a single one.
His faithfulness remains unchanged.
And the same is true for us today.
When life is confusing, God is faithful.
When circumstances seem to contradict His promises, God is faithful.
When people fail, God is faithful.
When we are tempted to doubt, God is faithful.
No wonder the psalmist could say:
“I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD forever; with my mouth I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 89:1).
This week’s reading reminded me that kingdoms rise and fall, circumstances change, and people often disappoint. But one thing never changes:
The faithfulness of God.
