Proverbs 1:1—How could Solomon’s writings be part of the Scripture since 1 Kings 11:6 said Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord?

Problem: Solomon began his reign as a man who loved the Lord (1 Kings 3:3). Later in his life he began to turn away from following the Lord and did that which was evil in God’s sight. How can the writings of an evil man become Scripture?

Solution: The reason any book is in the Bible is not based upon the life of the human author, but on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16, cf. 2 Peter 1:20–21). Every human author was a sinful human being. It is by the grace of God that humans were used to communicate God’s revelation. Solomon asked God for the capacity to judge Israel and to “discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9). Solomon’s writings are in the Bible because God supernaturally spoke to him (1 Kings 3:10–15) and gave him wisdom to share with others. In short, he was a prophet or mouthpiece through whom God spoke, imperfect though he was.

This excerpt is from When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992). © 2014 Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Click here to purchase this book.