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[gmw803]

.... and if you find the time, why do you so think?

A. Adam
B. Solomon
C. Nebuchadnezzar

[jimwalton]

Great question. It's pretty tough to evaluate the spiritual condition of the ancients, but I'll give you my opinion.

Adam. Yes. His one great and debilitating sin doesn't disqualify him from heaven, any more than it would for me or you. Eve's statement in Gn. 4.25 makes it sound like the two of them are still God-oriented and it shows that they may have faith in God. In Gn. 5.3 Adam had another son who is named for us, Seth. As far as we know, Seth was a godly man (only because the line of Seth seems to be a godly family of people from one generation to the next). I'm left to surmise that Adam taught him to be godly much as he most likely taught Abel to be godly. On those scant mentions, I would expect to see Adam in heaven.

Solomon. Yes. The beginning of Solomon's reign (1 Kings) gives me much to chew on in seeing in him a godly person. His comments, the temple (1 Ki. 6.11), the dedication ceremony, and his prayer (1 Ki. 8.22ff.) all lead me to believe he was a man of faith as Hebrews 11 would define it, even though Solomon is not listed in Hebrews 11 (that's no matter; many godly people weren't). As it turns out, Solomon was a deeply conflicted, weak, and compromising man, but stupidity and even sinful compromise don't keep us out of heaven. He did some terribly ungodly things (1 Ki. 11.6, 7), turning his heart away from the Lord, and was judged by God for them (1 Ki. 11.9ff.). Did he forfeit his place in the Kingdom? Tough to know. His children (his royal line) followed him historically in Judah, and some of them were godly people, even though none of the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel were. All in all I would guess we'll see Solomon in heaven. Maybe.

Nebuchadnezzar. No. In Daniel 2.48 he recognizes YHWH as superior over his Babylonian deities, but this by no means signifies that he abandoned his pagan views. He didn't recognize YHWH as the only true God, but only as a deity more powerful than his other deities. Again, in 3.28 he praises their God for his power and rescue, but that doesn't mean he swears any fealty. Then he changes public policy (3.29). In chapter 4 Neb is still defiant against God, but by 4.34-37 we see the most definitive statement ever, and it's the last we hear from Nebuchadnezzar. Wood says, "The question is debated as to whether he may have come to the place of true conversion. What he is saying is that the God of Daniel is supreme in power to do miracles, has full dominion over all men forever, is fully honest and equitable in all His works and ways with men, and that he (the king) is now giving himself regularly to the praise of him." This is the 3rd mention of YHWH-praise coming from his lips. It's certainly possible that Neb will be in heaven, but my guesses are that he was a polytheist through and through, and all of his statements are defined in that context. There is no indication he ever used his great political influence to establish Yahwism in Babylon, despite his glowing words. My guess would be no.

These are all opinions. We really have no way of knowing the answer to your question about any of these three, and I'm confident you know that, but are asking the question as a curiosity.

[gmw803]

Good answer, Jim.

2 Yesses and 1 No. Just as I selected - with the same cautions of course.