March 21 - I Kings 1-3
David even faced challenges at the end of his forty year reign. Adonijah, Absolom's brother, set himself up as king even though David had made it plain that Solomon was his successor. This created some tension for a short time, but it did bring out who was really loyal to David, so God used this situation to further the kingdom, too. God is always working to bring about His purposes even in a difficult situation like this.
After Solomon was proclaimed king, David gave him some advice. It might seem strange that he told Solomon to kill several people, whom he had not killed himself, but I don't think it was really that unusual. When it comes to a parent and a child, the parent always wants better for the child than he or she had, and the parent is usually protective of the child. Here David points out people who could cause trouble for Solomon and tells him to deal with them. I do not think it means that David was insincere in his relationship with these people. He was comfortable to have them around when he was in charge, but he did not think it would be good for his son. Also, it was evident that Adonijah was just a deceiver like his brother, so he had to be removed, too. It may seem cruel that these people were killed, but we do live in a very cruel world. When it comes to governing a country, sometimes drastic steps have to be taken to ensure the defense of the country from enemies from without or from within. All of this served to establish Solomon firmly as king of all Israel.
As Solomon began his reign, he got off on the wrong foot almost immediately. He brought in Pharaoh's daughter as his wife to seal a treaty. Then, it tells us he was sacrificing on the high places instead of in the Tabernacle only as God had said. These two things show us that he was opening himself to pagan influences from the very beginning. However, God still gave him a chance to be faithful to Him and receive His blessing. He granted Solomon great wisdom, because of Solomon's response to His appeal to him. God was willing to bless him with any kind of blessing, but Solomon asked for understanding to rule the people. This so pleased God that He gave him more wisdom than any human has ever had, and He added other blessings, too. However, God used this time of blessing to remind Solomon of how important it was to obey God's laws. David had already told him this, too, before his death. This was Solomon's chance to renounce the pagan influences and fully follow the Lord. God gives us all this choice and all we need to follow His will for our lives. We have to make the choice to trust Him and not the way of the world.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 4-6.
After Solomon was proclaimed king, David gave him some advice. It might seem strange that he told Solomon to kill several people, whom he had not killed himself, but I don't think it was really that unusual. When it comes to a parent and a child, the parent always wants better for the child than he or she had, and the parent is usually protective of the child. Here David points out people who could cause trouble for Solomon and tells him to deal with them. I do not think it means that David was insincere in his relationship with these people. He was comfortable to have them around when he was in charge, but he did not think it would be good for his son. Also, it was evident that Adonijah was just a deceiver like his brother, so he had to be removed, too. It may seem cruel that these people were killed, but we do live in a very cruel world. When it comes to governing a country, sometimes drastic steps have to be taken to ensure the defense of the country from enemies from without or from within. All of this served to establish Solomon firmly as king of all Israel.
As Solomon began his reign, he got off on the wrong foot almost immediately. He brought in Pharaoh's daughter as his wife to seal a treaty. Then, it tells us he was sacrificing on the high places instead of in the Tabernacle only as God had said. These two things show us that he was opening himself to pagan influences from the very beginning. However, God still gave him a chance to be faithful to Him and receive His blessing. He granted Solomon great wisdom, because of Solomon's response to His appeal to him. God was willing to bless him with any kind of blessing, but Solomon asked for understanding to rule the people. This so pleased God that He gave him more wisdom than any human has ever had, and He added other blessings, too. However, God used this time of blessing to remind Solomon of how important it was to obey God's laws. David had already told him this, too, before his death. This was Solomon's chance to renounce the pagan influences and fully follow the Lord. God gives us all this choice and all we need to follow His will for our lives. We have to make the choice to trust Him and not the way of the world.
Tomorrow, I intend to read I Kings 4-6.