This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
Bruce McGee,Pastor
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Bro. Bruce's commentaries for the
books of Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus are
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COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
1KINGS
15 And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
16 And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
17 And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:
19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.
20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
22 And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
23 And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25 For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.
26 But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
Yesterday we left off realizing that God wants Christians to be informed concerning political activities; and that God wants us to study His word so we can offer meaningful advice.
28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
29 And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
30 Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.
31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
32 And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.
35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.
37 As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.
David issued some swift instructions. First, he spoke to Bathsheba and assured her that he would be faithful to God's promise. This is the way of a "good" king - to follow God's WILL regardless of what he might WANT for himself.
38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.
39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
41 And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
42 And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.
43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.
44 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule:
45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.
46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
47 And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
48 And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
The men did as they were instructed: a great parade TO Gihon, and a great parade BACK from Gihon to the throne. Crowds cheered and praised God when Solomon took the place of authority.
49 And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
Adonijah now felt great fear! He realized that what David had done counteracted all his plans. He was in TROUBLE!
51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
52 And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.
53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.
This now, is an interesting thing. Solomon is not yet king, but it is HE who is established as RULER. When he was told of Adonijah's actions, he made a very wise statement. He said, (in effect), "If Adonijah proves himself day by day to be worthy, then he shall be saved. However, if he proves unfaithful to his king - he shall DIE!" Please continue with us in daily Bible study.
CHAPTER 1B
Today, we see that Nathan and Bathsheba completed their plan to offer suggestive advice to the king. Bathsheba asked David about the situation. Just then Nathan came in, and Bathsheba gladly deferred to him and allowed him to take over the conversation.
Nathan told David that certain people were already heralding Adonijah as the king (verse 25).
He also made sure that David understood that Adonijah had not invited the more honorable men.
"It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness."(Proverbs 16:12)
Second, David told the co-High Priest Zadok (along with Nathan) to "anoint" Solomon as king and successor to David.
They were first to conduct a "parade" so that everyone would know what they were doing. Solomon was to be placed on David's personal mule. EVERYONE would know that this was DAVID'S decision when they saw Solomon on that mule.
Then they were to anoint Solomon at "Gihon." This was a spring-like crack in a rock which provided Jerusalem with its main watersource. David wanted everyone to know that Solomon was to be the MAIN MAN!
Third, they were to bring Solomon back and set him on David's THRONE. From that day on, Solomon would rule as David's regent. Even though David was still king, Solomon was his "appointed ruler." (See verse 35).
Benaiah, probably David's closest friend and supporter, had been called to the meeting when David gave his instructions. He couldn't contain his emotions. He blurted out "AMEN!" He followed that hearty amen with a statement that makes us know he understood God had already said for Solomon to be king. And his prayer for Solomon was that God would bless him as he had David, and even more.
Adonijah, Abiathar and Joab heard the noise. About that time Jonathan, Abiathar's son, came in and told them what had happened. He left out no details.
So he went to the tabernacle and in the courtyard he took hold of the horns of the altar. This was to signify that he wanted forgiveness. This was the place where the high priest put the blood of the yearly sacrifice for the sins of the people (Exodus 30:10).
"Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy."(Proverbs 20:28)
What a statement to Christians of today! We have been granted forgiveness by our Lord and King, Jesus. Let us be FAITHFUL! For when we sin, and we all do, we are worthy of DEATH! Thank God for His GRACE and MERCY!
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."(1John 1:9)
Adonijah came and bowed before Solomon demonstrating repentance and obedience. Just remember: all who make a SHOW of repentance do not necessarily have a genuine change of heart. Because for some, it is just a SHOW - and not a real COMMITMENT!
Again, let me say that the events of political unrest and wrong can be changed by Christians who are kept informed and utilize godly advice in the appropriate time and place. That's what Nathan and Bathsheba did.