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TODAY’S READING: 1 Kings 2-5

THOUGHTS ON TODAY’S READING:

Death of David (2.1-12) David’s last words to Solomon were wise, pointed, powerful, and yet not effective. Had Solomon heeded the words of his dying father, the kingdom would have continued under the seed of David. Because he disobeyed, division and destruction would come.

The Priest Soldier (2.13-46) We often think of “ministers” of our generation as pansy little sis-boys who just love everyone (Joel Osteen-ish). This couldn’t be further from the truth here. Check out Benaiah and know that he is a “chief priest” according to 1 Chr 27.5 and what do you find him doing…he is executing judgment and death under the authority of the word of the king. Have you ever thought of a Pastor carrying a sword around and killing off the enemies of God? Also check out Elijah in 1 Kings 18 where the Prophet kills 850 idol-worshipping heathens who are fighting against God. Abiathar is spared because he was a priest of God, but the men of war who were guilty of innocent blood were not. Solomon is acting quick to establish a pure kingdom…

The Wisest Idiot to Ever Live (3.1-28) Solomon was met by God in a dream as he offered great sacrifices to Him, and the Lord offered Solomon any request he desired of the Him. Solomon’s request for wisdom to judge the people and perform the task he felt so young to take on was granted by God along with great riches and wealth - God gave “exceeding abundantly above all” Solomon asked because he didn’t ask to “consume it upon his own lusts” (see Eph 3.20 & Jam 4.3). God gives such wisdom to Solomon that “there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.” yet, he was a fool. Solomon would have his heart turned away from God by his many wives, disobey in multiplying to himself riches & horses, and eventually turn his back on God all together to serve idols. How did such a wise man become such a fool??? Maybe it has something to do with his disobedience to the command in Deut 17.18 for the king? An interesting note: the people FEARED Solomon when they saw his ability to JUDGE. One day, the Judge of all the earth will do just that, and it will be a day of great fear. We would do well to prepare for “that day” on this day!

The Kingdom in Full Swing (4.1-34) Solomon’s wisdom was famed abroad more than any of the children of this world. People were traveling from far away to come and hear the teachings of this wise man. Governors were established over the 12 providences which provided for his massive daily operations at the palace described in v.22-23. This was Israel as God always wanted it to be…the center of the nations, the hub of activity, the glory of God on display in this world. The nation will one day return to this same status…and it may be sooner than anyone things.

The Temple (5.1-18) Solomon started one of the largest national work-projects in history with 77,300 men engaged in building the hose of the Lord (the Temple). God even orchestrated for a heathen, lost king to provide the lumber and labor for portions of  His house. There were lots of different jobs that were required in the building of God’s house then, and there are still lost of jobs needed in building His house (church) today. Everyone has a place they need to be working, imagine if the “hewers of stone” just stopped working, the building would have no foundation and would eventually collapse on itself. While shaving a rock may not seem to be such a glamorous job, it is necessary and vital to the house as a whole. The same is true today, many “jobs” within the church aren’t very glamourous or flashy, but they are vital and without those members functioning in those roles it too would be unstable.

TODAY’S READING: 2 Samuel 24 - 1 Kings 1

THOUGHTS ON TODAY’S READING:

An Illustration of Grace (24.1-25) We see here a very powerful illustration of the Grace of God over David’s sin. David decides to number the people (a kind of prideful thing if you consider what’s going on, he wanted to know just how many men were in the army - rather than trust that God would fight their battles for them). In doing so, he disobeyed God’s command to the Israelites (see Exo 30.11ff for how the numbering was to be done, and the differences here in 2 Sam 24). When the act is done, “David’s heart smote him” just as it had with Saul in the cave. The tender heart towards God is necessary of a successful leader of God’s people. God offers David 3 choices as the consequence of sin (remember Gal 6.7 - even with repentance, there are still consequences to sin)! David displays wisdom in verse 14 and chooses to suffer at the hand of God rather than men because “his [God’s] mercies are great” and men wouldn’t be so gracious. David then obeys the Lord in offering a sacrifice for sin upon the altar (death is always required as the payment for sin - Rom 6.23). As David goes to make his sacrifice, he makes a fantastic statement when Araunah offers him the threshing floor and animals of sacrifice as a gift. David responds, “I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing.” We tend to the opposite of that don’t we? We offer to God only when we can still maintain our comfort levels and social status, as long as it costs us nothing…oh for some modern day Davids! A cool note in closing the book of 2 Samuel is the place David purchases and offers…it is the place of Abraham’s offering of Isaac on Mt Moriah in Gen 22, and the place Solomon would later build the temple of God. Out of a moment of great sin, comes great grace…and isn’t that just like our God (Romans 5.8-11,20-21).

The Books of 1 & 2 Kings were originally one book, and still are in Jewish Bibles. Our book of 1 Kings records the transition from David to Solomon as king of Israel and then the decline of the kings into quite a mess. The first half of 1 Kings describes the nation of Israel in it’s greatest glory. Solomon inherited from David a large, wealthy kingdom and would only grow it. Outside of Christ, Solomon was the wisest man to ever live on earth, having been given the wisdom of God (as we have in the Word 1 Cor 2.16). The second half of the book of 1 Kings records the division and turmoil of the Nation of Israel after Solomon’s failure. There is a key turning point in chapter 12, and Solomon fails to “walk before me [God] as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness to do according to all that I have commanded thee” (9.4-5) and instead he did “not keep my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant” (11.11). Solomon is a picture of the anti-Christ in scripture…and he ironically resembles Christ a lot, and even pictures Christ at times, which is just a stronger illustration of how deceptive the true anti-Christ will be (see Matt 24.24)!

Adonijah Rejected, Solomon Anointed (1.1-53) Adonijah was the son of Haggith or “festivity” and made a move to ascend to the throne before David his father could appoint Solomon as was already the plan (2 Sam 7). He reminds us of another who wanted to exalt himself to a throne as king that didn’t belong there either (compare v.5 with Isa 14.12-14). Nathan and Bathsheba act promptly and rescue the kingdom as David appoints Solomon king in his stead. Adonijah runs to the sanctuary and holds to the altar only when his life was in potential danger from Solomon. This is a great illustration of what many people consider their relationship with God to be…not a lifestyle, but an escape from punishment. God never intended to only be our get out of punishment free card, but our entire life (Col 3.1-4).

TODAY’S READING: 2 Samuel 21-23

THOUGHTS ON TODAY’S READING:

Reaping What You Sow, Not Always Immediately (21.1-14) The Israelites were finally at peace again and they had the one God had chosen as king (after His own heart) on the throne, everything should be perfect, right. Wrong. The Bible teaches clearly that we reap what we sow (Gal 6.7), but usually comes with a delay. You plant seeds now and harvest months from now. Saul sinned decades ago, but the Israelites are reaping it now under David’s rule. We must be mindful of the long-term effects of our choices.

New Giants, New Victors (21.15-22) As time passed, the giants multiplied against Israel. It was just Goliath at one point. Now it’s Goliath’s sons, brothers, friends, cousins, uncles, step-children, dry cleaners, paper boy, etc. who are all giants coming to fight against Israel. David (having already defeated one giant) goes into battle and almost loses. Thanks to Abishai, he is rescued. Others prevail to defeat the rest of the giants, but there is a lesson in Abishai. He was David’s nephew. He fought with David in battle and learned the art of war from the very mouth of David and Joab’s cabinet sessions. He knew how to fight because David taught him! Now, when David could no longer defeat the foe, Abishai comes along and uses what he learned from David to win the battle. This is a beautiful picture of discipleship and the ultimate goal…bringing a younger believer to the point of winning battles when we become to weak to win them on our own. 

The Psalmist of Israel (22.1-23.7) As David comes towards the end of his life, finally occupying Jerusalem in peace, he praises God for all the victories. This is not a huge prideful monologue as we would expect from a Saul or an Absalom who would praise their own wit, power, genius, success, and victory, but rather it is a humble exaltation of the God who brought David along the whole way. Now wonder he was the man after God’s own heart!!!

Mighty Men (23.8-39) Here we see illustrated some of the feats of David’s mighty men. They perform acts here that seem to be like something out of a comic book. There are lots of illustrations of valor and honor and the attitude necessary to win in battle. A story is re-told of an earlier time when three had risked their lives to satisfy the longing of the king. David (not willing to consume upon himself what had cost them so much) pours out the water from the well as an offering to God because only the Lord was worthy of such a risk. I wonder what attitude we have about these kinds of things. In a generation that is so full of the attitude of entitlement (I am entitled to all these benefits just because) I doubt we would have the spiritual discernment to truly honor God with the sacrifices of others, but instead use them for our own comfort and satisfaction.

TODAY’S READING: 2 Samuel 18-20

THOUGHTS ON TODAY’S READING:

Absalom’s Death (18.1-33) As the men set themselves up for the battle, David makes a point to his generals about being gentle towards Absalom in they find him in battle, and he does so in the ears of all the people. Later as the battle rages, the woods are killing more of Abaslom’s men than the soldiers are, and Absalom’s horse runs underneath a forked tree branch that catches his neck and more or less pins him there. When one of Joab’s men see this event, he tells Joab who proceeds to stab Absalom 3 times (Joab’s preferred method of execution…Asahel, Abner, Absalom, and Amasa…those guys with “A” names who were enemies of the King didn’t do so well against the blade of Joab…uh-hummm…anyone see that?). When David finally hears the news, he almost loses the support of the people as their “victory is turned into mourning”(19.2). Thanks to some timely, hard, words of a friend (Joab) David responds and the people begin to move and establish him as king again. 

Return to the Throne (19.1-43) Ok, Symbolism time… After the true king (David/Christ) is rejected, crosses Kidron, and spends time away with his true loyal follwers/servants, a great battle ensues between the true king and the one with an “A” name that means “peace” but brings destruction (Absalom) and many fall in the battle, the one who executes the absolute word of the king (Joab) kills the anti-king with 3 equally made swords and moves to restore the King to his throne…does that remind us of anything??? Rev 4-19 maybe? THEN when the king returns, people are presented before him to be judged - Amasa, Shimei, Mephibosheth and are dealt with based on their judgment! 

Sheba’s Rebellion (20.1-26) David no more makes it home than Sheba orchestrates the rebellion of the children of Israel to reject David as their king. As he reigns in Judah he sends Amasa to deal with the insurgence, but he is too slow. Joab takes the opportunity to charge into battle, bring the will of the king to pass, and destroy another who wasn’t 100% obedient to the king’s word with the sword. Often times we find ourselves in situations like this one with David. Great spiritual victories are often followed by great struggles and trials. David couldn’t even finish celebrating the return to Jerusalem before he had another battle on his hands. This battle is easily won when a “wise” peacemaking woman addresses Joab over the wall. She saves her city by killing Sheba. We often think of peacemakers as weak, feeble, soft people. This woman was a peacemaker and she cut off a man’s head and threw it over the wall to Joab! Sometimes in order to make peace, we have to fight battles. Christ will one day reign on this earth with a rod of iron and there will be absolute peace for 1000 years…but there will be a battle first!