1 Kings
1 – 4
This opens with David on his death bed and his sons
struggling for the throne. Adonijah in the initial struggle comes out on top,
until David in verse 1:30 names Solomon his successor:
today I will uphold what I promised to you by the Eternal,
the God of Israel, when I said, “Your son, Solomon, will reign as king after
me. He will inherit my throne.”
I have always
found it interesting how David chose his youngest as his successor, since
tradition usually had the eldest. Although since Saul did not hand his throne
down to family and David was the first to do so, guess there really was no
tradition at this time.
Verse 2:4 has
simple rules for David, Solomon and their successors:
for the Eternal will be faithful to His promise to me throughout your life. He
promised me, “For as long as your sons are devoted to Me and live by My truth
and embrace it with all their being, your offspring will always sit upon
Israel’s throne.”
It’s a simple
order, yet we find the family does not follow it over time.
Verse 3:9 is one
of the most telling verses on Solomon:
Please give Your servant a listening heart for judging Your
people and for knowing the difference between what is good and what is evil.
Who is capable of judging Your chosen ones, a great people?
He is not looking
for “wealth and pelf and fame and name and all of that noise” (Pippin- Simple
Joys), the world’s definition of “happiness,” but rather what would make him a
great ruler. This is very important in Solomon’s initial kingdom, since people
came from far and wide to see him and experience his wisdom. This makes Solomon
one of the great leaders of Israel!
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