SOLOMON SUCCEEDS DAVID’S THRONE (1 Kings 2 note)

1 Kings 2

Key Verse: 46b

1.           What was David’s last Will for Solomon? (1-4) How can Solomon be strong, a man, and prosperous?

a.       At his death bed, King David gave two charges to Solomon.

                                             i.            First, he must be strong and act like a man: He became king when he was very young (age 14 - 20?). He had seven older brothers. David might have charged him to be strong and to act like a man in consideration of these two factors.

                                           ii.            He told Solomon to observe what the Lord required: walk in obedience to Him. Keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations as written in the Law of Moses.
It may be that to be strong and to act like a man is to observe what the Lord requires.
It is observed that obeying the Law is not easy; actually very difficult; how one can do this:

                                         iii.            Practical tip how to do: memorizing the word so that the word of God might sink in the depth of our hearts (Gideon)
to believe in and stand on God’s promise (John Na)
The more we realize, the more difficult it is to obey the commands (Paulus)
Relax/be flexible as it is with mountain biking competition (Whit)
Hold on to the words of God and struggle, like Jesus , like Paul, meeting with Christ face to face (Richard)

                                         iv.            Other understanding of being strong and acting like a man: doing things responsibly
in fear and respect to the Lord

                                           v.            Become keenly aware of the outcome or purpose: that is that he may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that his kingdom may last forever according to God’s promise.

“Be strong and act like a man” is reminiscent of what God charged to Joshua as he was about to assume as the leader of the nation (Josh 1:6, 7, 9).

Since this phrase appears here (Joshua 1) the first time in the Bible, and was also given by God to His chosen leader, Joshua.  Since the context of David’s giving this charge to the newly established King, Solomon, is similar to Joshua, the meaning of this phrase is more or less the same as ‘be strong and courageous’. When we examine what God said to Joshua more carefully, it will enlighten our understanding of this phrase.  God said this to Joshua three times (Josh 1:6,7.9).  Joshua’s attitude toward the Lord was characterized by the word “wholehearted or wholeheartedly” to the Lord ( 6 times: Num, Deut, and Joshua) and was greatly commended by God for such ‘faith’.  In other words, Joshua’s wholehearted mind and God’s encouragement to be strong and courageous has closely tied together.

First, Josh 1:6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land, I swore to their ancestors to give them. (Jos 1:1 NIV)

Joshua was about to assume a great responsibility to lead the nation into the land of God’s blessing. So was Solomon to lead the nation as the sole leader/authority of the nation as king. So to be strong and courageous is to recognize the call for the duty for the nation as a whole; heavy responsibility or enormous weight of one’s duty that will affect the nation. This is also to keep one’s eyes on God’s ultimate purpose/goal for this duty.  Solomon realizing these, he asked for God’s help, “wisdom”

Second, Josh 1:7 "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you…  .” In Keeping the law of Covenant, he must pour out all his strength to follow the Law. David said the same thing to Solomon (1 King 2:3) It is to obey to the end seeing God’s blessing waiting for him.

Third, Josh 1: 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." He must have a confidence that God is with him.

Simply it is to have a confidence in God’s provisions for the task given to him. For Joshua, the confidence is in the fact that GOD was with him; This is also true for Solomon for he had full endorsement of his father David, the servant of God. For us, the confidence is our Lord Jesus, who redeemed us of our sins and has made us his children.

This confidence in the Lord opens a new freedom for us and removes all fears and uncertainties. John spoke of this confidence that comes through three knowledges in 1 John 5:18-20.  Jesus also spoke about this freedom; John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

How can we be strong and be a man to take the heavy and enormous tasks? It is to find our confidence in knowing and believing Christ who not only redeemed all our sin but also revealed all the truth. In the comprehensiveness of the truth in and of Christ, we are free and become courageous, and become strong

It seems that what God wanted to see in His people was found first in Joshua, the wholehearted mind; this spirit was to be the commanding spirit that runs His kingdom. This is what David displayed in his first fight against Goliath and God was happy to call him a man after God’s own heart. This spirit must be in all the kings after him. David in this hope charged Solomon to have and to display this is the spirit. Certainly, we know by history that this spirit dissipated quickly in succeeding generation. In Jesus, the true king for His people, is the full-blown form of such spirit displayed. (L Lim)   

2.           What instructions did David give Solomon regarding Joab, Barzillai and Shimei? (5-9) How was David’s throne succeeded to Solomon? (10-12)

a.       David directed Solomon what to do on three people; punish Joab for his murder and Shimei for his rebellion; and honor Barzillai

                                             i.            It is commented that in order to secure the kingdom and his throne, Solomon had to remove these two and support those who was loyal to the dynasty. This is to say that for his personal goal, or for the dynasty of King David, he had to get rid of all his political enemies or rebellions; Shimei being a good example for he was one of the Saulites.

                                           ii.            David spoke of Joab’s murder, and Shimei’s guilty (2:9). This means that removing these two were not a revenge for their rebellion but because they violated the Law; When a king overlooks the violation of the Law of God, and let the sin slide by without proper punishment, he himself is culpable for the sin since he is the ruler of the nation and God entrusted His kingdom according to the Law of Moses.

b.       Barzillai: while David was running away from Absalom, Barzillai brought his full support for David.

                                             i.            At a glance, it is obvious that since Barzilai supported while he was running away from Absalom, it is more than reasonable to honor him. If this is so, then, it relies on one simple rule; “I do favor for those who favor me” 

                                           ii.            David saw in him something different from all others that came out to supported him when he was running and when he was returning to Jerusalem. He was so old and yet accompanied David as he was crossing Jordan River and denied David’s favor. I think that David saw in him ‘hezed love’ of God; fear of the King and true honor respect for what David stood for. This godly character stood in contrast to these two opportunistic loyalists.

                                         iii.            It is a strong denial of such human loyalists who have no fear of God that David’s life embodied and strong support for those who saw ‘God’s love’ in David and give proper respect and honor to that love.

                                         iv.            , Interestingly all of these three showed their true color when David was running away from Joab committed a murder; though he supported king David with his valor along with his two other brothers, for his personal gain, he killed two innocent men. According to the Law, he must die

3.           Why & how did Solomon deal with Adonijah (13-25, 1:5), Abiathar (26,27, 1:7), Joab (28-35, 1:7; 2 Sa 3:27, 20:10), and Shimei (36-46a; 2Sa 16:7)? What does this chapter tell us? (12, 35b, 46b)

a.       Adonijah: try to commit adultery with David’s concubine Abishag. Bathsheba did not discern what was wrong with Adonijah’s request because she herself committed adultery.

                                                               i.      Solomon saw Adonijah’s request as something of an unquenched desire for kingship (You might as well request the kingdom for him v22). So it is likely that Adonijah failed to honor the Lord who established Solomon as the king of His kingdom Israel; here, what Solomon said to him before is somewhat important “ 1 Kings 1:52 Solomon replied, "If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die." (1Ki 1:52 NIV) He thought the kingship only in terms of human conditions and abilities. He did not demonstrate that he was worthy to be King of God’s kingdom, whose mind is so much infatuated with ‘a beautiful woman’ and his own right to enjoy or to possess.

                                                             ii.      How can we apply what Solomon did in church? Lordship in church? Keep the Ten Commandments carefully?  We will see many who called themselves to be kings of Israel in the rest of 1, 2 kings.
I like to say that Jesus is the only King for us and the church is whereby the Spirit of Christ, the true Lord of church, rules through those in whom God entrusted that spirit.

b.       Abiathar: he chose to serve Adonijah; most likely because he was put in the second order behind Zadok. It was a rebellion against the King, the dynasty that God established and he deserved death. But Solomon let him live because he carried the ark of God.  Solomon recognized that the priest belongs to God and under God’s direct authority though the whole kingdom was under him.

c.       Joab: he was charged with murder and though he took hold of the horn of the altar, he was killed right there in the sanctuary: committing murder has no sanctuary; sanctuary cannot save him; Life must be paid by life; Only God’s merciful redemption can relieve him for death judgement. How greatly blessed we are that we have Jesus our redeemer. 

d.       Shimei—Solomon tested if he had a genuine fear and honor to the king. Shimei thought that violating King’s order was trivial. He did this before and did it again. He did not have full and unbridled loyalty and commitment to King Solomon, whom God chose.  Half-hearted commitment always finds an alley to pursue his own goal. God does not want such a man in his kingdom for he wants all of his people to follow him with a wholehearted mind. 
 

4.           What does this chapter mean to you?

a.       These are the application of God’s kingdom principles; full implementation of the Law was at work by king. Any tinge of disloyalty to the king will be exposed in the course of time and such people cannot stand with God’s blessing for long. The amazing thing is that Jesus, the true king, implemented the full strength of the law on Himself for the sake of His people. Under his shelter, we are enjoying His kingship in grace. He can only be the true king for all sinners. We are to be loyal to His Lordship to the end and we will see the light of life.