November 25, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 1 Kings? Here’s today’s reading:
1 Kings 2 (NIV)
David’s Charge to Solomon
1 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
2“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me:.............Continue Reading
Solomon listens to the advice of his father, David on his deathbed and quickly puts himself forth as a king not to be taken lightly. In essence he goes and cleans house of all the loose ends maybe he felt his father hadn’t handled well enough in the past. He certainly is settling into his authority very comfortably!
“Everyone who heard of it thought about it and asked, “What is this child going to be?” For it was plain that the Lord’s power was upon him.”
Luke 1:66 GNTD
https://bible.com/bible/69/luk.1.66.GNTD
I’ve been reading independently but just want to share this verse from Luke, the birth of John the Baptist. This time of the year is really the season of Christ in my opinion. Today Thanksgiving I am most thankful for God and my family, having faith. I really think this verse exemplifies how we as believers are called to be messengers of good news, just as John the Baptist was, ahead of the coming of Jesus.
1 Kings 2
Solomon avenges his father.
David passes the baton to Solomon and encourages him as any father should to be a man and to follow the standards of God set down in the law. David is also aware that he has left loose ends, problems that developed in his kingdom that remained unresolved. It is interesting that David talks about the wisdom that Solomon has but then tells him what he should do. That’s pretty typical of a father/son relationship as well. Adonijah shows his ignorance and hubris to ask for Abishag as his wife, and even worse to go through Bathsheba to make the request. He was skating on thin ice anyway and he found one of the things that would break the ice. Joab, to me, is the saddest of the ones dealt with here. He was so loyal to David, but his loyalty became misplaced when he acted in ways that he thought were good for David, but he really did what he thought was best. And Shimei just couldn’t stay put and shows that he was the biggest fool of them all. But with these lingering problems gone, Solomon is more established in his throne and has demonstrated the ability to take decisive action which is an important part of any leaders repertoire.