Day 149—We are in our FIFTH month of Bible reading and we have begun our 13th book – 1 Kings.  Are you loving God more each day? What are you learning about Him?  Share in the comments section.

   Day 149 –  1 Kings 1 – 2, Psalms 37, 71, 94. (David dies, but first stops a coup)

1 Kings 1.  David is old and frail and can’t get warm. The court brings a young and beautiful woman to care for him and keep him warm at night. (No hanky-panky, however.)  

Taking advantage of his father’s advanced age, Adonijah, next in line to be king, claims himself the heir to the throne by collecting chariots, and soldiers, one of the high priests, and even the aging Commander of David’s army, Joab. They hold a huge festival with loads of sacrifices.  

But when the prophet Nathan hears of it, he enlists Bathsheba in a plan to officially crown the LORD’s choice, Solomon, as king after David.  The old king musters enough strength to do just that, authorizing them to have Solomon ride through town on his royal donkey, the priests to anoint him king in front of all the people, encourage them to shout, “Long live King Solomon” and to sit him on his father’s throne.

Adonijah hears the commotion and knows what it means. He makes a wild dash for the horns of the altar at the Tabernacle (a place he can claim clemency). Solomon grants him that… IF HE WILL SHOW HIMSELF A WORTHY MAN.”  (We’ll see about that in a bit.)

By the way, verse 6 points out a fault of David with ALL his sons and probably the reason so many went wrong. It’s a warning to parents today. “His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, ‘Why have you done thus and so?“ Not only was Adonijah handsome like Absalom, he was spoiled rotten.

1 Kings 2. Like all Jewish patriarchs, King David calls for Solomon when he knows he is dying. He blesses Solomon and encourages him in the LORD. “Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies…. that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever your turn, that the LORD may establish His Word that He spoke to me…. ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel’.”

HOWEVER, the old king then instructs Solomon to assassinate two men “according to your wisdom, for you are a wise man.”

1. He is to kill Joab for revenge-killing the commanders of Saul’s and Absalom’s armies (Abner & Amasa) IN TIME OF PEACE.
2. He is also to kill Shimei, the Benjamite, who cursed David as he fled from Absalom. David had sworn that HE himself would not kill the man but now instructs Solomon to do it.

Then David dies – after reigning for 40 years as king. He was buried in Jerusalem, the City of David. And Solomon’s kingdom is firmly established…almost.

Next, that slippery Adonijah comes to Bathsheba and asks HER to ask SOLOMON to pretty please give him Abishai as his wife. TWO THINGS TO REMEMBER:  1. Abishai was the beautiful woman given to David to keep him warm and was considered a concubine.. 2. Someone who wanted to claim the kingdom for himself would sleep with the former king’s wife/concubine.

ADONIJAH WAS ATTEMPTING A SNEAKY COUP TO STEAL THE CROWN FROM SOLOMON!!

Solomon sends his commander, Benaiah. to kill Adonijah. 

Solomon sends Benaiah to kill Joab.

After giving Shimei a narrow place to live, and the man leaves it, Solomon sends Benaiah to kill him. 

His oaths to his father accomplished, the kingdom was now established in the hand of Solomon.

Psalm 37.  “Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD and do good…”   “Delight yourself in the LORD…”   “Commit your way to the LORD…”   “Be still before the LORD….”

“The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in His way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.”

“I have young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.”

Psalm 71. “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.”    “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.”    “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Psalm 94. “He who planted the ear, does He not hear? He who formed the eye, does He not see? He who disciplines the nations, does He not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge – the LORD – knows the thoughts of man, that they are but breath.”

“Blessed is the man whom You discipline, O LORD, and whom You teach out of your law, to give him REST from the days of trouble…”     “If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.”