Category Archives: Submitted / Servant

All Powerful / King of All, Blessed, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Obeying God, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

If You Will Do as I Have Commanded…

The Bible is very clear, over and over again, New Testament and Old Testament… our relationship with our Father is not a one way, do as you like relationship. There is a blessing of obedience and a curse of disobedience, a promise and a warning.  How we live matters. There is much more to following YHWH through Yeshua than simply a two minute prayer at an altar call, even if it is totally genuine. If we truly submit to YHWH than our lives start to change as we learn more about His laws, statutes, and ordinances. He wants us to change to follow His instructions… all of them, as best we can. To bring the point further, following them as best we can means we continue to seek to learn more and then continue changing. It does not mean we simply obey the few items our church talks about or what we learned growing up. We seek Him in all of the Bible and apply it to our lives. We will have a richer and more joyful life and relationship with our Father.

Remember, it is not simply about “going to heaven”. It is about having relationship with Him even now in this life. If all you are interested in is “getting to heaven”, then that is very selfish and, ironically, you will likely not make it. We must genuinely seek relationship with our LORD.

1 Kings 9:1-9

God’s Promise and Warning

1Now it came about when Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD, and the king’s house, and all that Solomon desired to do, 2that the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3The LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your supplication, which you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built by putting My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 4“As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, 5then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I promised to your father David, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

6“But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 7then I will cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will cast out of My sight. So Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8“And this house will become a heap of ruins; everyone who passes by will be astonished and hiss and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9“And they will say, ‘Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and adopted other gods and worshiped them and served them, therefore the LORD has brought all this adversity on them.’”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Angels, Dreams, Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Obeying God, Omnipresent, Prophecy, Submitted / Servant

Obedience to our Father Is Crucial

It is always important to obey our Father, YHWH. There are times where it is absolutely crucial. We need to get in the habit of obeying Him all the time. He is not surprised by whatever will happen. He already knows what will happen.

In Matthew 2, we see a good example that demonstrates this principle. YHWH is guiding Joseph to protect Yeshua in His earthly body. YHWH is fulfilling prophecies along the way which is a great reminder that He is not surprised by any of these events. He will not be caught off guard by anything we will face either. He is omnipresent (past, present, future all at once) and omniscient (all knowing).

Matthew 2:13-23

The Flight to Egypt

      13Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

      14So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15He remained there

until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.”

Herod Slaughters Babies

      16Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

      18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH,
WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING,
RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN;
AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED,
BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”

      19But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20“Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Fear / Reverence for God, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Love, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant, Thankfulness, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Don’t Focus on the Bare Minimum “Required” to Please YHWH

Sacrifices are not always something we understand fully in our culture today. The end of 1 Kings 8 does however make one thing clear even for those somewhat unfamiliar with sacrifices… Solomon spared no expense or effort to honor YHWH. He was not concerned about what was the minimum required. He was focused on how to really honor YHWH in a big way. We would do well to adopt this attitude in our lives generally and not only at special occasions.

In fact, if we are always focused on doing the bare minimum to please YHWH, we will not be pleasing to YHWH. He looks into our heart and not just our actions. Solomon acted out of love and desire to honor YHWH. He did not act out of “requirement”. Our attitudes combined with our actions are what can be pleasing to YHWH.

1 Kings 8:62-66

Dedicatory Sacrifices

      62Now the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before the LORD. 63Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the LORD, 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. 64On the same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD, because there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings; for the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to hold the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings.

      65So Solomon observed the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt, before the LORD our God, for seven days and seven more days, even fourteen days. 66On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king. Then they went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David His servant and to Israel His people.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Seeking God, Study the Word, Submitted / Servant

The Glory of the LORD is Overwhelming

When the glory of the LORD fills a place, it is overwhelming. What an experience it must have been in 1 Kings 8 when the LORD came into the temple! Solomon and his people went all out to honor the LORD and celebrate bringing the ark into the temple and the LORD responded.

Let us not forget what is in the ark… the commandments of YHWH. They are important to Him and should be important to His people. They are represented as central to His relationship with His people and we should take note of that and not dismiss it. Let that soak in. His commandments for us went in the ark in the holy place where the glory of the LORD came. That is pretty important!

The Adversary, Satan, loves to separate YHWH’s people from Him by mixing and mingling truth and lies. He loves to convince us that the commandments of YHWH are no longer important since Yeshua came. It is just not so. If we disregard the instructions of our LORD, then we in fact create separation in the form of sin between us and the LORD.

Pray that those who are called by the name of Yeshua will turn from their wicked ways, repent, and seek the LORD in His ways rather than their own.  Ask the LORD to wake us up as a people to stand for righteousness and against wickedness in our nation and around the world. Pray that in doing so we would prepare a place in our lives and in our nation and across the world to invite the glory of the LORD to come among us. Do not rely on culture or government or news media to inform us, but rather turn back to the word and ways of the King.

1 Kings 8:1-11

The Ark Brought into the Temple

      1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the city of David, which is Zion. 2All the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3Then all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4They brought up the ark of the LORD and the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils, which were in the tent, and the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were assembled to him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen they could not be counted or numbered. 6Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubim. 7For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles from above. 8But the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; they are there to this day. 9There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Following the LORD Rather than Our Own Desires

Sometimes the LORD will tell us to do something that is completely different from anything we would visualize or anticipate for ourselves. Sometimes, it seems, the more unusual the “ask”, the more YHWH is in it. We must challenge ourselves to listen to and obey the Spirit as He directs us. I have found personally that YHWH is most visible in my life when He leads me to make decisions and do things that are very much contrary to my personal plans and vision. These are times that are sometimes harder to submit to Him, but it gets easier with practice.

I admire Mary and Joseph in this regard. Yes they got angelic messengers, but they certainly had been given some significant surprise guidance which they would not have anticipated. As a result of obedience, they got to raise Messiah!

Matthew 1:18-25

Conception and Birth of Jesus

      18Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. 20But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 22Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” 24And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Provider, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

Use the Gifts our Creator Gives You to Accomplish His Plans

Solomon clearly was able to benefit in accomplishing YHWH’s work by use of the gift of wisdom that YHWH granted him. We should each seek to do the same… to use our gifts and really focus on what YHWH wants us to do with it rather than what we want to do.

I do find the forced labor of Israelites to be intriguing. My first reaction is to assume this was not good, but there is not indication to that end in scripture. It may be in keeping with a king’s authority as he pursues YHWH’s mission. I like that he gave them time at home more than time on the road. It seems to show some understanding of the value of their lives and families. It would be curious to understand whom he forced. Perhaps they were not folks that already had businesses and farms and such and were available to work. I don’t know.

1 Kings 5

Alliance with King Hiram

      1Now Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father, for Hiram had always been a friend of David. 2Then Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, 3“You know that David my father was unable to build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet. 4“But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune. 5“Behold, I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to David my father, saying, ‘Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, he will build the house for My name.’ 6“Now therefore, command that they cut for me cedars from Lebanon, and my servants will be with your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you say, for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.”

      7When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly and said, “Blessed be the LORD today, who has given to David a wise son over this great people.” 8So Hiram sent word to Solomon, saying, “I have heard the message which you have sent me; I will do what you desire concerning the cedar and cypress timber. 9“My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea; and I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place where you direct me, and I will have them broken up there, and you shall carry them away. Then you shall accomplish my desire by giving food to my household.” 10So Hiram gave Solomon as much as he desired of the cedar and cypress timber. 11Solomon then gave Hiram 20,000 kors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty kors of beaten oil; thus Solomon would give Hiram year by year. 12The LORD gave wisdom to Solomon, just as He promised him; and there was peace between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a covenant.

Conscription of Laborers

      13Now King Solomon levied forced laborers from all Israel; and the forced laborers numbered 30,000 men. 14He sent them to Lebanon, 10,000 a month in relays; they were in Lebanon a month and two months at home. And Adoniram was over the forced laborers. 15Now Solomon had 70,000 transporters, and 80,000 hewers of stone in the mountains, 16besides Solomon’s 3,300 chief deputies who were over the project and who ruled over the people who were doing the work. 17Then the king commanded, and they quarried great stones, costly stones, to lay the foundation of the house with cut stones. 18So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites cut them, and prepared the timbers and the stones to build the house.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Blessed, Provider, Submitted / Servant

Our Father Can Take Care of Us. Submit to Him. Focus on Pleasing Him.

Solomon pleased the LORD with his request for wisdom to lead the people, and the LORD blessed Solomon richly in return. It is good to be pleasing to the LORD. He will not bless all of us in the same way He blessed Solomon, but we can be confident that He can take care of us and provide what we need. Whether He provides for us as He did Solomon or as He did for Yeshua’s disciples (not wealth, but what a powerful relationship with Him) let us trust in Him.

1 Kings 4

Solomon’s Officials

      1Now King Solomon was king over all Israel. 2These were his officials: Azariah the son of Zadok was the priest; 3Elihoreph and Ahijah, the sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 4and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the army; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 5and Azariah the son of Nathan was over the deputies; and Zabud the son of Nathan, a priest, was the king’s friend; 6and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the men subject to forced labor.

      7Solomon had twelve deputies over all Israel, who provided for the king and his household; each man had to provide for a month in the year. 8These are their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; 9Ben-deker in Makaz and Shaalbim and Beth-shemesh and Elonbeth-hanan; 10Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (Socoh was his and all the land of Hepher); 11Ben-abinadab, in all the height of Dor (Taphath the daughter of Solomon was his wife); 12Baana the son of Ahilud, in Taanach and Megiddo, and all Beth-shean which is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah as far as the other side of Jokmeam; 13Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (the towns of Jair, the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead were his: the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars were his); 14Ahinadab the son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; 15Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he also married Basemath the daughter of Solomon); 16Baana the son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; 17Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar; 18Shimei the son of Ela, in Benjamin; 19Geber the son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of Sihon king of the Amorites and of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only deputy who was in the land.

Solomon’s Power, Wealth and Wisdom

      20Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance; they were eating and drinking and rejoicing.

      21Now Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

      22Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty kors of fine flour and sixty kors of meal, 23ten fat oxen, twenty pasture-fed oxen, a hundred sheep besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fattened fowl. 24For he had dominion over everything west of the River, from Tiphsah even to Gaza, over all the kings west of the River; and he had peace on all sides around about him. 25So Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. 26Solomon had 40,000 stalls of horses for his chariots, and 12,000 horsemen. 27Those deputies provided for King Solomon and all who came to King Solomon’s table, each in his month; they left nothing lacking. 28They also brought barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds to the place where it should be, each according to his charge.

      29Now God gave Solomon wisdom and very great discernment and breadth of mind, like the sand that is on the seashore. 30Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 31For he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrahite, Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol; and his fame was known in all the surrounding nations. 32He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. 33He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he spoke also of animals and birds and creeping things and fish. 34Men came from all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

Humility, Learning To Pray Effectively, Proverbs (Wisdom & Folly), Submitted / Servant, Wise

Solomon’s Unselfish Prayer

Solomon in is early days serves as a model for humility and a right attitude about his role as king. He clearly identifies himself as servant, submitted to YHWH, and responsible to lead His people well. As such, when YHWH approaches him for a gift of Solomon’s choosing, Solomon chooses a gift that will help him honor YHWH and serve His people.

Let us learn from Solomon in our prayers as we ask YHWH for help. Look beyond selfish, short term desires and longer term to be able to serve and honor YHWH more effectively and fulfill whatever ministry He has chosen for us.

1 Kings 3:5-15

5In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

Solomon’s Prayer

      6Then Solomon said, “You have shown great lovingkindness to Your servant David my father, according as he walked before You in truth and righteousness and uprightness of heart toward You; and You have reserved for him this great lovingkindness, that You have given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7“Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. 8“Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. 9“So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”

God’s Answer

      10It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. 11God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, 12behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart, so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you. 13“I have also given you what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that there will not be any among the kings like you all your days. 14“If you walk in My ways, keeping My statutes and commandments, as your father David walked, then I will prolong your days.”

      15Then Solomon awoke, and behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and made peace offerings, and made a feast for all his servants.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Love, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Truly Loving the LORD Translates to Obeying His Statutes as Best we Can

Young Solomon, when taking over the throne of David, loved the LORD. Notice what immediately follows in the text that goes hand in hand with loving the LORD… “walking in the statutes of is father David”. If we love our Father, we obey Him and His ways.

We can see in this scripture that Solomon did have a problem in that he was sacrificing in the high places. There was no house built for the name of the LORD yet. It is noted that this was an exception to following the statutes, but then immediately reconciled as not having a proper place to do the sacrifices at that time. It was not a matter of rebellion in Solomon.

In fact, YHWH met him at Gibeon, where he went to perform these sacrifices. It would appear that YHWH was very pleased by Solomon. We will see as we continue to read on later in 1 Kings that YHWH becomes even more pleased with Solomon because of his attitude toward his responsibility as king and a servant of YHWH.

1 Kings 3:1-5

Solomon’s Rule Consolidated

      1Then Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall around Jerusalem. 2The people were still sacrificing on the high places, because there was no house built for the name of the LORD until those days.

      3Now Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David, except he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 4The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place; Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Obeying God, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Submitted / Servant

Let Us Be Loyal to the YHWH, Our King

The Bible is an amazing book. It is the inspired word of YHWH which guides us in our relationship with Him. It is also a detailed historical record. Further it is an exciting story line which has more drama than any Hollywood movie… and it’s all based on a true story.

In 1 Kings 1, we read about some family (and national) drama within Israel as some positioned to name the king who would follow when David died, but without including David. They were found out and David and his allies put Solomon on the throne. We could clearly see the value of having loyal and wise advisors to help the king. Of course any one of us benefits from having these kind of loyal supporters and advisors.

In 1 Kings 2, we now see David’s charge to Solomon as he transitions power and Solomon’s first moves as king to consolidate power and bring judgment on some who crossed David when he was king.

Joab in particular is an interesting story. He seemed fiercely loyal to David, but still sometimes took decisions upon himself that were contrary to King David’s instructions. He also clearly went against the king as recorded in 1 Kings 1 in plotting to install a new king without David’s consent.

The kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon through these actions. He set himself firmly in place as king. Those who rebel against his authority could not be tolerated, or it leads to more rebellion.

There is an important thread we can learn from this as well about YHWH’s kingdom. He can not establish His kingdom by allowing those who are called by His name to rebel against Him and His authority. There must be accountability. We all face that accountability before  our Creator and Father. Sometimes we face it quickly, and sometimes we face it after long delay, like some of the men identified in 1 Kings 2 who crossed David but only faced judgment at a later time when Solomon became king.

Take care not to cross our King and Father. Let us submit to Him and His will. We are to seek to be His loyal and faithful servants, even when others around us who we thought were also His servants are plotting against His will.

1 Kings 2

David’s Charge to Solomon

      1As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, 2“I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. 3“Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4so that the LORD may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

      5“Now you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt about his waist, and on his sandals on his feet. 6“So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to Sheol in peace. 7“But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for they assisted me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8“Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera the Benjamite, of Bahurim; now it was he who cursed me with a violent curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9“Now therefore, do not let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to Sheol with blood.”

Death of David

      10Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years he reigned in Hebron and thirty-three years he reigned in Jerusalem. 12And Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

      13Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” And he said, “Peacefully.” 14Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Speak.” 15So he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and that all Israel expected me to be king; however, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the LORD. 16“Now I am making one request of you; do not refuse me.” And she said to him, “Speak.” 17Then he said, “Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.” 18Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king for you.”

Adonijah Executed

      19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king arose to meet her, bowed before her, and sat on his throne; then he had a throne set for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. 20Then she said, “I am making one small request of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.” 22King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him also the kingdom—for he is my older brother—even for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!” 23Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “May God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life. 24“Now therefore, as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father and who has made me a house as He promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him so that he died.

      26Then to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth to your own field, for you deserve to die; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and because you were afflicted in everything with which my father was afflicted.” 27So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD, which He had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

Joab Executed

      28Now the news came to Joab, for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he had not followed Absalom. And Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar. 29It was told King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD, and behold, he is beside the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall upon him.” 30So Benaiah came to the tent of the LORD and said to him, “Thus the king has said, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, for I will die here.” And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus spoke Joab, and thus he answered me.” 31The king said to him, “Do as he has spoken and fall upon him and bury him, that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without cause. 32“The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he and killed them with the sword, while my father David did not know it: Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33“So shall their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever; but to David and his descendants and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the LORD forever.” 34Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell upon him and put him to death, and he was buried at his own house in the wilderness. 35The king appointed Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king appointed Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

Shimei Executed

      36Now the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Build for yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, and do not go out from there to any place. 37“For on the day you go out and cross over the brook Kidron, you will know for certain that you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.” 38Shimei then said to the king, “The word is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

      39But it came about at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your servants are in Gath.” 40Then Shimei arose and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish to look for his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41It was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned. 42So the king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘You will know for certain that on the day you depart and go anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word which I have heard is good.’ 43“Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD, and the command which I have laid on you?” 44The king also said to Shimei, “You know all the evil which you acknowledge in your heart, which you did to my father David; therefore the LORD shall return your evil on your own head. 45“But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever.” 46So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him so that he died.
Thus the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.

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