Solomon ties up loose ends

1 Kings Chapter 2

As David approached death, he told his son Solomon to observe the requirements of the Lord and follow his ways. He asked him to observe all the commandments and laws written by Moses so that all their descendants would live as they should and one of them would always sit on the throne of Israel. He also told Solomon that Joab had murdered two of David's commanders and pretended they were acts of war. So he asked Solomon to deal with Joab as he saw fit, but not to let him die in peace.

David further asked Solomon to be kind to the sons of Barzilli who took care of him when he fled from Absalom. And the man who cursed David named Shimei, he asked for a bloody death to be arranged for him. Then David died and was buried in the City of David. He had reigned for over forty years and Solomon was firmly established as the new king.

One day Adonijah (son of David and the woman Haggith)came to see Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and he asked her for a favor. He recited how the tables had been turned and the kingdom had been given to Solomon. He asked her to speak to Solomon to give him the girl Abishag, the girl from Shunem who nursed King David when he was old. He wanted her to be his wife.

Bathsheba spoke to King Solomon and told him of Adonijah's request for the woman Abishag. But Solomon was indignant at the request and stated that Adonijah had sealed his own fate with the request. He ordered Benaiah to execute Adonijah. Then King Solomon ordered Abiathar the priest to go back to his home in Anathoth. He told Abiathar that he deserved to die, but would not be killed because he carried the Ark of the Lord for his father. So Abiathar was deposed from his role as priest of the Lord, thereby fulfilling the decree the Lord made at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli.

Joab had also followed Adonijah's revolt and when he heard of Adonijah's death, he ran to the sacred tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. Then King Solomon heard of this and sent Benaiah to execute him too. Benaiah went to the sacred tent and tried to call Joab out, but he refused. Benaiah retured to King Solomon to tell him of this. King Solomon sent Benaiah back to kill Joab beside the altar and Solomon determined that Joab and his descendants would be forever guilty of the murders of David's commanders. So Joab was killed and buried at his home in the wilderness and the king appointed Benaiah to command the army and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abithar.

Then the king sent for Shimei and told him to build a house in Jerusalem and live in it, but not to step outside the city or he would die and his blood would be on his own head. Shimei agreed and lived in Jerusalem for three years until one day two of his slaves escaped to Gath. He saddled his donkey and went to Gath in search of them and took them back to Jerusalem. When Solomon heard that Shimei had left Jerusalem and returned, he sent for him and asked him why he did not keep his oath to the Lord and the king. Then Solomon had Shimei killed.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: God's conditional promise to David that his descendants would remain as kings was only when they honored and obeyed their God. When they failed to do this, they would lose the throne, as we see later in this chapter. David's line would go on forever and this was fulfilled with the birth of Jesus Christ.

David gave harsh advice to his son Solomon. But it was to help the young king establish and secure his throne and was directed at blatant enemies -those who opposed God by opposing God's appointed king.

Adonijah's request for the woman was not a case of thwarted love. Abishag was considered part of David's harem and in those days possessing the king's harem was like claiming the throne. So Solomon well understood the meaning behind the request. Soloman ordered executions and appointed new men to take positions and he did this quickly and forcefully. He executed justice and tied up loose ends in order to stabilize his kingdom. He promoted peace, not bloodshed and this was proven because he put an end to internal rebellion.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? This chapter reads like a soap opera with its intrigue. Isn't it strange that a murderer like Joab could run to the sacred tent for refuge? And after all the killing he had done and all the back stabbing? David had replaced him twice and both times he killed his rivals in cold blood. It seems that since Solomon punished Joab, it took David off the hook for any part in the crimes, thus placing the guilt on Joab where it belonged. Sometimes it seems like our criminal justice system is more civilized today. But is it? Some folks think that putting murderers behind bars for their lifetime is unduly cruel. Do you agree? Others think that execution like that in Solomon's day, is more civilized because it puts and end to the criminal swiftly.

Whatever the answer, we must remember that a high power than us, is in charge. We are merely servants of the Lord. I think that God would rather not have anyone be a criminal. But he knows that humans are hardly perfect. And thanks to the sacrifice of his only Son, if we ask his forgiveness, we are forgiven in his eyes. Praise the Lord!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:
HEALTH: Gabe, Wanda, Janice Long’s parents, and Arlene’s nephew David. Pray for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life. Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer. Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS. Pray for Cyndi Sullivan who was given 14 months to live with cancer, but has made it six years. The pain has returned and she needs our prayers.
UPDATE on Barb who went in for back surgery and had a heart attack and stroke, she has 90 percent of her speech back and is home from the hospital and having rehab for the paralysis on one side of her body. Continue to pray for her recovery.
Pray for Robert Sargent with lung cancer and Marthaline Sargent with serious health issues. Update on Stella: She has shed the feeding tube and is taking formula on her own! But breathing problems are still with her, though improving all the time. She continues to have a long road, so prayers are still needed. She has been moved to a St. Louis hospital.
Pray for Carolyn’s friend Margaret and her husband who were in a car accident. As elderly drivers they may face a life change which may cost them their independence. Let’s all raise our voices to God to hear our prayers.
SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary
RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John
LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian
SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake,those who need jobs, those who are about to lose or have lost their homes. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.