Bible in one year 6/6/ 2022 1Kings Introduction &Chapter 1-3 King David's final words to Solomon
By Rev.Katherine Liu
Bruce
Christian Arts Ministries
: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; Pastoral ministry & Counseling
Introduction to the first book of the kings
Author :
Jeremiah Date: C.550 B.C.
Title Originally
one book, 1 and 2 Kings are appropriately titled form their subject matter,
which traces the history of the kings of Israel and Judah from Solomon to the
Babylonian captivity. First Kings concludes abruptly with the beginning of the
reign of Ahaziah in 853.
Author Jewish
tradition attributes the book to the prophet Jeremiah. Clearly the author used
historical sources in compiling the book (11:41;14:19,29), and the last chapter
of 2 Kings must have been written by someone living in Babylon rather than in
Egypt, where Jeremiah died.
Purpose The
purpose of the book was not only to record the history of these kings, but to
show that the success of any king (and of the nation as a whole) depended on the measure of his allegiance to God’s law. Failure
resulted in decline and captivity.
Contents Important passages in 1 Kings include the description of
Solomon’s great wisdom (chapt.3-4), the dedication of Solomon’s Temple
(chapt.8), the visit of the Queen of Sheba(chapt.10), and the ministry of
Elijah(particularly his confrontation with the priests of Baal on Mt. Carmel,
chapt.18).
1 Kings chapter 1 King David appointed Solomon to sit on
the throne instead of Adonijah
When King David was old, about seventy he could not keep warm, even when they put covers over him, then his servants searched through out Israel a beautiful girl Abishag, a Shunammite to take care of him, but no intimate relationship with her. Adonijah, King David’s oldest living son put himself forward and said, “ I will be king.” (v.5). David had never interfered with him, nor disciplined him, he was a spoiled child. Adonijah conferred with Joab and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave their support. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah and Nathan the Prophet, Shimei ad Rei and David’s special guard didn’t join Adonijah. (vv.7-8). As a prelude to taking over the throne, Adonijah held a feast but failed to invite Nathan and Solomon. He apparently was planning to kill them, for had they eaten together, he would have been obliged to protect them. (vv.9-10). Nathan, the prophet was a key person to turn around the king position from Adonijah to Solomon. Nathan told Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother to talk to King David, was he promised her that Solomon shall be king after David. Why then has Adonijah become king? (v.13). Nathan also arrived after Bathsheba to ask, “ have you declared that Adonijah shall be king? (v.24). Then King David appointed Solomon to be the king and ordered Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah “ take your lord’s servants with you and set Solomon my son on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel Blow the trumpet and shout, ‘ Long live King Solomon!’ Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”(vv.32-35). My own mule (v.33) A sign that Solomon was David’s choice to succeed him. Gihon was in the upper part of the Kidron Valley. David was bypassing preliminary steps to Solomon’s accession and arranging for his actual coronation. This would put Adonijah, who had only taken preliminary steps, in the position of having to overthrow Solomon if he wished to be king. Those who associated with Adonijah would be considered co-conspirators.(v.49). At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed. But Adonijah in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar. A claim to protection (which was not automatically guaranteed,Ex.21:14;1Kings2:28-34). And He said, “ let king Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.” Then King Solomon said, “ go to your home”. (vv.49-53).
1Kings chapter 2 The
final words and charge of King David to his son Solomon
When the time drew near for King David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.“ So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, His laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, and that the Lord may keep His promise to me: ‘ if your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’ (vv.2-4).
Joab was guilty of murdering two generals in time of peace (2Sam.3:27;20:10) so King David urged Solomon to deal with him according to his wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.(v.6). But shows kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead, for without their kindness David might have starved to death while he fled from Abaslon. Shimei cursed a ruler was a capital crime, David urged Solomon to put his gray head down to the grave in blood. (v.8-9). Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. He had reigned forty years over Israel-seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established. (vv.10-12).
Solomon saw through Adonijah’s request to marry
Abishag (part of David’s harem and thus as inheritor, 1:3-4) as a scheme to
gain the throne, and so ordered him put to death. (vv.13-25). Abiathar, a
priest of the line of Eli, was banished to his home town Anathoth
(Josh.21:18;Jer.1:1) for his part in Adonijah’s attempt to gain the throne. He
was spared execution because he remained faithful to David during Absalom’s
rebellion (2Sam.15:24). The doom foretold on the house of Eli was thus
fulfilled (1 Sam.2:30-35). King Solomon commanded Shimei to build a house in
Jerusalem and live there, do not go anywhere else. The day he leaves and cross
the Kidron Valley, he can be surely die, the blood will be on his own head.
Three years later, Shemei’s two slaves ran off to Achish, so Shimeit saddled
his donkey went away and brought the salves back from Gath. Though Shhimei may
have gone in good faith, he violated the command not to leave Jerusalem. So
king gave the order to Benaiah to kill him. The kingdom was now firmly
established in Solomon’s hand.(v.46).
1Kings chapter 3 The
Wisdom of Solomon
Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the
statutes of his father David, except that he offered sacrifice and burned
incense on the high places. He went to Gibeon (v.4) a place was about six miles
NW. of Jerusalem. Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the
Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and God said, “ Ask for whatever you want
me to give you.”(v.5). Solomon was about twenty years old, so he request for
wisdom, a discerning heart to govern His people, to distinguish between right
and wrong. (v.9). The Lord gave him a wise and discerning heart, and both rich
and honor. Solomon’s display of wisdom to distinguish a baby’s mother, when two women had
argument about whose child was? The woman whose son was alive was filled with
compassion for her son and said, “please give her the living baby! Don’t kill
him!”(v.25). Then the king gave his ruling “give the living baby to the first
woman. Do not kill him, she is his mother.” All Israel heard the verdict the
king had given, they held the king in awe, he had wisdom from God to administer
justice.
Bibliography,
Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie study Bible (NIV).Chicago,
IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986
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