April 11th

April 11th -- 1 Kings 1:5-27 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%201:5-27&version=NLT)

Adonijah claims the throne

David is getting old, and one of his sons, Adonijah, starts to brag that he will make himself king. He gathers together chariots and bodyguards and goes to Joab as well as Abiathar the priest, and takes them into his confidence (as in they promised to help him become king). Some of David's men, though, such as Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet refused to support Adonijah. Adonijah goes to the Stone of Zoheleth to make sacrifices. He invites his brothers and all the royal officials, but doesn't invite David's bodyguard who would not support him, or his brother Solomon (Bathsheba's second son with David, after the one who died). Nathan finds out about all this, though, and goes to Bathsheba, asking if she did not know, when Adonijah has gotten away with becoming king without David's knowing. He says in order to save her own life as well as Solomon's, she should go to David and tell him that Adonijah has become king, but say "didn't you make a vow and say to me, 'Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on the throne'." While she's doing this, Nathan will come and confirm to David that Adonijah has made himself king.

So Bathsheba goes to David and reminds him of the vow he made. She then says Adonijah has made himself king! As she's explaining what happened, Nathan runs in to tell David just the same thing. He asks David if he has really decided that Adonijah should be the next king. He asks in a way making it sound accusatory if he had done so without letting any of his officials know about it.

Yet again David has someone in his own house take the throne from him. Nathan said a long while back that his house would turn against him. Twice now it clearly has as his own sons have tried to take the throne (and succeeded in doing so) from him. I think it's just a lesson that really, your sins will come back for you. That's especially true when it's those ones you blatantly commit while clearly knowing they're wrong, yet doing them anyways. I think God would love to not punish us, but He has to. He knows we'll never learn if He doesn't. Also, maybe you're thinking it's a bit harsh for it to have happened TWICE to David. I mean, was once not enough? The thing is, God never makes mistakes. He knows to exactly what degree out punishment has to rightly be. He has to ensure that happens. If that means maybe we feel it comes back to get us twice, then that's just what it means. It's a matter I think of being wary of your sin. It can be easy to give in, and sometimes we are put in positions where it makes it far easier (David's was made easier because of his power). This isn't an excuse, though. We need to always be wary of our thoughts and actions, trying our best to always fall hard after God. I'm not saying we're gonna' be perfect, and I'm not trying to say I don't mess up. I mess up lots, and nobody's ever gonna' be perfect. But when you really love God, your heart will be for Him, and that will shine through in your actions, such as avoiding sin as best you can.

Well, that's all! God bless! Shalom!