April 12th

April 12th -- 1 Kings 1:28-53 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%201:28-53&version=NLT)

David makes Solomon king

After Nathan comes and tells David what's happened with Adonijah, he calls Bathsheba back. He then repeats his vow that Solomon will be the next king. He calls for Zadok, Benaiah, and Nathan, telling them to take Solomon - on the king's mule - to Gihon spring. Then Zadok, as the priest, and Nathan, as the prophet, should anoint him king, then blow the ram's horn and announce it. When that is done, he was to be brought back and sit on the throne. They do this. When they blow the ram's horn, all the people shout "Long live King Solomon!" and follow them into Jerusalem, playing music and shouting. The celebration was so loud the ground shook.

Adonijah and those who he had invited as guests heard this celebrating. When Joab hears, he asks what's going on. As he does so, Jonathan comes in with news. He tells them what has happened - that basically Solomon is now king and sits on the throne! All of Adonijah's guests, upon hearing this, scatter in panic. Adonijah is so afraid that he goes to the sacred tent and grabs the horns of the altar, pleading "Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!" When Solomon hears of this, he says that he will not be harmed if he proves his loyalty. However, if he is not loyal, he shall be killed. So Adonijah is summoned. He bows respectfully before Solomon, who dismisses him to go home.

Can I just say I would not have wanted to be one of those people who had come along to Adonijah's feast? I mean, they were basically just relaxing and eating and laughing and talking, right? Wrong. Really they were committing treason, even if they didn't know it. They were all supporting Adonijah as their new king. Adonijah appointed himself, and was never properly set up to be the next king, nor appointed as such. For those people to have been caught there could have meant death. Can you imagine what they were thinking when they heard that Solomon had just been appointed king? Probably something along the lines of "Ohhhhh this is NOT good... I'm outta' here before I get caught!" I think we all have times like those. We know our actions may be wrong, but we don't necessarily feel the need to stop. We're surrounded by other people also doing the same wrong. We fit in, and to everyone else there, the wrong's recognized as okay. Suddenly, though, there becomes the risk of someone finding out. In this case, it was Solomon finding out about all those men celebrating the self-appointed king Adonijah. In our cases it's usually the risk of a parent, sibling, friend, or maybe teacher finding out about something we had hoped to keep a secret. We can hide the guilt until we are blatantly condemned, and then, like the men, we panic and flee. We don't want to be caught, because we'd be so shamed for it. We instead try and just leave as if nothing happened. Those men would always have that hanging on their conscience, though. They'd be living in a city under the rule of a king who they had willingly gone against in secret. They may not have been caught by anyone else, but they know and God knows. Even when we sin in secret, it never goes unknown. We know it, and God knows all. Don't run and try and hide it. Instead, confront God, as forgiveness, and ask Him to help you out of that sin, especially if it has been one that's caused you to stumble for a long time. Better yet, unlike these men, don't risk being caught in the act - don't have an act you'd not like to be caught in.

That'll be all for tonight! God bless! Shalom!