Lesson 254 - Senior

Memory Verse

"Righteousness exalteth a nation:  but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34).

Cross References

I The Insurrection by Adonijah

1. Adonijah's aspiration to succeed to David's throne was illegal and an act of treason, in addition to being active rebellion against God, [1KG:1:5-10]; [2SM:3:2-4]; [PRO:29:15]; [PRO:25:27]; Obadiah 4: [MAT:23:12].

2. His conspiracy, during David's illness, was interrupted by Nathan's and Bath-sheba's visit to David, [1KG:1:11-27].

II Solomon, the God-Appointed King

1. It is evident that God's choice of Solomon was known to others prior to the insurrection, [1KG:1:9-12], [1KG:1:17], [1KG:1:26-27]; [1CH:22:9-10]; [1CH:28:5-7].

2. David, depending on the sure promises of God, had promised Bath-sheba that their son would be king, [1KG:1:28-31].

3. David legally proclaimed Solomon king before Adonijah became fully entrenched in that office, [1KG:1:32-40]; [1CH:23:1].

4. This positive action by David, in obedience to God's word, stopped the insurrection, [1KG:1:41-49].

5. Solomon's first legal act was to show clemency to the apparently penitent Adonijah, [1KG:1:50-53]; [PRO:3:3]; [PRO:11:17]; [MIC:6:8]; [MAT:5:7]; [LUK:6:36]; [JAM:2:13].

III David's Last Days and His Charge to Solomon

1. David exhorted Solomon to obey the law of God, thereby making sure God's promises concerning the kingdom, [1KG:2:1-4]; [JOS:1:8]; [2SM:7:12-16]; [1CH:22:11-13]; [PS:132:12]; [PS:89:29-32].

2. David's next words were concerning his associates, [1KG:2:5-9]; [2SM:3:27]; [2SM:16:5-7]; [2SM:17:27-29]; [2SM:20:10].

3. David died, and God established Solomon in the kingdom, [1KG:2:10-12]; [1CH:29:20-30].

Notes

We are told by the Holy Spirit through the writings of Luke that David knew that God would "raise up Christ to sit on his throne" and that David spoke "of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption" [ACT:2:29-31]). We know this to be a fact also from David's answer to God when the covenant was made concerning the everlasting Kingdom of Christ.

Considering these facts, we are made to know that the succession to the throne of Israel was a very important thing. And we know that any deviation from any plan of God's is a very serious act of rebellion against God Himself.

Self-Exaltation

Adonijah "exalted himself." Beyond all doubt this was an innate characteristic of his carnal nature. This carnal nature had not been disciplined nor controlled by him. Neither had his parents adequately disciplined him when he was under their control. Self-exaltation is a sin and tendency that is found in the hearts of many people, and it can cause a great deal of trouble to those who do not discipline themselves nor allow the Spirit of God to purge it from their natures.

We are taught by Scripture to exalt God. We are taught to honour Him, to worship Him, and to serve Him. Those who exalt themselves do none of these things. Such people are, instead, wrapped up in their own desires and their own self-esteem. They see little that is of eternal worth, for they are fully absorbed in gratifying their own present, everyday, selfish ends instead. But they can be sure that the final result of that action will be different from the beginning or the planned ending, for Scripture teaches us that "whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased" (Mathew 23:12).

Adonijah did not profit from seeing Absalom's failure and defeat. He patterned his life after his rebellious brother, instead. Adonijah opposed God's plan, for it is apparent from the context that the plan of God concerning the succession to the throne was known by others than David himself.

All who oppose God's plan are traitors to His cause. This terrible condition in Adonijah was brought about by his exalting himself. It began by an exaltation, first in his own eyes; and after he had allowed that to continue uncontrolled it became easy for him to exalt himself before and above others, eventually to his doing so over his own father -" the anointed of the Lord.

Adonijah was goodly in appearance. He displayed considerable talent as a leader. He could have been used by God in the kingdom to a great degree had he kept humble before God and man. He would not have been exiled from a place of service to his people and his God had he submitted himself to God's will and desires of the pure and holy God. He chose to exalt himself instead, and in doing so he rebelled against God and against the chosen of the Lord. Had he been willing to submit his case to God and to wait for God's time, he would have been placed by God in a position where his name could have been a benediction, instead of a curse, in the history of Israel.

God's Ways and Man's Ways

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man...." Many times the ways chosen by God are in opposition to the wisdom of man. God chooses the plan He desires and then executes that plan according to His own will and infinite wisdom. God is sovereign. He does not need to ask us for counsel, nor work according to the way that seems right to us, to make His work successful. There are time when it may seem to us that He deliberately moves contrary to man's ways, that He might assert His sovereignty and prove that He is far above and over all that is worldly and human.

The method of succession to the throne in the heathen nations was, no doubt, through the eldest male child of the royal family. The customs of Israel, regarding the first-born son of the family and his legal rights, might have indicated to many in Israel that this rule would apply to the succession to the kingdom also. But this would have been human reasoning, and God would not necessarily be obliged to use that means, or work according to that plan.

In this particular case, God disregarded the eldest of David's sons and chose the youngest instead. God saw what was in Adonijah's heart and He also knew what was in Solomon's heart. God knew whom He could trust. He knew that the undisciplined, unsanctified -" and unsaved -" nature of Adonijah was carnal and lifted up, and He knew that the nature of Solomon was peaceable and easy to be entreated by the Holy Spirit.

Adonijah proclaimed himself king at his own chosen time; Solomon was anointed king by God, when it was God's time. Adonijah sought to win the favour of man, to establish himself in the kingdom by man's methods of catering to fleshly and sensual appetites; Solomon was made king without any such human efforts, and according to God plan. Adonijah attempted to win the populace of Israel to his side by working through their leaders; David and Solomon left these things in God's hand and, as a result, found that "the eyes of all Israel" were upon them and that "the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel [1CH:29:25])."

The Importance of Correct Associates

Adonijah, to put his plan into operation, invited only those he felt would be faithful to him in his rebellion; David surrounded himself with the godly, the loyal, and the true, and it is certainly worthy of consideration that David's heart was also in agreement with these faithful men of God. It is also apparent that Nathan, the man of God, had continuous access to and enjoyed the complete confidence of the king.

There was no Barzillai in the group that followed Adonijah. Neither was there a Nathan to be found there. The members of the 30 "mighty men" who had faithfully and loyally served Israel for a generation at great cost and hazards were with David -" not with Adonijah.

But we do find that there was a Joab in Adonijah's company. We have seen that Joab was a man who had shed the blood of war in a time of peace. He had killed for political and worldly advantage. He had been oftentimes stubborn, headstrong, and disobedient to the word of his king.

You will also find that Abiathar was with Adonijah. Abiathar was the last remaining descendant of Eli, but he had much to his advantage in spite of the great disadvantage occasioned by the curse that hung over the heads of all Eli's descendants because of the sins of Eli. Abiathar had proved faithful for a time, in David's reign, but he had failed to "go all the way" and eventually paid a penalty for his sins. He was dishonoured by being the one in whom was fulfilled the curse that was pronounced upon the house of Eli.

The Scriptures warn us over and over about the danger of unnecessary association with the ungodly. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers," are the words of the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul [2CO:6:14]). John the Beloved wrote: "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed" (II John 10). Paul the Apostle said, "Evil communications corrupt good manners." In the Old Testament times the same truth was taught, for we find many incidents there that warn us in the same way.

There is no excuse for failure along this line, for even in the realm of secular writings one may read the same warnings. It has been an established principle from the beginning. One of the old philosophers said, "Everyman is like the company he is wont to keep." Another wrote, "Tell me with whom thou art found, and I will tell thee who thou art."

David's Quick Obedience

When he was shown the danger of delaying the execution of God's announced plan for the kingdom succession, David was quick to act. He gave instructions which were, no doubt, in full accord with the counsel given him by Nathan, the man of God. Solomon was anointed king in accordance with the will of God. God had made the choice, announced the plan, and indicated through the man of God that it was the time. David acted at the right time -" God's time -" and then submitted himself to the new king, pronouncing a sublime blessing on the young man.

With the blessing that David gave Solomon, there was a warning, and an admonition to obedience of, and constancy in, the law of God. Before the princes of Israel, David gave instructions regarding the building of the Temple, the organisation of the worship and work of God, and the carrying out of the governmental functions. He also brought the attention of the new king to those who had opposed his ruling and wishes during the former monarchial period.

Those who had been participating in the festivities inaugurated by Adonijah hastily and fearfully abandoned their celebration and went their own way. They were condemned for their endorsement of that which God had not put His blessing upon. Notice the difference between Adonijah's methods and those used by David and Solomon, for they honoured God and followed His way. They made sacrifices; they offered praises to God; and they ate and drank "before the LORD on that day with great gladness." Men's way brings fear and defeat. God's way brings confidence and victory.

The Penalty for Sin

In reading the succeeding account we can see Solomon's attitude toward those who opposed his father and who attempted to overthrow God's plan. We can see the beginning of that wisdom that later characterised and distinguished this great king of Israel.

Abiathar, the priest, was not killed, because he had been faithful during the time of David's exile. But he was deposed and sent to his home in disgrace because he did not persevere in his former good spirit to the very end of his life.

Adonijah fell before the altar and caught hold of its horns, in his misery of conscience and in his knowledge of the pure justice of whatever punishment might be meted out to him. To repent, he need not have taken hold of the horns of the altar. The horns were not put there for that purpose. There was no repentance in Adonijah's heart and none was necessarily indicated in his actions. His was merely a false way " a human substitute for God's way -" to obtain security and physical life and perhaps a certain amount of mercy. His subsequent conduct shows that he continued to hold ambitions and designs for the kingdom, even though God's will had been plainly set forth and put into effect. He was still desirous of his own way instead of the way of God. He was therefore , a complete rebel against God.

Shimei is an example of those who repent with one object in view, that of escaping the immediate consequences of their evil. Such people do not intend to abide by the commandments that are given to them, but take things into their own hands at the first occasion in which they desire their own way instead of God's way.

It was not necessary that Shimei be caught outside the city to be worthy of the punishment that was justly his for violating the law concerning him. He committed an act of disobedience and suffered the consequences of that act.

Joab, also, sought unlawful sanctuary in the House of God. He was not worthy to remain in that holy place, since he had not repented of the blood of innocent people which was on his hands. He brought no offering for his sins. There was no regret for his sins, no contrition, no repentance. He merely wanted physical life and tried to adapt the things of God to obtain his own desires. He refused the existing means of grace and stubbornly remained in his own way. Therefore, his life was taken before the altar of God. The place where spiritual life began for many saw no such quickening in his heart. It became, for Joab, a place of physical death that sealed his state of spiritual death for all eternity.

There are many who feel that church attendance, in itself, will temper the wrath and judgement of God toward them. There are many who feel that God's judgement will not strike them if they are periodically found in certain consecrated areas. But their religion is not that religion which will give them safety or security when the overflowing scourge from the hand of God strikes. They will find that the condemnation of God will strike judgement at any place and at every thing that is not in accord with the plan of God and covered with the hallowed Blood.

There is no repentance but that which is genuine and from the heart of the sincerely contrite. And there is no security but that which is made possible through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant -" the Blood of the One whom David saw through the prophetic eye, down through the ages of time, as the eventual Monarch upon the eternal throne of Israel -" the throne that he saw his own son take on that decisive day three thousand years ago.

Questions

1. What basis would Adonijah have for thinking he might be the next king of Israel?

2. Was his method of obtaining that honour a legal method?

3. How was the news of the insurrection brought to David?

4. Why was David so insistent that Solomon be king?

5. Read [ACT:2:29-31] and [2SM:7:11-13], [2SM:7:16], [2SM:7:19]. How much did David know about Christ and His coming?

6. What was the carnal tendency in Adonijah that resulted in his downfall?

7. Was the knowledge of God's choice of Israel's king known to others?

8. Describe the relationship that existed between David and Nathan the Prophet.

9. What attitude did Solomon take toward Adonijah?

10. What is the parallel between [1KG:1:52] and [EZE:18:4];[EZE:18:20]? State how this great truth is carried out in the lives of some of the characters of our lesson text.