1 Kings 1:5 Humble Yourselves!

 “Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Exalted himself: 2 Samuel 3:2-5describes the sons of David and lists Adonijah as the fourth son. We know that two of the three sons older than Adonijah were dead (Amnon and Absalom), and we suspect that the other older son (Chileab) either also died or was unfit to rule because he is never mentioned after 2 Samuel 3:3. As the oldest living son of David, by many customs Adonijah would be considered the heir to the throne. But the throne of Israel was not left only to the rules of hereditary succession; God determined the next king.

i. Adonijah violated a basic principle in the Scriptures - that we should let God exalt us and not exalt ourselves.

For exaltation comes neither from the east 
Nor from the west nor from the south.
But God is the Judge: He puts down one, 
And exalts another. (Psalm 75:6-7)

Humble yourselves in the sight of the LORD, and He will lift you up.(James 4:10)

b. He prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him: Adonijah had a good marketing campaign, and he knew how to present himself as king. He hoped that if he put forth the image of a king, he would become king in reality.

i. “In effect this was a personal military force designed to anticipate Solomon’s claim by a coup d’etat. (Out) runners were part of a close royal bodyguard.” (Wiseman)

ii. Adonijah was the brother of Absalom, and a look at 2 Samuel 15:1shows that “He copied the conduct of his brother Absalom in every respect” (Clarke).

(Guzik)

Humble Yourselves!

This isn’t an easy for a person as it goes against our very nature! Im reminded of a verse:

“But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19‬:‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Last Sunday our church had a catered luncheon for ministry volunteers and my observation was, the elders were serving and our pastor and his wife went last through the line. Then the elders served themselves.

They humbled themselves by going last.

We could all learn by their example.

Blessings 

1 Kings 1:1-4 Could Not Get Warm!

 “Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our Lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our Lord the king may be warm.” So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.”

‭‭I Kings‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. King David was old, advanced in years: This was the twilight of a glorious reign. David was now so old that he could not even keep himself warm, much less rule the nation.

i. David was about 70 at this time. He seems even older than his years; but for David, it wasn’t just the years - it was the mileage. He seemed to live the lives of four or five men in his lifetime.

b. Let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm: This sounds strange - perhaps even immoral - to us, but this was proper of David to allow. This did not bring a moral cloud over the last days of David’s life.

i. It was proper because it was a recognized medical treatment in the ancient world, mentioned by the ancient Greek doctor Galen. When Josephus described this in his Antiquities of the Jews, he said that this was a medical treatment and he called the servants of 1 Kings 1:2“physicians.”

ii. It was proper because David almost certainly made this young woman his concubine. While it was unwise for David to take more than one wife, it was not at that time illegal or specifically prohibited by God. Later, Adonijah would condemn himself to death by asking for Abishag as a wife. His request would only be so outrageous if Abishag had belonged to David as a concubine.

iii. Therefore they chose someone eligible for marriage or concubinage (a virgin), and a lovely young woman. “Whose beauty might engage his affections, and refresh his spirits, and invite him to those embraces which might communicate some of her natural heat to him, as was designed” (Poole).

c. Abishag the Shunammite: From ancient times, many have wanted to associate this beautiful young woman with the Shulamite addressed in the Song of Solomon (Song of Solomon 6:13 and throughout).

d. She cared for the king: This scene of David’s diminished ability shows that the question of David’s successor had to be addressed. King David could not last much longer, and his family history had been marked by treachery and murder. At this point, it was worth wondering if there could be a bloodless transition from David to the next king. (Guzik)

Could Not Get Warm!

I can relate to this! There are times I can’t get warm and I get next to the wood stove, take a hot shower, get in the hot tub or heat a shoulder wrap in the microwave.

But if we examine ourselves spiritually, is your soul hot or cold?

I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior so spiritually my soul is warm basking in His love ❤️ and my home is not of this earth but in heaven!

I can’t wait to go home, what about you?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 24:25 Fellowship With God

 ”And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel.“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. And offered burnt offerings and peace offerings: This shows that David understood that the death of the 70,000 in Israel in the plague did not atone for his and Israel’s sin. Atonement could only be made through the blood of an approved substitute.

i. Burnt offerings were to atone for sin; peace offerings were to enjoy fellowship with God. This shows us from the beginning to the end, David’s life was marked by fellowship with God. 

ii. “We finally see the man after God’s own heart turning the occasion of his sin and its punishment into an occasion of worship.” (Morgan)

b. So the LORD heeded the prayers for the land: 1 Chronicles 21:26 tells us that God showed His acceptance of David’s sacrifice by consuming it with fire from heaven. God honored David’s desire to be right and to fellowship with God by answering with divine blessing from heaven. So it always is when God’s children draw near to their God and Father for cleansing and fellowship. (Guzik)

Fellowship With God

In the Book of Act we see the early Christians going house to house having fellowship by breaking bread and eating food.

”So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,“

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭46‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We do the same weekly with friends from church.

Do you fellowship with God and Christian’s from church?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 24:22-24 Purified and Transfigured?

 ”Now Araunah said to David, “Let my Lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.” Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.“ II Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him: Araunah had a good, generous heart and wanted to give David anything he wanted.

i. “Had Araunah’s noble offer been accepted, it would have been Araunah’s sacrifice, not David’s; nor would it have answered the end of turning away the displeasure of the Most High.” (Clarke)

b. I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing: David knew that it would not be a gift nor a sacrificefor the LORD if it did not cost him something. He didn’t look for the cheapest way possible to please God.

i. “He who has a religion that costs him nothing, has a religion that is worth nothing: nor will any man esteem the ordinances of God, if those ordinances cost him nothing.” (Clarke)

ii. “Where there is true, strong love to Jesus, it will cost us something. Love is the costliest of all undertakings…. But what shall we mind if we gain Christ? You cannot give up for Him without regaining everything you have renounced, but purified and transfigured.” (Meyer)

(Guzik)

Purified and Transfigured?

I ask this question because I am wondering if people that you encounter or work with, do they know by your words and actions that you are a Christian?

Being a Christian in the world can be hard because you will be ridiculed and mocked! But if you keep your actions pure, the people who do the ridiculing may come to you for advice when life becomes difficult for them! I’ve personally seen this and had this happen.

Let His light shine with love through you and be a lighthouse for His kingdom!

Blessings 

2 Samuel 24:18-21 Threshing Floor Of Araunah!

 ”And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. Now Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming toward him. So Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. Then Araunah said, “Why has my Lord the king come to his servant?” And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭18‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite: This is where David met the angel of the LORD, and where God relented from the plague before it came upon Jerusalem. Now God wanted David to meet Him there in worship.

i. “Threshing floors were usually on a height, in order to catch every breeze; some area to the north of David’s city is indicated.” (Baldwin)

ii. The threshing floor of Araunah had both a rich history and a rich future. 2 Chronicles 3:1tells us that the threshing floor of Araunah was on Mount Moriah; the same hill where Abraham offered Isaac (Genesis 22:2), and the same set of hills where Jesus died on the cross (Genesis 22:14).

b. To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the LORD: David wanted to transform this place where chaff was separated from wheat into a place of sacrifice and worship. It would remain a place of sacrifice and worship because this land purchased by David became the site of Solomon’s temple (1 Chronicles 21:28-22:5). (Guzik)

Threshing Floor Of Araunah!

Such a rich history and rich future! The same hill where Abraham offered Isaac, same set hills where Jesus died on the cross and the same site where Solomon’s temple was built!

We can learn so much from the Bible if only we take the time to study it!

I’m reminded of the acronym for the Bible, basic instructions before leaving earth.

Have you read your instruction manual?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 24:15-17 Saw The Angel!

”So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. And when the angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Surely I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”“ Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Seventy thousand men of the people died: This was a great calamity upon Israel – a devastating plague striking so many in such a short period of time.

b. The LORD relented from the destruction: This justified David’s wisdom in leaving himself in God’s hands. He could not trust man to relent from destruction.

c. Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house: Like a true shepherd, David asked that the punishment be upon him and his own household. Having another purpose to accomplish, God did not accept David’s offer. (Guzik)

Saw The Angel!

Several things stuck out with these verses, the people paid for king David’s sin and David saw the Angel! There are many instances throughout the Bible that a nation pays for the sins of the people but a people paying for the sins of their king?

And what does the Bible say about angels?

Hebrews 13:2 (ESV)

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Yes angels walk among us!

Have you ever encountered an angel?

Blessings 

angels-among-us

2 Samuel 24:14 Hand Of The Lord!

”And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercies are great; but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Please let me fall into the hand of the LORD: This meant that David chose the three days of plague. In the other two options, the king and his family could be insulated against the danger, but David knew that he had to expose himself to the chastisement of God.

i. “Had he chosen war, his own personal safety was in no danger, because there was already an ordinance preventing him from going to battle. Had he chosen famine, his own wealth would have secured his and his own family’s support. But he showed the greatness of his mind in choosing the pestilence, to the ravages of which himself and his household were exposed equally with the meanest of his subjects.” (Clarke)

b. Do not let me fall into the hand of man: This meant that David chose the three days of plague. In the other two options, Israel would either be at the mercy of neighbors (as in the famine) or attacked by enemies. David knew that God was far more merciful and gracious than man. (Guzik)

Hand Of The Lord!

“God was (is) more merciful and gracious than man.”

I will accept the hand of the Lord over man every time! The Bible makes it clear what man is capable of but God’s mercies are forever!

”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,“ ‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Father of mercies and God of all comfort! Run to the Father!

Blessings 

Run to the Father!

2 Samuel 24:11-13 Answer!

 ”Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, “Go and tell David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ” So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. I offer you three things: God used David’s sin and the resulting chastisement to reveal David’s heart and wisdom. His choice of the following three options was to test David:

· Seven years of famine: This would surely be the death of some people in Israel, but the wealthy and resourceful would survive. Israel would have to depend on neighboring nations for food.

· Flee three months before your enemies: This would be the death of some in Israel, but most of them would be soldiers. Israel would have to contend with enemies among neighboring nations.

· Three days’ plague in your land: This would be the death of some in Israel, but anyonecould be struck by this plague – rich or poor, influential or anonymous, royal or common.

b. Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me: God wanted David to use the prophet as a mediator, and to answer to the prophet instead of directly to God. (Guzik)

Answer!

God wanted king David’s answer, but what if we want an answer from God? How does He respond? Sometimes through the word, sometimes directly in our heart and sometimes through a mediator.

I recall a time that I was praying fervently to God for an answer and after church someone I didn’t know came up to me and said he had a message for me from God. 

Pastor Robert always said if someone came up to him with a message from God that he would know if it was truly from God if it would come to fruition.

Well mine came to fruition!

Have you ever received an answer from God to prayer?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 24:10 Short Accounts!

 ”And David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭24‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. David’s heart condemned him: The man after God’s heart was not sinless, but he had a heart sensitive to sin when it was committed. David kept a short account with God.

b. Take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have done very foolishly: David now saw the pride and vainglory that prompted him to do such a foolish thing. (Guzik)

Short Accounts!

Like king David we aren’t sinless and when we recognize when we have sinned we should confess our sins to God and ask Him for forgiveness.

”If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.“ ‭‭I John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Likewise when we have sinned against someone we should, ”Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.“ ‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Blessings