”Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’“
I Kings 2:1-4 NKJV
a. I go the way of all the earth: David, son of Jesse – Israel’s greatest king, apart from the Messiah - recognized that he was but a man and shared the common destiny of all the earth. Knowing he would soon pass from this life, David gave a final charge to Solomon.
i. An expanded account of David’s charge to Solomon is in 1 Chronicles 28-29. It especially emphasizes Solomon’s duty to build the temple.
b. Be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man: Perhaps David sensed some weakness in Solomon. Perhaps he knew Solomon would be tested in far greater ways than before. Whatever the exact reason was, David knew Solomon needed strength and courage (prove yourself a man). Great responsibilities require great strength and courage.
i. From these words of David we sense that Solomon faced great challenges, whether he knew it or not. “The same expression was used by the Philistines in 1 Samuel 4:9as they encouraged one another in their battle against what they assumed to be insurmountable odds” (Patterson and Austel).
c. And keep the charge of the LORD your God: David also knew that Solomon could not be strong or courageous without obedient fellowship with God. In this place of obedient fellowship, Solomon would prosper in all that he did.
d. That the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me: David had a generalreason to exhort Solomon to obedience, but he also had a specific reason, a specific promise of God. God promised David that as long as his sons walked in obedience, they would keep the throne of Israel.
i. This was an amazing promise. No matter what the Assyrians or the Egyptians or the Babylonians did, as long as David’s sons were obedient and followed God with their heart and with all their soul, God would establish their kingdom. He would take care of the rest.
ii. We may envy the sons of David because they had such a promise, but we have a similar promise from God. Jesus said in Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. God promises that if we put Him first, He will take care of the rest. (Guzik)
Put God First!
If we put God first by seeking, you will find! Jesus said:
”Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.“ Matthew 7:7 NKJV
Do you put God first in your life?
Blessings
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