Prayer: Father, who You have anointed and appointed shall be fulfilled. May I learn from the anointing and appointing of Solomon as king over Israel. Amen.
Overview 1st & 2nd Kings: Books of 1 and 2 Kings Summary | Watch an Overview Video (bibleproject.com)
Reading: 1 Kings 1 key: vs. 38-40 “So Zadok the kohen, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down, and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. Then Zadok the kohen took the horn of oil out of the Tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the shofar, and all the people said: “Long live King Solomon!” All the people went up after him, while the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the ground shook at their noise.” TLV
Attention: Have you ever noticed how Adonai or His anointed and appointed, intervene at just the right moment and avert disaster? Do you recognize the name of Nathan the prophet? Where have we seen his name mentioned before?
In the reign of King David, Nathan was David’s primary prophet. He was appointed by Adonai, to reveal David’s sin with Bathsheba. In today’s reading, the young man Adonijah, aspired to replace his father David as king. Notice, however, in inviting the power brokers needed to endorse the next king, there is an important omission, Nathan (vs. 10). Adonijah knew that he would not have Nathan’s support or blessing, importantly, the anointing.
Nathan hastily approaches Bathsheba with a plan to alert king David. He wanted Bathsheba to approach David with an appeal for Solomon to be anointed as king and Nathan would pay a timely visit to David, endorsing the move. The plan worked, as David summoned Bathsheba, asking her to “Summon to me Zadok the kohen, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” David gives them instructions on anointing Solomon as the next king of Israel.
The anointing celebration causes quite a stir as the attending people “were playing flutes and rejoicing with great joy,” resulting in a celebration which “shook” the ground. The rejoicing was so loud and so great that Adonijah and all his guests “heard it.” All his guests, left his party “trembling” and each “went his own way.”
Solomon’s throne was established and anointed. David had decreed the will of God and kept his promise to Bathsheba. David praised God for allowing him to see his son ascend to the throne while he still lived. God’s timing is amazing, rarely early, never late, but always on time!
Action: I choose to seek God’s timing and anointing in the matters of my life.
Yield: I choose to yield to God’s timing to be the best choice.
Engage: I choose to engage with God in ordering my steps.
Relationship: I choose to live in an intimate relationship with God.
Prayer: Father, I never want to get out in front of Your plan or seek my own way. Help me to be patient, moving with Your timing and plan. Amen.
Memory Verse: 1 Kings 1: 47-48 “Moreover, the king’s courtiers came to bless our lord King David, saying: ‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and his throne greater than your throne!’ Then the king bowed down on the bed. Furthermore the king said, ‘Blessed be Adonai, God of Israel, who this day has given one to sit on my throne, while my eyes are seeing it.’” TLV
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Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”