What Were They Thinking?

1 Kings 2:1-46

In a way you could file 1 Kings 2 under the heading ?what goes around comes around.? Isaac Newton?s laws of motion state that ?For a force there is always an equal and opposite reaction.? Maybe Paul said it best in Galatians 6:8 ?For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.?

In this chapter we see several people who have sown to the flesh, who have put an evil force out there and are going to get payback in an equal way. There is more at stake here than just getting even. It appears that the very kingship of Solomon is threatened after David?s death, and God works to secure the throne, while proving payback to those who deserve it.

We begin with David?s final instructions to his son.

1 ? 4

David?s words to Solomon sound a lot like God?s words to Joshua: ?Be strong and courageous.? (Joshua 1:7). Solomon had led a very protected life, but after his father?s death, that life would be in jeopardy. David isn?t telling him to be strong in his own strength, but in ?the charge of the Lord.? David is telling Solomon to do like he did, have a faithful ongoing relationship with Yahweh. ?walk in his ways?, ?walk before me in faithfulness.?

David?s words are similar to what Moses told Joshua in Deuteronomy 31 but David adds something here about another covenant that has come about, the Davidic covenant of 2 Samuel 7. Solomon is under the Law of Moses but with the promise of the king, his offspring, whose kingdom will last forever. That isn?t Solomon, but the Messiah. Solomon is the next step towards the Messiah. If he follows God it will go well. If he doesn?t, it won?t. Simple as that. Solomon will experience both sides of that equation later in life and in the life of his son after him.

But David also wants to make sure Solomon has the chance to rule and pass down his throne, so he gives him instructions for some unfinished business.

5 ? 6

David always seemed unable to control Joab. And he knows based on the recent coup attempt by Adonijah, that is left alone, Joab could very easily bring about the coup. David says ?you?ll know what to do.? And in fact, Solomon doesn?t have to go after Joab, Joab takes care of that as we?ll see in a moment.

7

David also wants those who helped him (and the Lord?s cause) to be blessed. Barzillai was a foreigner who had helped provide for David when he fled Jerusalem from Absalom in chapter 16 ? 19. Barzillai himself did not want reward, but David did honor his son Kimham and now wants that blessing for all of Barzillai?s sons.

8 ? 9

The next person on David?s list is Shimei. You remember him, on the way out of Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 16 he cursed David and threw rocks at him. Shimei was a relative of Saul. When David comes back in chapter 19, Shimei brings a thousand men and plays all nice to David. David is in no mood to give Shimei what he really deserved and so shows him mercy (despite Abishai wanting to kill him). I doubt that Shimei had really repented from anything based on his disdain for the throne of David as we?ll see later in 1 Kings 2. Shimei was an opportunist. When we get angry or feel safe we let out what is truly in our hearts. Later when the tide turned, Shimei needed to eat some serious crow but he basically says ?Let my lord not hold me guilty or remember?? (2 Samuel 19:29). He admitted sin but didn?t seem repentant, only that the clock would be turned back.

10 ? 12

So we finally put to rest one of the true heroes of the Bible, a man who loved God fiercely, defended his nation valiantly, sought truth consistently, erred dramatically, but relied on God completely. Would we have one tenth of David?s faith and love for God!

13 ? 18

David?s body is not even cool in the grave when Adonijah?s real colors come out. He has not given up wanting to be king. Why would he think Bathsheba would go along with this, since if he did become king she and Solomon would be killed? I think this speaks more about Adonijah than Bethsheba. I can just picture Bathsheba (who has already shown herself to be pretty courageous) saying, ?okay, Adonijah, I?d be glad to tell Solomon that you are trying to marry one of David?s wives as part of your claim to the throne.?

19 ? 25

Solomon had just told Adonijah that ?if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.? 1:52. Solomon easily recognizes the plot and moves to have Adonijah executed immediately. Notice that it is not Solomon?s anger at a usurper to his position that is motivating him, but the fact that a promise of God was being attacked. That?s always a better position, to defend what God is doing, rather than just defending ourselves.

26 ? 27

Abiathar?s life is spared for his faithful service, but he is removed as a priest. This fulfills what God pronounced on Eli in 1 Samuel 2:27. There is some confusion here because Eli is not mentioned as part of Abiathar?s line of ancestors. Part of the pronouncement against Eli is interesting. It says ?for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.? 1 Samuel 2:30. Eli let his two sons do whatever they wanted, even that which was an abomination to the Lord. I wonder if Abiathar didn?t do the same thing. Perhaps he too allowed Adonijah to do whatever he wanted even though it too was an abomination to the Lord.

28 ? 35

Here we have men clinging to the horns of the altar. Adonijah did it in chapter 1, now Joab does it. But unlike Adonijah, Joab has no thoughts that he might escape and find mercy. I think he just wants to make it really hard for Solomon to put him to death. Joab makes it difficult and Benaiah must consult with Solomon. The deaths of Abner (2 Samuel 3) and Amasa (2 Samuel 20) could be thought of as political assassination so there is justification in the execution. So with Abiathar and Joab out of the picture, Solomon puts Zadok as priest and Benaiah as head of the army.

36 ? 46

Shimei is basically put under house arrest. It just shows Shimei?s real character and his disdain for the Lord and for David and his line. He doesn?t seem to think anything of violating Solomon?s order and he pays for it with his life.

Conclusions

I think it would be instructive for us to consider what each of the main people in this chapter were thinking.

Adonijah: People are just a means to my end. He was blinded by his own ambition. He walked right into a trap he himself set by asking Bathsheba to ask Solomon for Abishag.

Joab: A man who is strong in the Lord but who is not strong physically is weak totally. He was pretty used to manipulating others for his own benefit. He held the death of Uriah over David all his years. He figured it was political and religious suicide for Solomon to have him put to death at the altar. He figured wrong.

Shimei: Words are just words and have no real meaning or consequence. He could easily say mean things to David, and then just as easily take them back. Solomon could say words of consequence for his actions but since he disdained David and Solomon, they were but words without meaning.

David: David, unlike many of us, was not thinking of his legacy at the end of his life. He was thinking about God?s promise.

Solomon: Wasn?t thinking about being macho and a dictator full of power, he was thinking about ensuring God?s promises were secure and God?s justice was meted out.