1 Kings - Chapter 1 with Psalm 24 and 37

In this transcription, the host discusses the first chapter of 1 Kings in the Christian Bible. It focuses on the transition of power from King David to his son Solomon. Adonijah, another son of David, tries to make himself king but is ultimately unsuccessful. The host also mentions the importance of God's involvement in history and the significance of Solomon's anointing as king. The transcription concludes with a reading of Psalm 24, emphasizing the worthiness of Solomon as the chosen king. I am Julie Kelley, your host, and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me, you can do that at bab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today, we are covering the first chapter of 1 Kings with Psalm 24 and 37. In the Christian Bible, it is the sixth book of history. It continues off where 1 and 2 Samuel ended. 1 Samuel covered the reign of the first king of Israel, Saul. 2 Samuel covered the reign of the second king of Israel, David. In today's lesson, David is old and the question of who will be the next king of Israel is at hand. Both kings were picked by the Lord and Samuel the prophet anointed both of them. They were from different families and different tribes of Israel. One thing that M. Pierce Smitheny, Jr. said in his commentary, The basic meaning of Old Testament history is that Israel, God's covenant people, saw history as His story. They believed that Yahweh was sovereign Lord of history, using men and nations to work out His redemptive purposes. When we read the Gospels last year, we learned that each writer wrote for a specific purpose in mind and with that, some things were excluded and other things were added. This is the same with the Old Testament writers as well. This is a theology, a study of God in history, which shows that God is at work in their lives. And may I add that He is also working in our lives too, while He continues to write His story with us. Chapter 1 verses 2 and 3 read, When King David was old and well advanced in years, he could not keep warm, even when they put covers on him. So his servant said to him, Let us look for a young virgin to attend the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him, so that our Lord the King may keep warm. We know from 2 Samuel chapter 5 verses 4 and 5 that David was 30 years old when he became king and then reigned 40 years. So that puts David around 70 years old. His servants found a beautiful young Junamite woman named Abishag to keep him warm and to tend for him. With verse 5 the story switches scenes. David's fourth son, Adonijah, is taking matters into his own hands. If you remember, David's first born son, Amnon, raped his half-sister. So David's third born son, her full-blooded brother, killed him for it. The second born, which was named Kilieb in Samuel, but in Chronicles it is listed as Daniel, he is not mentioned again. So it is assumed that he died young. We learn in 2 Samuel chapters 15 through 18 that Absalom, the third born, provided for himself a chariot and horses with 50 men to run ahead of him. And that was the start of Absalom attempting to take the kingdom from his father. One other thing we have seen so far in the life of David is that when it comes to parenting, he is horrible. When David's son raped his daughter, he did nothing. When Absalom killed his first born son, David did nothing. When Absalom took over the kingdom, David fled and then asked his soldiers to take it easy on his son. When Joab killed Absalom, David wept for his son and said he would have rather died than Absalom, even though his son was not a God-fearing man. We learn in verses 5 and 6, now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, I will be king. So he got chariots and horses ready with 50 men to run ahead of him. His father had never interfered with him by asking, why do you behave as you do? He also was very handsome and was born next after Absalom. The writer gives the picture image that he is just like Absalom, even though they had different mothers. David's first six sons were born from different wives and they were all born while David was the king of just the southern tribe of Judah. Because King Saul's son was trying to reign in the northern tribes of Israel. The story continues that he gathered key men from David's court, Joab, David's commander of the army, and Abiathar the priest, who both were with David in Hebron when David's first six sons were born. He gathered others for this feast of celebration when he made himself king. But ladies, in Deuteronomy chapter 17 verse 15, the Lord is clear in his directions on how Israel is to select a king. Quote, be sure to appoint over you the king the Lord your God chooses. With Saul and David, the Lord told Samuel they would be king and Samuel anointed them as king. David was anointed in 1 Samuel chapter 16, even before King Saul had died. The writer is also very clear whom Adonijah did not invite to the party. Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Ray, and David's special guards, nor his brother Solomon. Since Adonijah did not invite Solomon, it seems to hint that he knew that the kingdom should go to Solomon. Adonijah had already made his sacrifices, and verse 11 says, then Nathan asked Bathsheba. Now this back story is found in 2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12. David took Bathsheba, who was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of David's fighting men, and had sex with her. She became pregnant, so David gave orders to have Uriah killed in battle, and then he took Bathsheba into his home. Their firstborn son died because of David's sin, but then he comforted her, and she gave birth to a son, and they named him Solomon. 2 Samuel chapter 12 verse 25 says, and because the Lord loved him, he sent word through Nathan the prophet to name him Jedidiah. Even if Adonijah did not know that David had promised the kingdom to Solomon, it was clear that Solomon was blessed by the Lord, which made Adonijah nervous. It was Nathan the prophet that had confronted in a marvelous way about King David's affair, and now Nathan is coming to Bathsheba with the news that Adonijah is becoming king. Nathan had a plan for her to go to the king and inform him, and then he would come in and verify her story. Keep in mind that the Bible is clear that it was Nathan who initiated this and had the plan. Bathsheba did what Nathan told her to do. She went to the aged king, where the young Shunammite woman was. She bowed low in honor of the king, and verse 17 says, Now we have no record of when or how that happened. It may have been when the Lord changed his name, since the Lord loved him and therefore chose him. Bathsheba tells of what Adonijah is doing, and then verse 22 says, While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. Bathsheba was removed, and Nathan came into the king's presence, confirmed Bathsheba's story, and then he asked David, The king then called Bathsheba in again, and this time he took an oath, He delivered me out of every trouble. I will surely carry out today what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel. Solomon, your son, shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place. Verses 29 and 30. Bathsheba bowed unto the king and said, May the Lord King David live forever. Unlike the other times with his sons, here David acts. He called for Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and ordered the anointing of Solomon. Then they were to put Solomon on the king's mule and take him down to Gihon. Remember, Jerusalem is on a mountain. After he was anointed, they blew the trumpets and shouted, Long live King Solomon! Then they are to come back up with Solomon and have him sit on David's throne and reign in David's place, for David has anointed him ruler over Israel and Judah. The men were thrilled and proclaimed, As the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon to make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David. Verse 37. The men obeyed the king, and when they shouted the trumpet, all the people shouted, Long live King Solomon! Then all the people went up after Solomon, rejoicing greatly that the ground shook with the sound. It's here that I'd like to read Psalm 24, a psalm of David. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and all who live in it. For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord almighty, he is the King of glory. Selah. This psalm asks the question, who is worthy? In this story, it is Solomon who is entering this walled city with tall gates. And he is worthy because he was selected by the Lord and by King David and was now the Lord's anointed by the priest. Over a thousand years later, a descendant of David will also be coming up into Jerusalem riding a donkey. And people will be crying out, Hosanna to the son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. Ladies, Jesus is the only one who is worthy. But when we believe in him, he gives us clean hands and a pure heart. O may this generation seek him and his wonderful face. Now back to 1 Kings verse 41 to a different scene. Where once there was partying with Adonijah, now there is fleeing for their lives. They hear that Solomon was made king. His party ran away and he ran to the tabernacle and clung to the horns of the altar. Word came to King Solomon and he sent word to Adonijah. If he shows himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die. Solomon's men got him off the altar and he came to King Solomon who said, go home. Time will tell if Adonijah is worthy. I'd like to end with Psalm 37 today. It is a longer Psalm of David because it is an acrostic with each of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. So I will not read all of it. But it is a wisdom song and I hope that you take the time to read it later. Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong. For like the grass they will soon wither. Like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in Him and He will do this. He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn. The justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. Do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath. Do not fret. It leads only to evil. For evil men will be cut off. But those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. Then it goes into the ways of the wicked. And then starting again in verse 23. If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm. Though he stumbles, he will not fall. For the Lord upholds him with His hand. I was young and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely. Their children will be blessed. Turn from evil and do good. Then you will dwell in the land forever. For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake His faithful ones. They will be protected forever. But the offspring of the wicked will be cut off. The righteous will inherit the land and dwell forever. There is more comparison between the righteous and the wicked. And then skipping to the last two verses. The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord. He is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them. He delivers them from the wicked and saves them. Because they take refuge in Him. Ladies, if you have heard His voice today, please don't harden your heart and be like the wicked. Instead, let's listen and obey like the righteous. Until next time, and thanks so much for listening.