Descendants of Faith
(1Kgs. 1:1ampsim27)
The historical context of 1Kings is the four hundred years from Solomons reign to the 37th year of Jehoiachins reign, when he and his people were released from Babylon captivity. It evaluates the Israel kings achievements and failures not from a political, social, and economic viewpoint but from divine perspective on the basis of Gods message through the law and prophets. Lets see how David let his descendants of faith succeed his genealogy, once endangered, through Solomon.
1. He overcame his women issue, his Achilles heel. When King David became old his servants brought him a beautiful girl, Abishag, to keep him warm in bed but not to have sex with. David used to sleep with concubines even during the time of war, which he didnt stop even after the death of the son he sired through Bathsheba soon after the boys birth. Sex was his fatal weakness. Yet after Absalom, his favorite son slept with his concubine, David finally broke with his women. From that time on, David didnt see his concubines again till he died. And he didnt sleep with Abishag either. Thus he passed his final test of his women issue. Todays passage describes this repeatedly in detail now that he appoints Solomon as his spiritual successor. David, as weak a person as he was, became a forefather of Jesus. Likewise, we need to focus on interpreting rather than resolving our incidents and cutting off our weak points rather than doing lip service to it in order to be our descendants spiritual forefather. All we need to do for our faith descendants is just do our QT instead of nagging them about doing it . We need to stop our gluttony or playing computer games first before we tell our children not to do that.
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2. He overcame his children issue with an objective perspective. The issue of children is more challenging than that of women. Adonijah means Jehovah is my Lord. He was very handsome and was born next after Absalom. The name of his mother means feast, implying that she is so proud of him that she might want to hold a feast every day. Davids favorite love for his handsome son was another weak point. He didnt have an objective perspective. He didnt say a word of admonition let alone nag to his son. The blind love that spares the rod spoils the child. He seems to have showed his unconditional affection to his son in order not to repeat his painful memory of Absalom. He might have a trauma about his snubbing Absalom, which caused a great tragedy. Yet, by overindulging Adonijah and placing him right next to him, David brought him up as a haughty son. No wonder that Adonijah considered himself as a successor of David. Everyone has his own strong points. Those who are good at relationships can glorify God through sociability. However, if we only indulge in relationships because of ambition, we will be as fruitless as Adonijah. There two kinds of parents. While some parents indulge their child as a prince without saying a word that might hurt him, other parents hurt their child by bitter words in order to make him a prince. The best parents of all are the ones who raise their child as a Christian.
3. He overcame his men issue through the crisis of their rebellion. Finally, the true nature of Joab is revealed. He took sides with Satan. Why did he and Abiathar betray David? It was because David was old and seemed powerless. Besides, Adonijah looked too great to them. Attracted by his ability and appearance, they turned their back on David in search of their power. Thus they chose appearance. Yet their human wisdom wasnt a match for Gods promise. Doing QT is keeping in mind Gods promise every day. We need to beat our body and make it our slave by meditating on the Word, which is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, We need to meditate on not only who we should be, but also who we should not be as in verse 8. Instead of staying quiet , sometimes we need to take action and turn from evil. Whether in church or in the world, we are often ostracized, rejected, and uninvited by people because we believe in Jesus. So it was with Solomon and us too in such situations. Nevertheless, we need to thank God for it because it urges us to call out to Him. Gods kingdom can be built by a few people saved by God. Just a few of them equal thousands of Sunday Christians. Many churches wither because they dont have even one of these kinds of people. Instead we think should get along with powerful people in the world. Yet the secret of becoming a forefather of our spiritual heir is staying in our faith community, holding on to Gods promise.
4. He discerned human schemes from spiritual strategies. David and Nathan had a solid relationship based on trust. They were in a candid relationship. David trusted Nathan more than Zadok and Abiathar. Nathan took the side of Zadok. Even though Nathan could have addressed David directly he instructed Bathsheba to be a liaison between him and David because he might seem to be another participant in the political strife now that Abiathar took the side of Adonijah. Thus through Bathsheba, Nathan reminded David of Gods promise. This is a divine strategy. Its not a scheme for selfish desire but wisdom inspired by Jesus. Human schemes are one thing and spiritual strategy something different. We need to seek that wisdom and discernment. What matters is to know where we should be at every opportunity. Beautiful Abishag attended David, treating him not as a king but as an old man. Through her daily service for David, she extended his life, the bridge of heavenly kingdom. Thus the true descendant of faith knows who he is and where he should be. To know his place is to acknowledge Gods place. When we forget our place we overstep into pride. We cannot live by ourselves. We need our spiritual fellows like Bathsheba and Nathan to share our life with and make us spiritually awake.
When King David was old and well advanced in years, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him (1Kgs 1:1).
