Resolution
(1Kgs 2:13~46)
Gods calling and becoming a spiritual leader makes a kingdom firmly established. For this, we need to discern Satans work constantly and make a proper resolution. For none of us is perfect. Lets see what resolution we need to make, which makes our heavenly kingdom firmly established.
1. Cut off Adonijahs megalomania. After Solomon was enthroned succeeding David, Adonijah went to Bathsheba without having given up his ambition. After saying that he came to her peacefully, he added the kingdom was his but it had gone to his brother because of the LORD. Thus Adonijah overrated himself as a better candidate for kingship than Solomon because he didnt accept his fathers will as Gods promise. Then he went so far as to ask that Abishag, Davids attendant be given to him, reducing her as his property. It was his scheme to rebel against Solomon on his political platform of the late kings woman. Likewise, without understanding Gods redemption history, we tend to rely on appearance and position, thinking that the world is everything till we bring ourselves to ruin driven by our worldly desire.
2 Cut off Bathshebas pity. Having no doubt about Adonijahs request, Bathsheba went to Solomon for 'one small request.' Thus Bathsheba took the issue of salvation as a small thing. She might have thought granting Adonijahs request could be a good way of appeasing her sons political opponent. But remember that what we do for our childs sake could actually be an advantage to Satan, our childs enemy. Solomon saw through Adonijahs scheme and determined to execute Adonijah. To have good discernment, we need to transcend our blood ties and personal feelings. To Solomon, a good son to Bathsheba, it might have been hard to reject her small request. Bathsheba also might have been upset to have her beloved son reject her request. We can be also rejected by God in our prayer request, which we need to regard as Gods special concern for us to keep our life. Note while Solomon was doing Gods work, Adonijah was doing Satans. Surely we need to destroy whatever spoils Gods kingdom. We need to find out the Adonijah within us and destroy him through the Benaiahs within and without us. We need to discern the evil within us through our daily QT. Note that the Benaiahs within and without us work together in order to help us.
3. Surpass Abiathars priesthood idolatry and Joabs temple idolatry.
(1) Abiathar is the son of Ahimelech, one of Davids faithful servants. He passed through all Davids trials, taking care of the ark. However, he legitimized Adonijahs treason. So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood and expelled him to his hometown Anathoth. Thus Gods word about the house of Eli that was fulfilled 'In your family line, there will never be an old man.'(1Sam2:32) Note that God calls a pastor to account for spoiling his child over 80 years. Meanwhile God takes care of his faithful servant even after 80 years. Its Gods grace that enables us to carry out our mission.
(2) Joab was executed because he followed Adonijah even though he hadnt betrayed David and followed Absalom. This proves that Joab relied on men rather than God. After Abiathar was expelled, Joab fled to the temple and took hold of the horns of the altar. Yet God saw his motivation. Attending our small group gathering and chasing worldly wisdom can mislead us to a temple idolatry. To us, the temple itself should be a joy. Joab followed Adonijah a rebel because David got too old. He chose Adonijah who seemed a big shot. So God repaid Joab for the blood he shed, because he killed two innocent men Abner and Amasa. God surely repays our enemies for their false accusations upon us some days. Still, we can ask, 'Why was Joab not executed in Davids reign? What matters is not who should carry out the execution, but when. Carrying our cross is a matter of wisdom and wisdom is that of timing. David had enough leadership and charisma to govern his kingdom with, even with having Joab and Abiathar around him. Yet Solomon needed the support of his faithful men, Benaiah, Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet. Thanks to them that God had prepared from the time of David, Solomon was able to cut off the evil of his community.
4. Get over Shimeis mannerism. Shimei is the one who cursed David while he was escaping from Absalom. Actually he deserved execution for cursing Gods anointed one. Yet Solomon let him live on the condition that he should stay inside Jerusalem. This implies that Shimei should lay down his vested rights as a Benjamite and surrender to the kings ruling and supervision, For him, it was a precious time to meditate on the Word and reflect on himself, keeping in company with his community. However, Shimei failed to repent, possessed by his ambition to get out of Jerusalem until he was executed. God warned him that he should not cross his boundary. An obvious warning is the sign of Gods love. Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for three years. Some of us say, 'Ive passed through all kinds of training in our church, but I got nowhere!' This attitude comes from our spiritual mannerism, the mixture of our personal feeling and egoism. We have this attitude because we fail to throw away our prosperity religion and temple idolatry. In order to establish the heavenly kingdom within us, we need to curb our impulse to cross our boundary. Notice that the incident of Adonijah occurred right after David passed away leaving his will and Solomons throne firmly established(1Kgs 2:12). When it comes to establishing our kingdom, we tend to remind ourselves that everything is going as well as we wish. In a biblical sense, however, it refers to being destroyed physically and being rebuilt spiritually. Therefore, Gods judgment on us is his best love for us.
Heres the testimony of one of our deacons, who incurred lots of debts after bankruptcy. After hearing that true application is doing what is against his will, he put this prescription into practice. He answered his debtors phone call quickly, kept attending worship service on Sunday, and voluntarily went to a tax office to pay his overdue taxes. God didnt give him big money, yet God had his debts written off. We all have our own boundaries. No matter how stifling they may be, we need to regard our boundaries as Gods customized circumstance for us lest we should die from our evil outside them. May God bless us all to make our heavenly kingdom firmly established by our repentance and thanksgiving to God!
Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and killed him. The kingdom was now firmly established in Solomons hands. (1Kgs2:46)
