King Solomon E-Book

Philip Graham Ryken

• Herausgeber: Crossway
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 402

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

Though the world's wisest king, Solomon's heart was led astray by temptations of wealth, sex, and power. And we face the same dangers today, though the temptations may be different in degree and detail.  Author Philip Ryken writes, "In witnessing Solomon's moral triumphs and sinful failures we learn how to live more wisely. By the grace of God, we may avoid a tragic downfall of our own and learn how to use money, sex, and power for the glory of God." Tracing Solomon's life from coronation to burial—and from godly devotion to self-serving excess—Ryken shows readers how to avoid similar downfalls and seek God's glory amid earthly temptations. These thirteen chapters are pastoral, rich in application, and biblically faithful. This overview of Solomon's life also includes a study guide, making it a great resource for both personal and group use. 

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“With the skill of a theologian and the heart of a pastor, Ryken takes you from the demise of one king to the victory of the King of kings. Read and you’ll find more than the story of Solomon; you’ll find the gospel in beautiful and powerful relief.”

Paul Tripp, President, Paul Tripp Ministries; author,

Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy

“Vintage Ryken: full of truth, wisdom, and insight. This book tells the story of Solomon, his rise and fall, and expertly traces the themes of his strange tragedy in the light of the hope of the gospel. There is a range of compelling and motivating illustrations drawn from classical and contemporary sources, as well as literary insights about how the story of Solomon fits into the Bible. Ryken leaves open the question as to whether Solomon in the end came back to God, although implies he may well have done so, through the lens of the end of Ecclesiastes. The section where Ryken describes, in pastoral and effective detail, the possible temptations that may come with power and success and how to avoid them are particularly helpful. All in all a great read, an insightful meditation on Solomon, and a case for maintaining godliness in the midst of the pressure of success well made.”

Josh Moody, Senior Pastor, College Church, Wheaton,

Illinois; author, No Other Gospel

“Ryken has produced another excellent pastoral asset to assist believers in their spiritual growth while also equipping leaders for an effective, gospel-centered discipleship ministry. The display of the majesty of Christ, ‘One greater than Solomon,’ is the pinnacle blessing from this biblically faithful, biographical treatment of the life of Solomon. As Phil traverses Solomon’s life, examining his divine gift of wisdom, startling passions, and significant achievements, he simultaneously exposes the great sins of Solomon and the greater grace of God in Christ. This astounding exposition also allows the reader to benefit from informative insights as to the subtle snares and entangling schemes of Satan in the idolatrous use of money, power, and sex. Although a page-turner, it warrants intentional pauses for thoughtful meditation and reflection, allowing us to make life applications that fulfill the biblical admonition to ‘not be ignorant of Satan’s devices’ yet focus upon the sufficiency of the great King, Christ Jesus, our Lord.”

Harry L. Reeder, Senior Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian

Church, Birmingham, Alabama; author, The Leadership

Dynamic: A Biblical Model for Raising Effective Leaders

OTHER CROSSWAY BOOKS

by Philip Graham Ryken

Justification (A Gospel Coalition booklet)

Our Triune God: Living in the Love of the Three-in-One (co-author)

The Prayer of Our Lord

Written in Stone: The Ten Commandments and Today’s Moral Crisis

IN THE PREACHING THE WORD COMMENTARY SERIES:

Ecclesiastes: Why Everything Matters

King Solomon: The Temptations of Money, Sex, and Power

Copyright © 2011 by Philip Graham Ryken

Published by Crossway              1300 Crescent Street              Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

Cover design: Dual Identity inc.

Cover painting: Scala / Art Resource, NY

First printing 2011

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture references marked niv are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Biblica.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-2154-6 PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-2155-3 Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-2167-6 ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-2168-3

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ryken, Philip Graham, 1966–

King Solomon : the temptations of money, sex, and power / Philip Graham Ryken.

    p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-4335-2154-6 (tp)

1. Solomon, King of Israel. 2. Money—Biblical teaching. 3. Sex— Biblical teaching. 4. Power (Christian theology)—Biblical teaching. I. Title.

BS580.S6R95      2011

222'.53092—dc22           2010053231

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

To

Jonathan and Betsy Rockey

faithful friends, lively conversation partners,

models of charity and godliness

and

to the Lord Jesus Christ, whose life of simplicity, purity, and humility is our salvation

“Behold, something greater than Solomon is here”

CONTENTS

Preface

11

1 Long Live the King!

15

2 Putting the Kingdom First

27

3 Solomon’s Wish

43

4 The Wisdom of Solomon

59

5 The Peaceable Kingdom

73

6 Inside Solomon’s Temple

87

7 Better Homes and Gardens

101

8 The Ark of the Covenant and the Glory

115

9 Solomon’s Choice

129

10 Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

143

11

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

157

12 A Royal Tragedy

171

13 The Fall of the House of David

187

Solomon’s Epitaph

203

Study Guide

209

Notes

237

General Index

243

Scripture Index

249

PREFACE

As I write these words, the news in America is dominated by the story of a spectacular tragedy: the world-famous golfer Tiger Woods has fallen into public disgrace.

For more than a decade now, Woods has been one of the most admired men in the world. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf—maybe the greatest. Tall, strong, and handsome, he married a stunningly beautiful woman. By virtue of his championship play and reputation for excellence, he has made hundreds of millions of dollars in prizes and endorsements.

Yet now Tiger seems to have lost everything. First came the report of a mysterious late-night car accident at the family compound in Florida. This was soon followed by accusations of marital discord and sexual infidelity. Every day the tabloids, the newspapers, and the television programs reported another tawdry liaison with a waitress, an escort, or a Las Vegas hooker.

The consequences of these transgressions were devastating. Woods went from being one of the most admired men in the world to being one of the most despised. His wife and children left him. Despite a public apology, the man’s reputation was destroyed, probably permanently. Tiger’s career as a golfer went on indefinite hiatus. His sponsors abandoned him, costing him millions of dollars in promotional fees. In short, his life was ruined.

What was the cause of Tiger’s downfall? It was partly due to adultery. Unable to resist forbidden pleasure, he gave in to sexual temptation. Money may also have had something to do with it. Because of his extraordinary wealth, Tiger could go places and do things that most people could only dream of, and wherever he went, some women were ready to throw themselves at him. Tiger’s transgressions also represented an abuse of power. Because of his position in life, he simply assumed that he could get away with doing whatever he wanted. The temptations that brought Tiger down are the same temptations that have ruined many famous people: money, sex, and power.

What happened to the world’s most famous golfer ought to sound familiar to anyone who knows the story of Solomon. Like Tiger Woods, King Solomon had all the fame and fortune that any man could want. He was the world’s wisest and wealthiest king. And yet, tragically, he threw it all away. Rather than remaining true to the living God, his heart was led astray by the treasures of wealth, the pleasures of sex, and the powers of an earthly kingdom.

This book traces Solomon’s life from his coronation to his burial. Earlier, in the back story to his kingship, we see men struggling with the same temptations that Solomon later faced: money, sex, and power. They are the same temptations that we all face. In witnessing Solomon’s moral triumphs and sinful failures, therefore, we learn how to live more wisely. By the grace of God, we may avoid a tragic downfall of our own and learn how to use money, sex, and power for the glory of God.

Most of the material in this book was first preached at Philadelphia’s Tenth Presbyterian Church, where it was my joy to serve in pastoral ministry for fifteen years. I am grateful to the good friends who made many helpful suggestions as I revised the manuscript for publication: Lois Denier, Cathy Kempf, Glenn McDowell, Robert Polen, Mary Ryken, and Lydia Brownback. Special thanks go to my little sister Nancy Taylor, who prepared the study guide.

In studying the life of Solomon, we see both the true greatness and the tragic failure of our own humanity. We are made in the royal image of God, yet we have fallen into serious sin. Fortunately, there is someone who can still save us: the greater Solomon of the kingdom of God. When Jesus said, “Something greater than Solomon is here” (Luke 11:31), he was referring to his own perfect life and ministry. Jesus Christ is the hope which Solomon’s tragedy shows that all of us need.

Philip Graham Ryken Wheaton, Illinois

LONG LIVE THE KING !

And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’”

1 K I N G S 1 : 3 3 – 3 4

The story of King Solomon begins with King David, who “was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm” (1 Kings 1:1). For anyone who admires King David, this scene is full of pathos. David was among the greatest of earthly kings—maybe the greatest. From boyhood he performed many heroic feats in battle. He killed lions and bears to defend his father’s flocks and herds. He slew giants. He conquered kingdoms. He established a fortress for his people in Jerusalem. He sired a royal dynasty, fathering many sons to be the princes of Israel, including Prince Solomon. But now the famous king was old and gray, and for all his former greatness, it was all he could do to stay warm in bed (or should I say deathbed?).

OLD KING DAVID

David’s feeble decline is a sad reminder of our own frailty. The king was about seventy years old when these events took place. What happened to him will happen to (almost) all of us. Our hearing will fail; our eyesight will grow dim; our limbs will get weak and brittle. Eventually we will be confined to bed, and maybe we will find it hard to stay warm. How important it is, therefore, for everyone to heed the counsel that Solomon later gave, in the days of his wisdom: “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’” (Eccles. 12:1). If, like David, we give our hearts to God when we are young, we will still remember him when we are old, and he will remember us.

Poor David! As he tried to get warm, his servants tried to help. They put him in warmer pajamas, but the king was still cold. Then they piled heavy blankets on his royal person, but still he shivered under the covers. So they proposed a practical remedy—one mentioned in several ancient medical textbooks:1

His servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not. (1 Kings 1:2–4)

Abishag’s employment as a kind of human hot water bottle raises more questions than it answers. Were David’s servants simply trying to keep him warm? If so, then why did they conduct a Miss Israel pageant to find the prettiest young thing in the whole country? The situation seems charged with sexuality, and even though we are told that David did not have sexual relations with this woman, there is a lingering sense of impropriety.

We also sense that the king is diminished. This is hardly the David who knew Bathsheba—the David who fathered Solomon and many other sons. Not even a stunning young virgin can warm his blood. On the contrary, he has suffered the loss of vitality and virility.

As David’s kingship came to an end, his royal court was full of intrigue. The courtiers were whispering in the passageways: “Who will be the next king?” This question had been on people’s minds for years, much the way that people have speculated about who will succeed England’s Elizabeth II. In fact, there had already been at least two attempts to take the throne away from David: the rebellion of his son Absalom, which led to civil war (2 Samuel 14–18), and the uprising of Sheba the Benjamite (2 Samuel 20). David was able to quell both of those rebellions, but as he grew older he also grew weaker. Now he couldn’t even get warm in bed, and what one scholar has described as “his shivering impotence” was creating a power vacuum.2

As far as God was concerned, David’s rightful heir was supposed to be Solomon. Although Solomon was not the oldest son—he was tenth in line—he was the chosen son. God does not always choose the oldest son, as David’s own coronation illustrates (1 Sam. 16:10–13). We know that the word of the Lord had announced to David that Solomon would be the king: “Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever” (1 Chron. 22:9–10). By divine right, Solomon would be Israel’s king.

There was another contender for the kingship, however—an alternative candidate to sit on Israel’s throne. Most people saw him as the heir apparent. His name was Adonijah, and he seemed to be everything that David used to be but wasn’t anymore. The Bible describes him as “a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom” (1 Kings 1:6). Humanly speaking, Adonijah had everything going for him. He had all the qualifications that people look for. Like his older brother Absalom (an ominous connection), he was easy on the eyes, which counts for a lot in life—more than we sometimes like to admit. As far as kingship was concerned, Adonijah looked the part (at least to people who look at outward appearances, which God doesn’t; 1 Sam. 16:7). Furthermore, as David’s oldest living son, Adonijah was next in line for the throne.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR A CORONATION

According to ancient custom, the death of a ruler is greeted with the following words: “The king is dead; long live the king!” This may seem like a contradictory thing to say. If the king is dead, then what use is there in wishing him long life? But the point is that the kingdom will endure. Even though one king is dead, another king lives to take his place. The kingship will survive, and therefore people who hope for the continuity of the monarchy say, “The king is dead. Long live the king!”

This custom helps to explain what Queen Bathsheba said to King David, as she sought to secure the throne for Solomon as Israel’s rightful king. The old king was having trouble getting warm, so everyone thought he was on his deathbed. His oldest son, Adonijah, had gone so far as to proclaim himself the next king (1 Kings 1:5–10). Meanwhile, the prophet Nathan had been doing everything he could do to secure the throne for Solomon, whom God had promised would sit on David’s throne. Together Nathan and Bathsheba went to inform David what was happening to his kingdom and to persuade him to crown Solomon as king. Once he had promised to do this, “Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, ‘May my lord King David live forever!’” (v. 31).

Under the circumstances, this may seem like a strange thing to say. The very reason David and Bathsheba were having this conversation was that they both knew that the king wouldn’t live forever; he was about to die. So why did she say this? Bathsheba still hoped in the promise of David’s everlasting kingdom. The king still lives and so does his dynasty, to the everlasting joy of all the people of God.

David may have been dying, but he was not dead yet. As soon as he finished his audience with Bathsheba, he started giving orders. There was not a moment to lose. In trying to usurp the throne, Adonijah had already announced that he would be king. David knew that it was now or never: if he did not act immediately and decisively to put Solomon on the throne, his son would never become king.

So the king resumed command. He said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada” (v. 32). This was a shrewd and godly maneuver. David was calling together the prophet, the priest, and the representative of the king. Adonijah had not consulted any of these men, but David did, and in doing so he united his kingdom under the rule of God, who had appointed them to serve as the rulers of Israel. Then David gave the orders for Solomon’s coronation. Here were his royal instructions:

Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, “Long live King Solomon!” You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. (vv. 33–35)

We can tell that the king was used to giving orders and that he knew exactly what to do. First Solomon would ride on David’s personal mule—the royal mule, the one that signified his kingship. Riding a mule or donkey was an ancient symbol of royal office. By comparison, seeing Solomon riding a mule would be like seeing the Queen of England in her royal carriage or watching Air Force One take off with the president of the United States.3 The king was on parade in all his royal dignity.

Then Solomon would be anointed—the sacred ritual that officially consecrated him as the next king. This was in keeping with the will of God, who, as we have seen, had promised that Solomon would rule on David’s throne. Anointing was also a custom; Israel’s first two kings—Saul and David—had both been anointed with oil (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13). Now Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet would pour sacred oil on Solomon’s head, divinely designating him as the new king for the people of God.

Next came Solomon’s enthronement. Loud trumpets would announce his royal approach to David’s throne. With shouts of acclamation, people would proclaim his kingship: “Long live King Solomon!” Then Israel’s leaders would follow their new ruler to Israel’s throne, where he would sit in the kingly place of David.

This was the right way for King David to announce his immediate successor and for the leaders of Israel to make Solomon their king. David had always called Solomon his beloved son; now he was the first to proclaim him as king. He did it by his royal authority as God’s representative, and he did it in broad daylight. Unlike Adonijah, who hosted his own private coronation, Solomon would be paraded through the city streets and crowned at the royal palace—not by his own will but by godly men acting under the will of God. This was the proper way to conduct a coronation: with a royal mule on kingly parade, with holy oil for sacred anointing, with loud shouts and blaring trumpets, and with the new king seated on his golden throne.

CROWN HIM!

Once David had given these orders, people had a choice to make. It is the same choice we face every day in the Christian life: will we accept the King that God has anointed, submitting to his rule for our lives, or will we put ourselves on the throne, living by the rules of some other kingdom?

First Kings 1 shows what choice people made when David said that Solomon would be king. The people who accepted David’s authority as the royal will of God immediately moved to crown Solomon as king. We sense their joy in the marvelous answer that Benaiah the son of Jehoiada gave to the king: “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so. As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David” (vv. 36–37).

With a heart full of joy, Benaiah said “Amen!” to the coronation of Solomon, making his choice for the kingdom of God. He honored King David by agreeing with his instructions. He honored King Solomon by affirming his kingship. And he honored God as the Lord of all kings by recognizing his sovereignty over all these events. Benaiah was for the King and for his kingdom.

Benaiah was also a man of prayer, for that is what he was really doing: praying for the kingdom to come. He was asking God to help David’s plans come to fruition. He was asking God to be with Solomon the way he had always been with David. And he was asking God to expand his kingdom by blessing Solomon even more than he had ever blessed David. Benaiah had the vision to see the glory of the coming kingdom, and he prayed accordingly, asking God to enlarge the greatness of David’s dominion. He asked God to do more than he hoped or imagined, and in doing so he honored David, honored Solomon, and honored their God.

Yet Benaiah was not the only person who chose the right king. The Bible says further that “Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon. There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon” (vv. 38–39). These men carefully followed David’s royal instructions. The prophet, the priest, and the representative of the king helped Solomon onto the royal mule. They were joined by David’s “mighty men” (v. 8), his own personal troops.4 Together these men brought him to the holy tent where the priest kept his sacred oil for ritual anointing. Thus they anointed Solomon as king.

Immediately his kingship received the acclamation that it deserved. The whole kingdom was choosing for Solomon. The priests “blew the trumpet, and all the people said, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise” (vv. 39–40).

The repetition of the royal refrain functions as the climax of 1 Kings 1. What joy it was to see King Solomon take this throne on that happy day! News of his coronation spread through the city like wildfire, and soon everyone was following his parade. Musicians were blowing trumpets. Grown men were cheering and shouting. Women were singing and dancing in the streets. Children were jumping up and down, so excited they hardly knew what to do. The sound of their celebration was almost loud enough to start an earthquake. This is the way to welcome a king: with royal pomp, regal circumstance, and public celebration—something most people would be fortunate to witness just once in a lifetime.

Even old King David could feel the joy. The king was still too weak to get up out of bed, but later we are told that “the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself on the bed. And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it’” (vv. 47–48).

When these servants prayed that Solomon’s kingdom would surpass David’s, they were not insulting their master but honoring God’s promise to give him a royal dynasty (see 2 Sam. 7:12–16). God would indeed expand his kingdom, and David rejoiced to see the day. Right then and there, while he was still on his bed, he bowed down to worship God and to bless him for the gift of Solomon’s kingship. David didn’t have to be the greatest king with the most famous kingdom. What he wanted to see was the glory of the kingdom of God. Far from envying his son, therefore, David praised God for the newly anointed king of his future kingdom.

THE CORONATION OF THE CHRIST

Almost every detail of this coronation celebration helps us understand the kingship of Jesus Christ—his anointing, his enthronement, and his everlasting dominion. Most people have never witnessed a real live coronation. In the United States we have never crowned anyone king at all. But proper kings are supposed to be crowned, and in telling us how Solomon was crowned, 1 Kings 1 also helps us understand the coronation of Christ as king.

Jesus of Nazareth was the rightful heir of David’s throne. As the Gospel of Matthew tells us in its famous genealogy, Jesus was a lineal descendant of Solomon and of David by way of Bathsheba (1:6–7). Thus he had a rightful claim to David’s throne. And when it was time for his kingship to be openly acknowledged, Jesus rode a royal donkey into the kingdom city of Jerusalem (Matt. 21:1–11). It had long been promised that the Christ would ride the foal of a donkey (Zech. 9:9). So when Jesus rode a donkey on the first Palm Sunday, making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, it was a public declaration of his royal office. The King was on parade.

King Jesus was also anointed. Indeed, this is the very meaning of the word Christ, which is literally “the Anointed One.” Jesus was not anointed by a prophet or a priest but by the Spirit of God. This took place at his baptism in the Jordan River, when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven like a dove and rested on the Son of God (Matt. 3:16; Luke 3:21–22). As Jesus later said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me” (Luke 4:18).

This shows the superiority of Christ’s kingship. The oil that the prophets and the priests used to anoint the Old Testament kings was a sign of the Spirit; it showed that God the Holy Spirit had appointed and equipped the king to serve as king. But Jesus was anointed with the Spirit himself—the third person of the Trinity. His kingship was not simply a sign of God’s kingly rule, therefore, but the living reality of God’s dominion. The divine King was divinely anointed for divine rule.

Eventually, like King Solomon, King Jesus was enthroned, taking his place at the right hand of God on the throne of the universe. But first something strange happened—something that never happened to any other king of any other kingdom: the King with the crown of thorns went to the cross, where he gave his life to save his people.

Most kingdoms do anything they can to protect their king. This is the unspoken premise of the game of chess, for example. When the king falls, the kingdom is lost. Therefore, the king must be protected at all costs. A notable example comes from the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-day, June 6, 1944. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill desperately wanted to join the expeditionary forces and watch the invasion from the bridge of a battleship in the English Channel. US General Dwight David Eisenhower was desperate to stop him for fear that the prime minister might be killed in battle. When it became apparent that Churchill would not be dissuaded, Eisenhower appealed to a higher authority: King George VI. The king went and told Churchill that if it was the prime minister’s duty to witness the invasion, he could only conclude that it was also his own duty as king to join him on the battleship. At this point Churchill reluctantly agreed to back down, for he knew that he could never expose the king of England to such danger.

King Jesus did exactly the opposite. With royal courage he surrendered his body to be crucified. On the cross he offered a king’s ransom: his life for the life of his people. He would die for all the wrong things that we had ever done, completely atoning for all our sins. And Jesus would do this as our king. The crown of thorns that was meant to make a mockery of his royal claims actually proclaimed his kingly dignity, even in death.

When Jesus died on the cross, Satan and all the enemies of God could say, “The King is dead!” But that is not the end of the story, because on the third day God said, “Long live the King!” and Jesus came right up from the grave. Soon he was royally enthroned, as God fulfilled his ancient promise to the house of David. God the Father said to God the Son, “Sit at my right hand” (Ps. 110:1). He “highly exalted” his Son, giving him all authority over everything in heaven and earth (Phil. 2:9–11). What joy there must have been in heaven when the Son of God ascended to his throne! What shouts of triumph! What blasts of trumpets! What songs of praise! His throne is greater than the throne of David and Solomon. It is superior to all other dominions, for Jesus Christ sits forever on the royal throne of heaven as king over all—the royal king that God anointed.

We too may acclaim him as our king. We may do this the way Benaiah did it: saying “amen” to the kingship of Jesus Christ and praying for his kingdom to increase. Every time we pray for the kingdom to come, and for the gospel to reach our friends and neighbors, and for the church to grow around the world, we honor Christ as king. We may also acknowledge the kingship of Christ with our worship, as people did in the streets of Jerusalem. Whether we are men, women, or children, we can all make music for our King, honoring Christ with joyful music and loud songs of praise. This is how we serve Christ and his kingdom: by enthroning Jesus in our hearts and saying, “Long live the King!”

Our King still lives. Eventually David died and so did Solomon. But Jesus rose from the dead to give everlasting life to David, to Solomon, and to all his royal sons and daughters. There will never be an inter-regnum in the kingdom of God, because Jesus Christ is the immortal king of all ages.

Now everyone who belongs to the kingdom of David by choosing for Christ can say, “The King is dead; long live the King!” Long live the King who welcomes the unworthy! Long live the King who died for sinners! Long live the King who rose from the grave! Long live the King who is coming again! For God has given us this promise: “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore” (Isa. 9:7). Long live the King, and all the loyal subjects of his royal kingdom, who live by faith in the Son of God.

PUTTING THE KINGDOM FIRST

The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will bring back your harm on your own head. But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

1 K I N G S 2 : 4 4 – 4 6

In an article entitled “A New Kind of Urban Christian,” Tim Keller argues that “Christians should be a dynamic counterculture. It is not enough for Christians to simply live as individuals in the city. They must live as a particular kind of community. Christians are called to be an alternate city within every earthly city.”

The kind of community Keller has in mind is one in which money, sex, and power are used for the glory of God—not selfishly, but sacrificially. Here is how he describes it:

Regarding sex, the alternate city . . . teaches its members to conform their bodily beings to the shape of the gospel—abstinence outside of marriage and fidelity within. Regarding money, the Christian counterculture encourages a radically generous commitment of time, money, relationships, and living space to social justice and the needs of the poor, the immigrant, and the economically and physically weak. Regarding power, Christian community is visibly committed to power-sharing and relationship-building between races and classes that are alienated outside of the body of Christ.1

The Bible has a name for this alternative community: it is called the kingdom of God. One day soon we will see this kingdom in all its glory, at the second coming of Jesus Christ. But in the meantime the struggle to establish his kingdom is fought in every human heart with each decision we make about our money, our sexuality, and the things in life we want to bring under our control.

The same battle was fought when Solomon established his kingdom in Israel, and if we look carefully at the choices people made either for or against his kingship, we may be able to see ourselves and our own need for a Savior.

ROYAL REVENGE

The question in 1 Kings 1 was succession (who would be the next king?). This question was answered emphatically when Solomon was crowned king. The question in chapter 2 is security (will the kingdom stand?).2 David was dead (1 Kings 2:10–11), and after Solomon received his father’s final instructions, it was up to him to secure his kingdom. This question gets answered in verse 12 and again in verse 46. Together these two verses form an inclusio—they mark the beginning and the end of a section of the Bible—and they tell us what that section is about. In verse 12 we read that “Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.” Verse 46 says the same thing in slightly different words: “So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”

The prophecies were coming true. God had promised to “establish” the kingdom of David’s son and said: “I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Sam. 7:12–13). By using the same vocabulary in 1 Kings 2, the Bible is showing us that God is faithful to keep his royal promises to the house of David. The way these promises came true was not by a divine and supernatural miracle but by the swift execution of justice. Solomon established his kingdom by eliminating all his enemies.

First Kings began with an attempted coup in which David’s eldest son, Adonijah, announced that he would be king. Rather than seeking the approval of the leaders God had appointed over Israel—David the king, Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet—the would-be king gathered his own group of loyal supporters. Adonijah’s coconspirators included Abiathar the priest and Joab the general.

Once he took the throne, Solomon had to decide what to do with the men who had plotted against his kingdom. His father frankly had advised him to crush them. In his last words and final instructions, David told Solomon to execute vengeance against Joab (1 Kings 2:5–6) and also Shimei, who had cursed David with a mortal curse (vv. 8–9). This is exactly what Solomon did. The rest of 1 Kings 2 recounts how he executed Adonijah (vv. 13–25), banished Abiathar (vv. 26–27), put Joab to death (vv. 28–35), and struck down Shimei (vv. 36–46).

Many commentators are critical of the king for moving down this hit list. Terence Fretheim calls it “politics as usual, but with more than the usual complement of ruthlessness.”3 Walter Brueggemann says that Solomon is guilty of “callous, systematic elimination of all threats.”4 Iain Provan says that his reasons for putting these men to death were “specious.”5 Others have compared Solomon’s brutal methods to Machiavelli or Karl Marx, who believed that every state was founded on violence.

Maybe there is truth to some of these criticisms and 1 Kings 2 is mainly about power politics. Remember, however, that Solomon was the Lord’s anointed king. He had been properly crowned according to the promise of God. Therefore it was necessary for his kingdom to be established. This was necessary, in fact, for the salvation of the world, because God had promised that our Messiah would come from the line of David and Solomon. Furthermore, everyone in Israel owed their full allegiance to Solomon as the rightful king. This was not merely a matter of politics but a question of obedient submission to the kingdom of God. If these men were Solomon’s rivals, then they were enemies of the crown that God had placed on Solomon’s head.

Adonijah and his henchmen thus were guilty of the sin of high treason, which has always rightly been regarded as a capital offense. We are not talking here about men who merely disagreed with Solomon’s policies but about men who wanted to take his very throne. The right and proper way for a king to punish such mortal enemies is not by giving them liberty but by giving them death, or at least exile. As Dale Ralph Davis has written, “The security of the kingdom requires the elimination of its enemies. The kingdom must be preserved from those trying to destroy and undermine it.”6 To disagree with this is to misunderstand what it means for a king to be the king. As the situation arises, therefore, or as circumstances dictate, Solomon must be wise to follow the counsel of David and establish his kingdom by getting rid of his enemies.

ADONIJAH’S FOLLY: SEX AND POWER

Solomon had four enemies to eliminate: Adonijah, Abiathar, Joab, and Shimei. What is important to notice about these men is that they all put their desire for money, sex, or power ahead of loving obedience to the kingdom of God. Thus, the stories of these men give us test cases in temptation.

The first man Solomon had to deal with was Adonijah, who wanted sex and power more than he wanted the kingdom of God. Adonijah’s lust for power has been obvious from the beginning of Kings, when he tried to crown himself the king. But at the very moment he was celebrating his own coronation, Adonijah heard that Solomon had become king over Jerusalem. This made the man fear for his very life. Yet Solomon gave him a second chance. If Adonijah proved himself worthy, his life would be spared, but if he was wicked, he would surely die (1 Kings 1:52).

At first, Adonijah honored the new and rightful king. Solomon told him to go home in peace, but the next thing we know, he is back at the palace to make an ungodly request that was based on an unholy desire:

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” (1 Kings 2:13–17)

This may seem like a small request. Adonijah was willing to give up the entire kingdom and even to acknowledge that Solomon’s kingship was God’s will. All he wanted was Abishag’s hand in marriage. But notice what a huge sense of entitlement Adonijah still had. He was angry that life had not met his expectations. “The kingdom was mine,” he said, “and you know it!” Even when he acknowledged Solomon’s kingship as the Lord’s doing, we can sense how bitterly he resented it. Adonijah wanted people to feel sorry for him and to give him a consolation prize. Solomon had already shown him mercy by sparing his life. But mercy was not enough for Adonijah. His whole request was based on the premise that he had something more coming to him. He had lost the kingdom—fair enough—but what was in it for him? He demanded some sort of compensation.

How easy it is for us to take the same attitude when the disappointments of life get in the way of our plans for our kingdom! We suffer a financial setback, or a medical hardship, or a failed relationship. Then, rather than believing that the mercy of Jesus is enough for us and trusting our King to know what he is doing, we demand something to make up for what we have lost. “I deserve this,” we say, and then we take something for ourselves that God does not want us to have—some sinful pleasure, perhaps, or some shiny new product. Rather than letting go of what we want so that we can have what God wants to give us, we find a way to take what we want for ourselves.

What Adonijah wanted to take was Abishag, the beautiful young woman who had attended David when he was on his deathbed. Doubtless his desire was partly sexual. After all, Abishag was the best-looking woman in the entire country, and when Adonijah saw her, he wanted her. But he also wanted the power that she represented. Abishag was David’s last concubine, and in those days having intercourse with the king’s wives was a way to claim the throne. To possess the harem was to rule the kingdom. For example, when Absalom tried to take the kingdom away from his father, David, he went out on the palace roof to sleep with the king’s concubines (2 Sam. 16:21–22). So Adonijah has not abandoned his royal ambitions after all. It is not just Abishag that he wants; he wants the whole kingdom.

We are guilty of the same sin whenever we decide that there is even one thing we will not give up for the kingdom of God. Many people refuse to give up the very thing that Adonijah refused to give up: a sexual relationship or perhaps a private sexual sin. Understand that when we insist on getting our own satisfaction—however we get it—we are saying no to the kingdom of God. We are saying that the mercy of Jesus is not enough for us; we still want to be the king (or the queen, as the case may be). What is the one thing that is keeping you from giving everything for the kingdom of God?

Adonijah wanted Abishag, and he thought he knew how to get her. He would ask Bathsheba to be his go-between. After all, how could Solomon refuse his own mother? “Very well,” she said; “I will speak for you to the king” (1 Kings 2:18). So, just as she had gone to King David at Nathan’s request, Bathsheba would go to her son at Adonijah’s request.

We do not know why the queen mother agreed to do this. Maybe she went to Solomon as Adonijah’s advocate, but it seems just as likely that she knew exactly how her son would react.7 Notice that she never actually indicates whether she agrees with Adonijah. In any case, “Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right” (v. 19). Carefully following royal protocol, Solomon treated the queen mother with honor and respect. Then Bathsheba proceeded to make her request:

“I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” (vv. 20–21)

At this point one scholar wryly remarks, “Unfortunately for Adonijah, Bathsheba does what she promised.”8 The king responded with explosive anger. He said:

“And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died. (vv. 22–25)

Some people may accuse Solomon of overreacting. After all, Adonijah didn’t ask for the whole kingdom; he asked only for Abishag. But Solomon rightly perceived that his older brother’s foolish request was really a power play. He also knew that Adonijah had influential allies (Joab and Abiathar) who would support his kingly pretensions. So Solomon swore a solemn oath to put Adonijah to death for high treason. Some scholars have called this death sentence a “self-righteous, self-serving decree.”9