[NOTE: For those who are continuing the 1-year Bible reading plan we started on April 1, 2018, just go to the end of this entry and you will find the Day 364 – Revelation 13-16; Luke 23 summary!]
Today we move to 1 Kings. The book starts with David’s death. He “bequeathed” the monarchy to his son, Solomon, who would become the wisest and wealthiest king in the history of Israel. As we will see, though, Solomon did not finish well. By the time we move to David’s grandson, Rehoboam, the monarchy fractures into two separate kingdoms: Israel and Judah. While those distinctions were around in David’s time, in Rehoboam’s time those divisions become clear and pronounced. The LORD kept His promise to have one of David’s sons sit on the throne “forever,” but the influence of those sons after Solomon would never be close to the level of David or Solomon’s.
1 Kings 1 starts with the account of David as an old man, who was so frail he couldn’t keep warm. A young woman, named Abishag, was brought to sleep with him, and literally all she did was sleep with him, to keep him warm. Obviously, David’s reign as king was nearing an end. The only remaining question was which of his sons would be king. As they say, “Nature abhors a vacuum,” and because David had not announced his successor, his son Adonijah, his second-born after Absalom, talked with Joab, and Abiathar the priest, and they sided with him and proclaimed him king. Nathan the prophet heard about it. He remained loyal to David, as did Zadok the priest, and Benaiah his bodyguard. Nathan knew David had said Solomon would be his successor, so he called Bathsheba and told her to go to David and tell him that Adonijah had pronounced himself king. Nathan’s plan was to come in shortly after Bathsheba spoke to David and confirm Bathsheba’s report and ask David what his wishes were. The plan went as expected and David proclaimed Solomon his successor. David’s leaders made a public display of Solomon as the new king, and Adonijah realized he was doomed. His supporters left him, so he went to the tabernacle and grabbed the horns of the altar, symbolic of his putting himself at King Solomon’s mercy. Solomon showed himself a son after his father’s heart, by announcing if Adonijah proved true, his life would be spared.
In 1 Kings 2, we read David’s last words to Solomon. While some of the words simply reminded Solomon of the LORD’s promise to have one of his descendants remain on the throne of Israel, and some advice about ruling, David also showed revenge toward those who had not been faithful to him at the end of his life. He charged Solomon to see they were killed. To solidify his grip on the kingdom after David died, Solomon had his and David’s enemies killed. They included Adonijah, Joab, and Shimei. He didn’t kill Abiathar, because he was a priest, but he did exile him from his presence. In Solomon’s actions, we see his obedience to his father, and his own willingness to do what was necessary to establish his reign over Israel.
In 1 Kings 3, Solomon had a dream, and in it the LORD asked him what he wanted the LORD to give him. Solomon’s answer was he wanted wisdom to rule the people of Israel well. The answer pleased the LORD. Because it was an unselfish answer, the LORD promised to give Solomon wisdom, and to give him wealth and victory over his enemies, as well. Solomon had a great start to his leadership as king, and the closing section of chapter 3 shows us the LORD’s answer to the dream was real. Two prostitutes came to Solomon, and one claimed the other had taken her child. She did it because she had suffocated her own child as she slept, by rolling over on him. Then she took the other prostitute’s baby and placed the dead one in her arms. As they argued about whose child the living baby was, Solomon called for a sword. He said, “Let the child be divided in two and half given to each.” Immediately, the one prostitute said, “Yes, do that.” The other prostitute said, “No, give the child to her (the other prostitute). Solomon then said, “Give the child to the one who said not to kill him, but to give him to the other. She is the mother.” Everyone realized how much wisdom it took to come up with such a plan. They praised Solomon, and recognized God’s hand on his life.
As we return to Mark 15, we find Jesus before Pilate. Pilate finds no fault with Jesus–because there was no fault to be found. Yet, because of his fear of the crowds, and for his position, he condemns Jesus to die. Jesus is crucified, and endures the physical pain, but much more the spiritual anguish of taking the sins of the world upon Himself. At his death, Jesus is taken to the tomb of Joseph, and the stage is set for the greatest reversal in all of human history–the resurrection!
Day 364 – Revelation 13-16; Luke 23
In Revelation 13, we read of two beasts. The first beast caused people to worship the “Dragon,” who is the devil. This beast was given authority to kill the saints, the faithful who remained on the earth. Who gave the beast the authority? Ultimately, it was God. After all, He is the final authority, and nothing can happen without His permission. But just as it was when He gave Satan permission to test Job, God didn’t take away anyone’s free will to continue following Him. Job passed that test, as have many down through the ages to the present day. Following Jesus doesn’t guarantee an easy life, or a long one here on earth. It doesn’t promise eternal life with Him when this life ends! A second beast appears after the first and he has a “number,” which is 666. The number is the number of “imperfection.” As we have said the number 7 is the number of God, perfection, and heaven. That makes the number 666 evil to the ultimate degree. The antichrist represents the devil and causes everyone on earth either to receive his “mark” or be destroyed. This suffering is a theme from the time of the opening of the first seal on the first scroll and continues until Jesus comes to restore all things. As already noted, some see this as cycles of suffering, and others as a restating of the same suffering. Either way, things will get incredibly bad at the end of time, before Jesus comes to establish His eternal Kingdom.
Revelation 14 records the time of the earth’s judgment, as Jesus and the 144,000 are sent out. Then three angels come to proclaim the gospel and to proclaim judgment. The gore of the “harvest” is unimaginable as we are told the blood that was shed from those who died was as high as a horse’s bridle and extended for miles around. While this may or may not be a literal expression of what will happen, one thing is sure: Those who reject Jesus will be judged and the result will be both physical and spiritual suffering as has never been seen on the earth.
Revelation 15 records the sending of the seven final plagues of God’s judgment. Consider the patience of God even in this final sequence of judgment: As each plague would be sent out the people who were still alive would have the opportunity to repent and receive Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Revelation 16 records the seven final plagues, and it seems each is more devastating than the one before it. After each of the plagues we are told the people who remained cursed God and would not repent. I have known folks who suffering has caused them to curse God, and at times in my own suffering I have been angry with God. Here, though, we see God giving people the opportunity to turn to Him in their suffering, and instead they reject the salvation being offered. This reminds us how important it is to grab the grace of God in Jesus with everything we have. He wants us to know Him and to experience His presence in us through the Holy Spirit. As much as He wants that for us, He won’t force us to experience it. The response to His grace is to each of us to receive or reject.
As we return to Luke 23, we have the account of Jesus’ trial before Pilate, and then His crucifixion. In Luke’s account we read of Jesus’ offering forgiveness to those who drove the nails in His hands – which includes you and me, because we also caused Jesus’ death through our sins. We read of Jesus offering forgiveness to one of the thieves who was on a cross beside Him. The man asked Jesus to remember Him when He came into His Kingdom, and Jesus promised he would be with Him in paradise. When Jesus died, He was laid in the tomb of Joseph, and the women watched to see the location, so they could come and do the final preparation of the body for burial when the Sabbath ended. They and the whole world would be surprised at what they found!