Today we move to 1 Kings. In this book we start 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 devisions 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 being 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 question that remained 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. Mercy showed himself a son after his father’s heart, by announcing that 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. We see Solomon had a great start to his leadership as king, 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!