In today’s section, we read about:
The second part of David’s song of praise, and his last words
David takes a census incurring God’s judgment
Solomon, not Adonijah succeeds David, and settles a few scores
Solomon asks God for wisdom
Solomon sets about ruling the country
Solomon’s building projects – the temple and his palace
Some things that struck me today:
22:24 – in spite of the adultery with Bathsheba, or possibly because of it, David has an insight of the reality of the scope and extent of God’s forgiveness. I also like v 30 “in your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall”
23:5 – No wonder David feels special in 23:1 and shouts out how wonderful God is: God has made an everlasting covenant with him.
23:39 – Uriah the Hittite wasn’t just some ordinary nobody – he was one of the Thirty Mighty Men!
I wondered about Chapter 24 where God tells David to do something, David is obedient and does it and yet David realises it is a sin. This is muddied even further by the parallel passage in 1 Chr 21, where v1 says “Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census”. How can it be sin if we do something that God commands us to do?
I discussed this with Martin Webber and he was very wise in saying that sometimes when we want to do something against God’s will, He’ll say “fine, go ahead and do it”. The nearest parallel we came up with in our brief discussion was in 1 Sam 8 when the people say they want to have a king, so God tells Samuel to go ahead and anoint one. Here there is the additional context of God’s judgment against Israel, and David is both the initial instrument of that judgement (by ordering the census) and the primary object of that judgment as the king in charge of his people. But it is still not totally clear why this is the case.
Adonijah was the fourth born son, according to 2 Sam 3:4
1 Ki 2:27 cf 1 Sam 2:30-34
1 Ki 3:1 – why does Solomon marry Pharaoh’s daughter, and why does scripture not comment on whether this was good or bad? Was it purely for strategic political reasons, or is this an early sign that Solomon would not be whole-hearted in following God as David had been?
We read in 1 Ki 3:11 where God says to Solomon that because he has asked for wisdom and not riches and long life etc, He will give them to him all the other things he might have asked for but didn’t. I am struck by the similarity with Matt 6:33 “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I found the example of Solomon’s wisdom here slightly absurd. Is it because it is so familiar? Is it a case that God’s wisdom is not like our wisdom (Is 55:8)? Or is it that Holy Spirit can convict and penetrate to the heart more acutely than could possibly be imagined?
I wonder who Ethan the Ezrahite and Heman, Calcol and Darda were, that they are used as comparators for Solomon.
1 Ki 6:13 – God is at pains to keep reminding us of his promises to us, and also of our duty to be obedient and faithful to him.
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