The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-11-17
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LESSON COM
MENTs FOR NOVEMBER %.

Subject: Solomon Amounted King, I
Kings 1:1-2:12-GoIden Text, 1
Chron. 2S:9-Commit Verses
80, Commentary.
TIME.-1o15 B. G. PLACE. Je--
rusalem.
EXPOSITI0N.-I. SolomorAnoint-
ed King, VS.. 32-4O. God had chosen
Solomon to he king. He had called
him "Jedidiah, that is, "the beloved
Of Jehovah G. Sam. 2:25) But
Joab, the general, and Abiatha, the
priest. had conspired with Adoniiah,
the oldest next son of David to Absa-
lon, to thwart Gods plan to make
Solomon king. David was so old and
decrepit that Joab and his fellow
constructors did not think that he
would rally to thwart the conspiracy.
But no conspiracy of man, no matter
how strong, can overthrow the plans
of God. David, when informed of the
conspiracy, old and decrepit as he
was, rallies and proves sufficient for
the occasion. He calls to his as
sistance his trusted friends of old,
Zadok, the priest, and Nathan. the
prophet, and Benaiah, military
man, one of the mighty men of David.
1t was through Nathan that God had
announced to David His favor toward
Solomon e Sam. 12:24, 25). David's
action is prompt and thorough. While
Adonijah and his fellow-consr irators
were still feasting (v. 81 David's
trusted friends without delay go
through all the necessary formalitieS
and anoint Solomon king. Solomon
was placed on David's own mule.
David was still obedient to the law
of God, and even in the days of his
great power had not adopted horses
to ride upon. To do so was expressly
forbidden by God to Israels kings
(Deut. 1910. Absalom had done so
in the brief days of his glory e Sam.
15:D. Adonijah also (v 81. The
priest and the prophet were to unite
in amounting Solomon ". 34). The
amounting was the symbol of dedica-
tion to God (Lev. $40 -12). The oil
the symbol of the Holy Spirit (Acts
10:38). Appeal was made to God to
secure the safety of the new-rnade
king. David will leave no doubt in
the minds of any that Solomon is his
own choice for king. While he still
should sit upon his throne and be
king in his stead and in anequivoca1
terms declared, II have appointed
him to be king over Israel and over
Judah" AS secure as this made Sol
ONION on the throne, there was an
other fact that made him more Sc
cure, namely, that God had made him
ruler over Israel and over Judah.
Benaiah, the warrior, appears as the
most religious man in the whole
transaction Tvs. So. 37). Jehovah
had been with David, and Benaiah
prays that He may now be with Sol
onion as He has been with David (v.
30, and he prays that his throne may
be greater even than the throne of his
father. This prayer of Benaiah was
abundantly answered. pavid's three
trusted friends proceeded to do exact
ly what they were told. The oil with
which Solomon was anointed was
taken out of the tabernacle, the place
where God dwelt. The whole people
agreed with David's choice and Gods
choice and the whole city was, filed
with music and with joy. When this
world agrees to make Him King
whom God has already made King the
whole earth shall rejoico with great
joy.
III. Adonijah Filled With Fear, VS..
5O-53. While the people were filed
with joy the enemies of the king we're
filled with CONSERVATION. So will it
be at the coming of our Solomon e
Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 1T; 6:15 and
16) Adonijah was a coward as we'll
as a rebel. Rebels against God are
always towards (Prov. 28:1). Adon-
Ill o. ~ <Nf GnI RO,n 20
ty, presumably not because he had
any special reverence for the house of
God, but because he knew that Sol
ONION had. He was afraid that Sol
ONION would kill him. Probably he
would have killed Solomon if he had
had chance and judged Solomon by
himself. He speaks of himself as
Solomon's servant ". ID, but the
change from enemy to servant was
very sudden and no evidence was
given of the genuineness of the con-
version. Solomon on his part was
ready to forgive If Adonijah would
only give proof of the reality Of his
repentance All he asked was that
Adonijah should prove himself a
worthy man ". 52). All that God
asks of us is that we bring forth
fruit meet for repentance" Matt.
S:7G If Adonijah would only do this
he would be free from all danger, not
a hair of his head would fall to the
earth. On the other hand, if wicked
ness should be found in him the PEN
atty was certain. He should die. No
matter what protestations of repent
ance we make, if we do not forsake
sin we shall perish. The scene closes
with Adonijah doing obeisance to Sol
onion (v. So, r. va The time is
coming when every enemy of Jesus
must bow the knee and confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory OF
God the Father (Phil 2:10, ID.
Adonijah did not prove himself a
worthy man and later paid the PEN
atty of his rebellion Och. 2:12-25).
Many of those who profess to yield
their hearts to Jesus do not really
do so. They call Him Lord, but
do not do the things that He says
luke 6:46). Their calling Jesus
Lord will not save them. They will
be cast out from His presence (Math
7:21-23).