Another colorful and intriguing character of sacred lore. That jumps into mind within this context is Adonijah, one of King David’s many sons. He must have been extremely ambitious since he was actually younger than his brother Solomon. History is replete with the many exploits and failures of extremely ambitious but unsuccessful people. During David’s waning years Adonijah gathered horses, chariots, and an entourage. Although he was not the most senior royal offspring. He aspired to be Israel’s next ruler and opined upon the possibility of being crowned the new King of Israel. Unfortunately, however, someone else who was far more powerful had other plans. Many years before, Jehovah, had revealed that it was His will that Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, should succeed his father King David upon Israel’s throne.
Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very lovely, and she cared for the king and served him, but the king did not know her. Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah. And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother. 1 Kings 1:1-10 (NKJV).
It’s hard to believe that so many prominent men in Israel were ignorant of the Divine Will. Whether they were aware of it or not, it was contrary to their many human ambitions, and they did all they could to oppose its fulfillment. The Lord Almighty had His servants strategically placed in Israel during the closing period of David’s reign, and they were predictably alarmed by Adonijah’s pretensions and assumptions. The very fact that neither Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, David’s mighty men, nor Solomon his senior brother was even invited to Adonijah’s party was ominous. We should never forget that all of us are under the supervision of supernatural agencies. Accordingly, it’s prudent to avoid taking ourselves too seriously or attempting to take our human plans too far. It is our duty never to try and run ahead of The Lord. Because He always has a plan, which supersedes all other plans because He is God. Predictably, many prominent people in David’s royal court were suddenly extremely nervous. Consequently, a great deal of intrigue and behind-the-scenes wrangling ensued.
So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.” So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?” Then she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited. And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise, it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.” 1 Kings 1:11-21
God’s chosen successor to the Davidic royal line, Prince Solomon, must have known that he was the crown prince. Nevertheless, he exercised great caution. Choosing instead to remain in the shadows of obscurity. Shunning all opportunities for public exposure or self-promotion. He concealed himself as it were. Preferring to wait until his father the king, saw fit to present him to the nation. Or until providence pointed to the moment of divine appointment. When he would be called to take within his own hands the reins of government. All that Prince Adonijah accomplished by his hustling and bustling. Was to clearly and recklessly expose himself and his friends. As an inconvenient and unwelcome opposing political party. Earning for himself and his crowd of sympathizers, some extremely powerful enemies within the royal court. His desperate and furtive public maneuvers, designed to isolate his older sibling were about to backfire in the worst and most spectacular way. It’s instructive to observe that at his very public and vainglorious party, he offered sacrifices in great abundance. Such oblations would have been burnt offerings, sin offerings, peace offerings, grains offerings, drink offerings et cetera. All of which were representations of Christ the coming Saviour. They would also represent salvation, joy, and fellowship with God. Experienced by accepting and surrendering to His divine will. How paradoxical? The will of God was being celebrated in worship. But in reality, it was being adamantly rejected and opposed.
“And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king say so too. 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.” So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.” 1 Kings 1:32-40 (NKJV)
(TO BE CONTINUED)
“Solomon was anointed and proclaimed king in the closing years of his father David, who abdicated in his favor. His early life was bright with promise and it was God’s purpose that he should go on from strength to strength, from glory to glory, ever approaching nearer the similitude of the character of God and thus inspiring His people to fulfill their sacred trust as the depositaries of divine truth.” Prophets and Kings, By Ellen G. White
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