IS IT REALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING (CONCLUDED)

All Prince Adonijah knew was that he wanted to be king. Nothing else mattered to him. His unholy desire filled his universe of I, me, and myself. The fact that being the king of Israel at that specific time in the history of the nation, was the result of a spiritual call from The Lord Almighty was a fact, to which he was completely oblivious. But why exactly did the King of Kings choose Solomon? We are counseled: “And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David.” 1 Kings 3:3 (NKJV).

Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said“Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?” While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news.” Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him, king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. Also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. And moreover, the king’s servants have gone to bless our lord, King David, saying, ‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ Then the king bowed himself on the bed. Also, the king said thus, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!’ ”So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way. 1Kings 1: 41-49 (NKJV).

One of the great lessons of life is to make sure that you have something to celebrate before you throw a fiesta. What an enormous letdown for Jonathan to announce to the gathering there assembled. That all of their eating and drinking were really nothing burgers, just afternoon tea. That the real party had just begun and the real celebrants were feasting and rejoicing because “Our Lord King David has made Solomon King.” Many guests had been invited to Adonijah’s party. They all started to wonder upon what premise or assurances the young prince had extended such an invitation to them, to assemble at such a highly political gathering. Gradually it started to dawn upon them that either he was extremely mischievous or insane. Humbly and quietly but with their minds filled with a multitude of misgivings, they all departed to their various places of abode.

Predictably, he seemed to be filled with fear as a consequence of his own great folly. Accordingly, he rushed to the Outer Court of the Sanctuary and clung to the horns of The Brazen Altar. Hoping thereby to mitigate the revulsion and anger that his own illegitimate and presumptuous actions had aroused.

Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. And it was told Solomon, saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ “Then Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.” 1 Kings 1:50-53. (NKJV).

That is one of the enduring characteristics of most malefactors. They never want to be held responsible for their egregious behaviors when they screw up. Unfortunately however just like a recurring decimal, soon and very soon they return to their hateful conduct. The new king had good reasons to order severe punishment for his brother. But he declined to do so preferring to exercise mercy instead. He hoped that his clemency would engender gratitude and restraint from his wayward family member. This author is of the opinion that Prince Adonijah was a sociopathic deviate. Such people invariably possess outstanding characteristics that they use to the detriment of others. They are charming, intelligent, deceptive, manipulative, and narcissistic (i.e. having a very high opinion of themselves). Their relationships are short-term, they are usually spontaneous (doing everything on the spur of the moment), they have no genuine love, they lack remorse, and they are highly competitive. All of the above-mentioned traits seem to point unerringly to Prince Adonijah.

It is interesting to note that he ran and took hold of God’s Altar when he got himself into trouble. Thereby throwing himself upon the manifold mercies of the divine Potentate. Nowhere is it ever mentioned in scripture, however, that Adonijah at any time offered any personal sacrifices of penitence? Or participated in any act of private worship. Like the majority in the world today who claim to be Christians. He wanted to enjoy all the benefits of the cross without ever coming to Christ. This secular/pagan attitude is nothing new. In fact, it is an age-old problem. On the contrary, however, God yearns for an intensely personal relationship with His people. “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3. (NKJV). Such knowledge is progressive. It cannot be gained by merely reading a book. It is a gradual revelation and is the work of eternity. Because God is infinite and we are merely finite. The book of Revelation gives us a glimpse, “And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.” Revelation 22:3-4

One would have thought that with all of the embarrassing moments that he had been forced to endure, Prince Adonijah would have quietly desisted from his attempts to be king. But no such luck.

“Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, “Do you come peaceably?” And he said, “Peaceably.” Moreover, he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Say it.” Then he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from the Lord.  Now I ask one petition of you; do not deny me.” And she said to him, “Say it.” Then he said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.” So Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak for you to the king.” Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king’s mother; so she sat at his right hand. Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my older brother—for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.” Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life!  Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!” So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died. 1 Kings 2:13-20. (NKJV).

Interestingly enough he acknowledges that the kingdom was Solomon’s from The Lord. That admission, however, does not prevail upon him sufficiently to cause him to abandon his endeavor to rule. Now he demands a token of peace. Such a demand, however, was nothing more than a plot. When the king dies all of his surviving wives become the wives of the new king. Attempting to overthrow Solomon by force would have been futile. Therefore, Adonijah resorts to subterfuge, intrigue, and passive aggression to spread chaos and confusion. Solomon’s mother yearns for peace and seems willing to acquiesce to her son’s rival’s demands, in her desperate attempts to mollify him. King David’s family had a history of infighting and bloodshed. The grandiose demeanor and political brazenness of Adonijah had attracted the attention and apprehensions of the political party that supported Solomon. It is inconceivable that Solomon would have acted unilaterally, without first seeking the wisdom and experience of his advisers. When they heard of Adonijah’s demand (for that’s how they saw it) they all remembered Prince Absolom’s rebellion and the advice he received from Ahitophel,

‘Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give advice as to what we should do.” And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go into your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.” So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went into his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.” 2 Samuel 16:20-22 (NKJV).

Whatever Adonijah’s seemingly mischievous plan was, they were not about to countenance it. All of the winning cards were in their hands and now they were going to play them. The only thing Prince Adonijah would get from the newly enthroned king was the fatally sharp edge of a sword because he had worked tirelessly for it.