June 2. 1 Kings 1:24-53
Happy Sunday, dear ones! We’ve moved rather quickly from Solomon’s birth to his accession to the throne. There is nothing written about him as a little boy. We can only imagine what it must have been like to live in a palace with many half-brothers and sisters. But in today’s reading, Solomon’s dad, King David, unequivocally chose him to sit on the throne and rule Israel. Amazing. After you have done your own study and written out verse and response … take a look at my responses here:
I chose 1 Kings 1:33. “he (King David) said to them: ‘Take your lord’s servants with you and set Solomon my son on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.”
My response: Lord, I am noticing that Solomon is pretty passive here. His half brother, Adonijah, is the one asserting his rights to the throne. And, as far as I can tell, he is entitled by birth order to come ahead of Solomon. Solomon has just sort of been in the background until David calls him forth to be anointed at Gihon. (Funny, in a way, isn’t it? David was in the background, watching sheep, until You called him through Samuel’s anointing.) Solomon is an unlikely candidate for king, as his father was before him. But Solomon represents Your crazy-wonderful mercy and grace! He is the proof that You forgave, Lord! You “sent away” David’s offense so completely that You welcomed his second born son to Bathsheba as king. What amazing grace You show! I love how You take the unlikely and use them. Thank You for Your sovereignty and Your grace.
