1 Kings 2:20

1 Kings 2:20 says, Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.  Bathsheba said she had one small request for Solomon, and he asked her what she wanted.  She was respectful to him and he was to her as well.  We still need respect between children and parents today, with children being told to always respect their parents and parents to not treat their children harshly.  Verse twenty-one adds, And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.   Bathsheba presented Adonijah's request that he be allowed to marry Abishag.  She evidently treated Adonijah fairly, even though she was not his mother.  Of course, I don't believe she saw the real reason behind his request.  We as parents should always treat those who are children in our family fairly, even if they are not our biological children.  Verse twenty-two continues, And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah. Solomon was noted for his wisdom, and he quickly saw that Adonijah as his older brother would put himself in position to claim the throne by marrying Abishag, especially with the help of Abiathar and Joab.  We need to look for the motive behind people's actions or proposed actions today.  Verse twenty-three states, Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.  Solomon swore to God  that He should kill Solomon if Solomon did not take Adonijah's life for this action.  Adonijah was still attempting to claim the throne, and Solomon knew it.  Verse twenty-four adds, Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.   Solomon said that since God had placed him on the throne and established his house to be rulers that Adonijah would be put to death that day.  If we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we must put to death anything that could take over His position as King of our life.  Verse twenty-five continues, And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.  Solomon sent Benaiah, and he killed Adonijah under Solomon's authorization.   If we recognize something as a threat to God's authority in our life or the life of the church overall, we need to quickly remove it.  Verse twenty-six says, And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.  Solomon then told Abiathar to go to Anathoth and his own fields.   Solomon said that because of Abiathar's supporting Adonijah in his attempt to claim the throne, that Solomon should put him to death, but because of his role as a priest under David, he wouldn't.  When it comes to forgiveness for our sins, past nor future good needs will not counteract them.  Verse twenty-seven adds, So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.  Solomon said this was also the fulfillment of God's judgment on the house of Eli, though it had taken nearly eighty years to fulfill.   God's word will always be fulfilled, no matter how long it takes for it to be.