2 Kings 2:1

2 Kings 2:1, Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, David was nearing his death, so he called Solomon and charged him, or challenged him to live as God expected him to.  As we get older, knowing that the time of our death is closer, we need to challenge our children and all the younger generation to follow God's will in their lives.  Verse two adds,  I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;  David challenged Solomon to be a man after David died, as all people one day will if Jesus Christ doesn't return first.  Since no one is going to live forever on this earth, it is up to Christians to reach and encourage the next generation to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord and to live by God's guidance.  Verse three continues, And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:  David charged Solomon to live by all of God's statutes and commandments and the law of Moses so that his life would prosper.  We as Christians are saved by grace, but that doesn't mean that we are not to live by God's statutes and commandments, and though we may not prosper in this lifetime, we have everlasting prosperity in the everlasting life to come.  I don't believe that we should ever make serving God about prosperity here in this lifetime.  Verse four states, That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.  David told Solomon oh God's promises to him, that if his children walked in God's way, or followed God's guidance we could say, in a personal relationship with Him, that there would always be a descendant of David's on the throne of Israel.  This culminated with Jesus Christ, an earthly descendant of David's, Who is the everlasting king.  Verse five adds, Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.  David then told Solomon that he knew what Joab had done, killing Abner and Amasa when they weren't at war with him.  Verse six continues, Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.  David told Solomon to deal with Joab in his wisdom but at the same time told him not to allow him to die in peace in his old age.  Of course, if David knew that Joab had done this, we have to wonder why he hadn't already dealt with him,  if we know someone is doing wrong today, we don't need to ignore the fact and wait for someone else to deal with it.  Verse seven says, But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.  David then told Solomon to show kindness to the sons of Barzillai, who had come to him when he was fleeing from Absalom.  If others help us in our times of need, we need show them kindness if we are later in a position to help them.  Verse eight adds, And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.  David then spoke of Shemei who had cursed him, but whom David had sworn not to kill after he came down to him.  Verse nine continues, Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.  Though David had sworn to God that He would not put Shemei to death, he was now telling Solomon to do so.  I don't believe that we as Christians should ever expect our children to avenge old harms done to us.  Verse ten states, So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.  Then, David died, which meant that Solomon was truly king.  As older Christians die,the next generation is truly in charge, which means that we need to make sure that we prepare them to be.  Verse eleven adds, And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.  David’s reign had lasted for a total of forty years, most of which had been spent at war with other countries or with his own people and children.  Though as followers of Christ we are always going to be at war with the world, we should never be at war with other Christians.  Verse twelve continues, Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly. Solomon was now on the throne of David,  and his kingdom grew.  Of course as Christians, we will never be on the throne, because Jesus Christ is our everlasting King.  We simply need to be obedient to Him.