1 Kings 3:5

1Kings 3:5 says, In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.  God appeared to Solomon at night in a dream.  God appears to people in different ways, though to me it has always been as a still small voice.  God told Solomon to ask for anything that he wanted.  I wonder what we would ask for in that situation.  Verse six adds, And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.  Solomon first acknowledged God's mercy to David his father in having him walk uprightly before Him, keeping him safe by His kindness, and giving him a son to sit on the throne.  Before we ask God for anything, we need to acknowledge His mercy to us.  Verse seven continues, And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.  Solomon then said that God had made him king and not just David himself, but he also said that he was as a little child, not knowing when to come in or go out.  Whatever we are as followers of Christ, especially in the church, needs to be because God has put us there, and we need to acknowledge that we need His wisdom to help us be successful.  Verse eight states, And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.  Solomon said that God had made him the ruler of a great nation that could not be numbered, though David had tied to do so.  The number of Christians today should be beyond number, but we seem to be decreasing as a percentage of all people instead of increasing.  Verse nine adds, Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?  Solomon finally got around to asking God for what he wanted, and it wasn't riches or power, but wisdom to rule the people of Israel.   We need to ask God for wisdom more than we ask Him for riches and power.  Verse ten continues, And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.  God was pleased with what Solomon said.  When we come to God asking for His help, is He pleased with what we ask for?  I believe that we too often are selfish in our requests.  Verse eleven declares, And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;  God listed several selfish things Solomon could have asked for but didn't.   Would God be able to say the same about us today?  Verse twelve adds, Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.  God said He had granted Solomon his request, and he would be the wisest man to ever live.  Though we may never be as wise as Solomon, we need to ask God for wisdom as we live our lives today.  Verse thirteen continues, And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.  God then said He was also going to give Solomon something he didn't ask for and make him the richest and most honored king of his time.  I wonder what God might bless us as Christians with if we asked for wisdom instead of riches and power.  Verse fourteen says, And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.  There was a condition on this promise from God, and that was that Solomon be obedient to God as David had been.  Today, if we want God's blessings, we must ne obedient to His word.  Verse fifteen adds, And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants.  When Solomon awoke, he knew he was dreaming, but he went to Jerusalem and offered bunt and peace offerings to God and made a feast with all his servants.   I don't believe that he just wrote this off as a dream that meant nothing, but acknowledged that God had spoken to him in this dream.  We should always acknowledge when God speaks to us, no matter how He chooses to do so. 

1 Kings 3:1

1 Kings 3:1 says, And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD, and the wall of Jerusalem round about.  Solomon made peace with Pharoah and took his daughter and brought her to the city of David.  Matthew Henry says this may be one instance when Solomon didn't act wisely unless she was a proselyite, which she may have been since later when speaking of foreign gods Solomon was tempted by the Egyptian gods weren't mentioned.  Still, he says this would have been a case of being unevenly yoked.  We as followers of Christ should always try to marry another Christian to avoid this.  Verse two adds, Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.  The people sacrificed on the high places, which Matthew Henry says David never did.  David had focused worship on the Ark of the Covenant.  We need to keep our worship grounded in Jesus Christ and not just look for high places to display our worship.  Matthew Henry didn't say that Solomon was wrong in worshipping in the high places, but that there could be a temptation to worship the display of worship more than actually worshipping God.  We need to be careful that we don't start worshipping our church buildings more than we worship God.  Verse three continues, And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. We are told that Solomon loved the Lord and kept the statutes of David, and then are told only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places, which separated him from the way David worshipped.  Again, we are not told that this was wrong, only that it was different.  We may worship differently than our parents did, and there is nothing wrong with this as long as we are sincerely worshipping God and the focus is on Him. Verse four concludes, And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. We are then told that Solomon went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices to God, because there was a great high place there.  He offered a thousand sacrifices there, which tells that he was devout in worshipping, but  he was still possibly putting too much emphasis on the fact that this was a high place.  We need to be devoted to worshipping God, but our emphasis should never be more on the location than on God Himself.

1 Kings 2:39

1 Kings 2:39 says, And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.  Two years after Solomon told Shimei basically not to leave his house, two of his servants ran away to Gath.  Shemei then had a dilemma. This was definitely outside the area that Solomon had confined him to, but he couldn't reclaim his servants without leaving the area.  Sometimes, we may have to make a choice between obeying God oe exercising our own authority.  Verse forty adds, And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.  Shemei decided to disobey Solomon's order and go to Gath.  He went and brought his servants back.  He may have thought that Solomon wouldn't know, or if he did that because of the circumstances he would make an exception to his rule.  We may do things against God's laws today believing He will never know or that He will make an exception for us under our circumstances, but this is not going to happen.  Verse forty-one continues, And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.  Solomon was told, or found out, about what Shimei had done.  No one has to tell God in order for Him to find out if we fail to follow His commandments, because He will always know already.  Verse forty-two states, And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.  Solomon had Shemei brought to him and asked him if he hadn't been told that if he went traveling about that the day he did he would die.  One day, as followers of Christ, even though we have everlasting life, we are going to be called before God and asked about our actions.   Of course, if we have not accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we will be called before God and asked if we didn't know that our failure to do so brought a spiritual death sentence.  Circumstances will not justify us in either case.  Verse forty-three adds, Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?  Solomon asked Shemei why he hadn't obeyed his oath to God and the commandment that Solomon himself had changed him with.  I believe one day if we have disobeyed God that He is going to ask us why. Verse forty-four continues, The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head; David reminded Shimei that he had done wickedness to David and had never been held responsible for it.  We may do great wickedness to God today and never pay for it in this lifetime, but one day, we will have to answer to Him for it.  Verse forty-five says, And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.  Just as Solomon to Shemei that he was going to be established as king before the LORD and was to be obeyed by the people of Israel, Jesus Christ has been declared the eternal King of all, even those who do not put their faith in Him.  Verse forty-six adds,  So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.  Solomon had Benaiah kill  Shimei, and Solomon's kingdom was established.   Jesus Christ's kingdom was established not by killing His enemies but by dying for them.  We either are saved by accepting His sacrifice for us on the cross, or one day we will be sent away to everlasting punishment because we didn't. 

1 Kings 2:28

1 Kings 2:28 says, Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.  Though Joab had not followed Absalom in his attempt to claim the throne, he had followed Adonijah in his.  David was close to his death by this time, so Joab may have thought it best to put his allegiance in the one who was actively claiming to be his successor.  When Joab heard that Solomon had be ordained king, he fled to the Temple and grabbed the horns of the altar.  If we have never really accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, when He returns no religious symbol is going to save us.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.  When Solomon was told what Joab had done, he sent Benaiah to fall upon him, or bring him out.  Being in the temple on the altar was not going to save him, because Joab had always been more faithful to himself than to David.   Being in a church building at the altar with a Bible in our hands will do us no good when Christ returns if we have never accepted Jesus Christ.   Verse thirty continues, And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.  When Benaiah went to get Joab, he said he wouldn't come out, but he would die where he was instead.  When Jesus returns, it will be too late to be saved, and we will die where we are.   Benaiah returned to Solomon and told him what Joab said.  When it comes to dealing with sinners who refuse to accept the salvation of Christ, we need to leave their fate up to God.  Verse thirty-one states, And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.  Solomon told Benaiah to go and slay Joab and bury him, because he had shed innocent blood for him when David was king.  Our sins will one day be dealt with forever, and if we do not have forgiveness through putting our faith in Jesus Christ, which is the only way to have forgiveness, we will face God's punishment.  Verse thirty-two adds, And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.  Solomon said that Joab would then pay for shedding the innocent blood of Abner and Amasa, which David did not know about.  One day, those sins that no one may know about will come to light.  Verse thirty-three continues, Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.  Solomon said that Joab’s sins would therefore be upon his head and upon his descendants forever, but not on David and his descendants, who would live at peace with God forever.  Of course, we are all individually responsible for our own sins.  The only way to be forgiven and live at peace with God is through faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-four says, So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.  Benaiah killed Joab and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.  Unless Jesus Christ returns first, we will all one day die, and what we have decided about Jesus Christ will make all the difference.  Verse thirty-five adds, And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar. Solomon put Benaiah in charge of the army and Zadok in the place of Abiathar.  God today will call people to replace those who have died or those who were really never faithful to start with.  Verse thirty-six continues, And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.  Solomon confined Shimei to his own house and told him if he went out too far that he would die.  God will allow us to live in our own house of sin if we reject salvation, but one day we will be called out to answer for our sins. Verse thirty-seven adds, For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.  We can be certain that if we are not washed in the blood of Jesus that responsibility for our sins rests on our head.  Verse thirty-eight continues, Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.  Shimei said what Solomon had decreed was good, and we need to acknowledge that what God says is good, whether we accept it or not.

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.

2 Kings 2:13

2 Kings 2:13 says, And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.   Adonijah now came to Bathsheba since she was Solomon's mother and he was now king.  Some people now mistakenly pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus, believing she has influence with Him, but the are wrong.  Bathsheba had more influence with Solomon though, and she asked Adonijah if he came in peace and he said he did.  Verse fourteen adds, He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.  He then told Bathsheba that he had something to say to her, and she told him to tell her.  We should at least be willing to listen to people if the come to talk to us after we have had a problem, if the come peacefully.  Verse fifteen continues, And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the LORD.  Adonijah said she knew that before the people, the kingdom was his, but before God it was Solomon's.  If we are making claims of authority in the church today, even if people approve of our doing so, we better first make sure that it is God's will that we do so. Verse sixteen declares, And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.  Adonijah said he had a request for Bathsheba and asked her to not deny him, and she told him to continue.  We should never promise to do anything without first knowing what we are promising to do and that it is in accordance with God's will.  Verse seventeen adds, And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.  Adonijah had a request that he be given Abishag, who had been David's comforter during his last days, to be his wife.  Matthew Henry says he.was doing this not because he loved Abishag, but because he hoped to use her to renew his claim to the throne.  We need to try to understand people's motives when they ask us for something today.  Verse eighteen continues, And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.  Bathsheba agreed to talk to Solomon for him.  Before we go to God, the eternal King, in prayer for someone today, we need to make sure that what we are going to ask Him is within His will.  Verse nineteen states, Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.  

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.