And as for you now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. (verse 20)
Message: Who Will Be King?
Time: The author of 1&2 Kings (originally 1 book) is not known. First Kings follows the history of this divided kingdom from the death of David around 971 BC through the year 853 BC. First Kings reveals Solomon’s relationship with Yahweh and introduces the prophet Elijah who pronounces judgment on the evil northern king Ahab. Like other books, it helps us to understand the history of Israel and Judah.
What the Lord is Saying: David is now in his old age. He has a need to keep warm and so his servants look for a young virgin for him to keep him warm and find Abishag the Shunammite, a very beautiful girl to become the king's nurse though the king did not cohabit with her.
Adonijah, born after Absalom, says, "I will be king." He was a very handsome man. Like Saul and Absalom no other qualities are described of him but that he was handsome. He conferred with Joab and Adonijah but then there were others like Benaiah and Nathan who were not with him to be king. Adonijah made a sacrifice of sheep and oxen, having a feast before men to build support for his proclamation as king. According to Tabletalk, "In the ancient Near East, eating together was a sign of peace, a sign that the parties at the meal would not seek one another’s destruction." Nathan spoke to Bathsheba stating that all this was done without the knowledge of David. Nathan is speaking for Solomon saying he is the one next to be king.
Bathsheba then went before David, prostrating herself and saying, "What do you wish?" Bathsheba though confirms that Solomon is to be king. Nathan likewise came in to prostrate himself before David. He also recounts what Adonijah has been doing in self-electing himself king, and yet not inviting many to this ceremony including David. Once again Nathan asks, "who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"
In I Chronicles 22:8-10 it says the word of the Lord came to David saying that a son shall be born to David, his name shall be Solomon and "He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son, and I will be his father, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever." Thus Solomon is to be king. In I Kings 1:17 Bathsheba confirms this and Nathan then also confirms it in verse 24 with a question.
Bathsheba and Nathan acted wisely in order to accomplish good goals. They saw what was happening and that it was not right and instead worked to make things right.
Summary: David is old in age and struggling in his health. Meanwhile, his son Adonijah self proclaims himself as the next although Nathan and Bathsheba confirm that Solomon, as promised, is to be king.
Promise: When we see that something needs to be done, we need to not be afraid but act on it.
Prayer: In moments where leadership is uncertain, I ask for the wisdom of Nathan and the courage of Bathsheba to uphold the truth. Lord, guard me against the pride of Adonijah, who sought to take the throne by his own strength and ambition, rather than waiting on Your divine appointment. I trust in Your sovereignty to place the right leaders in power, just as You chose Solomon to sit on David’s throne.
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