1 kings 1:49-53 - Then all of Adonijah's guests jumped up in
panic from the banquet table and quickly went their separate ways. Adonijah himself was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed
to the sacred tent and caught hold of the horns of the altar. Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had
seized the horns of the altar and that he was pleading, "Let Solomon swear
today that he will not kill me!" Solomon replied, "If he proves himself to
be loyal, he will not be harmed. But if he does not, he will
die." So King Solomon summoned
Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed low
before the king, and Solomon dismissed him, saying, "Go on home."
King David had gotten so old he was limited to his bed…so
his son Adonijah took it upon himself to have himself anointed king. He rallied around him the people he knew would
like the idea…and went to the springs of Enrogel…and sacrificed the animals he
knew he needed to present to the lord. It
wasn’t a crazy idea for him…he was the fourth oldest…the ‘heir apparent.’ And he
would have gotten away with the ploy…except the prophet Nathan was quick to
tell Bathsheba to let the king know she and Solomon were in danger now….and cry
to him how disappointed she was that he had not kept his promise to her that
Solomon would be the next king.
David wasted no time putting together a team to anoint Solomon
as the true king…which sent Adonijah running to hide from his brother in the
temple. He ran to the altar…the sacred
place where he knew God’s mercy and forgiveness might just spare his life for
trying to take the role of king…without asking his father…or God. Solomon just
called for him…and when he saw his brother’s repentant attitude…he told him to
go home.
Solomon’s first act as king was to proclaim forgiveness and
mercy to his brother for trying to take the throne. Maybe he learned how from his father …for just
as David forgave Saul…Solomon forgave his brother….just as God forgives each of
us. The lesson here ... we all need to develop a heart that follows this
example. I sure need to pray that God
help me think about forgiving someone before I think about getting them back.
Father… thank you for reminding me this morning that
forgiveness is an important part of my life with you. When I signed up for you
to live in my heart…I signed on to have you make me into a creature more like
you. I thank you for the forgiveness and
mercy you gave to me…and ask you to help me develop my heart into one that will
forgive as you forgave my many sins. Show me who I need to forgive…and give me
the words that will express just your love and mercy to everyone I still harbor
any feelings of transgression. Wash any
hate and bitterness that satan has planted in my soul completely away with that
cleansing blood of yours…so I can be more like Solomon…and forgive them without
a second thought. Amen.
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