I Kings Chapters 1-3

*Sorry about all the lack of blogging...it has been a crazy couple of days.

1:6 - I thought this verse was pretty interesting, we see another instance of bad parenting coming back to bite David in the butt. He never once disciplined his child or inquired as to why he was doing the things he was doing. It is important for parents to shape their children by understanding what they do and where they go and being willing to call them on the carpet when its inappropriate. David's lack of attention to his children leads to the raising of yet another rebellious kid.

1:50 - Jewish people could run to the altar and throw themselves on the mercy of God. This would protect the innocent from a summary execution in the heat of anger. Unfortunately for those who were actually guilty, it only delayed the inevitable death they would recieve for their crimes. (Solomon offers mercy to Adonijah, but will eventually have him killed for his rebellious behaviors)

2:2-3 - This is a great verse for young men and women out there (I think this will be the next one my boys memorize). David gives his son a charge, "Show yourself to be a man who is willing to offer himself completely to God." So many times we get in the message in this culture that being a man is about being physically strong, emotionally vacant, arrogant, etc. David, a warrior king - a man among boys, makes it clear to his son that the ultimate mesaure of a man is his dedication to God. Humility before your God is the ultimate sign of manliness.

2:6 - I thought this was pretty interesting. David calls Solomon to do what he couldn't do - to bring justice to Joab and consolidate the power of the kingdom. It seems that even the great king David never really had total control of what was going on in Israel...Joab was far to influential with the army. But he wants his son to bring peace and unity tot he kingdom and that will only come through justice.

2:8-9 - Again, David showed mercy to Shimei, because their conflict was in a time of war and David could not risk bringing further in-fighting to the people of Israel. But on his deatbed, he makes sure that the rebellion and disrespect Shimei showed to God's annointed king will not go unchecked.

2:22-25 - Solomon actually tried to show his brother mercy, but Adonijah gave him to choice. When he tried to marry the beautiful woman that kept king David warm in his bed, he was making a political move to try to take back power. The really interesting questions is - why does Bathsheba come to Solomon and make the request for Adonijah? She is Solomon's mom, why would she want to bring these problems to her sons rule? Well, I believe that she knew Solomon would have to kill Adonijah after his request and shw knew that would leave him with no real rivals for the throne. She helped to push him into making the tough call to get rid of Adonijah.

2:31 - Justice has finally, after all those years, come crashing down on the head of Joab. Multiple times he has killed innocent men of Israel to gain power and disrespected the king. This illustrates the difference between the rules of David and Solomon. David was a man of war, that never really unified his kingdom under peace. Solomon is a man of wisdom who is making all the right moves to bring unity and peace to Israel.

3:2 - Before the temple was built, these high places were used for legitimate worship of Yahweh. People would go up to the high points and worship God and offer sacrifices to Him. After Solomon builds the temple, these high places become illegitimate places of worship that become used for pagan idols. (This kind of thing gets Solomon in trouble later in his life). I find it so freeing that we have the ability to worship God anywhere and everywhere. Jesus' sacrifice has given us a freedom to connect with God that even these great men of the bible never understood.

3:9 - I hope that in my life and in my ministry I will always seek the wisdom of God before any other earthly things.