First Kings 1:40 made it known that all the people celebrated with Solomon, the moment he was installed by David as his successor. We are told, “…all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise.” The great commotion was heard by Adonijah and his guests as they finished their feast. Joab was said to have heard the blast of the trumpet coming from the coronation of Solomon and was wondering aloud what could it all mean. Even before he could finish his question when Jonathan the son of Abiathar appeared. Recognizing him, Joab invited him with the hope that he would have good news to share with them. Instead of good news, he was greeted with what he probably did not want to hear most at this juncture.
“No,”
said Jonathan, as he narrated to the commander exactly what had taken place. He
made known that David had installed Solomon as king to succeed him. He also
revealed to Joab the entourage David had sent with Solomon to Gihon for his
coronation. The whole company included Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet,
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites and the Pelethites. Jonathan
even made known that Solomon was led there on David’s own personal mule. There
at Gihon, Zadok and Nathan anointed Solomon. And now the whole city was in a
great commoti0n celebrating the installation of Solomon, the new
king.
In
1 Kings 1:47-48, Jonathan reported that the people, including his royal officials,
approved and congratulated David for his choice in making Solomon his
successor. He made known that they blessed the new king and even verbalized
their desire. Their wish was for God to make the name of Solomon more famous
than David’s and even his reign would be greater than the old king’s. In
verse 48, Jonathan even made known that David himself bowed in his bed and
worshipped God. He praised God for granting him a successor and allowing him to
see that moment.
Did
Adonijah act in faith or on presumption? It looks like he acted on presumption.
He assumed that being next in line after Amnon and Absalom, his two older
brothers who had died, he was destined for the throne. So in his mistaken
notion, he was led to act unwisely to seize the throne. The Bible makes it
clear in Proverbs 19:21 that “Many are the plans in the mind of
a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” As Christians, we must not live presumptuously,
we must live by the Word of God. When we do so we will be found in the center
of God’s will. Live in the certainty of God’s Word and not on the probability
of presumption that leads to tragedy!
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