1 Kings 1:49-53 – The challenge pursue truth and God’s will

Petrified when they heard that Solomon had been coronated and had succeeded David as the reigning king, every guest at Adonijah’s installation dispersed. Each one went their own way. Adonijah himself greatly feared Solomon. Feeling desperate and threatened, he fled to the altar and held on to the horns. At the four corners of the bronze altar of burnt offerings were four horn-like projections. We learned from Exodus 27:2 that God had instructed them to be included in the construction of that altar. They were means for people to seek asylum when their lives were being threatened. So Adonijah felt that that was the only recourse for what he had done. He held on to the horns pleading for his life. In I Kings 1:51 he said, “Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.” 

When Solomon was told of what Adonijah had done, he responded saying, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” He assured him that he would be spared, provided he would prove himself to be a worthy man. This was a restrictive caveat Solomon had added to ensure that Adonijah was not up to any mischief again. The newly installed king then had his brother brought down from the horns of the altar. Humiliated, Adonijah appeared before Solomon, paid homage to him, and was sent home.

The installation of a new king for Israel has lessons for us believers. Adonijah’s attempt at seizing the throne represents self-will, and the coronation of Solomon represents God’s will. Adonijah’s attempt also speaks of falsehood whereas Solomon’s coronation speaks of the truth and the genuine. A believer can choose either to live life pursuing God’s will or self-will. He can seek to go after the truth and the genuine or the false and spurious. Which would we choose? The answer is obvious. We must always go for the will of God for our life and not pander to the carnal desire of the self. We must always pursue truth and not falsehood.

In his letter to the Christians in Corinth, Paul admonished them not to pander to their carnal nature but to go for the mind of God. In 1 Corinthians  2:14-15, the apostle said, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.” We must keep on progressing with God in the truth so that our carnal nature will not dominate our walk with Him. Pursue the truth and avoid the spurious, because it’s the truth that will set us free!