Jehovah is on His throne!

Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it? Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’ Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.” (1 Kings 1:11–14)

It had already been determined that Solomon would take the throne after David died. However another man had a following and determined to be the next king. This would not happen by popular vote as in our democracy. 

Not only that, the life of the rest of David’s family was in danger with Adonijah as king. To put a royal mother to death along with her offspring, though perhaps unusual, was not unknown. Nathan the prophet Nathan says this may be Bathsheba’s fate. He also knew God’s will for Solomon because David told him:

But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.’ (1 Chronicles 22:8–10)

Since David was near the end of his life, he needed reminders of this and of the conspiracy that was happening. When told, he took wise steps to insure that Solomon became the next king.

This event is told with much detailed description. As a detail person, getting a big picture is a challenge. What I do see is the activity of our spiritual enemy trying to thwart the will of God. In this case, he uses Adonijah’s ambition to rule and David’s feeble condition to try and stop Him from putting his choice on the throne.

God refused to allow that enemy by strengthening His servant David to declare his intentions as the one who still had the authority to do so — after Nathan and Bathsheba informed him of the plot.

The Bible says God sets up kings and also puts them down. We watch the news and wonder about those currently in power, yet I’m hearing that in war-torn places thousands of people are turning to Christ because of the decisions of their evil political leaders. We might send food and military aid, but God is using their horrible situations to grant mercy and eternal life. 

Oh God, surely Your ways are not our ways. You remain on the throne and as mere mortals plot to usurp You, they cannot. Jesus is King of kings, and cannot be destroyed nor can His family be erased. You have given us eternal life, no matter what ambitious and God-hating enemies try to do. You are our hiding place, our shelter in all storms, our eternal hope, the one still in charge of even those who seem to be controlling what is happening in this messed-up world. Praise Your powerful and holy Name!