>> Jen: Hey faithful listeners, grab a cup of coffee as we discuss another episode from First Kings. I hope you all had a wonderful, wonderful weekend. I have just been blessed with the most beautiful weather on the planet. My area has been temperate, not humid at all. Nice and cool in the morning and nice and warm in the afternoon. And so I don't even have my air conditioning on or my heat on or anything. It's just been the perfect temperatures. It's been wonderful
and I hope you guys have been enjoying the weather wherever you're at. So contact me and tell me what the weather has been near you and also how you found this podcast and where you live. And I just love hearing from all of you guys. Today we're going to talk about one kings chapter two and discuss David's death. It's kind of a Sadeena story, but it has a happy ending, shockingly. Enough about David's death. So let's read one kings two one through twelve today and discuss this. I'll
be reading from the web. Grab your cup of coffee and also the version of the Bible you prefer, and let's give reverence to God's word together. Now the days of David came near that he should die, and he commanded Solomon, his son, saying, I am going the way of
all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man and keep the instruction of Yahweh, your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do, and wherever you turn yourself, then Yahweh may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, if your children are careful of their way to walk before me in truth, with
all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you. He said, a man on the throne of Israel. Moreover, you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist and in his sandals that were on his
feet. Do therefore, according to your wisdom, and dont let his grey head go down to shoal in peace, but show kindness to the sons of Berzilia, the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table. For they came to me when I fled from Absalom, your brother. Behold, there is with you Shimei, the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Behurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went down to
Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, I will not put you to death with the sword. Now, therefore, don't hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man, and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his grey head down to shoal with blood. David slept with his fathers and was buried in Davids City. The days that David reigned over Israel were 40 years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned 33 years in
Jerusalem. Solomon sat on David his fathers throne, and his kingdom was firmly established. So this is the story of Davids death. And he knows that he is dying. He basically cannot get up from bed at this point. It actually said in the previous chapter that he was so cold that no matter how many blankets they put on him, he couldn't seem to get warm. So David knew that he was dying, and so he charges his son Solomon with being
the next king. Solomon, out of all of David's sons, was the best fit for the throne. And Israel was not supposed to be like other nations that were around them. In the other nations, the throne would be passed down to the firstborn son. But that wasn't supposed to be the case in Israel. God was supposed to choose the next king of Israel, even if that king was not the firstborn son of the previous king. Solomon was not the firstborn son of David, but he was the best fit for the throne.
And God chose Solomon basically from the time that Solomon was born. There's a nice little verse in two Samuel that says that when Solomon was born, God loved the child and decided to call him Jedediah, which means loved by God. So it's really sweet. Solomon was the best fit. And so that is why David is now giving his last commands to Solomon before he dies. Now, this is also expanded upon in first chronicles, chapters 28 and 29 as
well. It gives a lot more detail as to what David talked about with Solomon, especially concerning the building of the temple to God, which David had wanted to build in his lifetime, but knew that God didn't actually want him to build it. So he knew that Solomon was going to end up building that temple to God. But in verses one through four here of one kings two, David starts out by charging Solomon to be a faithful person to love God with
his whole heart. He says, solomon, I am going the way of all the earth, meaning I am about to die. You be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. So he's like, all right, little kid, be a mandehead. Now, Solomon was probably not very old at this point. I don't know his exact age. It might say somewhere in scripture later on, but I don't know his exact
age. But, multiple times in scripture, David calls Solomon a youth, especially if you read through one chronicles 28 and 29, he keeps mentioning how young Solomon is. And so right here, even, he's like, okay, young Solomon, be a man. Don't be a boy. Show yourself strong.
Keep the instruction of Yahweh, your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn yourself. God had told the israelite people that if they have a king who believes in Yahweh and who follows all of Yahweh's instructions, that the people would
be blessed. And if the people in general also follow in the commandments of Yahweh, they will be blessed. In fact, on Friday, the episode that I did for my kofi members, we talked about Psalm, chapter one, and how it says that the people who are righteous are going to prosper because God is going to be with them. David is expressing this same idea to Solomon, that if Solomon actually follows God's commandments, he is going to prosper not just himself, but all of
Israel. He says, everything you do will prosper, and wherever you turn yourself will be successful. Then Yahweh may establish his word, which he spoke concerning me, saying, if your children are careful of their way to walk before me, in truth, with all their heart, with all their soul, there shall not fail you, a man on the throne of Israel. Now, reading through Israel's history, as we're going to in one kings, two kings, first and two chronicles, we're going to see how Solomon's sons did
not worship Yahweh. And so many problems ended up coming to Israel, because those kings did not worship Yahweh, and it ended up resulting in Israel being taken over by the Babylonians. However, what does God promise here to David? He says that, David, if your children are careful of their way to walk before me, in truth, with all their heart and with all their soul, there will
not fail you, a man on the throne of Israel. And what's interesting is that David's kids did not follow in the commandments of God. Even Solomon didn't, really. But yet God did, in fact, establish David's throne forever. So when the kings of Israel were unfaithful to God, God was still faithful to the kings of Israel. God is faithful when we are not faithful. David's throne is still established to this day through the person of Jesus Christ. So David
continues. Moreover, you also know what Joab, the son of Zeruiah, did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel. To Abner, the son Anur, and to Amasa, the son of Jethro, whom he killed and shed the blood of war in peace. So David's like, okay, Solomon, so here's a few things I would like you to do when you become the next king. Joab, that troublemaker, that guy that has just been bugging me for all of these years, show him the justice that he
deserves. So David's like, joab did so many terrible things to me. And not only that, he also killed Abner, and he killed Amasa. So if you remember who those two guys are, Abner was mentioned way, way back in the beginning of two. Samuel. Abner was faithful to Ishbesheth, who was, um, Saul's son, who took the throne directly after Saul had died. Abner then defected over to David's side. But because Abner, in a battle, in a previous battle, had killed one of Joab's brothers, Joab decided
to kill Abner. Even though Abner was now loyal to David, Joab didn't like him and killed him. And David was very, very upset about that. And then Joab also killed Amasa a few chapters back. Amasa had taken Joab's job right after Joab had killed um, Absalom. When Absalom first tried to take the throne from David, Joab ended up killing Absalom, even against David's wishes. And then David, whether or not he found out about that scripture actually doesn't
say. There's a chance David never found out that Joab was the one that killed Absalom. However, David did take Joab's job from him and gave it to Amasa. Joab was very angry about this because Amasa um was actually a previously loyal to Absalom. So in both of these cases, Joab killed those two men because they were initially loyal to the opposing party of David. Joab was fiercely loyal to Israel and also had some personal things. He was struggling with himself and so Joab
was kind of like a wild card. He did whatever he wanted to do. He caused a lot of pain and suffering to David through much of David's life. However, a lot of that pain and suffering was due to David's inaction, a lot of times more so than Joab's actions. But regardless, Joab murdered two men in times of peace. And David was not happy about that. So he says, this was unjust, what Joab has done. Not to mention, don't forget that Joab had just been on the side of, um. Oh, gosh, what's the
name of David's son just recently? They're all a names. Every single person in scripture at this point in time has, like, an. A name. Adonijah. That's who it was. Joab was loyal to Adonijah, not Solomon. As we talked about last week, Adonijah was gonna try to kill Solomon. Adonijah was making a bid for the throne after David died. And Joabda was loyal to Adonijah, not to
Solomon. So that was another big problem, was that job, once again, was kind of doing whatever he wanted to do and whatever he thought was best. Without consulting David, without consulting God. Joab considered himself a better leader in many capacities than David, who was the actual leader of Israel. So David tells Solomon to act justly against Joab. For all of these things that Joab has done. He says, however, make sure to show kindness to the sons
of Berzilia, the Gileadite. And let them be among those who eat at your table. For so they came to me when I fled from Absalom. Your brother Berzilia was briefly mentioned at the end of two Samuel, when David was fleeing from Absalom, Berzelia actually took David in. And Brasilia was a very wealthy man who lived in Mahanaim, where David had fled to. And Brasilia actually ended up supporting and taking care of David and all of David's men. So Brasilia was a really nice old man that
cared about David. And Berzilia had many sons, it looks like. So David tells Solomon to make sure to be kind to Barzilia's sons. He says, however, there's another guy that you shouldn't be so kind to. His name is Shemaiah, the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim. He cursed me with a grievous curse in the day that I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan. And I swore to him by Yahweh, saying, I will not put you to death with the
sword. Once again, to recap who this Shimei guy is, shemei was that, uh, really irritating dude that was throwing stones and Dustin at David when David was just, like, walking by. Shema had been a relative, actually, of Saul. And so he was still loyal to, um, Saul's kingship and thought that Saul's family should still be the kings of Israel and didn't like David.
So the second that he saw David in distress and the second that he thought David might not win and Absalom might take over the throne, Shimei just started insulting David. He was following him, cursing him, swearing at him, just saying all sorts of nasty things and throwing rocks at him as well. And the only reason he got out of dying was because when he found out that David had won and Absalom was dead, Shimei suddenly switched his tune. So he meets David at the Jordan
river when David was crossing. Because Mahanaim was on the other side of the Jordan river and Jerusalem was on the other side of the Jordan river. So when David was coming back to Jerusalem and crossing the Jordan river to get there, Shimei was there. And so Shimei, like, bows all the way as far down as he can get. And he begs for David's forgiveness. And he says, I am so sorry. I should never have said those things to you. That was wrong of me. And so I beg of you, do not
take my life. And so David actually said, I am not going to take your life because you begged of me. I will show you mercy. But now, because David is dying and his oath to Shimei is ending, he tells his son, he says, son, that she may guy is a troublemaker. Make sure he pays for what he has done. You might be like, well, isn't that kind of like David breaking his oath to Shimei? And I would actually argue that, no, I think David was right
to do this. Because don't forget that David would have known Shimei a lot better than we do. It's possible the Shimei guy, over the years, proved himself to just be a troublemaker. And David knew that Shimei's apology was, um, completely fake. David knew that Shimei was just a nasty person who would undermine the throne at any chance that he could possibly get. And we're going to hear more about Shimei and just how nasty of a person he really was.
But David tells Solomon, make sure that Shema has justice brought against him as well. Then it says in verse ten that David slept with his fathers. And he was buried in David's city. So David died but this idea of sleeping with the fathers is mentioned several times in scripture, and it kind of gives the idea that David isn't really dead. The way we think of it, you know, when somebody is dead, that means they are never coming back. Like they are gone. They are non
existent anymore. But the idea of sleeping doesn't give that same feeling that David is non existent. In fact, David is alive. He is alive right now with Jesus. When God first appeared to Moses in the burning bush, what he said to Moses was so telling. He said, I am the God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. How could God have currently been the God of Abraham, Isaac and JaCob in the time of Moses, when Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
were long dead? When Moses was alive, except for the fact that God knew that Abraham, Isaac and JaCob were not dead. So he calls himself the current God of Abraham, Isaac and JaCob. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It's very clear in scripture that those who believe in God, those who believe in Jesus, who is the only way to God the father, will not die, but they will sleep until Jesus comes again, makes everything right again, and then we will have a peaceful and eternal
life with Jesus. But it says to end here that the days that David reigned over Israel were 40 years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned 33 years in Jerusalem. Solomon sat on David, his father's throne, and his kingdom was firmly established. So God firmly established Solomon's kingdom. And not only did he firmly establish it for Solomon, but it's still firmly established because Jesus is from the throne
of David. And when he comes back the second time, he is going to reign forever in this perfect, peaceful way that everybody who believes in Jesus is going to be able to enjoy. Well, faithful listeners, I hope you enjoyed today's episode and that it was meaningful to you. Kind of an end of an era, you know, because we are done with David's life, and we are moving now into the reign of Solomon. And Solomon's kingdom
is going to get really intense. We're going to see all sorts of crazy things that result from Solomon's kingdom. We're going to read through the building of the temple. We're going to read through Solomon becoming very wise and these, like, Ted talks that he does. So we're going to really delve into who Solomon is in the upcoming episodes. But, faithful listeners, I hope you enjoy the rest of your morning and evening. I will see you guys all tomorrow for an episode
from one corinthians. But until then, happy listening and God.