THE KING’S BUSINESS
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Solomon Anointed King JULY 11, 1915. LESSON II. 1 Kings 1:28-40. (Commit vs. 39, 40.) G olden T ext : “Know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind.”—1 Chron. 28:9.
HOME READINGS. Mon., July 5-1—1 Kings 1 :28-40. Tues., July 6—1 Kings 1 :41-53. Wed., July 7—1 Kings 2:1-12. Thurs., July 8—1 Chron. 29:14-19. Fri., July 9—1 Chron. 29:20-25. Sat., July 10—2 Sam. 23:1-7. Sun., July 11—Psa. 72:8-20.
EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS.
v. 28. "Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba." God hath chosen Solomon to be king. He hath called him “Jedidiah,” that is, “The beloved of Je hovah” (2 Sam. 12:25), but Joab, his lead ing general, and Abiathar, the priest, had conspired with Adonijah, David’s oldest son, after the death of Albsalom, to thwart God’s plan to make Solomon king. Just as Absalom in the last lesson had left God out of his calculations, so had Adonij ah and Joab left God out of their calculations in this lesson. Their plans were shrewdly formed, and seemed certain of success, but there is no wisdom or counsel against God (Prov. 21:30), and God upset their plans entirely and blasted their hopes. David was so old and decrepit that Joab and his fel-' low conspirators did not think he would rally to thwart the conspiracy. But no conspiracy of man, no matter how strong nor how cunning, can overthrow the plan of God. David, when informed of the plot, old and decrepit though he was, rallied and proves sufficient for the occasion. Bath sheba is summoned again into the presence of the king, and, he sware to her, “As suredly, Solomon thy son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead” .(v. 30). Great as Bathsheba’s joy must have been at the assurance of the
king, that joy must also have been greatly tempered by seeing her successor, Abishag, constantly ministering to the king, while she herself was only permitted an occasional interview (cf. vs. 3, 4). v. 29. “As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all d i s t r e s s Even in his old age, David does not forget that it was Jehovah who had redeemed his soul out of all adversity (cf. Gen. 48:16; 2 Sam. 4:9). David had forgotten much in his age and weakness, but he had not forgotten his God. It is the same Jehovah who today re deems us out of our adversities (Ps. 34: 19-22). v. 32. “Then king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” , David calls to his assistance his most trusted friends of old, representing the three classes of leaders among the people, Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, a mili tary man. Benaiah was one of the mighty men of David (1 Chron. 11:22-25). It was through Nathan that God had announced to David his favor toward Solomon (2 Sam. 12:24, 25). v. 33. “The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon, my son, to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down ito
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