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THE KING’S BUSINESS
Gihon.” David’s action is. prompt and thorough. He does not wait for the con spiracy to grow, but acts while Adonijah and his fellow-conspirators were still feast ing (vs. 9, 41). It was a master stroke,' doubtless guided of God. David was still obedient to the law of God, and even in the days of his great power had not adopted horses to ride upon; for to do so was ex pressly forbidden by God to Israel’s kings (Deut. 17:16). Absalom In the brief days of his glory, had violated this law of God’s (2 Sam. 15:1), as also had Adonijah (v. 5), v. 34. "And let Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, anoint him there, king over Israel: and blow ye with a trumpet, and say, God save King Solomon." The priest and the prophet were to unite in anointing Solomon. The anointing was a symbol of setting apart, of consecration to God (Lev. 8:10-12). The oil was the sym bol of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38), and the thought of the anointing with oil was, that the only sufficient preparation for God’s work, is the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:5-8). By the blowing with the trumpet, appeal was made to God to secure the safety of the new-made king. It was a symbol of prayer. v. 35. “Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne, for he shall be king in my stead: and I have anointed him to be ruler over Israel and over ludah.” David is determined to leave no doubt in the minds of all that Solomon is his own choice for king: while he still lives, he appoints that Solomon shall sit upon the throne and be king in his stead, and in most unequivocal terms declares, “l have ap pointed him to be prince over Israel, and over Judah.” As prince oyer Israel and Judah, he was a type- of, our Lord Jesus (cf. Acts 5 :31). As secure as David’s action made Solomon on the throne, there was another fact, that made him even more secure, namely, that God had .made him prince over Israel and oyer Judah. v. 36. “And Benaiah, the son, of jehoiadct, answered the king and said, Amen: the
. LORD God of my lord the king say so, too." Benaiah, the warrior, appears as the most religious man of the whole transaction. Many a soldier today has more real godli ness than many a priest or preacher. v. 37. "As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be He with Solo- shall rejoice again “with- great joy.” God hasten the day when the earth shall do this and when the Lord Jesus Himself shall come and reign as King. “Even so, come,' Lord Jesus.” man, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord, King David.” Jehovah beyond a doubt had been with David. His whole life had been a testimony to that fact, and Benaiah now prays that Jehovah may be with Solomon as surely and as fully as he had been with David, and he even dares to pray that his throne may be greater than the throne of his father. This prayer of Benaiah, as bold as it was, was abundantly answered. Benaiah evidently knew how to pray as well as how to fight, and he who prays best can fight best, v. 38, “So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of le- hoiada . . . went down, and caused Sol omon to ride upon King David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.” David’s three trusted friends proved themselves worthy of his confidence by proceeding to do ex actly what they were told. We prove our selves to be friends o-f our David, our Lord Jesus, when we do just what we are told,' and only then (John 15:14). David’s friends did not delay a moment, but went through all the necessary formalities, and anointed Solomon king at once, having first placed him upon David’s own mule, and caused him to ride through the city to Gihon, that all the people might know the significance of their action. v, 39, “And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the Tabernacle and anointed Solomon.” There was great sig nificance in taking the oil with which Solo- man was anointed “out of the Tabernacle”; for the tabernacle was the place where God dwelt typically, and taking the oil from
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