I Kings 1:1-18
ICE BREAKER If God asks you the one thing you would want from Him in your life what would you ask for? Share why this is so important to you.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. I Kings 1:6 is an important but small note for the reader: “His father(king David) had never at any time displeased him(Davids’ son, Adonijah) by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” David’s passivity is a contributing factor in Adonijah’s sin. So, as parents we need to ask: “Am I off doing great things but missing the most important things at home?” The list of things that can grab our attention and pull us to invert our priorities are endless. Here are a few: success at work, ministry, time with social media or any media or just keeping busy. Discuss what helps you keep your priorities in order and what tends to divert you in these three areas: your walk with God, your marriage(if single, focus on how well you are prioritizing your vital relationships within the body of Christ), and your parenting. 2. We tend to think we are pretty wise. We tend to think this at every phase of our lives. Often we come up with our own wisdom. Proverbs 14:2 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Here are 5 wisdom imposters: Celebrity imposter--we are a culture of celebrity. If you reach celebrity then you get a platform to say what is “really true”. Wealth imposter--the wealthy are quoted simply because they have achieved a lot. We attribute wisdom to them because we want to be near them. Arrogance imposter--this is the central imposter. Any time we do something other than what God wants for us we are arrogant and we are relying on our own wisdom. Power imposter,--if I have political power then I can think I have more wisdom than you. Cleverness imposter--one who predicts what is going to happen next; they appear ahead of the curve in their thinking. With cleverness we rename things. We call abortion women’s health. Pray and ask God for wisdom. Wisdom is the application of God’s revealed truth in the midst of the confusion and tension of a good creation nearly obliterated by our sin.” Talk with someone in your family and/or your small group about any wisdom imposters that may be evident in your life. Group leaders consider providing a time for praying for each person in the group. Pray for the one or two things that each person is needing wisdom for in the coming year. Also create room for corporate confession of how we separate ourselves from God and His wisdom to follow imposters of wisdom.
NOTES AND QUOTES David replied to Nathan the prophet that the man who took the lamb from the poor man should die and pay 4 fold. David murdered Uriah. Three of David's sons have died and the 4th one dies in our story today. Adonijah and Solomon are David's sons. Adonijah thinks the crown is his. He begins an attempt to grab the throne.
Adonijah is having a feast but he did not invite Nathan, Solomon and Bathsheba. No one loyal to David was invited to the feast. This implies that those not invited will die if Adonijah gets the throne. Nathan informs Bathsheba of Adonijah’s plot. So, they go in and talk to David. David promised the kingdom to Solomon and he responded positively to Nathan and Bathsheba. David reaffirms this decision and gives the kingship to Solomon. Adonijah has to wait until David dies before he can become king. So, David tells the priest to take Solomon and anoint him king while David is still alive. They put Solomon, age 12, on king David’s mule and proclaim him the king.
David’s action of giving away his kingship while he was still alive outmaneuvers Adonijah. The next step is for the people to approve and they do. “The earth split from the people’s shouting.” Adonijah and his party could hear it. They immediately left. Adonijah is terrified and he goes to the altar of the temple and he grabs the horn of the temple begging for mercy. Solomon sends word to Adonijah and he gives him mercy as long as he does not undermine the kingship. In the very next story Adonijah comes to Bathsheba and asks her to go to Solomon with a request. He requests a wife from the concubine. Solomon’s response is: “...he may as well ask for the kingdom.” Solomon has him executed. In I Kings 3:9 God asks Solomon what he would request of the Lord. Solomon’s answer is: “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern Your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this Your great people?” Wisdom is the application of God’s revealed truth in the midst of the confusion and tension of a good creation nearly obliterated by our sin. Davids’ rule was the rule of faith while Solomons’ kingdom was the rule of wisdom.