Day 296 – Authority

1 Kings 1:1 Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm.

 2 Therefore, his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.”

 3 So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

 4 The young woman was lovely; and she cared for the king and served him; but the king did not know her.

 5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

 6 (His father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.)

 7 Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah.

 8 However, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.

 9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited his brothers, the king’s sons, and the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10 However, he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother.

 11 Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12 Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Assuredly your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”

 15 Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was old, and Abishag the Shunammite served the king.)

 16 Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?”

 17 Then she said to him, “My lord, you swore by JEHOVAH your Elohiym to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 Now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. 19 He sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and invited the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he did not invite. 20 As for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise, it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.”

 22 While she talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

 23 They told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” When he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

 24 Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’? 25 For he went today, and sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and invited the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and look! They eat and drink before him; and they say, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 However, he did not invite me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. 27 Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you did not tell your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

 28 Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” Then she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king.

 29 The king took an oath and said, “As JEHOVAH lives, who redeemed my life from every distress, 30 just as I swore to you by JEHOVAH Elohiym of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.”

 31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever!”

 32 King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” Then they came before the king. 33 The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my mule, and take him down to Gihon. 34 There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then you will come up after him, and he will come and sit on my throne, and he will be king in my place. For I appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”

 36 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May JEHOVAH Elohiym of my lord the king say so too. 37 As JEHOVAH has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

 38 Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and took him to Gihon.

 39 Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. They blew the horn, and the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

 40 The people went after him; and played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.

 41 Now Adonijah and the guests with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?”

 42 While he spoke, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news.”

 43 Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David made Solomon king. 44 The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and made him ride on the king’s mule. 45 Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king at Gihon; and went from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you heard. 46 Also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47 Moreover, the king’s servants went to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May Elohiym make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ Then the king bowed himself on the bed. 48 Also, the king said thus, ‘Blessed be JEHOVAH Elohiym of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!’”

 49 Then the guests with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way.

 50 Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; then he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

 51 It was told Solomon, saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

 52 Then Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him will fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he will die.”

 53 Then King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. He came and fell before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Kurios – Supreme Authority

God’s character:

Kingmaker

What do you do when people usurp a position of authority you know was given to another person? Do you forcibly remove the usurper, or do you wait and watch the events unfold?

Adonijah made himself king before his father, King David died. Nathan knew who the next king should be and went to Bathsheba to alert her to the current events. She went to David and reminded him about what he promised Solomon. When King David learned what took place, he told Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah to set Solomon on his mule and proclaim him king. When Adonijah and his guests heard what took place, he feared for his life and went to the tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar. Solomon told him to go home.

As Christians, you have a position of authority given to you when you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord. However, most Christians don’t realize the position they have in Yeshuwa and allow Satan to talk them out of their authority when they should take authority over Satan and his plans for their lives.

Yeshuwa sent seventy disciples out to preach the gospel. When they returned, He told them the authority they had.

 Luke 10:17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Kurios, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

 18 He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over the power of the enemy, and nothing will by any means hurt you.

When you know your authority, Satan cannot take it from you. You will trample him under your feet.

When Adonijah heard the noise of jubilation, he realized his life was in danger. Satan knows when he is defeated and will flee from you when you stand in your authority over him.

What has Satan told you that causes you to believe you are his servant instead of the servant of Yeshuwa with authority and power to defeat him? Take hold of your authority today and watch him flee from you.

Let’s pray: Father, thank you that I have authority through Your Son as Your child. Help me remember my position in You when Satan comes with his plans for my life and send him packing in defeat. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 10 November 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux