Day 298 – Obedience

1 Kings 2:13 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peaceably?”

  He said, “Peaceably.” 14 Moreover he said, “I have something to say to you.”

  She said, “Say it.”

 15 Then he said, “You know the kingdom was mine, and Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over and has become my brother’s; for it was his from JEHOVAH. 16 Now I ask one petition of you; do not deny me.”

  She said to him, “Say it.”

 17 Then he said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”

 18 Then Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak for you to the king.”

 19 Bathsheba, therefore, went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose to meet her and bowed down to her and sat on his throne and had a throne set for the king’s mother; so, she sat at his right hand.

 20 Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me.”

  The king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”

 21 Then she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.”

 22 King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my older brother—for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore by JEHOVAH, saying, “May Elohiym do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life! 24 Now, therefore, as JEHOVAH lives, who confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who established a house for me, as He promised, Adonijah will be put to death today!”

 25 Then King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him, and he died.

 26 To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of Adonay JEHOVAH before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted.”

 27 Then Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to JEHOVAH, that he might fulfill the word of JEHOVAH which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.

 28 Then news came to Joab, for Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom. Joab fled to the tabernacle of JEHOVAH and took hold of the horns of the altar.

 29 King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the tabernacle of JEHOVAH; there he is, by the altar.”

 Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.”

 30 Then Benaiah went to the tabernacle of JEHOVAH, and said to him, “Thus says the king, ‘Come out!’”

  He said, “No, but I will die here.”

  Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.”

 31 Then the king said to him, “Do as he has said, and strike him and bury him, that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed. 32 Then JEHOVAH will return his blood on his head, because he struck two men more righteous and better than he and killed them with the sword—Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah—though my father David did not know it. 33 Their blood will, therefore, return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his descendants forever. However, upon David and his descendants, upon his house and his throne, there will be peace forever from JEHOVAH.”

 34 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck and killed him; and buried him in his house in the wilderness.

 35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

 36 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere. 37 For it will be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”

 38 Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” Then Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem for many days.

 39 Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to Achish the son of Maachah, king of Gath. They told Shimei, saying, “Look, your slaves are in Gath!”

 40 Then Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves and brought his slaves from Gath.

 41 Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back.

 42 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by JEHOVAH, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you will die’? You said to me, ‘The word I heard is good.’

 43 “Why then have you not kept the oath of JEHOVAH and the commandment I gave you?” 44 The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, every wickedness you did to my father David; therefore, JEHOVAH will return your wickedness on your head. 45 However, King Solomon will be blessed, and the throne of David will be established before JEHOVAH forever.”

 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him, and he died. Thus, the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Adonay – Proper name of God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

God’s character:

Covenant Maker

Vengeful

Promise Keeper

How often do you receive instructions with the consequences if you don’t follow them? How often have you suffered the consequences because you failed to follow them?

David gave instructions to Solomon regarding certain people who came against him and the throne. When events played out, Solomon fulfilled his father’s instructions, and JEHOVAH purged the kingdom of the evil that took place during David’s reign and established Solomon’s throne.

When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, you promised to obey Him and follow His instructions for your life. When you don’t follow His instructions, you suffer the consequences. Yeshuwa’s instructions will purge your life from Satan’s grip and bring you into a right relationship with Him. As JEHOVAH established Solomon’s throne, He will establish you as His child. The world will know you belong to Yeshuwa.

Do you follow Yeshuwa’s instructions, or do you compromise your faith and only follow the instructions you find easy to obey?

When Yeshuwa gives you instructions, He knows His plans will not be too difficult for you to follow. He also provides everything you need to fulfill His plans for your life. What instructions has Yeshuwa given you? Have you done what He asked, or are you waiting for the right time? If you wait for the right time, it will never come, and you will be disobedient to the instructions Yeshuwa gave you.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says JEHOVAH, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and hope.

His plans do not bring trouble. Only when you disobey His plans will you find trouble dogging your steps.

You can turn your life around and obey the instructions Yeshuwa gave you. Then you will know you can follow everything He tells you. He will establish you when you purge doubt and fear from your life. Satan will no longer cause you trouble through disobedience to Yeshuwa.

Let’s pray: Father, establish me as Your child when I obey You and the plans You have for my life. Don’t let doubt and fear keep me from Your plans for me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 12 November 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux