First Book of Kings
Chapter 1
1. King David was old and advanced in years; and although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm.
(First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 1)
Oh God my Father even though we wish to stay alive forever, or that is some or the majority, wish to keep the flame of life burning, there comes a time, when all the medical care of the world can do nothing to keep us alive. I pray that during such moments oh God my Father we will be ready to meet You Amen.
2. So his servants said to him, "Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king, and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm."
(The First book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 2)
At times oh God my Father we try to find quick solutions according to the ways of the world instead of solutions based according to Your will. At times instead of accepting reality as it is as in the case of David who was now of an age and on death's doorstep, we try to change the situation instead of our attitude to it Amen.
3. So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunamite, and brought her to the king. 4. The girl was very beautiful. She became the king's attendant and served him, but the king did not know her sexually.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 3 to 4)
Oh God my Father, nobody and nothing is able to fill up our emptiness, fill us with true love and give new life to both the body and our soul. You alone can give us new life and revive our soul and no other carnal, sexual or psychological means. In You only can we find refuge for our souls Amen.
5. Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6. His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, "Why have you done thus and so?" He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 5 to 6)
Oh God my Father this is a warning to all parents including myself. Where and where necessary we are to admonish our children in order to help them to correct their ways and not become self-centered and selfish thinking as in the case of Adonijah that the world spins around him, and the he is the king of his life Amen.
7. He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 7)
Oh God my Father when we become proud and haughty and embark on our personal agenda which may not be according to Your will, we attract the attention of the evil spirits in human form who empower and encourages us to do what is not right before You Amen.
8. But the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the prophet Nathan, and Shimei, and Rei, and David's own warriors did not side with Adonijah.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 8)
Oh God my Father, those who walk in righteousness will not side with evil and its crooked ways, even though in the process as a consequence they have to face the negative consequences of not siding with the evil party. Amen. It is better to die a hero and proud that I have not abandoned my faith than to die guilty of having forsaken the most precious of precious in my life that is my faith in You my God and Father. Amen.
9. Adonijah sacrficed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the stone Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 10. but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 9)
Oh God my Father in order to convince others to make him King, Adonijah invited those whom he knew would champion his idea and excluded those who would totally stand against him such as the prophet Nathan. Adonijah made use of the spiritual means such as the sacrificial offerings ritual which would bind them spiritually and also sought the influence of group pressure as in the following link which I invite you to visit Amen
Using Group to persuade others
10. but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 10)
Oh God my Father when we want to win the argument we avoid siding with negative forces that will go against us, therefore even in the spiritual life, we are not to side with the negative forces but with the positive ones Amen.
11. Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king and our lord David does not know it?
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 11)
Oh God my Father I thank You for being so close to us. I thank You for informing us of events that have taken place or are still to take place even by means of significant others. Amen. Many times we may not realise that it is You who is speaking to us by means of others Amen. Therefore I give you thanks oh God my Father.
12. Now therefore come, let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 12)
Oh God my Father I thank You for the advice that You give me by means of the messages that are found in the 'Good News' and in all the Bible for they are like torches that show me the pathways of life and the decisions that I need to take. Amen
13. Go in at once to King David, and say to him, 'Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then is Adonijah king?"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 13)
Oh God my Father instead of grumbling about our problems and talking them over with those of our inner circles, it is best to grab the bull by its horns and face our enemies face to face in good faith and in a spirit of truth that will always set us free especially when we are denied of our rights without meriting blame whatsoever Amen.
14. Then while you are still speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 14)
Oh God many times the collaboration and witness of others is helpful in order to justify a truth. The more evidence and witnesses the better. When proclaiming Your Word the more witnesses the better, we can all testify and proclaim evidence from our life experiences in many situations, therefore let us do so without fear oe being judged or ridiculed Amen. Our work is laid before us let us all begin! Amen. May our lives be a living testimony there is no time or opportunity to be wasted!
15. So Batsheba went to the king in his room. The king was very old; Abishag the Shunamite was attending the king. 16. Batsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, "what do you wish?"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 15 to 16)
Oh God my Father as in the case of Bathsheba we are to show our love, care and respect to elderly people, even if they are not kings or people who could reward us for being of service to them. As in the case of the King, when appearing before You, we would need to give a testimony of how we lived our time on earth. Even today God may be asking us the same question. "What do you wish?" God is God of the impossible, what is impossible or considered to be noncurable as in terminal illness is a joke for You my, God and Father. Some may ask for healing from wounds of the past and present, others may ask for help in critical, situations such as relationships or marriage. now is the time to be still before God and plainly and honestly answer this question that You my, God are asking us today, here and now. You speak to our hearts and minds we need to be tuned to listen. Thank You Jesus. Amen.
17. She said to him, "My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 17)
Oh God, my Father how careful we are to be in what we say and how we say it, for others may use and even abuse our message in order to achieve one's aims, which may not always be positive. Therefore as a policy, we are to stop and think before speaking or strictly stick to the truth that permits us to be free in what we do and say. Amen.
18. But now suddenly Adonijah has become king, though you, my lord the king, do not know it.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 18)
Oh God my Father many times we have done the same thing. When we do not agree with You on the management of our lives, we remove You or try to remove You from the central place in our lives, and place the crown on our heads and make ourselves kings and queens.
19. He has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the children of the king, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army; but your servant Solomon he has not invited.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 19)
Oh God my Father when we go away from your ways we may even start becoming friends with those who are not Your friends, people who may be living a life that is contrary to your will.
20. But you, my lord the king-the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 20)
Oh God my Father without knowing we have the eyes of others following our every move ready to either praise our actions or condemn us. However Your eyes are also on us and it is to You that I give thanks praise and worship, even if the world condemns me for my actions, I am aware that even if this has to happen it will be according to Your will and approval. Amen. I thank You for loving me.
21. Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, that my son Solomon and I will be counted offenders."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 21)
Oh God my beloved Father if we all had to think about the consequences we may encounter on dying. If we ever thought of the consequences of our present lives, I believe if we had to do so, our present lives would be much better because we would be more aware of what would happen to us if we decided to live a life totally worldly Amen.
22. While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan came in.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 22)
Oh God my beloved Father I believe totally in You that You have control over all that takes place, and that nothing happens without Your being aware of it. At times things happen according to Your perfect timing and as humans we say that it is a coincidence. However I believe that it is the work of Your hand.
²³ The king was told, "Here is the prophet Nathan." When he came in before the king, he did obeisance to the king with his face to the ground. ²⁴ Nathan said, "My lord the king, have you said, 'Adonijah shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne'?
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 23 to 24)
Although this is s scenario that is part of a plot, many times we also find ourselves in similar situations where we turn on to You and bombard You with one question after another, such as, You created me to be happy, why then did I have to suffer so much in life? Why this cancer that is slowly killing me? and many of the same questions, as if it was Your fault that we ended up in such situations, or as if we had signed a contract of everlasting happiness and strength at the time of our birth.
²⁵ For today he has gone down and has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's children, Joab the commander of the army, and the priest Abiathar, who are now eating and drinking before him, and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 25)
Oh God my Father, as much as the prophet was reporting in truth about Adonijah who made himself King, the evil one also appears before You and only You know what lies he is reporting about me. I pray oh God my Father that You speak up in my defence Amen.
²⁶ But he did not invite me, your servant, and the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 26)
In many situations oh God my Father You can turn on me and ask me the same question. You may say,
"You have consulted many people, asked many questions raised many issues, but have you ever talked your issues over and sincerely with Me your God and Father"?
And I would answer that in moments of prayer I did share my sorrows but maybe I did not wait for You to give me a reply and acted according to what I thought was right instead of waiting for You.
²⁷ Has this thing been brought along by my lord the king and you have not let your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 27)
Oh God my Father, many things that take place in this world are not of human origin but are according to Your will and we have no control over them and have no say over what happens in our lives. I thank You for each and every moment of my life even though I do not always understand why certain events take place Amen.
²⁸ King David answered, "Summon Bathsheba to me." So she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 28)
Oh God my Father as King David summoned Bathseba, one day You will also summon me to appear before You. I pray that like her, I will be worthy to appear in Your presence Amen.
²⁹ The king swore, saying, "As the LORD lives, who has saved my life from every adversity, ³⁰ as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne in my place.' so will I do this day."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 29 to 30)
Oh God my Father this and such other cases of manipulation have been taking place in the world along with cases of scandal and corruption. I pray that You cleanse the world from such a sinful malady that at times has claimed the lives of many innocent people. Stop the evil one my God, may such sinful and manipulative encounters come to an end Amen.
³¹ Then Batsheba bowed with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 31)
Oh God my beloved Father, how ironic life can be, on the one hand Batsheba wants her son Solomon to succeed David as soon as possible and on the other hand she praises King David with the salutation long 'live the King'. Many times we do not say what we mean because of forces within us such as fear or anxiety but on the other hand we end up saying in a conscious or an unconscious way what we mean. She might have been repeating this phrase many times even though she did not always mean it, therefore oh God my Father, I am to reflect before saying what I mean Amen.
³² King David said, "Summon to me the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When they came before the king, ³³ the king said to them,"Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 32 to 33)
Oh God my beloved Father, words can lead way to more words and at times nothing comes out of them, however when You speak, or someone in Your Name speaks as in the case of King David, words become actions, because David was imitating You my God and Father. When You gave the command, "There shall be light there was light on the world Amen. Therefore whatever we pray for In Your name, if it is Your will it shall be done.
³⁴ There he let the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet, and say, 'Long live King Solomon!'
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 34)
Oh God, my beloved Father, even though this anointing was a corrupt interaction in itself, it was done for the good of Israel, to save it from more negative consequences. I realize oh God my Father, that You permit such things to happen for our own good, even though at the moment in time I may not understand why certain things are taking place Amen.
³⁵ You shall go up following him. Let him enter and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place; for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 35)
Oh God my beloved Father, may I always follow You in my ways and accept You as my God and Father and King of the whole world. May I place my safety and my trust totally in You my God and Father and give You command and control over all that takes place in my life and accepts all that happens as being according to that will Amen.
³⁶ Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so ordain.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 36)
Oh God my blessed Father may we resign to Your will in constant obedience in all circumstances and give our 'Amen' in obedience my God and Father, may Your will be done and not mine.
³⁷ As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 37)
Oh God my Father, blessed be Your Mighty Name. You are blessed and holy in the heavens above and You are also blessed in the presence of Your Holy Spirit as much as You are still Holy in the presence of Jesus Christ. May we all acknowledge You as our God, King and Father.
³⁸ So the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and led him to Gihon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 38)
Oh God my Father You have control of all the kingdoms of the Earth. You decide who is elected and You decide who is not. You manage all for our good so that Your will be done, even if the elected people end up going against Your ways, You still manage all situations for our good Amen.
³⁹ There the priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 39)
Oh God my Father the clash between Church and State has been a never-ending one. As in verse 39, the members of the 'church' of the time, consecrated Solomon as King which in a way was a civil posting. In our times in Malta, the state and the Church to this day still do not see eye to eye. I pray that both be guided by the power of Your Holy Spirit Amen.
⁴⁰ And all the people went up following him, playing on pipes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth quaked at their noise.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 40)
Oh God my blessed Father, when we follow You and Your ways with singing and joy, we experience peace joy and happiness, when we follow the ways of the world it is not the same for the joy of the world is only instant, there is no substance in it.
⁴¹ Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, "Why is the city in an uproar.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 41)
Oh God my beloved Father, many times events happen that we do not understand their meaning or origin that bring us back to reality, from our previous state of alienation and then we face the reality of the situation. I pray that we remain aware of Your presence in our heart mind and spirit, so that we are never caught unaware Amen.
⁴² While he was still speaking Jonathan son of the priest Abiathar arrived Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are a worthy man and surely you bring good news.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 42)
Oh God my Father, as in the case of Jonathan, at times people tend to use others by praising them for their goodness, however in truth their real aim is that of trying to obtain information from them. I pray that we neither use or abuse others Amen.
⁴³ Jonathan answered Adonijah, "No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king; ⁴⁴ the king has sent with him the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they had him ride on the king's mule; ⁴⁵ the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you heard.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 43 to 45)
Oh God my beloved Father, what is good news for one person may be bad news for another one. When facing good news or bad news we all act differently. When hearing Your 'Good News' we also behave differently, there are those who show good faith and welcome the message as an eye opener to one's spiritual growth, while others might be indifferent saying that it is the same boring stuff that he or she had been hearing since the time of their childhood Amen.
⁴⁶ Solomon now sits on the royal throne.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 46)
Oh God my Father, may You always sit on the throne of my heart. May You always have the most important place in my life. I give You full control even though You love me so much that You will not take it Amen
⁴⁷ Moreover the king's servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying. 'May God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.' The king bowed in worship on the bed ⁴⁸ and went on to pray thus, 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has granted one of my offspring to sit on my throne and permitted me to witness it.'"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 47 to 48)
Oh God my beloved Father, may we bless and thank You in all situations, even though this may mean demotion or a lack of promotion that would be given to others. Praise God who sees the big picture and allows such things to happen for our own good Amen.
⁴⁹ Then all the guests of Adonijah got up trembling and went their own ways.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 49)
Oh God my beloved Father as in the case of the followers of Adonijah, once we realize that we are following the false prince of the world, with trembling we will rise up to follow You my God and Father, the real King of the world. Amen.
⁵⁰ Adonijah, fearing Solomon, got up and went to grasp the horns of the altar.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 50)
Oh God my Father, You know that when we are disappointed or feeling insecure we do actions that are not healthy for our welfare as in verse 50. Grabbing the horns and pressing oneself against these sharp horns was like committing suicide. I pray that we are open to Your consolation and peace of mind when in such a situation Amen.
⁵¹ Solomon was informed, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; see he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 51)
Oh God my Father, when we feel that we are such stress we start bargaining. Oh that we bargain for that which gives us eternal life instead of that which passes meaning our life on earth Amen.
⁵² So Solomon responded, "If he proves to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 52)
Oh God this is a great lesson. Solomon's logic was pure and logical. He reasoned in a way that made clear the consequences of the outcome if Adonijah was to remain in his position or repent from his sinful acts. The choice is ours to make, even though we have You as a loving father Amen.
⁵³ Then King Solomon sent to have him brought down from the altar. He came to do obeisance to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, "Go home."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 53)
Oh God my beloved Father You know that by default there is no good in us, because our broken nature makes us selfish, lazy and egotists centered simply on our needs, feelings and wishes and not on those of others. I thank you for showing mercy even though we deserve no mercy for our sinful acts Amen.
Oh God my merciful God and Father, I would like to end this meditation on the first chapter of the first book of Kings with the following prayer:-
Oh God my Father in this world of corruption and sin, may You have the final decision in many important decisions that have a strong impact and may Your will be always done Amen.
2. So his servants said to him, "Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king, and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm."
(The First book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 2)
At times oh God my Father we try to find quick solutions according to the ways of the world instead of solutions based according to Your will. At times instead of accepting reality as it is as in the case of David who was now of an age and on death's doorstep, we try to change the situation instead of our attitude to it Amen.
3. So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunamite, and brought her to the king. 4. The girl was very beautiful. She became the king's attendant and served him, but the king did not know her sexually.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 3 to 4)
Oh God my Father, nobody and nothing is able to fill up our emptiness, fill us with true love and give new life to both the body and our soul. You alone can give us new life and revive our soul and no other carnal, sexual or psychological means. In You only can we find refuge for our souls Amen.
5. Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6. His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, "Why have you done thus and so?" He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 5 to 6)
Oh God my Father this is a warning to all parents including myself. Where and where necessary we are to admonish our children in order to help them to correct their ways and not become self-centered and selfish thinking as in the case of Adonijah that the world spins around him, and the he is the king of his life Amen.
7. He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 7)
Oh God my Father when we become proud and haughty and embark on our personal agenda which may not be according to Your will, we attract the attention of the evil spirits in human form who empower and encourages us to do what is not right before You Amen.
8. But the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the prophet Nathan, and Shimei, and Rei, and David's own warriors did not side with Adonijah.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 8)
Oh God my Father, those who walk in righteousness will not side with evil and its crooked ways, even though in the process as a consequence they have to face the negative consequences of not siding with the evil party. Amen. It is better to die a hero and proud that I have not abandoned my faith than to die guilty of having forsaken the most precious of precious in my life that is my faith in You my God and Father. Amen.
9. Adonijah sacrficed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the stone Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 10. but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 9)
Oh God my Father in order to convince others to make him King, Adonijah invited those whom he knew would champion his idea and excluded those who would totally stand against him such as the prophet Nathan. Adonijah made use of the spiritual means such as the sacrificial offerings ritual which would bind them spiritually and also sought the influence of group pressure as in the following link which I invite you to visit Amen
Using Group to persuade others
10. but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 10)
Oh God my Father when we want to win the argument we avoid siding with negative forces that will go against us, therefore even in the spiritual life, we are not to side with the negative forces but with the positive ones Amen.
11. Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king and our lord David does not know it?
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 11)
Oh God my Father I thank You for being so close to us. I thank You for informing us of events that have taken place or are still to take place even by means of significant others. Amen. Many times we may not realise that it is You who is speaking to us by means of others Amen. Therefore I give you thanks oh God my Father.
12. Now therefore come, let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 12)
Oh God my Father I thank You for the advice that You give me by means of the messages that are found in the 'Good News' and in all the Bible for they are like torches that show me the pathways of life and the decisions that I need to take. Amen
13. Go in at once to King David, and say to him, 'Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then is Adonijah king?"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 13)
Oh God my Father instead of grumbling about our problems and talking them over with those of our inner circles, it is best to grab the bull by its horns and face our enemies face to face in good faith and in a spirit of truth that will always set us free especially when we are denied of our rights without meriting blame whatsoever Amen.
14. Then while you are still speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 14)
Oh God many times the collaboration and witness of others is helpful in order to justify a truth. The more evidence and witnesses the better. When proclaiming Your Word the more witnesses the better, we can all testify and proclaim evidence from our life experiences in many situations, therefore let us do so without fear oe being judged or ridiculed Amen. Our work is laid before us let us all begin! Amen. May our lives be a living testimony there is no time or opportunity to be wasted!
15. So Batsheba went to the king in his room. The king was very old; Abishag the Shunamite was attending the king. 16. Batsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, "what do you wish?"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 15 to 16)
Oh God my Father as in the case of Bathsheba we are to show our love, care and respect to elderly people, even if they are not kings or people who could reward us for being of service to them. As in the case of the King, when appearing before You, we would need to give a testimony of how we lived our time on earth. Even today God may be asking us the same question. "What do you wish?" God is God of the impossible, what is impossible or considered to be noncurable as in terminal illness is a joke for You my, God and Father. Some may ask for healing from wounds of the past and present, others may ask for help in critical, situations such as relationships or marriage. now is the time to be still before God and plainly and honestly answer this question that You my, God are asking us today, here and now. You speak to our hearts and minds we need to be tuned to listen. Thank You Jesus. Amen.
17. She said to him, "My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 17)
Oh God, my Father how careful we are to be in what we say and how we say it, for others may use and even abuse our message in order to achieve one's aims, which may not always be positive. Therefore as a policy, we are to stop and think before speaking or strictly stick to the truth that permits us to be free in what we do and say. Amen.
18. But now suddenly Adonijah has become king, though you, my lord the king, do not know it.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 18)
Oh God my Father many times we have done the same thing. When we do not agree with You on the management of our lives, we remove You or try to remove You from the central place in our lives, and place the crown on our heads and make ourselves kings and queens.
19. He has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the children of the king, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army; but your servant Solomon he has not invited.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 19)
Oh God my Father when we go away from your ways we may even start becoming friends with those who are not Your friends, people who may be living a life that is contrary to your will.
20. But you, my lord the king-the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 20)
Oh God my Father without knowing we have the eyes of others following our every move ready to either praise our actions or condemn us. However Your eyes are also on us and it is to You that I give thanks praise and worship, even if the world condemns me for my actions, I am aware that even if this has to happen it will be according to Your will and approval. Amen. I thank You for loving me.
21. Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, that my son Solomon and I will be counted offenders."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 21)
Oh God my beloved Father if we all had to think about the consequences we may encounter on dying. If we ever thought of the consequences of our present lives, I believe if we had to do so, our present lives would be much better because we would be more aware of what would happen to us if we decided to live a life totally worldly Amen.
22. While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan came in.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 22)
Oh God my beloved Father I believe totally in You that You have control over all that takes place, and that nothing happens without Your being aware of it. At times things happen according to Your perfect timing and as humans we say that it is a coincidence. However I believe that it is the work of Your hand.
²³ The king was told, "Here is the prophet Nathan." When he came in before the king, he did obeisance to the king with his face to the ground. ²⁴ Nathan said, "My lord the king, have you said, 'Adonijah shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne'?
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 23 to 24)
Although this is s scenario that is part of a plot, many times we also find ourselves in similar situations where we turn on to You and bombard You with one question after another, such as, You created me to be happy, why then did I have to suffer so much in life? Why this cancer that is slowly killing me? and many of the same questions, as if it was Your fault that we ended up in such situations, or as if we had signed a contract of everlasting happiness and strength at the time of our birth.
²⁵ For today he has gone down and has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's children, Joab the commander of the army, and the priest Abiathar, who are now eating and drinking before him, and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 25)
Oh God my Father, as much as the prophet was reporting in truth about Adonijah who made himself King, the evil one also appears before You and only You know what lies he is reporting about me. I pray oh God my Father that You speak up in my defence Amen.
²⁶ But he did not invite me, your servant, and the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 26)
In many situations oh God my Father You can turn on me and ask me the same question. You may say,
"You have consulted many people, asked many questions raised many issues, but have you ever talked your issues over and sincerely with Me your God and Father"?
And I would answer that in moments of prayer I did share my sorrows but maybe I did not wait for You to give me a reply and acted according to what I thought was right instead of waiting for You.
²⁷ Has this thing been brought along by my lord the king and you have not let your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 27)
Oh God my Father, many things that take place in this world are not of human origin but are according to Your will and we have no control over them and have no say over what happens in our lives. I thank You for each and every moment of my life even though I do not always understand why certain events take place Amen.
²⁸ King David answered, "Summon Bathsheba to me." So she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 28)
Oh God my Father as King David summoned Bathseba, one day You will also summon me to appear before You. I pray that like her, I will be worthy to appear in Your presence Amen.
²⁹ The king swore, saying, "As the LORD lives, who has saved my life from every adversity, ³⁰ as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne in my place.' so will I do this day."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 29 to 30)
Oh God my Father this and such other cases of manipulation have been taking place in the world along with cases of scandal and corruption. I pray that You cleanse the world from such a sinful malady that at times has claimed the lives of many innocent people. Stop the evil one my God, may such sinful and manipulative encounters come to an end Amen.
³¹ Then Batsheba bowed with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 31)
Oh God my beloved Father, how ironic life can be, on the one hand Batsheba wants her son Solomon to succeed David as soon as possible and on the other hand she praises King David with the salutation long 'live the King'. Many times we do not say what we mean because of forces within us such as fear or anxiety but on the other hand we end up saying in a conscious or an unconscious way what we mean. She might have been repeating this phrase many times even though she did not always mean it, therefore oh God my Father, I am to reflect before saying what I mean Amen.
³² King David said, "Summon to me the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When they came before the king, ³³ the king said to them,"Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 32 to 33)
Oh God my beloved Father, words can lead way to more words and at times nothing comes out of them, however when You speak, or someone in Your Name speaks as in the case of King David, words become actions, because David was imitating You my God and Father. When You gave the command, "There shall be light there was light on the world Amen. Therefore whatever we pray for In Your name, if it is Your will it shall be done.
³⁴ There he let the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet, and say, 'Long live King Solomon!'
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 34)
Oh God, my beloved Father, even though this anointing was a corrupt interaction in itself, it was done for the good of Israel, to save it from more negative consequences. I realize oh God my Father, that You permit such things to happen for our own good, even though at the moment in time I may not understand why certain things are taking place Amen.
³⁵ You shall go up following him. Let him enter and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place; for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 35)
Oh God my beloved Father, may I always follow You in my ways and accept You as my God and Father and King of the whole world. May I place my safety and my trust totally in You my God and Father and give You command and control over all that takes place in my life and accepts all that happens as being according to that will Amen.
³⁶ Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so ordain.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 36)
Oh God my blessed Father may we resign to Your will in constant obedience in all circumstances and give our 'Amen' in obedience my God and Father, may Your will be done and not mine.
³⁷ As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 37)
Oh God my Father, blessed be Your Mighty Name. You are blessed and holy in the heavens above and You are also blessed in the presence of Your Holy Spirit as much as You are still Holy in the presence of Jesus Christ. May we all acknowledge You as our God, King and Father.
³⁸ So the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and led him to Gihon.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 38)
Oh God my Father You have control of all the kingdoms of the Earth. You decide who is elected and You decide who is not. You manage all for our good so that Your will be done, even if the elected people end up going against Your ways, You still manage all situations for our good Amen.
³⁹ There the priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 39)
Oh God my Father the clash between Church and State has been a never-ending one. As in verse 39, the members of the 'church' of the time, consecrated Solomon as King which in a way was a civil posting. In our times in Malta, the state and the Church to this day still do not see eye to eye. I pray that both be guided by the power of Your Holy Spirit Amen.
⁴⁰ And all the people went up following him, playing on pipes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth quaked at their noise.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 40)
Oh God my blessed Father, when we follow You and Your ways with singing and joy, we experience peace joy and happiness, when we follow the ways of the world it is not the same for the joy of the world is only instant, there is no substance in it.
⁴¹ Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, "Why is the city in an uproar.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 41)
Oh God my beloved Father, many times events happen that we do not understand their meaning or origin that bring us back to reality, from our previous state of alienation and then we face the reality of the situation. I pray that we remain aware of Your presence in our heart mind and spirit, so that we are never caught unaware Amen.
⁴² While he was still speaking Jonathan son of the priest Abiathar arrived Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are a worthy man and surely you bring good news.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 42)
Oh God my Father, as in the case of Jonathan, at times people tend to use others by praising them for their goodness, however in truth their real aim is that of trying to obtain information from them. I pray that we neither use or abuse others Amen.
⁴³ Jonathan answered Adonijah, "No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king; ⁴⁴ the king has sent with him the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they had him ride on the king's mule; ⁴⁵ the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you heard.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 43 to 45)
Oh God my beloved Father, what is good news for one person may be bad news for another one. When facing good news or bad news we all act differently. When hearing Your 'Good News' we also behave differently, there are those who show good faith and welcome the message as an eye opener to one's spiritual growth, while others might be indifferent saying that it is the same boring stuff that he or she had been hearing since the time of their childhood Amen.
⁴⁶ Solomon now sits on the royal throne.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 46)
Oh God my Father, may You always sit on the throne of my heart. May You always have the most important place in my life. I give You full control even though You love me so much that You will not take it Amen
⁴⁷ Moreover the king's servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying. 'May God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.' The king bowed in worship on the bed ⁴⁸ and went on to pray thus, 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has granted one of my offspring to sit on my throne and permitted me to witness it.'"
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 47 to 48)
Oh God my beloved Father, may we bless and thank You in all situations, even though this may mean demotion or a lack of promotion that would be given to others. Praise God who sees the big picture and allows such things to happen for our own good Amen.
⁴⁹ Then all the guests of Adonijah got up trembling and went their own ways.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verses 49)
Oh God my beloved Father as in the case of the followers of Adonijah, once we realize that we are following the false prince of the world, with trembling we will rise up to follow You my God and Father, the real King of the world. Amen.
⁵⁰ Adonijah, fearing Solomon, got up and went to grasp the horns of the altar.
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 50)
Oh God my Father, You know that when we are disappointed or feeling insecure we do actions that are not healthy for our welfare as in verse 50. Grabbing the horns and pressing oneself against these sharp horns was like committing suicide. I pray that we are open to Your consolation and peace of mind when in such a situation Amen.
⁵¹ Solomon was informed, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; see he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 51)
Oh God my Father, when we feel that we are such stress we start bargaining. Oh that we bargain for that which gives us eternal life instead of that which passes meaning our life on earth Amen.
⁵² So Solomon responded, "If he proves to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 52)
Oh God this is a great lesson. Solomon's logic was pure and logical. He reasoned in a way that made clear the consequences of the outcome if Adonijah was to remain in his position or repent from his sinful acts. The choice is ours to make, even though we have You as a loving father Amen.
⁵³ Then King Solomon sent to have him brought down from the altar. He came to do obeisance to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, "Go home."
(The First Book of Kings Chapter 1 verse 53)
Oh God my beloved Father You know that by default there is no good in us, because our broken nature makes us selfish, lazy and egotists centered simply on our needs, feelings and wishes and not on those of others. I thank you for showing mercy even though we deserve no mercy for our sinful acts Amen.
Oh God my merciful God and Father, I would like to end this meditation on the first chapter of the first book of Kings with the following prayer:-
Oh God my Father in this world of corruption and sin, may You have the final decision in many important decisions that have a strong impact and may Your will be always done Amen.
