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.27), to make him realize thebetter what blatant insolence Adonijah and his party were guilty of in thusacting without authority from the crown.Thus did he make clear to David hispublic duty.It was now that the real character of David asserted itself.Weak he was in theruling of his own household, but ever firm and fearless where the interests ofGod’s kingdom were concerned.Nothing could induce him to resist the revealedwill of the Lord for Israel.First, he now acknowledged again the faithfulnessof God unto himself: "And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, thathath redeemed my soul out of all distress" (v.29).The Lord is the Delivererof all who put their trust in Him, and repeatedly had He delivered David out ofthe hands of his enemies.Second, God’s faithfulness to David now inspired himto be faithful to his covenant promise concerning Solomon: "Even as I swareunto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shallreign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will Icertainly do this day" (v.30).Most blessed is this: whatever danger his ownperson might be threatened with, he hesitated not.In what immediately follows we are informed of the decisive measures taken byDavid to overthrow the plot of Adonijah."Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathanthe prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.And they came before the king.The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, andcause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king overIsrael: and blow ye with the trumpet and say, God save king Solomon.Then yeshall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shallbe king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and overJudah" (vv.32-35).Orders were given for the proclaiming of Solomon: he was tobe set upon the royal mule, formally anointed, and duly proclaimed king.Thisimportant transaction was entrusted to men of God who had proved themselves inHis service.Solomon would thus have the necessary authority for conductingstate affairs until David’s decease, after which there would be no uncertaintyin the public mind as to his rightful successor."And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LordGod of my lord the king say so too.As the Lord hath been with my lord theking, even so be He with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throneof my lord king David" (vv.36, 37).The measures proposed by the king met withthe hearty approval of his advisers.Speaking in the name of the others,Benaiah expressed their complete satisfaction in the royal nomination: his"Amen" shows the original meaning and emphasis of this term—it was faith’saffirmation, assured that God would make good His promise.Benaiah’s languagewas that of fervent piety, for he realized that the plans of his master, nomatter how wise and good, could not be carried to a successful conclusionwithout the blessing of divine providence—alas that this is so largely lostsight of today.He added the earnest prayer that God would bless Solomon’sreign even more than He had his father’s.The orders which David had given were promptly executed.Solomon was brought instate to the place appointed and was duly anointed.This gave great joy andsatisfaction to the people."And all the people came up after him, and thepeople piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rentwith the sound of them" (v.40): thereby they evidenced their cheerfulacceptance of him as David’s successor.In like manner, all who belong to thetrue Israel of God gladly own the Lordship of His Son.The sequel was indeedstriking.No sooner was Solomon acclaimed by the loyal subjects of David, thannews thereof was borne to Adonijah and his fellow conspirators (vv.41, 42).Instead of ending in joy, the feast of the rebel terminated in consternation:"And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and wentevery man his way.And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went,and caught hold on the horns of the altar" (vv.49, 50).Thus did the Lordgraciously show Himself strong on David’s behalf to the end of his course.In closing we would call attention to a most blessed typical picture, in whichboth David and Solomon are needed to give it completeness—compare thejoint-types supplied by Joseph and Benjamin, Moses and Aaron, Elijah andElisha.First, David had been successful as "a man of war" (1 Chron.28:3), forby him the Lord so overcame the enemies of Israel as to "put them under thesoles of his feet" (1 Kings 5:3): in like manner the Lord Jesus by His deathand resurrection was victorious over all His foes (Col.2:14,15).Second,Solomon had been chosen and ordained to the throne before he was born (1 Chron.22:9): so too Christ was the Elect of God "from all eternity" (Isa.42:1).Third, Solomon rode on a mule, not as a warrior, but in lowly guise: so didChrist (Matthew 21:1-9).Fourth, he was anointed with the sacred oil—type ofthe Spirit: so Christ received the Spirit in His fulness at His ascension (Acts2:23; Rev.3:1).Finally, rest and quietness was granted unto Israel throughoutSolomon’s reign (1 Chron.22:19): so Christ is now reigning as "the Prince ofpeace" over His people
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