David’s Last Days

Staying Warm

1 Kings 1:1–4 “Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 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.” So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.”

Ecclesiastes 4:11 “Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone?”

David in his old age was weak and frail. His vitality was leaving him and it was difficult for him to stay warm. Abishag was a nurse of sorts whose job it was to attend to David’s health and to keep him warm with her own body if necessary.

While not a temptation to David, Abishag was a temptation to his eldest son, Adonijah.

The story of Abishag illustrates the pure devotion to King David from those who served him. David was hurting and in need of warmth. Abishag selflessly provided some much needed comfort and human warm human contact.

This is in stark contrast to the now eldest son, Adonijah, who will use Davids ill health to promote himself to king and usurp the throne.

Abishag - serving. Adonijah - scheming. I’ll leave that choice up to you.

Adonijah, Absalom’s Little Brother

1 Kings 1:5–7 “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. (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah.”

Unchecked power lust is what got Adonijah in trouble. He was the eldest son of David and by sight the next king, but he didn’t wait and it wasn’t Gods will. He assumed, exalted himself and being lifted in pride tried to take the throne of David.

It was the same pride that got Satan kicked out of heaven. The five “I wills” of the power lust of Satan can be seen in Isaiah 14:12–14, ““How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’”

It’s always better to be humble and let God raise you up.

Zadok, Benaiah, and Nathan Back Solomon for King

1 Kings 1:8 “But 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.”

David surrounded himself with people who had his back. Godly people who knew the will of God and were not afraid to step in when the time came.

Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah were such men. When Adonijah took it upon himself to become king, these godly men stepped in and got things straightened out. The priest brought David’s needs before God. The prophet brought God’s words to David. Benaiah was one of David’s mighty men. He brought David’s orders to the people and protected him in this world.

Altogether, they alerted David through Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. They insured David would know and do God’s will.

Do you have such godly friends who pray to God for you? Who recited God’s Word to you in times of distress? Friends who have your back in this difficult world? For David it meant Solomon taking the throne of David (a very important position); for us it can be equally important to have godly friends. I pray you do.

Bathsheba, Mother of Solomon

1 Kings 1:13 “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 shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’”

Bathsheba was a wise woman and knew David had promised the kingdom to Solomon. Now, however, it looked like Adonijah was taking advantage of David’s old age and exalting himself to the throne. Nathan and Bathsheba alerted David to this situation.

At times it is important to be the one to remind others to the will of God. We can become self-absorbed or unmindful of the plan of God and allow all kinds of foolish things to happen. Thank God for saints who step in and remind us of God’s promises.

Solomon, the New King

1 Kings 1:30 “just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.”” It took David no time to orchestrate the coronation of King Solomon.

You might say what difference would it make who was to be the next king? Well according to God’s covenant with David the next king would be a next step in the promise of the coming Messiah.

Matthew 1:6 “and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.”

God ensures His plan will come to pass and so it is very important and should encourage each of us to seek that will.

David’s Last Charge to Solomon, and His Death

1 Kings 2:1–2 “Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.”

Did you know that Moses wrote one of the Psalms? Psalm 90 is attributed to Moses and in verse 10 and 12 he gives some sobering advise. “The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”;“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

David in Psalm 39 has a similar sentiment, “Lord, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them.”

As David has reached the end of his life he reflects on some of these very important themes understanding what is really important. He imparts this to Solomon in the form or a final charge, “be strong, and prove yourself a man”.

How would you want to be remembered, what would be your lasting accomplishments?

Ephesians 6:10 tells us, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” Be strong in the Lord; be strong in His Word; be strong in your walk before Him.

1 Chronicles 22:13 “Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the Lord charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

God wants us to live the Christian life with confidence and assurance. We are not to live in fear, but to be bold in testimony and service that in the day we meet the Lord we may hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” Matthew 25:21

Epitaph for the Christian, Here lies a man (woman) after God’s own heart.

“Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

1 Kings 2:10–12 “So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. The period that David reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.”