Take Care of Business
1st Kings 2
David was on his death bed and knew that he needed to advise his son, soon to be king with the right instructions. These instructions were not special words of wisdom for his son when he becomes king; instead David asked his son to were ones that any young man, any child, any daughter, any young woman, anyone should listen to.
He said, “Keep the charge of the Lord, walk in his ways and keep his statutes.” This was something that any father would want his children to follow. I know this is my prayer with my daughter, that when she grows up that she would follow after the Lord and not fall away. I think any Christian parent would desire this of their child.
There is some other unfinished business that Solomon would need to take care for his father David.
Taking Care of Business
David asked that Joab would be taken care of. This was not a vengeful act but because Joab murdered two men of the kings service. Joab killed Abner and Amasa when David was trying to bring peace between Israel and Judah when they were fighting.
David then asked for him to deal loyally to Barzilla because he showed kindness to him while he was on the run from Absalom. Then Shimei the man who decided to curse at David when he fled from his son, Solomon was commanded to not kill him but be watchful of him. The reason why David said this was because he did not want these men becoming his problem. He knew that they would and could hurt him and the kingdom more so than they did for him.
David died and was laid to rest with his fathers and Solomon took the throne. As soon as Solomon took the throne he did not waste anytime fulfilling his father’s wishes. Everything that David asked came to pass through Solomon. We will read more on what the future has for Solomon, it is a great read and learning experience through the life of this wise man.
As Christian we need to get rid of the business of sin in our life. We may have some unfinished closet sin that we need to confront and cry out for God to relieve us of. I know how it is to let the sin that we may not want to admit to or let Christ take complete control of. What happens is that it begins to fester in us and borough and cling inside of us. Sin wants to fight to reign in our life just like a virus trying to live inside your body. The author of Hebrews said it best that we need to get rid of or throw sin and anything that slows us down. I am thankful that God has been patient as well as very gracious on me and forgiving me of the sin that I did not want to get rid of right away. Thank you God for the conviction of sin through the Holy Spirit. David was smart because he knew what could result if these trouble people would have stayed around. We need to be smart and realize that if we let sin reign in us what will happen. Jesus Christ is the only answer for the deleting of sin. He is the only one that can offer the right medicine to get the virus of sin out of us. He is the only one that paid that great high price to purchase us from the rule of sin and death in our life. I have been bought and paid for, our you?
