(REFLECTIONS ON 1 Kings 1:1-53)

As we begin reading 1 Kings, we begin at the end of a great legacy in King David. It is a reminder that no matter how great a person may be, all humanity is still limited by flesh and blood and remains affected by the reality of sin in this world.

No matter how blessed, how great, or how high God has lifted a person, at the end of the day, it is as Scripture says in Genesis 3:19,

“for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

And so today we read about the weakness of King David in his flesh. Even with the warmth of a young woman, he was no longer the young, powerful, and vibrant king he once was, and so the question becomes, who will take the throne?

In 1 Kings 1:5 we read,

“Now 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.”

Adonijah, David’s son, was in his own mind the rightful heir to the throne since his older brothers were no longer in the picture. He exalted himself and declared himself king. “I will be king,” he said, gathering an entourage around him and aligning himself with those he could influence and control.

However, Scripture is also clear that there were those who remained faithful, not only to King David but more importantly to the will of God. These were Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, and David’s mighty men. They were not with Adonijah, nor were they invited to his banquet.

For it was the Lord who had declared that Solomon would be king after David, and so when King David heard of Adonijah’s actions, he responded with the Lord’s promise,

“As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity… Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place… even so will I do this day” (Summary 1 Kings 1:29–30).

Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed Solomon as king over Israel. The trumpet was blown, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

When Adonijah and his guests heard that Solomon had been made king, they trembled, rose, and each went his own way, and Adonijah himself feared Solomon. Adonijah may have appeared to be the rightful successor by human reasoning, but this kingship was not determined by what seemed right or by birth order; it was determined by what the Lord had chosen. And despite Adonijah and those with him attempting to take hold of the throne, in the end it was Solomon whom God established as king over Israel.

This reminds us that in our faith we often think things should be a certain way. They may seem logical, reasonable, even deserved, but we must understand that life does not ultimately function based on what makes sense to us, but according to God’s greater plan of redemption that stretches from creation to new life in Christ.

It challenges us not simply to ask, “What makes sense to me?” but rather, “What is God’s will, and what does He desire?” Sometimes these align, but sometimes they do not, and in those moments we are reminded that God’s will has the final word.

Let us not fight against the will of God, but instead learn, in humility, to follow after Him, even when it does not align with our understanding of how things should be or how we would want them to be.

“Long live King Solomon!” is not just a declaration of a king, but it is a declaration of where our allegiance lies. It means that we will not bow down to the order and structure imposed by the world, but instead to the will of God, aligning ourselves with His heart.

It is a reminder that when we put our trust in Jesus Christ, and not in this world, that we are choosing to remain faithful even when things do not make sense, and even when they do not follow the expectations or logic of this world. In doing so, we declare that our lives are not governed by what seems right to us, but by the will of God, trusting that His ways are higher, His purposes are greater, and His kingdom alone will stand.

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: 1 Kings 1