DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT

"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."  (I Kings 1:5)

King David was old and his time on earth was drawing to a close.  But he had one more challenge before he died:  another insurrection.

Adonijah was the brother of Absolom – the same one who caused rebellion earlier in David's kingship.  He was a son of David so he was in the line of succession.  However, he tried to move things along by getting himself declared to be king.  He even had the backing of Joab, the commander of Israel's army.  Joab had been a pain in David's side throughout his reign.

But David had promised Bathsheba that her son, Solomon, would ascend to the throne after David's death.  When Bathsheba and Nathan, the prophet, brought to the king's attention what Adonijah was doing, David called for the Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, to anoint Solomon, installing him king.  

"So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. ..Then  Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established" (I Kings 2:10, 12).

This speaks to me as a person who is "advanced in age" to be sure that I clearly communicate to my family and other people of interest what my intentions are concerning the final distribution of my assets.  Too many family quarrels have developed because there were no clear guidelines, so it is tempting for heirs to cause insurrection in the family.

The Lord Jesus certainly made His intentions for His disciples clear before He departed to Heaven.  He told them to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).  There is no question about His intentions for us in His final will and testament.  We have a mandate. 

Love, Dad