Today’s reading covers the last days of David’s 40-year reign over Israel and the transition to the kingship of his son Solomon. In 2Samuel 22, we read of David’s song of praise to the LORD for His faithfulness in delivering and protecting the king from all his enemies, including Saul. The word “covenant” does not appear in this song but the ideas of covenant form the background for the praises of David. For example, in 2Sam. 22:26,27 we read these words: ” To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.”
Just before David dies, he gives a charge to Solomon in which he urges Solomon to faithfulness to the Mosaic Covenant. This charge includes these words: “observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go” (1Kings:2:3). These words which refer to the Mosaic Covenant are then immediately connected to the Davidic Covenant in verse 4: “so that the LORD may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel .” These words refer back to God’s promise to David in 2Samuel 7:11-16.
In the early years of his reign, Solomon proves to be faithful to the LORD (1Kings 2-10). He asks for wisdom and God grants him wisdom. The LORD also blesses him with material prosperity. The nation Israel reaches its zenith in the first part of Solomon’s reign. The boundaries of the nation expand and every Israelite “lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree” (1Kings 4:24-25). This security and economic prosperity is seen as the blessings of God’s covenant with Israel and David’s family.
Solomon ends up building the Jerusalem Temple just as God promised to David.(1Kings 5-9). The LORD is blessing Solomon in every way. But Solomon has a weakness. It is marrying non-Jewish women who worship other gods. We will see in tomorrow’s reading that this will prove to be the downfall of Solomon. His heart becomes corrupted and he ends up making many foolish decisions.
The testimony of Solomon’s life is very sobering. He was a very gifted servant of the LORD. He was granted many material blessings and enjoyed God’s favor. A good beginning, however, doesn’t guarantee a good ending. Let us not take for granted God’s many blessings in our lives. But let us stay close to the LORD and never lose that sense of our daily dependence on Him. Everything good in our lives is from God………….”being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). In Christ’s love and service, Pastor John