Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Sometimes taking a moment to step back and gain the BIG PICTURE perspective is very helpful in life, do you agree? In the natural rhythm of life, I have found this time of year seems to provide a natural call to gaining an overall perspective as we will soon gather with family and friends for the holiday season. So, may I begin this Friday with a BIG PICTURE perspective on the section of History and the Bible where our Grand Narrative journey has brought us over the past few weeks?
The story of RUTH led us FROM the era of the Judges to the story of Samuel. That Judges era was about 300 years of volatility and bloodshed when the people of Israel found themselves, generation after generation, repeating a very predictable life cycle which, sadly, is prevalent in our day… enjoying good times with God // then floundering morally as people become apathetic and bored with God // then very painful, dark times as people live in the darkness of desperation without God // then crisis calls for God’s help in repentance of sin // then God’s rescue and return of the people to good times and sadly, soon apathy and moral floundering again. The important question we must ask is this: how is that cycle seen in my family heritage, my city, my nation and where are we, and where am I, now in that cycle of the Judges?
Ruth, of course, is that wonderful story of God’s love for His people in difficult times as especially seen in the life of dear widow Naomi and her Moabite widow daughter-in-law RUTH who return to Bethlehem after the famine is over and find God’s wonderful rescue plan with Boaz and a son named Obed! (Ruth 4)
1 Samuel follows the story of the miracle boy Samuel becoming Israel’s spiritual leader and in his old age responding to Israel’s call for a human king like all the other nations had. (1 Samuel 8) Samuel then anointed Saul to be Israel’s first king, but Saul soon turned away from God and failed miserably.
2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles are the story of David, Israel’s second and most famous king. You’ll recall David was the grandson of Obed in the Ruth story! Samuel died during David’s reign and fortunately God raised up Nathan as another prophet to be David’s spiritual advisor as we saw yesterday. Both 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles end with the transition of the kingship from David to Solomon and today we’ll pick up that story in 1 Kings 2 & 1 Chronicles 28.
Yesterday we witnessed King David, in his very old age, declaring his son Solomon to be God’s choice, among all David’s sons, to follow David on the throne of Israel. I pointed out to you a little-known verse in 2 Samuel 12:25 that God gave Solomon the name ‘Jedidiah‘. Interestingly that name is NEVER again mentioned in Scripture! Why is a good question for which I have no answer, other than no one in David’s household, evidently, wanted that name? The name ‘Jedidiah‘ means “Loved of the LORD”. The name “Solomon” means “peace, or recompense” and suggests that David and Bathsheba selected that name for their second son as a desire to ‘move on’ from the pain of the adultery which conceived their first son who had died. (2 Samuel 11,12)
After the coronation of Solomon to the throne, it appears David set about immediately to “finish well” by assuring that the nation of Israel would embrace both his son Solomon as their new king and Solomon’s first, God given priority project, the great Temple for the God of Israel to be built in Jerusalem! I love King David’s charge to Solomon and it’s so significant, I think it’s worth our taking a moment to digest it carefully. 1 Kings 2:1-4 says:
“When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon, his son. ‘I am about to go the way of all the earth, so be strong, act like a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to Him, and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and regulations as written in the Law of Moses….” (1 Kings 2:1-3a)
Pause… What greater final speech could an ageing father give his son? Look closely at those words, my friends! Is that how you are seeking to live? Did any last words of your aging or dying parents impact your life, if so how? Perhaps more importantly, have you and I given prayerful thought to the final words we believe God wants us to leave with our descendants in our last season of life? Have you written that message down just in case circumstances don’t allow you to ever speak those words to your family?
David’s message continued with this explanation of WHY David had chosen those challenging, commissioning words for his son Solomon: “…Do this so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you go and that the LORD make keep His promise to me: if your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before God with all their heart and soul, you, David, will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.” (1 Kings 2:1-4)
Oh my, do you see the dual blessing David saw forthcoming if Solomon would faithfully live fulfilling this commissioning? God’s prospering hand of blessing would be upon Solomon as a man of God; a king over God’s people; and hopefully a father who would have sons to continue the lineage and blessing for generations to come!
May I urge us all to learn a lesson here and take seriously the opportunity we each will have to leave a challenging, commissioning message for our descendants? But dear friends, don’t wait! And don’t think you’ll somehow come up extemporaneously with great words at the proper moment. The Bible has several great examples of these end-of-life challenges, and I urge you to seriously consider preparing, starting now, for your precious moment! It may change the life trajectory of your children! Final words are very, very powerful.
This is so significant I sense God wants us to stop right here so you and I can take paper and pen and start putting some words on paper that will form the framework to our final messages to our descendants. If you want to consider other examples in Biblical history, may I give you four?
* Moses: Deuteronomy 31:1-13
* Joshua: Joshua 23 & Joshua 24
* Jesus: Matthew 28:18-20
* Paul: 2 Timothy 4:1-8
And we have further notes for reflection in our “Grand Narrative” link below.
I wonder if WHEN David met with his son Solomon, David may have been thinking of these words he wrote in Psalm 86:11: “Teach me Your way O LORD, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your Name…” I have found a wonderful worship song which invites us to the throne of God in the spirit of these words of David! And I’ll be here waiting for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: 1 Kings 2:1-4.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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