Back to the Future

As a disclaimer, if you are used to reading Natalie's pithy, insightful, and humorous comments on Wednesday, for today you are stuck with me (her husband - who in today's post is not pithy - i.e. short).

"How did we get stuck with Aaron," you might ask?

Well, last night, Natalie was stumped about what to write for today's post. In an effort to help her I asked her what the chapters were.

"Just some stories," remarked Natalie.

"Which ones," I asked?

"Oh, just the first ones in 1 Kings," she said plainly.

"WHAT, those chapters are FULL of stuff," I exclaimed!

So, upon hearing my enthusiasm for these chapters, after a long day at work, Natalie inquired, "would you write a post about them?"

So, you're saddled with me for today.

A lot has transpired since David was first anointed in 1 Samuel 16. Years and years have gone by since David was even crowned king over not only Judah but over all Israel. Too often, in our lives, the day to day events of life add up and one day we wake up; realizing our life has passed by without us even noticing it.

Here David finds himself, at the end of his life. Handing off his legacy to his son. Asking his son, in many ways, to right the wrongs of his past and secure his own throne by fixing his father's mistakes.

(Marty McFly with his father [who avoids conflict in the past to the ruin of the present] take away the time machine and 80's outfits and picture Solomon looking at David here).

Back to the Future - Everything that is recorded in these two chapters of Scripture are the "payoffs" to an earlier "setup." What do I mean by this?

The other night, we were looking for a movie to watch and I chose to watch Back to the Future. The DVD we have has a handy feature which shows you the "setup" and "payoffs" of various gags and plots points throughout the movie. As we watched, it showed us when something was being 'setup' for later in the movie, only to be 'payed off' for a laugh.

That is exactly what is happening here in 1 Kings 1 & 2. These chapters are taking us back, in order to move us forward (Solomon's future).

As the chapter opens we find David on his death bed, unable to stay warm and sleeping a lot. I am sure today his family would be wrestling with putting him in a nursing home or hiring hospice, but back then their best option for a dying king was a personal companion and caretaker. Nothing less that the best looking young girl in the country would do for such a great king.

[Payoff] - In his moment of weakness, David's son Adonijah tries to steal the throne. For everyone who knows the end of the story (Solomon becomes king) their gut feeling is "how dare he!?" But, in reality Adonijah was next in line for the throne.

[Setup] - In 2 Sam. 13, Amnon (David's first born) had raped Tamar (Absalom's sister, David's second son). After a VERY poor mishandling by David in chapters 13 & 14, Absalom murders Amnon. That leaves Absalom as the heir to the throne. Unfortunately, for Absalom, murdering your brother in broad daylight usually raises a few red flags with the authorities, so he flees to his mother's in-laws to the northeast (in Geshur). After Absalom's failed coup in 1 Samuel 15-18, Adonijah is now next in line to the throne. So, for him to presumptively try to become king is not too far fetched.

(Sub-note: Each of these brothers were actually half-brothers with different mothers. They were each the 'first-born' of a different mom, making them all 'potential' successors).

[Payoff] - Next, we see that Solomon and some key supporters have been left out of Adonijah's plans to take the throne. Bathsheba, Solomon, Benaiah, and Nathan approach David and remind him of an earlier promise he had made concerning his heir to the throne. David remembers his promise and takes steps to ensure Solomon's ascension.

[Setup] - After David's affair with Bathsheba, he stopped having children by his other wives. In fact, David so isolated himself from his other wives and their children that it created jealousy among his family (2 Samuel 13-15). Part of their closeness came from everything that happened during that tumultuous time in his life. Most notably, in 2 Samuel 12, David and Bathsheba lost their newborn baby. After this experience God showed them mercy and gave them a second son (whom they named Jedidiah - meaning "Beloved of the Lord" and called Solomon - meaning "Peace or Just Reward"). This represented a fresh start for both them and their relationship with God. Solomon literally was an answer to prayer, a visible sign to David and Bathsheba that God had not turned his back on them. It seems only natural, at some point, that David would see Solomon as his new 'first-born' and promise to Bathsheba (probably in private) that Solomon would be the next king.

[Payoff] - David asks Benaiah (the commander of his personal guard and a general in his army) and Zadok (a priest who helped David survive the coup from Absalom) to take steps to coronate Solomon and place him on the throne. This, is in direct competition to Joab (general over all Israel) and Abiathar (the current high priest).

[Setup] - In 2 Samuel 3, David's nephew and general Joab had murdered Abner. Abner likely would have been promoted ahead of him to command-in-chief of the forces of a united Israel. Also, Abner had accidentally killed his brother Asahel. So, Joab murdered him in cold blood.

Then, later in 2 Samuel 18, Joab did it again. This time he killed David's son Absalom, violating a direct order from David. For his betrayal and disobedience, David promoted his cousin Amasa to Joab's position. Joab didn't take kindly to this demotion and murdered Amasa, in cold blood, in 2 Samuel 20.

Abiathar, the priest, had also served David for a very long time and had served as his direct connection to God (1 Samuel 30). So, for Joab and Abiathar to go against David's plan was a HUGE betrayal.

[Payoff] - David then instructs his son Solomon in some 'unfinished business' and potential threats to his throne. First, he tells him how to walk before the Lord (very important). Second, he tells him to "deal with Joab in wisdom," and not "let his gray hair fall to the ground in peace." Finally, he tells him to find a way to make sure that Shimei son of Gera gets what is coming to him.

[Setup] - The 'unfinished business' that David gives Saul are all people who have either directly wronged him, their family, or will pose a threat to Solomon's rule. First, make sure you follow the Lord - mess that one up and the rest won't even matter.

Second, deal with Joab in the way that he has dealt with others in the past (see earlier setup - Murder #1 - Abner, 2 Sam 3 / Murder #2 - Absalom, 2 Sam 18 / Murder #3 - Amasa, 2 Sam 19). So, how does Solomon deal with Joab? He has Benaiah kill him in the Tabernacle (1 Kings 2:28-35) - problem solved.

Finally, Shimei was the man who had insulted, humiliated, and thrown rocks at David and his entourage as they fled Jerusalem (2 Samuel 16:5-14). In the lowest moment of his life, as he fled in fear and absolute shame from his capital (from his own son, Absalom) this man had pelted him with rocks and said the most awful things you can think of - for mile after mile. That is not the sort of thing you forget (even on your deathbed). Oh, and another catch to the story of Shimei was that he was a close relative of Saul (first cousin). Hence, the David hating routine when David was 'overthrown' and deposed as king.

So, what does Solomon do. He draws a circle (figuratively) around Shimei and tells him not to leave Jerusalem, ever. "Build your own house and never leave." What happens when he does, Solomon orders Benaiah to kill him. (Backstory on Benaiah - reread 2 Samuel 23:20-23 - this guy has killed a lion, probably with his bare hands, in a pit, on a snowy day - for this guy a slippery, cold, tight space + 1 lion = dead lion; think Arnold Schwarzenegger + Sylvester Stallone + Gerard Butler from 300).

[Payoff] - Solomon has Benaiah kill Adonijah after his presumptuous request in verses 13-18. What was his request? To have Abishag the Shunammite as his wife. Why is this such a big deal? A request that merits his death?

[Setup] - Notice how Adonijah makes his request. He goes to Solomon's mommy. {Always a bad sign with you try to go over someone's head to force them to do something, especially a spouse or parent.}

This request was presumptuous because Adonijah was asking for the girl that David has slept next to, the young girl that had officially become his wife, yet never slept with him. By taking her as his wife it would have given Adonijah legitimacy as king. (see Solomon's own comments in 1 Kings 2:22) A 'right' of an incoming king was to take the younger wives of his predecessor as his own (especially the ones who were virgins). By taking Abishag as his wife Adonijah was literally trying to steal the throne from Solomon.

As you might imagine this was a request that went too far. What does Solomon do? Order Benaiah to kill Adonijah. Problem solved.

Finally, Solomon banishes Abiathar, the priest, instead of killing him. Why spare his life and not the others? Solomon puts it best when he says, "I will not put you to death today, since you carried the ark of the Lord God in the presence of my father David and you suffered through all that my father suffered." Here was a guy who had been with David at the lowest and highest points of his life; the good, bad, and the ugly. Yet, at the end of his life Abiathar had betrayed David and gone against his wishes.

The people closest to us hurt us the most when they betray us. They, above all others, know what we have been through, so when they betray us it wounds us deeper.

So, what is the take away from these chapters? Here we are, 'back to the future.' David dies in 1 Kings 2:10, and Solomon's throne is "firmly established" according to verse 12.

Solomon rights the wrongs that David had either avoided or had, in his mercy, overlooked. These individuals from David's past betrayed David and deeply hurt him and his family. For Solomon to have his throne "firmly established" these traitors needed to be dealt with and dealt with swiftly. In 1 Kings 3, the story will jump forward in time to Solomon's reign, his dedication and completion of the Temple (something his father started as well - which he is going to finish).

While at times the events of the present can simply fly past us, they find their meaning and have impact when placed in the context of the past. David had lived a full life, one of great joy, intimacy with God, and uncomplicated faith (see 2 Samuel 7:25-28). Yet, here at the end of his life, he has to pass his unfinished business on to his son.

These stories remind us of 3 things: 1) Everybody gets what is coming to them, whether here on earth or in heaven. 2) Your present only has meaning in the context of your past (don't be afraid of your past - it has made you who you are). 3) When possible don't let unfinished business haunt you. Often it can prevent you from moving forward, unburdened, into the future.

Oh, and the 4th thing we learned? Need someone killed - call Benaiah . . .