Adonijah who was King David’s son, appointed himself as king over Israel. He did so in dramatic fashion. “Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.” (1Kings 1:5) This usurpation prompted a declaration by King David as to the one whom he would have to rule over his kingdom. We also see the fulfilment of that decree with great fanfare, just as David desired. “So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.” (1Kings 1:38) Afterwards there was no doubt that Solomon was the King.
The LORD had made commandment unto Israel that when they had a king, he was not to “multiply horses.” (see Deut. 17:14-16) HE would not have HIS people to trust in the “chariots and horses” of the fallen kingdoms, such as Egypt from whence they were delivered. “We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions. Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.” (Psa 20:5-8)
In true fashion, as a man thinks, Adonijah “prepared him chariots and horsemen.” He thought to rule by the operation of his “free will” and in the strength of the flesh. Does he not remind us of our own sinful flesh, which would take every opportunity to exalt itself and install itself as a rightful sovereign? Only HE who rules in the army of Heaven and among the inhabitants of the Earth, can restrain that exaltation by demonstrating to HIS children that HE has set HIS KING upon the holy hill of Zion. Thus, by this revelation of the gospel, those who are truly HIS are made willing subjects and are humbled in the dust before HIM in adoring wonder. Adonijah cowered before Solomon, as a dog slinks about in fear of its owner. Yet just like a sneaky dog he was merely awaiting the right opportunity to rise up and bite his owner and reestablish himself in that place of honor which he was convinced was his.
Adonijah showed his true colors as he requested (through Bathsheba) that he might have King David’s nurse/concubine to be his wife, thinking he might gain a foothold in the kingdom, and might ultimately usurp Solomon’s power. Yet this one who was rightly the King, pronounced a sentence of death upon him, much like those of whom Paul writes, “Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Tim 3:4-7) “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) “Ye must be born again.” (John 3:7)
Solomon, as David’s son, ruled in wisdom and peace, without rival in that Kingdom which was established by the LORD and promised to David. “Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.” (1Kings 2:12) “And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.” (1Chron 29:25) Yet as great as the reign of Solomon was, yet he showed himself to be but a weak and sinful man, and ultimately slept with his father in the bosom of the Earth. “For the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 3:23)
Though Solomon, in a measure fulfilled, the immediate promise of the LORD that David’s son would reign and build (see 1 Chron. 17:11-12) “an house” unto the LORD, yet he could not fulfill the lasting promise which the LORD made to David, and to the people of GOD. One “greater than Solomon” had to appear in order that the LORD might demonstrate HIS unending reign which was prophesied by Isaiah, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” (Isa 9:6-7)
The LORD sent a man named John, to be the “announcer” of HIS SON, upon his back did the LORD JESUS come into the world, announced as “the LAMB of GOD which taketh away the sin of the world.” Malachi prophesied of John when he recorded the word of GOD, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Mal 3:1) “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” (Mal 4:5)(see Mat 17:10-13) In this fashion we might even say that John was the LORD’s mule upon which HE rode into this sin benighted world. John’s one purpose in life was to be this herald, none else could fulfill this role, and he did exactly as the LORD ordained. He was also as those who ran before the LORD upon HIS triumphal entry into Jerusalem upon “a colt the foal of an ass.” “And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Mat 21:8-9)
Did we not have some understanding of the depravity of men and the purpose of GOD, we would be baffled as to how this same multitude, who so vociferously praised HIS coming into Jerusalem, could not many days hence cry out, “Crucify HIM, crucify HIM.” Vain is the help of men and empty are their praises apart from the work of the SPIRIT in them to truly worship HIM in SPIRIT and TRUTH. Religious fervor must never be mistaken for true worship. Even the rocks must cry out in praise to HIM when HE is pleased to visit. This will be demonstrated when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that HE is LORD to the glory of the FATHER. “And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” (Isa 40:5)
The LORD created a strange creature when HE made the ass or donkey, sometimes referred to as a mule. We will not get into the technical differences in these animals but suffice it to say that these are very humble creatures in the sight of men. There is no beauty in them which is to be desired by men, just like the ONE who chose to ride into Jerusalem upon the back of this animal. This was the conveyance of a KING, even though somewhat despised and ridiculed by men. We can see the purpose of the LORD in using this lowly animal for this glorious task as giving men no place in which to glory. Adonijah shunned the mule in favor of stately horses and chariots, and religious men think to present their gifts, wealth, and obedience to the LORD, assuming that HE is satisfied with dung.
Never a man sat upon the back of this “colt, the foal of an ass”, and no man can share in the glory which is HIS by right and power. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” (John 1:18) The Pharisees considered themselves to be true worshippers of GOD yet in reality they were the enemies of GOD, having no knowledge of HIM. Thus, HE told them, “Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” (John 8:19) Multitudes today, think to bring their entertainment disguised as worship to the LORD, just as they think that they are the ones who allow HIM to save them by an action of their will and “faith”. This is the thinking of Adonijah.
The LORD has set HIS King upon HIS holy hill, and HE will share none of HIS glory with HIS creation. HE has come into the world once upon a lowly ass, a KING nonetheless, who has promised to come again astride a WHITE HORSE who shall judge and make war. FAITHFUL and TRUE is HIS NAME. Have you bowed before this KING? HE reigns forever.
mam