1 Kings 1:36-41: a reflection

36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, “Amen. May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say so. 37As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the Tent, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet; and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40All the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound. 41Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar?”

As David's chosen heir Solomon is anointed king with trumpets, joy, and shouting that shakes the ground, another scene is unfolding not far off. Adonijah, who had set himself up as king without God's or David's appointment, is holding his own feast with his guests. And into that self-appointed celebration breaks the sound of the true king's anointing; their feast is undone as they hear that Solomon, not Adonijah, has been made king. The self-appointed ambition of Adonijah collapses before the establishing of God's chosen king.

Notice the contrast: God's chosen king established, and the self-appointed rival's feast undone. Adonijah had grasped for the throne, appointing himself, holding his celebration as though he had secured it. But God's purpose was that Solomon should reign; and when Solomon was anointed with great joy, Adonijah's self-appointed feast collapsed. His grasping ambition could not stand against God's established purpose; the throne he had seized for himself was given to God's chosen, and his celebration turned to dread. Self-appointment gave way before God's appointing.

That contrast is worth taking to heart, for self-appointed ambition, grasping for what God has not given, does not stand against his purpose. We can, like Adonijah, grasp for things God has not given us, appointing ourselves, celebrating as though we had secured them; but such grasping ambition collapses before God's purpose, as Adonijah's feast collapsed at Solomon's anointing. Do not grasp for what God has not given you, appointing yourself and celebrating as though you had secured it; such self-appointment does not stand against God's purpose. Submit to God's appointing rather than grasping for yourself, lest your self-appointed ambition collapse before his established purpose, as Adonijah's feast was undone when God's chosen Solomon was anointed king; for what we grasp for ourselves against God's purpose will not stand, but his appointing prevails.

Lord, as David's chosen heir Solomon is anointed king with trumpets, joy, and shouting that shakes the ground, another scene is unfolding not far off. Adonijah, who had set himself up as king without your or David's appointment, is holding his own feast. And into that self-appointed celebration breaks the sound of the true king's anointing; their feast is undone as they hear that Solomon has been made king. The self-appointed ambition of Adonijah collapses before the establishing of your chosen king. Show me the contrast: your chosen king established, and the self-appointed rival's feast undone. Adonijah had grasped for the throne, appointing himself. But your purpose was that Solomon should reign; and when Solomon was anointed, Adonijah's feast collapsed. His grasping ambition could not stand against your established purpose. Take that contrast to my heart, for self-appointed ambition, grasping for what you have not given, does not stand against your purpose. I can, like Adonijah, grasp for things you have not given me, appointing myself, celebrating as though I had secured them; but such grasping ambition collapses before your purpose. Keep me from grasping for what you have not given me, appointing myself; such self-appointment does not stand against your purpose. Help me submit to your appointing rather than grasping for myself, Lord, lest my self-appointed ambition collapse before your established purpose, as Adonijah's feast was undone when your chosen Solomon was anointed king.