Who Is on the Throne?
Opening Prayer
Lord, where thrones are yielded to You, Your peace flows. Raise up leaders after Your heart.
Read 1 CHRONICLES 29:21-30
[21] The next day they made sacrifices to the LORD and presented burnt offerings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel. [22] They ate and drank with great joy in the presence of the LORD that day. Then they acknowledged Solomon son of David as king a second time, anointing him before the LORD to be ruler and Zadok to be priest. [23] So Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king in place of his father David. He prospered and all Israel obeyed him. [24] All the officers and warriors, as well as all of King David’s sons, pledged their submission to King Solomon. [25] The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before. [26] David son of Jesse was king over all Israel. [27] He ruled over Israel forty years-seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. [28] He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor. His son Solomon succeeded him as king. [29] As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer, [30] together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him and Israel and the kingdoms of all the other lands. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What was the secret of David's greatness?Our journey is almost ended: King David remains an inspiration and an enigma. It may be that the Chronicler had the measure of him when he wrote, “So Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king in place of his father David” (see also 1 Kings 2:12). The throne belongs to God, he is King! In his understanding of this lies David’s greatness. Where there is godly leadership, everyone benefits.Israel enjoyed a smooth succession as Solomon takes over officially (see 1 Kings 1:39). Despite the deep love for David the people willingly pledge allegiance to his son. Good leaders make themselves dispensable. Solomon received a rich legacy–not power and wealth (although he wasn’t short of that!) but the spiritual values that guided his father’s life (28:9). David himself died a good death, “having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor” (28). The Chronicler’s view of David is selective, but not thereby dishonest. 1 Samuel gives a different take on the succession and the death. But the truths about godly living and quality leadership that come to us down the years are timeless and, if we will receive them, deeply enriching.
Apply
All authority that God has entrusted is for the purpose of releasing his blessing. Examine your life in this light.
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