Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 1:8

The Story:

Adonijah is making a play for David’s throne. We are told a few important things about him: He exalted himself–so not chosen to be King. He is the younger brother of Absalom. He is good looking.

David didn’t discourage him from trying. This could be due to David’s age and health, or David could be quietly in support.

Joab helps Adonijah. Joab has always backed King David. Why would he turn against him now? He possibly feels that a new King is in order. Others stick with King David, v.8. Mainly Nathan and David’s mighty men.

The Application:

Focus on What you Have Rather than What you Don’t
(1 Kings 1:8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.)

It would be easy to be David and be discouraged that Joab left your side. However, he still has a good following.

So it is in life. Sometimes things don’t go our way. Try not to focus on what doesn’t go your way. Focus on what is going your way.  Sometimes people hurt us. Rather than focus on the hurt, focus on those who love us. Many times we can’t have the things we want. Focus on the things we have instead. They will become so much more valuable.

Focus on what you can control rather than things you cannot!

HARPETH BAPTIST CHURCH
1011 Butterworth Road
Kingston Springs, TN 37082
615-378-1136

www.harpethbaptist.org

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 1:7

The Story:

Adonijah is making a play for David’s throne. We are told a few important things about him: He exalted himself–so not chosen to be King. He is the younger brother of Absalom. He is good looking.

David didn’t discourage him from trying. This could be due to David’s age and health, or David could be quietly in support.

Joab helps Adonijah. Joab has always backed King David. Why would he turn against him now? He possibly feels that a new King is in order. Others stick with King David, v.8. Mainly Nathan and David’s mighty men.

The Application:

Loyalty Runs Out
(1 Kings 1:7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.)

Although Joab had been loyal to David all this time, he now sides with Adonijah. While I disagree with him, I can clearly see Joab’s point. He wants the Kingdom to continue. In fact he is so loyal to David he feels supporting the new king shows it. In his mentality, supporting the new young excited man secures the Kingdom for David & family.

But all the while, to you and I, his loyalty has ceased. Loyalty runs out. You may have friends now that won’t be your friends later in life. Things change, people change. The key is to be able to understand their point of view and not take it as a personal attack.

Joab was thinking of himself. He felt that supporting the new King secured his future better than supporting the old King. He threw years of service and loyalty out the door by worrying about what might happen next! People will think of themselves. No matter how loving a person may seem, “I” is still #1. We can’t help it, we can’t get around it. It is important that we know & realize that loyalty runs out.

HARPETH BAPTIST CHURCH
1011 Butterworth Road
Kingston Springs, TN 37082
615-378-1136

www.harpethbaptist.org

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 1:5-6

The Story:

Adonijah is making a play for David’s throne. We are told a few important things about him: He exalted himself–so not chosen to be King. He is the younger brother of Absalom. He is good looking.

David didn’t discourage him from trying. This could be due to David’s age and health, or David could be quietly in support.

Joab helps Adonijah. Joab has always backed King David. Why would he turn against him now? He possibly feels that a new King is in order. Others stick with King David, v.8. Mainly Nathan and David’s mighty men.

The Application:

Never exalt yourself
(1 Kings 1:5–6 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. And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.)

Luke 14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. See Luke 14:7-11.  It is always better to choose the worse and be awarded the better, than to choose the best and end up with the worst. If expecting the worse, the better seems great! If expecting the best, the worst is somehow even worse.

HARPETH BAPTIST CHURCH
1011 Butterworth Road
Kingston Springs, TN 37082
615-378-1136

www.harpethbaptist.org

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 1:4

The Story:

David is near the end of his life. His health is failing and he is cold. His helpers cannot keep him warm so they bring in a young lady to lay with him. This is nothing sexual (4b), her body heat will radiate and warm the old king.

The Application:

In these times do what only a Christian can do.
(Verse 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.)

Minister.  Only a Christian can truly minister to others.  Sure anyone can serve.  But, only someone who has experienced the Love of Christ can share it.  This is the help that is really needed. Not to say that Abishag was/was not a follower of God. But, the application works for us now.

Cherish the King. Abishag cherished the one she served. She may not have liked the situation, but she didn’t mind the company. Today’s Christian can also Cherish the king! When you have to do things you don’t want to do: Do what only a Christian can and during this time Cherish your King! Enjoy His company.

When the time comes and you can no longer go it alone, trust those who want to help and allow them to do so. Be thankful for those who will help. When faced with a difficult task, do it for the glory of God!

HARPETH BAPTIST CHURCH
1011 Butterworth Road
Kingston Springs, TN 37082
615-378-1136

www.harpethbaptist.org

Applications from 1 Kings 

1 Kings 1:3

The Story:

David is near the end of his life. His health is failing and he is cold. His helpers cannot keep him warm so they bring in a young lady to lay with him. This is nothing sexual (4b), her body heat will radiate and warm the old king.

The Application:

Sometimes in life we’ll have to do unpleasant things.
(Verse 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.)

Abishag may have been different than most pretty young ladies, but I imagine this was not her first career choice. She didn’t apply for this job. They sought for someone throughout all the coasts. In fact the passage says they, “Brought her…”  I “GO” to Krispy Kreme willingly because I want to eat their doughnuts.  I am “Brought” to the dentist because I don’t want to go otherwise!

She was a fair maiden.  I interpret fair as: pretty, good looking, not ugly, able to attract a man to marry. I interpret maiden as: full of youth but old enough to go out on her own to marry/work.

Sometimes in life we’ll have to do things we don’t want to do. She may or may not have wanted to do this, my guess is she had little choice. If you are going to have to anyway, might as well make the best of it. Although I don’t want to go to the Dentist, I try to make the best of it.  I floss, brush, rinse regularly to make the experience as easy as possible.  As a child I didn’t always want to do my chores. I learned quickly that there were two ways to handle this.  I could just do what was expected of me or I could try to avoid it, get into trouble, and end up doing my chores anyway.

Keep watch for the 4th part of this 4 part post: Do what only a Christian can.

HARPETH BAPTIST CHURCH
1011 Butterworth Road
Kingston Springs, TN 37082
615-378-1136

www.harpethbaptist.org

Applications from 1 Kings

1 Kings 1:2

The Story:

David is near the end of his life. His health is failing and he is cold. His helpers cannot keep him warm so they bring in a young lady to lay with him. This is nothing sexual (4b), her body heat will radiate and warm the old king.

The Application:

Be thankful for those who will think toward your good.
(Verse 2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.)

David’s servants couldn’t keep him warm with clothes, so they devised a way for their King to stay warm. Had David mistreated them early on in his life, they may not have cared so much now that he needs help. Be thankful for those who will think toward your good.

Keep watch for the 3rd part of this 4 part post: When Life Gives You Lemons.

HARPETH BAPTIST CHURCH
1011 Butterworth Road
Kingston Springs, TN 37082
615-378-1136

www.harpethbaptist.org

Applications from 1 Kings

1 Kings 1:1

The Story:

David is near the end of his life. His health is failing and he is cold. His helpers cannot keep him warm so they bring in a young lady to lay with him. This is nothing sexual (4b), her body heat will radiate and warm the old king.

The Application:

There will come a time when you can’t do it yourself.
(Verse 1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.)

What do you see when you think of King David? I think of youth, a strong warrior, a giant killer. This is not the same man we see described in verse 1.  David is now described as old.  At best this means older than the author’s point of view.  He is also said to be stricken in years.  What exactly does this mean? Is stricken worse than old? Stricken…living longer than…old.  Poor David!  Finally, the King is spending days in bed.

While David is still very valuable to God, Israel, and his family, he has reached a time of life where he needs help.  At different times in life we all get here.  For instance, while once an athlete, I can’t just go run anymore.  If I do I struggle moving the next day!  Now, I have to stretch a certain way.  I need an iPhone app to keep me on pace.  My muscles require extra vitamins and possibly medication.  For David, this was a time when he would need to be King in a BIG way, but he couldn’t do it himself.

Keep watch for the 2nd part of this 4 part post: Be Thankful for those who Help.

HARPETH BAPTIST CHURCH
1011 Butterworth Road
Kingston Springs, TN 37082
615-378-1136

www.harpethbaptist.org