David’s Charge to His Son, Solomon

David’s Charge to His Son, Solomon

I Kings 2:1-12

Key Verse: “Be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; and keep the charge of the LORD Thy God,” I Kings 2:2, 3.

David was a man after God’s own heart. Very simply that did not mean that David was without sin. It meant that when he did sin, he turned to God for forgiveness. He knew that forgiveness began with God. David was a sinner and committed some heinous sins. He confessed those sins to God and received forgiveness.

Now comes the time that all men experience. Death. He wants to leave some advice to Solomon who will follow David as King of Israel. “Be thou strong.” A simple piece of advice. Strength is what is needed to live life to its fullest before a righteous God. There are many trials and tribulations in this life. Strong living does not mean that we will not mourn events, be broken hearted, or suffer grief and indecision in this life. It means we will lay all our cares upon the LORD and depend upon Him to restore us to the Joy of serving God and living a life of honor.

Notice the part of the passage that says, “and shew thy-self a man:”. David knows that the man was given responsibility to guide the household in a Godly manner. He wanted Solomon to take his place before God and fulfill his duties to his family and nation in an appropriate manner. That means to lead the nation in a Godly manner and to take the lead in the family in worship in the house of God and in family devotion. I am always happy to the man take the lead in service and worship in the church. He then is shewing himself a man.

“Keep the charge of the LORD thy God.” The LORD has given us many instructions for life, living, and serving Him. To the lost, its repent and believe on my Son for everlasting life. For those that are save and heaven bound it is live a life that is an imitation of Jesus Christ while he walked this earth. We have some excellent pointers from the sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5, 6, 7. Matthew 5:1-12 gives us how our relationship with God and our relationship with man should be. The rest is directions for our life and how we should live. This was given to the church. A charge to be faithful and tell others about a Saviour is a charge that each of us should keep.

Thought – “A wise man will hear and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels” (Proverbs 1:5).

James Candler