… I go the way
of all the earth:
be thou strong
therefore and show thyself a man …
I Kings 2:2
Because
of the events leading to David’s choice of his son, Solomon, to succeed him to
the throne of Israel, David felt the need to instruct his son regarding a very
important principle. And because of preceding plots within David’s own family
to usurp the throne, he knew that Solomon would face tough decisions—decisions
for which he would need strength of character.
David,
the greatest king ever to sit on the throne of Israel, had Zadok the priest and
Nathan the prophet and some of David’s elite men to go down and “… cause
Solomon to ride upon King David’s mule, and bring him to Gihon” (I Kings 1:38).
Zadok anointed Solomon from the horn of oil out of the tabernacle; the trumpet
sounded; the people shouted, rejoicing over their newly anointed king.
For
the space of a few months, David and Solomon served in co-regency. His life coming to a close, David gave
Solomon this charge: “I go the way of all the earth; be thou strong therefore
…”
Now,
David had grown up on the slopes tending sheep; he loved the outdoors, God’s
creation. He spent many days as a fugitive from Saul. He had to run for his
life and in so doing, he lived off the land. David was a soldier, a man of war
and action. On the other hand, Solomon had lived the cushy life inside the
palace walls, content to take what his father had built and cause it to
multiple significantly. He enjoyed the luxuries of the regal life and the
consideration heaped upon him by palace attendants. King David rode a mule—King
Solomon, his stables filled, rode upon thoroughbred horses. David was a
warrior; Solomon, a king of peace, happy to stay home and live lavishly. David
was a man of the people; Solomon, a man of the court. David was a “man after
God’s own heart.” Solomon began well, but fell into sinful ways.
Because
of the circumstances surrounding the anointing of Solomon, David knew the road
would be difficult for his son and that he would need the advice of a seasoned
King. In the second half of verse two David says this to his son: “… show
thyself a man.” In modern words, David was saying, “Solomon, reach back, grab a
backbone, buck up—and be a man.”
His
next words were touching as the instructions continued in verse three:
- Keep the charge of the Lord thy God
- Walk in his ways
- Keep his statutes
- Keep his commandments
- Keep his judgments
- Keep his testimonies
The instructions had originated in the
Law of Moses, and David’s advice would produce an end result that would be
pleasant to Solomon. He told him his obedience to God’s ways would result in
prosperity. Now, don’t get carried away with this just yet.
God had promised David if his children
took the throne and walked in obedience, “there shall not fail thee … a man on
the throne of Israel” (verse 4b). Let’s take that verse, knowing the
circumstances surrounding the two men and drive it home to our own people.
As God’s expectations were that David
would teach Solomon to stand like a man, his same expectations are that men of
faith take a stand in the home. Not a very popular concept in our day;
nevertheless, God’s Word is clear in Proverbs 13:24. If we are to raise a
generation of young people who love God, we must keep his statutes. He that
spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes
(a good English word for early or in good time). Again in Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go;
and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Now, those instructions
have been proven time and time again, but it takes a godly man to carry them
out to the letter.
There is yet another practical
application here. Godly men, if they are to be identified as such have a
responsibility in the community. Israel was a community, a group of people who
were as one. Following their conquest
of Jericho, the sin of Achan, and their defeat at Ai, God’s anger came against the
entire group. Joshua 7:11 states: Israel
hath sinned … Joshua in a moment of weakness falls to his face and
questions God’s actions, when God says to him, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? God wants men
who will rise up and fight the good fight of faith.
And may I add, it is not our
responsibility to please men. Ours is to please our Heavenly Father. According
to I Thessalonians 2:4, God allowed us …to
be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but
God, which trieth our hearts.
Are you a wimp or a warrior? Are you
able, in life’s adversities, to reach back and grab the backbone? Are you
equipped to face life day in and day out under God’s power, using King David’s
set of instructions? Be a man; walk in
God’s Spirit; be obedient to his Word; keep his statutes.
In so doing, God’s promise is
prosperity—not always in dollars and
cents, but always in the richness of his blessings in Christ Jesus. May I
encourage you to—take the charge, be the man, live the blessing?
Victor
W. Baugh, Sr., Th.D., Ph.D.
Pastor,
St. Luke AME Church
Havana,
AL
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