King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Friday, May 27, 2022
Chapters: 1 CHRONICLES 28, I KINGS 1, PSALMS, 72, 127
Study: Be Strong, Have Courage, And Do It
Hello My Friend,
As I was reading the chapters for today, the words, “Just do it.” came to mind. Now, this may be the slogan for one of the world’s largest shoe manufactures, but it is something that God has been saying to every man, woman, and child that has chosen Him from the very beginning. Actually, what He really says is, ”[Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.]
What exactly does God mean when He tells us to be strong? Well, there are definitely different meanings of the word, but this kind of strong means to be well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered by the pressures that come with the task. And above all, having ability to bear or endure those pressures without altering our faith. Well, we all know that if we did try bear these pressures that come with life itself in our own strength that we would not get very far, and that is where Jesus comes in. God wants us to go as far as our own ability can go, then trust that He can take care of the rest. Remember, faith without works is dead, [James 2:14-17 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.]
As we continue in the reading of 1 Chronicles, David gathers all the people, including his own sons, and gave pretty much his last speech. He had just gotten everything in order for when Solomon reigns as king, and before all the greats, he straight out tells them that Solomon will not only be king, but build the first temple for God.
[1 Chronicles 28:1-2,6-7 And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem. 2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: 6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father. 7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.]
[if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments,] This was not David telling Solomon to follow his commands, he was telling him to follow God’s commands. We see today’s youth, especially after what had happen this week regarding the shooting and everyone wants to point fingers and tell you that if he had a father, money, or had no guns that this would have never happened. The truth is, who he needed is God and a parent or guardian to show him what the value of life is, and to teach him the right kind of discipline, and at the same time, love and nurture him in the way that he should go. And that includes daughters as well, [Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.]
Okay, so, there is no guarantee that training up a child in the ways of God is going to keep them from departing from their faith when they are adults as that all depends on who they get around. However, as long as we do the best that we can, even if they take a turn for the worst, they will never forget what they were taught and hopefully they will find their way back. Now, David makes it a point to remind Solomon that in order to keep his heart from turning away from God that he needs to have a perfect heart.
[1 Chronicles 28:9-10 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.]
[but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.] This is almost the same thing that Jesus said, but He also added something, [Matthew 10:32-34 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.]
[be strong, and do it.] Even among family, there are going to be some that will turn on their faith God, or even go as far as to not believing in Him at all. I am sure that David was thinking of his own sons who died as a result of not training them up as he ought to have that led him to tell Solomon to make sure that his heart was right with God before he did anything for Him. We cannot hesitate when it comes to God, if we are going to muse on these things, then all that will do will bring us to question Him all together, which is why David tells him be strong and do the work that was instructed of him to do. And David makes sure to repeat what he said.
[1 Chronicles 28:19-21 All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern. 20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. 21 And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the people will be wholly at thy commandment.]
[Be strong and of good courage, and do it:] See how he adds courage to be strong? There is only one meaning for the word, courage; Bravery; that quality of mind which enables one to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits and with boldness. David, knew that Solomon would not be able to pull this off without two things; God and some Godly people helping him, which is why he prayed for him.
[Psalms 72:1-2,10-11,15-17 A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king’s son. 2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. 10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. 15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised. 16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. 17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.]
[and thy poor with judgment.] This is not judgment, meaning a punishment, this is judgment meaning teaching them in the ways of God, with the spirit of wisdom and prudence, and enabling the person to discern right and wrong, good and evil. Notice in the Psalm that there are some prophecies regarding kings and queens who would fall down before Solomon, the queen of Sheba being one of them. It is so true that when our heart is right as well as our judgment, that will are truly blessed, even with life’s pressures, [James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.]
And that temptation in this case is not really to commit sin, it is and attempt to turn our heart away from God through those pressures. And now, we come to the Book of 1 Kings, God already told David that Solomon would be the next king, but someone had other plans. The Book of 1 Kings, contains twenty-two chapters, the author of the book is Jeremiah and it was written to Israel. The timeline for these events took place between 1015 BC to 897 BC. The purpose of the book was to record God’s dealings with His people from King Solomon, through the division of Israel, and the reigns of Ahab and Jehoshaphat. What we are to learn from the book is that compromise always comes with a cost, [1 Kings 11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.]
David, probably thought that the troubles of his family were over, after all, he just spent his last days setting things in order for when Solomon would reign, but that was not the case. As we begin the reading of 1 Kings, David, became very frail, so frail that his servants thought that a young woman might liven him up, but it did not work. When David’s eldest son, Adonijah learned that his father’s health he took things into his own hands.
[1 Kings 1:1-7 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 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. 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. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not. 5 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. 6 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. 7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.]
[And his father had not displeased him] This was more than Adonijah thought that David was implying that he would be the next heir to the throne, this was a man whom never learned the word, “No”. You know, David had one fault, he had too many wives with different faiths, and that caused a lot of problems because the boys, except for Solomon it seems, did not keep the same faith in God that he kept. David let Adonijah, like all the rest of the boys, have his own way, granted him whatever he desired, and never corrected or chastened him. His mother is not Absalom’s, who was Maachah, Adonijah’s mother was Haggith, and she gave birth to him after Absalom’s mother. Since David’s first four sons died, that made him the eldest living son, and upon this he founded his claim to the throne. He even enlisted the help of Joab and a priest to make it all happen before David found out. However, they made one mistake, they did not include the ones who would not approve.
[1 Kings 1:9-12,16-18 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants: 10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not. 11 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? 12 Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. 16 And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? 17 And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. 18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:]
[and Solomon his brother, he called not.] Never underestimate Satan, he will do anything in an attempt to overthrow God’s purpose. And remember, it is God who allows it, which I imagine He does it to try us, and this is not the same thing as trying to do something, God tries us to prove our faith and faithfulness. David was not going to let another son attempt to take the throne from him, he called for Bathsheba, Nathan, and Zadok.
[1 Kings 1:32-35,38-39 And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. 33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: 34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon. 35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. 38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.]
[and all the people said, God save king Solomon.] Let me tell you, people will switch sides in a heartbeat if it meant they would get a more prominent position or could lose their position. Nevertheless, God will stop at nothing to get us to fulfill His purpose for us. David was the only father to see his son become king. Keep in mind also that when God tells us that we are not to do something, He means that too, and will not hesitate to make us look like fools in our attempt to overthrow His will. While all these people were celebrating Adonijah being king before he was even anointed, David had Solomon declared the king and talk about a celebration. When Adonijah and the people with him heard the noise they learned that Solomon was declared the king.
[1 Kings 1:49-52 And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way. 50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword. 52 And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.]
[he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar,] You know, Adonijah was really not a wicked man, he just made the wrong choices, and was probably influenced by Joab in the first place. Sometimes, we can confuse our own will with God’s, and will keep going until we find ourselves holding on to those thorns at the altar. Nevertheless, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our unrighteousness when we do come to the altar in confession and repentance. And by the way, while we may not like who God chooses to rule over our country, we must respect them, and pray for them. The key to being successful in our calling is not necessarily in what purpose we get out of it, it is in our having allowed Him to direct our steps where He took them.
[Psalms 127:1-5 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. 3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.]
[Except the LORD build the house,] I will tell what, I have been educated in many things from holistic healing to electronic technology, and had many jobs from washing dishes to management and have yet a new venture in becoming a pharmacy tech. While everything I experienced was not a complete loss, the reason most of it never stuck was that it was not always God’s will for me. Every work that we do, regardless of whether it is serving Him in His ministry or our secular job needs to be built by God, otherwise, it will crumble, [Matthew 7:24-27 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.]
Today’s Prayer: God, You have appointed all of us for some job, some task, or some purpose, may we be used to be a testimony of the life You have given us through Your Son, and not an example of what happens if we are not. You are my life, I am nothing apart from You, I do not want riches or fame, all I want is to know Your will for my life and how I am to obtain that. You command us to be strong, have some courage, and just do what You instruct us to do. Lord, lead me and guide me, give me Your power to walk with You everywhere I go, the wisdom and understanding to make the right decisions, and give me Your strength and courage to do what You have called me to do because I cannot do this all in my own strength. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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