“Intrigue at Court”
Communion Sunday
1 Kings 1:1, 5-6, 11-2, 15-21, 24, 27-35
May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen
This morning we enter into what the Greeks called the Book of Kingdoms:one on earth where a series of mortals attempt to rule from 973 to 560 BC and in heaven where a Holy God reigns forever.
The narrative is taken from a much larger history entitled “The Court Narrative” so we need to consider how and why the authors selected these excerpts to tell the story of God’s relationship with his Chosen people and their kings.
Part of what Jews call the Former Prophets(Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) this book is the story that shall lead us into an understanding of how and why Israel lost the land they fought so hard to win in Joshua and worked so hard to organize in Judges (300 years).
The Book of Samuel describeda150 year period from a fledgling monarchy under King Saul to a united kingdom ruled by King David.
This Book of Kings, as Jerome renamed it in the fifth century Latin translation of the Bible, is not a story but an epictale about the most powerful and successful kings imaginable and some that still stand as singular examples of human depravity.
Kings describes events that span 423 years during which Israel ascended the heights of political, economic and religious influence and descended into strife, the rupture of the United Kingdom, conquest and exile in Assyria and then Babylonia.
There were forty monarchs in all: 20 from Judah, twenty from Israel: all men save one Queen: Athaliah (ath ooo lie a). Through it all,the one true God guided them and shall guide usto seek his steadfast love and obey his Holy Law.
This morning we do not hear the voice of the man who would be king. This morning we hear the voice of the woman who would be queen save the presence of the King’sother wives; the woman whose son shall be king if the scheme devised by the prophet goes according to plan.
This first chapter of Kings is the last chapter of King David’s life. He is approximately seventy, and frail. Concerns about succession to the throne are paramount and anything but certain as the main characters vie for position: Adonijah, (ad own eye ya) Bathsheba, Nathan and priest named Zadok.
Succession is complicated.King David had many wives: eight are mentioned specifically in the bible. He married the first seven when he lived in Hebron and reigned as King of Judah. He met and married his eighth wife, Bathsheba, after he had united Judah and Israel and established Jerusalem as the capital.
The sword that pierced King David’ family cut deep. His eldest son Amnon, raped his half-sister Tamar. Her brother Absalom arranged the murder ofAmnon in retaliation.
Absalom was banished from the kingdom.A third son,whom we think was named Daniel, died in childhood.
So King David’s fourth son, Adonijah, believed he was theheir apparent.He seized the throne. He called up old allies from the days in Hebron: the Judah elite, a commander named Joab and a priest named Abiathar (A buy u thur).
This was not the first coup d etat for King David. Years before Absalom almost usurped the throne.As handsome as his older brother and as charismatic,Adonijah (Ad own eye ya)followed the same script right down to assembling chariots, horses, royal escorts, a priest and a commander to march to the famous springs of En-rogel (en roq gell) for the sacrificial feast to confirm the coronation.
What is presumed in the story is that we understand the friction between the “Old Guard” from Judah and the upstarts from Jerusalem. The Kingdom of Israel was a fragile union.The new leaders closely aligned with King David included the prophet Nathan, the commander Benaiah (Be nigh a) and Zadok the priest.
In this story we are swept into the corridors of power where alliances are formed and agendas shared as four characters negotiate secular and sacred power.
First to Bathsheba: scholars make much of the fact that there is no biblical warrant for her words: there is no evidence that King David had promised her that her son Solomon would be king (I Chronicles 22:9-10 deemed a later addition).
I wonder why we feel entitled to that information. I think the point is that Bathsheba was the wife David loved and comforted (2 Samuel 12:24). This is an intimate portrait of their marriage and she reminds her king of his promise to her: it is sufficient.
Bathsheba is the link between the two great kings of Israel: David ad Solomon. This vignette suggests that love trumps power.
The second character is a sophisticated prophet. He orchestrated the interview with the king. He entered on cue to witness to the couples exchange about Solomon.
He pronounced that the rebels had acclaimed a king. In a style we have come to appreciate Nathan asked a questions: Did you make Adonijah (Ad own eye yah) king and not tell me?
The answer is no and the treasonous act is established. Ever the diplomat, Nathan assures the king that neither he nor Bathsheba nor Benaiah (Be nigh a) were involved (leaving out the fact that they were not invited to join the rebels). The prophet teaches David accountability: he must act to preserve his throne.
The third character, Zadok, is the one who reconciles secular and sacred power. He anoints, but does not crown, Solomon with sacred oil. Solomon does not reignas king but Co-Regent with his father King David. The year is 973 BC.
A subtle but important distinction: the kings of Israel are God’s regent for God’s kingdom on earth. It will be two years before Solomon is named King of Israel upon the death of his father.
The scene pictured on the cover of the bulletin captures the solemnity of the occasion: a time for humility before the one true King of heaven and earth and a time to honor King David who remained a man after God’s own heart.
Zadok reminds us to kneel before our God to seek his anointing to uphold us when we must be co-regents, not regent – when we want to be king of our lives.
Last but not least is Adonijah (Ad own eye ya). Some scholars are sympathetic to his claim based on the rule of primogeniture which would position him to inherit the throne.
Yet from the time of the patriarchs the younger son has surpassed the elder: Isaac over Ishmael, Jacob over Esau and Joseph over Reuben. God works in unexpected ways through flawed people and curious circumstances: God prevails.
To understand Adonijah (Ad own eye ya) we need to look to the original Hebrew. In that text he declares, “I, I will be king.”
This was his downfall; one does not proclaim oneself King of Israel, one is chosen by God, anointed by the high priest and consecrated to serve God and uphold his commandments.
The issue for Israel, and for us, in not who will be king, or how to establish succession plans. The issue is how to be faithful to God in the midst of competing interests and uncertain times.
Today we met four people who gave us four perspectives on a season of transition. We need all of them to negotiate our spiritual journey.
As we approach the table Jesus prepared for us let us be mindful of Bathsheba’s love for David and Solomon, Nathan’s insistence on the truth and Zadok’s service to God.
We can come to the table mindful of Adonijah(Ad own eye ya) as well for we understand his ambition and bring our own ambition before God to seek his guidance and blessing and be refreshed in grace praying that he will direct our path. Amen
The Rev. Elizabeth Kuehl
Hope Presbyterian Church
August 2, 2015
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