Title: All Hail the Power
Text: I Kings 1
Date: January 10, 2010
Place: SGBC, Princeton, NJ
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is before all things. By him all things consist. Whether it be things in heaven or things in earth. He is the firstborn of every creature. That in all things he might have the preeminence, because it pleased God the Father that in his Son should all fullness dwell. All fullness of God's glory, all fullness of God's attributes, all fullness of God's character, all fullness of God's purpose of redemption, all fullness of God's salvation of his people, all fullness of all things to the church, all fullness of God's spiritual blessings to his people, all fullness of all things in heaven or earth, since before he spoke the first grain of sand into existence, all fullness has dwelled in his Son. In final glory you will behold God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in the express image of Christ Jesus in glorified flesh just like yours. It pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell in his Son. The problem will all men as we are born into this world is that does not please us.
I. THE FALSE KING
IN ADONIJAH WE SEE THE PROBLEM OF OUR SINFUL FLESH
I Kings 1: 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.
The desire of all flesh is self-exaltation--to have theauthority that belongs to Christ alone, “I will not have this man reign over me!” The desire of the nature is to make all the preparations ourselves AND for ourselves—HE PREPARED HIM. The flesh desires glory, to have men look at us—he prepared him all these men and chariots—to run before HIM.
I Kings 1: 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.
We may appear good outwardly to men and may surround ourselves with others just like us. In this passage, David is a type of God the Father. David had not questioned him. He was the oldest living son. He had well-respected men, the priest, with him.
I 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.
When the sinful flesh reigns, the sinner will always separate himself from those who are God’s true servants. These were faithful men to David. But they were not invited.
I Kings 1: 9: 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.
Adonijah invited their brethren, but not those men who were the servants of the king. Here we see the self-exalting, self-preparing, self-serving, feast of the flesh. It was all false. This all that we are by our first birth in Adam. Even now, you who are born of the Spirit of God, have this same old man who tries to reign every chance he can get. How is this false king put down?
II. CHRIST JESUS THE KING
The true king in our text will be the son of David, Solomon. We have a picture here of God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ the King.
Here is what I want you to see: each man who will have a part in exalting Solomon holds an office that glorifies Christ Jesus the King. It is all these offices and what he does in these offices declares that our Savior is a King like no other.
I Kings 1: 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?
CHRIST IS THE PROPHET WHO SPEAKS THROUGH HIS PROPHETS.
Stephen declared:
Acts 7: 37: This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.
Hebrews 1:1: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2: Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Bathsheba is the bride. She is typical of the church and of members in particular. Notice, she did not know that Adonijah was attempting to reign until the Prophet told her. You and I need the continual word of Christ Jesus the Prophet, teaching us in the heart, in order to subdue the old fleshly king within us. Now listen to what Nathan tells her to do.
I Kings 1: 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. 13: Go and get thee in unto king David,
I pray our King might speak into your hearts this morning as you hear this word of his grace. Is there another king trying to take the throne? O, Go and get thee in unto king David. Petition him based upon his covenant promise.
I Kings 1: 13:…and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?
AS OUR PROPHET, PRIEST AND KING, CHRIST JESUS EVERLIVES TO MAKE INTERCESSION FOR HIS PEOPLE.
Not only does Christ speak effectually into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, not only does he draw us to the throne of our heavenly Father, but he also makes intercession for us.
I Kings 1: 14: Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.
Hebrews 7: 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26: For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Christ is our ever living God. Though he died as man, he is risen from the dead, and lives as Mediator and Redeemer, and particularly as the HIGH PRIEST. His intercession is by the appearance of his person: he is the sacrifice God is well-pleased with. He declares his will for his redeemed, recommends the prayers of his people, and removes the charges and accusations of Satan. So Bathsheba went in and did as she was told. Nathan also went in.
I Kings 1: 28: Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. 29 And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, 30: Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day. 31: Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
CHRIST JESUS IS THE HIGH PRIEST AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE LORD OF HOSTS.
I Kings 1: 32: 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.
Zadok is David's favorite priest. He will be the new high priest. Benaiah is the captain of the bodyguards. Do you remember how the Son of God appeared to Joshua?
Joshua 5: 13: And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14: And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? 15: And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
I Kings 1: 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.
Be sure you get this: In type, Christ Jesus awoke the bride, put the prayer in our heart. Christ Jesus made intercession as she petitioned the Father. Then the Father calls on Christ the Prophet, the High Priest, and the Captain of the Lord of hosts to take his servants to lift the King up before the people.
Isaiah 9: 6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
God the Father entrusted the glory of his name, the glory of his righteosness, the glory of being just and the Justifer of all who believe, the salvation of his whole house and the government of all things into the hands of his only begotten Son, the Captain of our salvation, the Prophet, Priest and King. If any other usurps his authority or if the Son fails in any regard more than even your salvation is at stake, God's own name would be tainted. Christ Jesus is all victorious in all fullness.
Hebrews 2: 10: For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Hebrews 3: 5: And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6: But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
How shall we, and all the people know, that Christ is King? We shall be saved by the word of God, throught the Holy Spirit by the preaching of the gospel. We see it here in the mule, the pool and the trumpet.
I Kings 1: 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:
THE MULE
This was the way of testifying that it was David’s will that his son, Solomon, should reign in his stead. No private person was allowed to ride upon the mount the king rode on.
Zechariah 9: 9: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
Matthew 21: 1: And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2: Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3: And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.4: All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, (this was the word of God, he did all that the scriptures be fulfilled) saying, 5: Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6: And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7: And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8: And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9: And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
No one but Christ Jesus the Son of God has any authority to fulfill the word of the Lord, to be exalted in the word of the Lord because Christ is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
THE POOL OF GIHON IS THE POOL OF SHILOAH
This is where Isaiah met Ahaz and preached the gospel of Christ Jesus saying, Isaiah 7: 14: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 8:6: the waters of Shiloah that go softly. This is where the Lord sent the blind man to wash and he came away seeing.
THE TRUMPET
I Kings 1: 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.
The trumpet is blown to announce liberty, jubilee, the gospel of God's full complete redemption of his people. Here we have the Lord’s servants, accompanied by the Captain, the Priest and the Prophet, on the King’s mount, by the waters that continually go softly, blowing the trumpet. Our King Jesus is declared by the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the scriptures through the word of the gospel.
III. CHRIST THE KING ALWAYS CONQUERS THE FALSE KING (I Kings 1: 41-49)
When God makes his people to hear the word of the Lord 3 things always happens:
1. His ministers, his faithful ambassadors, follow the King with great joy.
I Kings 1: 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.
2. All the people in whom the Spirit reveals Christ the King follow with great rejoicing.
I Kings 1: 40: And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
3. The self-exalting, false king, is put down.
I Kings 1: 41: And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar? 42: And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings. 43: And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king. 47 And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David,…48 And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it. 49: And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
Ephesians 1: 20-23 [God] raised [Christ] from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2: 9-11)
Let us rejoice:
Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1: 5,6)