O. Addison Gethers e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected] window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
----- Original Message ----- From: "Donnie Parrett" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 11:46 PM Subject: Daily Bible Reading For Monday April 6 >1 Kings 1-3 (The Message) > > 1 Kings 1 > > David > 1-4King David grew old. The years had caught up with him. Even though they > piled blankets on him, > he couldn't keep warm. So his servants said to him, "We're > going to get a young virgin for our master the king to be at his side and > look after him; she'll get > in bed with you and arouse our master the king." So > they searched the country of Israel for the most ravishing girl they could > find; they found Abishag > the Shunammite and brought her to the king. The girl > was stunningly beautiful; she stayed at his side and looked after the > king, but the king did not > have sex with her. > > 5-6 At this time Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, puffed himself up > saying, "I'm the next king!" > He made quite a splash, with chariots and riders and > fifty men to run ahead of him. His father had spoiled him rotten as a > child, never once reprimanding > him. Besides that, he was very good-looking and the > next in line after Absalom. > > 7-8 Adonijah talked with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, > and they threw their > weight on his side. But neither the priest Zadok, nor Benaiah > son of Jehoiada, nor Nathan the prophet, nor Shimei and Rei, nor David's > personal bodyguards > supported Adonijah. > > 9-10 Next Adonijah held a coronation feast, sacrificing sheep, cattle, and > grain-fed heifers at the > Stone of Zoheleth near the Rogel Spring. He invited > all his brothers, the king's sons, and everyone in Judah who had position > and influence-but he did > not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the bodyguards, > or his brother Solomon. > > 11-14 Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Did you know that > Adonijah, Haggith's son, has > taken over as king, and our master David doesn't know > a thing about it? Quickly now, let me tell you how you can save both your > own life and Solomon's. Go > immediately to King David. Speak up: 'Didn't you, > my master the king, promise me, "Your son Solomon will be king after me > and sit on my throne"? So > why is Adonijah now king?' While you're there talking > with the king, I'll come in and corroborate your story." > > 15-16 Bathsheba went at once to the king in his palace bedroom. He was so > old! Abishag was at his > side making him comfortable. As Bathsheba bowed low, > honoring the king, he said, "What do you want?" > > 17-21 "My master," she said, "you promised me in God's name, 'Your son > Solomon will be king after > me and sit on my throne.' And now look what's happened-Adonijah > has taken over as king, and my master the king doesn't even know it! He > has thrown a huge coronation > feast-cattle and grain-fed heifers and sheep-inviting > all the king's sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab head of the army. But > your servant Solomon was > not invited. My master the king, every eye in Israel > is watching you to see what you'll do-to see who will sit on the throne of > my master the king after > him. If you fail to act, the moment you're buried my > son Solomon and I are as good as dead." > > 22-23 Abruptly, while she was telling the king all this, Nathan the > prophet came in and was > announced: "Nathan the prophet is here." He came before the > king, honoring him by bowing deeply, his face touching the ground. > > 24-27 "My master the king," Nathan began, "did you say, 'Adonijah shall be > king after me and sit on > my throne'? Because that's what's happening. He's thrown > a huge coronation feast-cattle, grain-fed heifers, sheep-inviting all the > king's sons, the army > officers, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a grand > time, eating and drinking and shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!' But I > wasn't invited, nor was the > priest Zadok, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your > servant Solomon. Is this something that my master the king has done behind > our backs, not telling > your servants who you intended to be king after you?" > > 28 King David took action: "Get Bathsheba back in here." She entered and > stood before the king. > > 29-30 The king solemnly promised, "As God lives, the God who delivered me > from every kind of > trouble, I'll do exactly what I promised in God's name, the > God of Israel: Your son Solomon will be king after me and take my place on > the throne. And I'll make > sure it happens this very day." > > 31 Bathsheba bowed low, her face to the ground. Kneeling in reverence > before the king she said, > "Oh, may my master, King David, live forever!" > > 32 King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and > Benaiah son of Jehoiada." They > came to the king. > > 33-35 Then he ordered, "Gather my servants, then mount my son Solomon on > my royal mule and lead him > in procession down to Gihon. When you get there, Zadok > the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel. Then > blow the ram's horn trumpet > and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!' You will then > accompany him as he enters and takes his place on my throne, succeeding me > as king. I have named him > ruler over Israel and Judah." > > 36-37 Benaiah son of Jehoiada backed the king: "Yes! And may God, the God > of my master the king, > confirm it! Just as God has been with my master the king, > may he also be with Solomon and make his rule even greater than that of my > master King David!" > > 38-40 Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, > and the king's personal > bodyguard (the Kerethites and Pelethites) went down, > mounted Solomon on King David's mule, and paraded with him to Gihon. Zadok > the priest brought a > flask of oil from the sanctuary and anointed Solomon. They > blew the ram's horn trumpet and everyone shouted, "Long live King > Solomon!" Everyone joined the > fanfare, the band playing and the people singing, the very > earth reverberating to the sound. > > 41 Adonijah and his retinue of guests were just finishing their > "coronation" feast when they heard > it. When Joab heard the blast of the ram's horn trumpet > he said, "What's going on here? What's all this uproar?" > > 42 Suddenly, in the midst of the questioning, Jonathan son of Abiathar the > priest, showed up. > Adonijah said, "Welcome! A brave and good man like you must > have good news." > > 43-48 But Jonathan answered, "Hardly! Our master King David has just made > Solomon king! And the > king has surrounded him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the > prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Kerethites and Pelethites; and > they've mounted Solomon on > the royal mule. Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet > have anointed him king at Gihon and the parade is headed up this way > singing-a great fanfare! The > city is rocking! That's what you're hearing. Here's the > crowning touch-Solomon is seated on the throne of the kingdom! And that's > not all: The king's > servants have come to give their blessing to our master King > David saying, 'God make Solomon's name even more honored than yours, and > make his rule greater than > yours!' On his deathbed the king worshiped God and > prayed, 'Blessed be God, Israel's God, who has provided a successor to my > throne, and I've lived to > see it!'" > > 49-50 Panicked, Adonijah's guests got out of there, scattering every which > way. But Adonijah > himself, afraid for his life because of Solomon, fled to the > sanctuary and grabbed the horns of the Altar. > > 51 Solomon was told, "Adonijah, fearful of King Solomon, has taken > sanctuary and seized the horns > of the Altar and is saying, 'I'm not leaving until King > Solomon promises that he won't kill me.'" > > 52-53 Solomon then said, "If he proves to be a man of honor, not a hair of > his head will be hurt; > but if there is evil in him, he'll die." Solomon summoned > him and they brought him from the Altar. Adonijah came and bowed down, > honoring the king. Solomon > dismissed him, "Go home." > > 1 Kings 2 > 1-4When David's time to die approached, he charged his son Solomon, > saying, "I'm about to go the > way of all the earth, but you-be strong; show what you're > made of! Do what God tells you. Walk in the paths he shows you: Follow the > life-map absolutely, keep > an eye out for the signposts, his course for life > set out in the revelation to Moses; then you'll get on well in whatever > you do and wherever you go. > Then God will confirm what he promised me when he said, > 'If your sons watch their step, staying true to me heart and soul, you'll > always have a successor on > Israel's throne.' > > 5-6 "And don't forget what Joab son of Zeruiah did to the two commanders > of Israel's army, to Abner > son of Ner and to Amasa son of Jether. He murdered > them in cold blood, acting in peacetime as if he were at war, and has been > stained with that blood > ever since. Do what you think best with him, but by > no means let him get off scot-free-make him pay. > > 7 "But be generous to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite-extend every > hospitality to them; that's > the way they treated me when I was running for my life > from Absalom your brother. > > 8-9 "You also will have to deal with Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite > from Bahurim, the one who > cursed me so viciously when I was on my way to Mahanaim. > Later, when he welcomed me back at the Jordan, I promised him under God, > 'I won't put you to death.' > But neither should you treat him as if nothing ever > happened. You're wise, you know how to handle these things. You'll know > what to do to make him pay > before he dies." > > 10-12 Then David joined his ancestors. He was buried in the City of David. > David ruled Israel for > forty years-seven years in Hebron and another thirty-three > in Jerusalem. Solomon took over on the throne of his father David; he had > a firm grip on the > kingdom. > > Solomon > 13-14 Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She > said, "Do you come in peace?" > > He said, "In peace." And then, "May I say something to you?" > > "Go ahead," she said, "speak." > > 15-16 "You know that I had the kingdom right in my hands and everyone > expected me to be king, and > then the whole thing backfired and the kingdom landed > in my brother's lap-God's doing. So now I have one request to ask of you; > please don't refuse me." > > "Go ahead, ask," she said. > > 17 "Ask King Solomon-he won't turn you down-to give me Abishag the > Shunammite as my wife." > > 18 "Certainly," said Bathsheba. "I'll speak to the king for you." > > 19 Bathsheba went to King Solomon to present Adonijah's request. The king > got up and welcomed her, > bowing respectfully, and returned to his throne. Then > he had a throne put in place for his mother, and she sat at his right > hand. > > 20 She said, "I have a small favor to ask of you. Don't refuse me." > > The king replied, "Go ahead, Mother; of course I won't refuse you." > > 21 She said, "Give Abishag the Shunammite to your brother Adonijah as his > wife." > > 22 King Solomon answered his mother, "What kind of favor is this, asking > that Abishag the > Shunammite be given to Adonijah? Why don't you just ask me to > hand over the whole kingdom to him on a platter since he is my older > brother and has Abiathar the > priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side!" > > 23-24 Then King Solomon swore under God, "May God do his worst to me if > Adonijah doesn't pay for > this with his life! As surely as God lives, the God who > has set me firmly on the throne of my father David and has put me in > charge of the kingdom just as > he promised, Adonijah will die for this-today!" > > 25 King Solomon dispatched Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck Adonijah and > he died. > > 26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, "You're exiled to your place in > Anathoth. You deserve > death but I'm not going to kill you-for now anyway-because > you were in charge of the Chest of our ruling God in the company of David > my father, and because you > shared all the hard times with my father." > > 27 Solomon stripped Abiathar of his priesthood, fulfilling God's word at > Shiloh regarding the > family of Eli. > > 28-29 When this news reached Joab, this Joab who had conspired with > Adonijah (although he had > remained loyal in the Absalom affair), he took refuge in > the sanctuary of God, seizing the horns of the Altar and holding on for > dear life. King Solomon was > told that Joab had escaped to the sanctuary of God > and was clinging to the Altar; he immediately sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada > with orders, "Kill him." > > 30 Benaiah went to the sanctuary of God and said, "King's orders: Come > out." > > He said, "No-I'll die right here." > > Benaiah went back to the king and reported, "This was Joab's answer." > > 31-33 The king said, "Go ahead then, do what he says: Kill him and bury > him. Absolve me and my > father's family of the guilt from Joab's senseless murders. > God is avenging those bloody murders on Joab's head. Two men he murdered, > men better by far than he > ever was: Behind my father's back he brutally murdered > Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, > commander of Judah's army. > Responsibility for their murders is forever fixed on > Joab and his descendants; but for David and his descendants, his family > and kingdom, the final > verdict is God's peace." > > 34-35 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went back, struck Joab, and killed him. > He was buried in his > family plot out in the desert. The king appointed Benaiah > son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and replaced Abiathar with > Zadok the priest. > > 36-37 The king next called in Shimei and told him, "Build yourself a house > in Jerusalem and live > there, but you are not to leave the area. If you so much > as cross the Brook Kidron, you're as good as dead-you will have decreed > your own death sentence." > > 38 Shimei answered the king, "Oh, thank you! Your servant will do exactly > as my master the king > says." Shimei lived in Jerusalem a long time. > > 39-40 But it so happened that three years later, two of Shimei's slaves > ran away to Achish son of > Maacah, king of Gath. Shimei was told, "Your slaves are > in Gath." Shimei sprang into action, saddled his donkey, and went to > Achish in Gath looking for his > slaves. And then he came back, bringing his slaves. > > 41 Solomon was told, "Shimei left Jerusalem for Gath, and now he's back." > > 42-43 Solomon then called for Shimei and said, "Didn't I make you promise > me under God, and give > you a good warning besides, that you would not leave this > area? That if you left you would have decreed your own death sentence? And > didn't you say, 'Oh, > thank you-I'll do exactly as you say'? So why didn't you > keep your sacred promise and do what I ordered?" > > 44-45 Then the king told Shimei, "Deep in your heart you know all the evil > that you did to my > father David; God will now avenge that evil on you. But King > Solomon will be blessed and the rule of David will be a sure thing under > God forever." > > 46 The king then gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he went out and > struck Shimei dead. > > The kingdom was now securely in Solomon's grasp. > > 1 Kings 3 > 1-3 Solomon arranged a marriage contract with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He > married Pharaoh's daughter > and brought her to the City of David until he had completed > building his royal palace and God's Temple and the wall around Jerusalem. > Meanwhile, the people were > worshiping at local shrines because at that time no > temple had yet been built to the Name of God. Solomon loved God and > continued to live in the > God-honoring ways of David his father, except that he also > worshiped at the local shrines, offering sacrifices and burning incense. > > 4-5 The king went to Gibeon, the most prestigious of the local shrines, to > worship. He sacrificed a > thousand Whole-Burnt-Offerings on that altar. That > night, there in Gibeon, God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, > "What can I give you? Ask." > > 6 Solomon said, "You were extravagantly generous in love with David my > father, and he lived > faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and > his heart right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by > giving him-and this very > day!-a son to sit on his throne. > > 7-8 "And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler > of the kingdom in place > of David my father. I'm too young for this, a mere child! > I don't know the ropes, hardly know the 'ins' and 'outs' of this job. And > here I am, set down in the > middle of the people you've chosen, a great people-far > too many to ever count. > > 9 "Here's what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your > people well, discerning the > difference between good and evil. For who on their > own is capable of leading your glorious people?" > > 10-14 God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon's response. And God said > to him, "Because you > have asked for this and haven't grasped after a long life, > or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability > to lead and govern well, > I'll give you what you've asked for-I'm giving you > a wise and mature heart. There's never been one like you before; and > there'll be no one after. As a > bonus, I'm giving you both the wealth and glory you > didn't ask for-there's not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark. > And if you stay on course, > keeping your eye on the life-map and the God-signs > as your father David did, I'll also give you a long life." > > 15 Solomon woke up-what a dream! He returned to Jerusalem, took his place > before the Chest of the > Covenant of God, and worshiped by sacrificing Whole-Burnt-Offerings > and Peace-Offerings. Then he laid out a banquet for everyone in his > service. > > 16-21 The very next thing, two prostitutes showed up before the king. The > one woman said, "My > master, this woman and I live in the same house. While we > were living together, I had a baby. Three days after I gave birth, this > woman also had a baby. We > were alone-there wasn't anyone else in the house except > for the two of us. The infant son of this woman died one night when she > rolled over on him in her > sleep. She got up in the middle of the night and took > my son-I was sound asleep, mind you!-and put him at her breast and put her > dead son at my breast. > When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, here was > this dead baby! But when I looked at him in the morning light, I saw > immediately that he wasn't my > baby." > > 22 "Not so!" said the other woman. "The living one's mine; the dead one's > yours." > > The first woman countered, "No! Your son's the dead one; mine's the > living one." > > They went back and forth this way in front of the king. > > 23 The king said, "What are we to do? This woman says, 'The living son is > mine and the dead one is > yours,' and this woman says, 'No, the dead one's yours > and the living one's mine.'" > > 24 After a moment the king said, "Bring me a sword." They brought the > sword to the king. > > 25 Then he said, "Cut the living baby in two-give half to one and half to > the other." > > 26 The real mother of the living baby was overcome with emotion for her > son and said, "Oh no, > master! Give her the whole baby alive; don't kill him!" > > But the other one said, "If I can't have him, you can't have him-cut > away!" > > 27 The king gave his decision: "Give the living baby to the first woman. > Nobody is going to kill > this baby. She is the real mother." > > 28 The word got around-everyone in Israel heard of the king's judgment. > They were all in awe of the > king, realizing that it was God's wisdom that enabled > him to judge truly. > > > Please join us on Skype Monday thru Friday at 8:00 EST for our Morning > Skype Prayer Time. > > > Contact Me At: > Donnie Parrett > 1956 Asa Flat Road > Annville, Kentucky 40402 > Home Phone: 606-364-3321 > Church Phone: 606-364-PRAY > Skype Name: Donnie1261 > Email: [email protected] > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/DBILG?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
