1 Kings, Chapter 1,
Verse 49-50
49 All the guests of Adonijah got up
trembling, and went each their way, 50 but Adonijah, in fear of
Solomon, got up and went to grasp the horns of the altar.
In King David’s old age,
he developed circulatory problems, and a beautiful young woman named Abishag
was brought to the king to attend him and “keep him warm.” Abishag slept in the
king’s bed to provide body heat, though she and David were never sexually
intimate (1 Kings 1:1–4). After David’s death, his son Solomon became king.
Shortly afterward, another of David’s sons, Adonijah, who had at one time tried
to take over the kingdom, hatched another plot to wrest control from King
Solomon. Adonijah’s first step was to ask Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, to
secure Solomon’s permission to give him Abishag as a wife. Adonijah’s request
seems innocuous enough, but it was full of subterfuge. Solomon’s initial
response was one of indignation. He said to his mother, “Why do you request
Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for
him—after all, he is my older brother” (1 Kings 2:22). Solomon rightly saw
Adonijah’s desire to marry Abishag as part of his brother’s ongoing attempt to
take over the kingdom of Israel. In those days of royal harems, taking
possession of a king’s concubines was a declaration of one’s right to the
throne. This had been one of Absalom’s methods when he led a coup against David
(2 Samuel 16:22). Since Abishag was considered part of David’s harem, her
marriage to Adonijah would have strengthened the usurper’s claim to the throne.
In judgment for Adonijah’s request, Solomon said, “God do so to me and more
also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life!” (1 Kings 2:23). He quickly
sent Benaiah, one of their father’s mighty men, to execute Adonijah. The
tension between Adonijah and Solomon had been longstanding. Adonijah was older
than Solomon and therefore, under normal circumstances, in line before Solomon
for the throne. But God promised that Solomon would be king. Adonijah had
already attempted to set himself up as king while David was still alive; when
David was notified of the plot, he quickly made Solomon’s kingship official (1
Kings 1:38–40). Adonijah’s followers had fled, leaving him in a situation where
he could have been killed for his rebellion. King Solomon mercifully granted
Adonijah his life on the condition that he pay homage to the king and give up
his claim to the throne (1 Kings 1:52–53).[1]
What does it mean to grasp the horns of the altar? [2]
The innocent blood of
the bull represents life over death rubbed on the horn of salvation. The horns
represent salvation, forgiveness of sins, and power over death, strength, and
mercy for mankind which put together describes God. Rubbing the blood on the
horn with a finger illustrates reconciliation of man with God and no death when
the horn is touched because the sacrificial blood stands in the gap between man
and God on his finger. So this is access to God through the blood of no sin
which Adam housed before he disobeyed God. Adam had this power to cover Eve but
chose disobedience instead of utilizing his power. Jesus is the blood between
the finger and horn. That's the intercession for man.
Apparition of St. Michael[3]
It is evident from Holy Scripture that God is pleased to make frequent use of the ministry of the heavenly spirits in the dispensations of His providence in this world. The Angels are all pure spirits; by a property of their nature they are immortal, as is every spirit. They have the power of moving or conveying themselves at will from place to place, and such is their activity that it is not easy for us to conceive of it. Among the holy Archangels, Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are particularly distinguished in the Scriptures. Saint Michael, whose name means Who is like unto God?, is the prince of the faithful Angels who opposed Lucifer and his followers in their revolt against God. Since the devil is the sworn enemy of God’s holy Church, Saint Michael is given to it by God as its special protector against the demon’s assaults and stratagems.
Various apparitions of this powerful Angel have proved the protection of Saint Michael over the Church. We may mention his apparition in Rome, where Saint Gregory the Great saw him in the air sheathing his sword, to signal the cessation of a pestilence and the appeasement of God’s wrath. Another apparition to Saint Ausbert, bishop of Avranches in France, led to the construction of Mont-Saint-Michel in the sea, a famous pilgrimage site. May 8th, however, is destined to recall another no less marvelous apparition, occurring near Monte Gargano in the Kingdom of Naples. In the year 492 a man named Gargan was pasturing his large herds in the countryside. One day a bull fled to the mountain, where it could not be found. When its refuge in a cave was discovered, an arrow was shot into the cave, but the arrow returned to wound the one who had sent it. Faced with this mysterious occurrence, the persons concerned decided to consult the bishop of the region. He ordered three days of fasting and prayers. After three days, the Archangel Michael appeared to the bishop and declared that the cavern where the bull had taken refuge was under his protection, and that God wanted it to be consecrated under his name and in honor of all the Holy Angels. Accompanied by his clergy and people, the pontiff went to that cavern, which he found already disposed in the form of a church. The divine mysteries were celebrated there, and there arose in this same place a magnificent temple where the divine Power has wrought great miracles. To thank God’s adorable goodness for the protection of the holy Archangel, the effect of His merciful Providence, this feast day was instituted by the Church in his honor. It is said of this special guardian and protector of the Church that, during the final persecution of Antichrist, he will powerfully defend it: “At that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince who protects the children of thy people.”
The Mighty Men of
David[4]
The Old Testament contains some of the most remarkable stories. Many of these tales revolve around a young shepherd boy named David who grew up to become the great King of Israel. His ascension to the throne was not without difficulties. Shortly after he was anointed by the prophet Samuel, David fell out of favor with the establishment and had to flee for his life. He hid out in the wilderness outside of Jerusalem with a group of his loyal followers. The Bible calls this group “David’s mighty warriors.” C. David Jones, in his book David’s Mighty Men, describes David’s entourage as a magnificent, special elite force of fearless warriors. They were extraordinarily strong, courageous, unflinchingly brave, and completely committed to David. They were thirty-seven of the most fierce and dedicated warriors that ever lived. Jones writes,
They were a combination of combat commandos, stealth rangers, navy seals, green beret, special ops and Delta forces who had acquired the skills of battle demanded to survive and conquer in hand-to-hand warfare. They engaged in clandestine operations and were often outnumbered by staggering odds pitted against them, yet they stood their ground. Time after time on fields of battle they were the last men standing.
One story in 2 Samuel recounts a time when David’s mighty men overheard King David say, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!” (2 Samuel 23:15). At this point in time, Israel’s hated enemies, the Philistines, had taken control of the city of Bethlehem. It was heavily guarded. The three mighty men, on their own, went down and fought their way through the lines of the Philistines. They made their way to the well in Bethlehem, where they drew water to take back to the young King. They eluded the pursuing Philistines, returned to their hideout, and presented the water to David. To their surprise, David would not drink the water they had risked their lives to retrieve. He poured it on the ground instead. David was not rejecting the sacrifice of the men who had gotten water for him. Rather, he was pronouncing their sacrifice too holy for him to selfishly consume. What an inspiring picture of the way Christians are called to live their lives. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:15 that because Christ died for us, “…those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” This Old Testament story vibrantly illustrates the fact that we should not selfishly live our lives for ourselves. David poured the water out on the ground as a sacrifice to the Lord. Likewise, we are to take the priceless gifts that God has given us and pour them out as a sacrifice in service to Him and to our fellow man. This is what the Bible calls stewardship.
Stewardship is one of the most important and practical themes laid out in the Bible, and yet is often overlooked or minimized by Christians today. The Bible says a great deal about stewardship because this concept touches every area of our lives. The Disciple’s Study Bible defines stewardship as,
… a way of living that involves one’s daily activities, values and goals for life, and the use of all possessions. It begins with God and His plans for creation and purposes for humankind. The steward is God’s responsible representative and manager of all creation.
Daily
Devotions/Prayers
[1]
http://www.gotquestions.org/Solomon-Adonijah-Abishag.html
[3]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-05-08
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