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Many in our nation believe we need a leader; a leader like never before and unlike those of our present political voices. Politics are empty, we need a powerful leader who can navigate us out of the mess we are in and point us toward a better and brighter future.

We can agree with Yogi Berra when he said, “The future ain’t what it used to be.” The current season of our nation is anger and confusion. People are angry and confused at the sense of loss and lethargy in the state of our nation.

We are a divided nation. Every issue, whether major or minor, has become politicized and polarized. One cannot have genuine dialogue without heated debate and division occurring. We have lost a sense of decency and respect for others who may believe or behave differently. Regardless of one’s opinions we should still have certain common ground for the values of our nation, but unfortunately this is no longer the case. Democrats, Republicans, and even Independents no longer view themselves as citizens of the same country but now as combatants to conquer. We have exchanged “we” with “me”, so that our United States are growing more divided by each political cycle. In all, we have failed to view our neighbor as ourselves and lack love for one another as Jesus Christ showed us.

We are a debtor nation. Entitlement, extravagance, and excess are the hallmarks of the American economy. We enjoy convenience and comfort, while we have little value for contentment. The detriment of these hallmarks have been realized in our nation’s public and personal debt. Our nation’s debt is over 34 trillion dollars (trillion has 12-O’s; it’s almost doubled in last two election cycles). And while that sounds undesirable and unacceptable, American’s have tolerated government spending because their own habits are just as bad. The average home’s credit card debt is over $7K, with various other debts of education ($39k), other (~$60+K), and home expenses all averaging well over $100K in debt.[1] We are overspending to oblivion. In all, we have failed to find our identity and provision for all that is good in Jesus Christ.

We are a depraved nation. Tolerance has trumped truth and morality has become mainstream. The understanding that absolutes exist has grown arguable. The statement, “There are no absolutes” is in fact an absolutist statement. However, it is said that public policy and laws should not be based upon religious absolutes or personal faith. Yet, the reality is that every policy and law is based on some standard of measurement for right and wrong; by definition every culture has specific values. Therefore, the source of a nation’s values must be unchanging or it will be blown around by the ever-changing winds of public opinion.
Depravity in America may be debated in various behaviors. However, most all agree on the immorality of substance abuse, homicide and suicide rates, sexual violence and pornography statistics, which are all on the rise. If we allow a biblical worldview, then we must also mention the systemic injustices toward the poor and minorities, the support of alternative sexual lifestyles, and not to mention the devaluing of life. Our nation calls evil, “good” and we call good, “evil” (Isaiah 5:20; Ps 52:3); we treat the life of the unborn as a business product and we treat the life of the elderly as a burden; we have undermined the family as the foundation for society, and we are educating future generations with low expectations for character, conviction, or competency. In all, we have failed any standard of value and virtue, and this reveals our great need for the grace shown to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are a declining nation. The prophets of doom have always been in abundance. God’s judgment is firm and final, but He has not revealed any timetables. Those who make predictions are prone to their own judgment. In other words, those who say the end is near are included in that end. While it has grown the norm to voice the decline of America, one should not do so lightly. My intent is not to say, “The end is near” but only that “Danger is ahead.”

Those who affirm the Bible and analyze the world in its light must ask the question: “What would it take for God to judge America as He did OT nations?” There’s also another question, perhaps even to the skeptic, “What would God’s judgment look like in America?”

Many in America believe we need a leader who will change all this by any means possible. AND at this moment some of you may expect me to reference certain candidates for the Presidency of the U.S. Rest assured that while I have opinions on the topic, I choose not to get entangled in that battle.

Ultimately, for people of faith, we must remember that God’s people’s search for a king should start and end with Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God will not arrive from Air Force One or because of who lives in 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. We belong to an eternal kingdom and not earthly home. We are headed toward “the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10) and a “kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Heb 12:28). 

Much of what can be said of America today was said of ancient Israel. Israel thought they needed a leader – a king who would blend military and political power. Israel’s search for a king was essentially three-fold:

• Security and Protection
• Stability and Prosperity
• Significance and Prominence

These same reasons for seeking a king are seen in the opening chapters of Samuel & Kings.  

• Security to maintain family lineage
• Stability to maintain national future
• Significance to maintain spiritual heritage

EXAMINE    1 Kings 1-2 A fathers wishes

Why 1-2 Kings

• 1 of 66 to teach every book in God’s word.
• History of Israel (345+ years) is covered in the OT with indirect reference to over half the OT books; almost all the Prophets fit into this history, so understanding these books is vital to biblical literacy. Further, one can understand biblical theology and the flow of storyline from King David to OT Israel and its national division with captivity/exile and God’s unfolding plan to include Gentile nations in His kingdom.
• Biblical leadership is revealed with positive principles to adopt and negative traits to avoid. Almost all of life requires leadership, whether self-leadership, families, communities, churches, organizations & workplaces, and nations. Therefore, these books are helpful to equip us on an important topic.
• Preparation to die. In the opening chapters, we discover David has aged and death awaits. We discover 39 kings with a repeated phrase “they rested with their fathers” – they died. The original temptation was trying to be like God; and if tried, we’d die. 1-2 Kings shows many kings thinking their throne was more important than the one in heaven, and they suffer the consequences. The ultimate King of kings enters our world and teaches us death to self, promises resurrection. Therefore, learning how to truly live requires learning how to die. 1-2 Kings will help us face what we all turn away from to understand mortality but also our great need for mercy.

Father’s need God’s mercy to fight passivity.

1 Kings 1:1-6 ¹ Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. ² Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” ³ So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ⁴ The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not. ⁵ Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
⁶ His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.

Most of David’s life was active: shepherding as a boy and fighting lions and bears; volunteering to slingshot Goliath; serving king Saul; writing and playing music; dancing worship; fighting battles; becoming king and rallying a nation; showing generosity to the weak; exercising justice to the unrighteous.

David’s life erred when he was passive: when kings went to war, David relaxed on a rooftop and let his eyes wander to lust after other households. David’s passivity spiraled into sins of lust, adultery, deceit, and murder.

In this chapter we see common responses to those who have a loved one dying.[2]

An obstacle to be solved. The end of David’s life was hard. He aged fast and his body felt the pressures of leadership and pains of war. V.1 indicates David is old and cold. Long clothes and warm blankets could not keep him warm. So, the king’s attendants sought a beautiful young woman to extend body heat: Abishag the Shunammite. The text adds “but he knew her not,” to express David’s integrity, but possibly also sterility; but not his senility – his mind is still sharp as we see in these two chapters.^[3]

When a loved one is dying, people either do much or avoid the mess. Doing much includes the common respects of visitation, flowers, or  other gifts. Or, providing cozy clothes and warmed blankets with a snuggle partner. Avoiding the mess of dying and death means escape in the wrong method, or just not showing up at all. People see death as an obstacle to be solved and respond in various ways.

The Bible presents how to respond with life’s trials and tragedies: “weep with those who weep” (Ro 12:15); “bear one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2); or when the disciples honored Jesus’ body with wrappings and a proper burial (Jn 19:38, ff.). Christians shouldn’t see death as an obstacle but a rite of passage into the glorious bliss of eternal life.

An opportunity to sieze: Adonijah saw his father’s death as a moment to self-promote. The rest of the chapter Adonijah seeks to become heir to the throne and ruler of the kingdom.

This mindset happens when family/friends are dying/die, they look for what they can gain: financially, property, or position. But Jesus asked, “What does it profit a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Mk 8:36) We need to see people are more valuable than stuff.

Notice also the text describes Adonijah’s character from the father’s actions: David never at any time displeased Adonijah by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” In other words, David’s passivity to discipline his son cultivated a contentious child and rebellious adversary. And others: Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet are left to cleanup David’s negligence. When we see David’s children, we see that he fell into the trap of giving excellence at work but shoddiness at home. He had at least 21 children (others unknown with concubines; 1 Chron 3:1-9), but all of them were undisciplined and without an unashamed legacy.

A good & loving father understands discipline – both formative and corrective – is a necessary element to an exceptional & royal family.

An occasion to retaliate. At the end of David’s life, he will give his son Solomon instructions for the royal family. While David does give Solomon spiritual advice, he also exercises revenge as his last wishes:
2 Kings 2:5-9 ⁵ “Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. ⁶ Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. ⁷ But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. ⁸ And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’
⁹ Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.” ¹⁰ Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. ¹¹ And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ¹² So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

When David dies, there is no reported individual, familial, or national lamentation; not even much of a fitting eulogy: he reigned 40 years and slept with his fathers. His last words were graceless and ruthless. David dies in the middle of a family fight, that will end in further tragedy based upon David’s elderly edge for revenge.

For us, there will come a moment when you are nearing your end – end of a day; end of a week; end of a school or calendar year; end of a job or visit… whatever it is, you have an occasion to retaliate or reconcile. Is there someone God wants you to pursue peace; or do you want you legacy to be one of payback, conflict, and regret?

Not to end on an unpleasant principle…

Father’s need God’s mercy to fight passivity.

Father’s need God’s mercy to promote faith.

2 Kings 2:1-4 ¹ When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son…

David was without physical or political power. He was also living on borrowed time. In David’s last moments, he knew he needed to communicate with his son Solomon to transition the nation – and God’s kingdom.

In the Bible, the difference between good and great leaders are those that have planned their transition.

• Adam was without a spiritual successor, and God eventually flooded the earth.
• Abraham loved Isaac, and imperfect but faith-filled generations created a nation: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob/Israel with 12 sons/tribes.
• Moses trained and empowered Joshua to enter the promised land. But after Joshua, there arose another generation who neither knew the LORD nor what He had done for Israel, and they did evil and served idols (Judges 2:10-11).
• Jesus trained 12 disciples who became witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Legacies are measured not just by what you have gained but who you have grown. Our accomplishments are not merely positions, property, and payroll but people. We aren’t entirely sure of how much time David spent with Solomon. We know Solomon was wise – perhaps from David’s examples and errors. But we also know that Solomon was unprepared to be king; which is why he asked for wisdom to lead (1Ki 3:7-9).

Legacies are measured not just by what you have gained but who you have grown.

But David’s parting wisdom to Solomon is central for promoting faith to the next generation. David’s charge provides Solomon 3 convictions for life.

² “I am about to go the way of all the earth.

A conviction of profound humility; knowing the brevity to life, and essentialness to eternity in heaven. David’s other son, Adonijah only wanted to exalt himself; he had “yearbook mentality.”^[4]  If you remember getting your yearbook one of the first things you likely did was look for your picture! Then you went to the appendix to find your name and what other pictures you were in. This mindset is short-sighted, and the world we live in is also self-absorbed. People are stuck on themselves instead of a dosage of reality, much more humility before the eternal God.

David’s charge to Solomon that he was dying, reminded his son that he was not the standard – God was. We prepare our children by equipping them to live as adults independent of their parents emotionally, economically, and eternally (spiritually).

² Be strong, and show yourself a man,

A conviction of personal identity. This phrasing is familiar to earlier spiritual heroes: “be strong and courageous, the LORD is with you.”[5]

David’s identity and confidence was shaped by shepherding. He spent time meditating upon God in the open pasture. When he faced dangers, he leaned upon the Lord’s strength to defeat predatory lions and bears. And these moments prepared him on the battle field facing the taunts of a tall Goliath. But David had something in his repertoire that many other Israelites didn’t have: confidence in God.

Our confidence comes not merely from talent, education, or accomplishment, but from knowing the presence of God is with us (Ze 4:6; Ro 8:31). Confidence doesn’t mean a person doesn’t get afraid, but it’s courage that has said its prayers before a God who hears.

³ and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, ⁴ that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

A conviction of particular spirituality.
David reminded Solomon that he was the next king not because of David’s decree but because of God’s authority.

God promised to establish David’s royal line based upon the sincerity of relationship he had with the Lord (cf 2Sam 7). If David, or his sons, would betray the Lord, then they would be punished, but those who obeyed would be established in the most blessed family of God, forever.

Likewise, Solomon’s kingship was to be founded upon God’s word; He was not to rule according to his own standards, for no leader should be above the law but under God’s law.

Our particular spirituality is rooted in the Scriptures. A godly legacy cannot be written apart from God’s word.  

David’s charge to Solomon provided three convictions: a conviction of profound humility, personal identity, and particular spirituality… A godly legacy cannot be written apart from God’s word.  

APPLY/TAKEAWAY

1 Kings 1-2 describes a depraved world with disordered leadership. The nation’s leaders are elderly, pragmatic but not principled, eager to deceive and shed blood.
Sound familiar?

Likewise, we are a failing people living in a flawed world. We have the potential to finish badly just like David and Solomon. Yet, we are relying upon a greater king who finished well, doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain conceit, but humbling self, even becoming obedient to death for the sake of others – for us. Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest position and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

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[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/average-american-debt#:~:text=The%20average%20debt%20an%20American,%2C%20credit%20score%2C%20and%20state.

[2] Thoughts inspired and adapted from Eugene Peterson, Leap Over A Wall, p.217, ff.

^[3] Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, vol. 8, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 87.

^[4] Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2015), 8.

[5] See Dt. 31:6; Jo 1:9; Isa 41:10; Dan 10:19; Mt 14:27; Jn 14:1; 1 Cor 16:13; Ep 6:10; 2Tim 1:7