Which Candidate?

I Kings 1:1, Now King David was old, advanced in years…  15, now the king was very old.

King David was “termed out”.  It was time for a new king – but who?

Adonijah decided he’d run for the office…

I Kings 1:5a, Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.”

He plotted out a great convention to nominate and endorse him…

I Kings 1:5b, and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

He was impressive and gathered a great team of supporters…

I Kings 1:6-7, He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom. Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah.

Then he held a great convention of impressive events with a great number of guests so to be officially chosen as the next king…

I Kings 1:9, And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants…

25, he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 

(En Rogel was at the SE corner of Jerusalem, outside the wall.)

But not all were on board with Adonijah’s desire and campaign…

I Kings 1:15, So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king… 17, and said to him, “My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’”

The existing ruling “party” put up their own candidate and arranged their own impressive convention with a list of distinguished dignitaries in attendance…

I Kings 1:32-34, King David said…let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel.

38-39, So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

(Gihon is a spring of water about ½ mile north of En Rogel, but obscured from En Rogel by a hill.)

The energy, joy and “popular vote” went to Solomon…

I Kings 1:40-41, All the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound. Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?”… 46, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. Moreover the king’s servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, “May God make the name of Solomon better than your name.”

The defeated party was greatly troubled – even fearful…

I Kings 1:49-50, So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way. Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon.

And then came an inauguration with a charge from the dying king David…

I Kings 2:2-3, Prove yourself a man… (with a hand on the Bible and right hand raised) keep the charge of the Lord your God… (and a blessing) that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.

I Kings 2:12, Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.