"When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 'I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 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, 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 few thoughts. Firstly, the first verse (a wonderful place to begin). When David realized that his time on earth was about to come to an end, he commanded, or charged his son. This is an common Old Testament practice of fathers. Both Isaac and Jacob gave blessings to their sons. This had many purposes. For one, it demonstrated who was to be the next patriarch of the family. Joseph was actually upset with Jacob because he blessed Joseph's younger son instead of the older. Jacob himself was blessed instead of his older brother. God commonly reverses the order of honor and authority that man establishes. Think of David and his brothers. Think of Cain and Abel. The Bible is just filled with this message. But anyway, this fatherly blessing came to Solomon in the way of a command. David was saying, "I can do no more for God. Now you have to continue my legacy." Jesse, a man well-known by Jews and Christians alike, was no more than a sheep owner. His offspring made him famous. The same is true with Mary and Joseph, Elisabeth and Jonathan, Amram and Jochabed, and many other parents in the Bible. A good test of a person's character is the character of their children. Of course this may not be an absolute principle, but it's a pretty stinkin' close. Are your children well-behaved? Then you're probably a pretty disciplined character yourself. Are your children selfish and materialistic? Then you are probably driven too much by the love of money. Are your children obsessive alcoholics? They probably picked it up at home. Do your children read the Bible and live by it? They were probably following your example. Only by the grace of God are negative trends in families broken. God's electing love can overcome a family drug problem or an entertainment-driven family lifestyle. We need to make it our goal to cultivate good family habits and a strong, Christian heritage in our children.
Secondly, note that David in no way offers the Gospel to his son. The idea that our children are heathens in need of saving is as unBiblical as any doctrine I've ever heard. Look at the last verses of our passage. What does David call his son to do? Be faithful to the covenant that God had made with his father, and therefore, with him. Covenant children to need to personalize salvation. There is no doubt about it. But these children are not mere heathens as the bapist would have you believe. Covenant children are born into a covenant with God by virtue of the religion of the family. The family is to be Christian, not merely members of that family. Children of even one Christian parent are considered set apart by God (1 Corinthians 7:14). David tells Solomon that he must make it his duty in life to be faithful to God's covenant obligations. Only through such obedience could the covenant obligations be enjoyed.
Thirdly, what inheritance do we leave to our children? Is it wealth? Is it a trade? Is it street smarts? Or is it the Gospel? Clearly, David's last wish was that Solomon would follow God first and foremost. Everything else that Solomon needed to know and do as king would flow from obedience to God. Successful careers are worthless if the Gospel heritage is scorned. What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Jesus was right (as always). He put it so well. This phrase should make us consider our priorities. Do you choose football over raising your children in a Godly school? Do you choose a secular college because you think it will be better for your child's career? Are opportunities in life more important than eternal life? We demonstrate our unbelief when Christianity becomes a Sunday thing and education and entertainment occupy the week. The emphasis we place on the importance of following God will manifest itself. The refusal to break God's commandments in the face of crisis will impact your children. They will follow the leader. Principles will matter as much to them as they do to you. If you put money before obedience, so will they. The blessing that David gave to Solomon was not merely a "I hope you do this" right before he died. It was a command to continue that which David had been teaching him his whole life.
Fourthly, David's instruction to his son could only be successful so far as Solomon was acquainted with the way, commandments, testimonies, rules, and statutes of the Lord. We can hope our children turn out well, but if we do not immerse them in the Word, we're hoping in vain. The Word of God must be the cornerstone of any family. The emphasis given to the Word can not be overdone. The respect for and obedience to the oracles of God must be established early and must be held consistently. If we say one thing and act another way, our children will notice. If we preach the Bible but follow our emotions and the desires of the world, our children will copy our behavior. We must use the Word as our guide. The guide marks the path and we must follow that path. The Word of God must be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our paths. Darkness and stumbling blocks await those who stray from God's revelation.
Lastly, fathers need to man up and lead their families. With Joshua they need to declare, "As for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh!" Our society will crumble if we don't. Unfortunately, Solomon strayed in his old age from God's ways and the result was the separation and eventual demolition of the nation. Is America exempt from this principle? I think not. Christianity is not a wimpy religion. It requires ment o step up and lead. We must pass on similar blessings to our sons, but we must lay them in the foundation of a family lifestyle grounded in God's revealed will. Fathers, David is speaking to you when he speaks to Solomon. "Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God!"
Comments
Post a Comment