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Abiathar’s Choice
We have no record of Abiathar’s personal opinions, politics, or religious views. Everything that he says is recorded as God’s Word to David. But his actions speak louder than words. Even though he is not recorded as saying anything, just being there makes a powerful statement.
In the time of David, the firstborn son was traditionally considered his father’s main heir. For a king, that would mean that the firstborn son would inherit the throne. God is, however, never bound by tradition. As a matter of fact, during the history of Israel He often overlooked firstborns to call others, sometimes by divine decrees and sometimes by the circumstances and choices of the firstborn themselves (See Gen. 4:1–5, 21:8–12, 25:21–36, 48:8–19, 1 Sam. 16:6–12).
Read 1 Kings 1:1–8. What could have caused Abiathar, who had been so loyal to David, to do what he did here?
Solomon was not the oldest son and so by custom would not normally have succeeded his father as king. The oldest son, Amnon, had been killed by his brother Absalom. Absalom, in turn, had been killed during his unsuccessful coup attempt. And now the fourth oldest son, Adonijah, felt that the throne was rightfully his. Adonijah conferred with Joab and Abiathar, and they gave him their support (1 Kings 1:7).
Solomon was younger than Adonijah and had a shameful family background. His mother was none other than Bathsheba, the former wife of Uriah the Hittite, who was murdered in order to cover David’s affair with Bathsheba. But in spite of his shameful background, Solomon was loved by God (2 Sam. 12:24), and it was clear that God had chosen him to be David’s successor (1 Chron. 22:9, 10). In the face of this uncomfortable choice, it may be that Abiathar could not reconcile himself with the public scandal that the choice would cause, and so he falls back on tradition as opposed to God’s revealed will.
Tradition can be very comfortable, as it saves us from taking responsibility to think things through in the light of God’s revealed will. It is much easier and “safer” just to say, “We’ve always done it like this.”
How often do we let tradition get in the way of God’s leading? At the same time, why must we be careful not to judge things automatically as mere “tradition” and then brush them off?
| WEDNESDAY | November 10 |
We have no record of Abiathar’s personal opinions, politics, or religious views. Everything that he says is recorded as God’s Word to David. But his actions speak louder than words. Even though he is not recorded as saying anything, just being there makes a powerful statement.
In the time of David, the firstborn son was traditionally considered his father’s main heir. For a king, that would mean that the firstborn son would inherit the throne. God is, however, never bound by tradition. As a matter of fact, during the history of Israel He often overlooked firstborns to call others, sometimes by divine decrees and sometimes by the circumstances and choices of the firstborn themselves (See Gen. 4:1–5, 21:8–12, 25:21–36, 48:8–19, 1 Sam. 16:6–12).
Read 1 Kings 1:1–8. What could have caused Abiathar, who had been so loyal to David, to do what he did here?
Solomon was not the oldest son and so by custom would not normally have succeeded his father as king. The oldest son, Amnon, had been killed by his brother Absalom. Absalom, in turn, had been killed during his unsuccessful coup attempt. And now the fourth oldest son, Adonijah, felt that the throne was rightfully his. Adonijah conferred with Joab and Abiathar, and they gave him their support (1 Kings 1:7).
Solomon was younger than Adonijah and had a shameful family background. His mother was none other than Bathsheba, the former wife of Uriah the Hittite, who was murdered in order to cover David’s affair with Bathsheba. But in spite of his shameful background, Solomon was loved by God (2 Sam. 12:24), and it was clear that God had chosen him to be David’s successor (1 Chron. 22:9, 10). In the face of this uncomfortable choice, it may be that Abiathar could not reconcile himself with the public scandal that the choice would cause, and so he falls back on tradition as opposed to God’s revealed will.
Tradition can be very comfortable, as it saves us from taking responsibility to think things through in the light of God’s revealed will. It is much easier and “safer” just to say, “We’ve always done it like this.”
How often do we let tradition get in the way of God’s leading? At the same time, why must we be careful not to judge things automatically as mere “tradition” and then brush them off?
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