“About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome. Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah. Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.”
1 Kings 1:5-10 NLT
David had laid the ground work for the coup about to befall him. At no time on the life of his son had he disciplined or even questioned him. Now that he had become physically infirm, his son decided to take from his father what he perceived as naturally his. This is in stark contrast to the attitude of David who never lifted a finger against Saul because he recognized that God had allowed Saul to sit upon the throne. This is also in contrast to the fact that David’s opportunity to despise Saul was at a time when Saul wasn’t weak. Yet Adonijah hadn’t learned from his father’s mistakes or blessings. We should not understand that when we don’t rebuke or instruct our children, they will follow the wickedness of their hearts. Men need the direction of our hard fought wisdom and a course set by God. They need our experience and God’s word to light their path, or no matter how good we are, they will deteriorate into the ungodly. An uncomfortable truth to be sure, but a salient one.
JOSH McGARY. COM 