A. How did David prepare his son, Solomon, to rule the kingdom of Israel?
Answer:
Solomon’s battle for the crown began even prior to his father David’s passing. David had promised Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, that Solomon would be the royal heir after he passed away. However, as David became old and frail, another son, Adonijah, conspired to claim the throne. He gathered Joab and Abiathar, two important figures on the political scene, and announced that he would be the king following his father’s death. He invited many guests and threw a lavish feast to celebrate, sure that David would not rebuke him, as David had spoiled him his entire life.
B. What role did Israel's priests and prophets have in the kingdom of Israel?
Answer:
In their ancient history, the people of Israel looked for political leadership to divinely-empowered individuals, judges, prophets and kings. (In the era “between the testaments,” Israel’s priests also fulfilled a more political role, whereas earlier they had led in the more religious sense – in worship, sacrifices and so on.)
The different types of leaders were raised up at various stages in Israel’s national development, or to fulfil definite roles at specific times. Thus, Moses and Joshua were God-appointed individual leaders over the newly emancipated Israelite tribes. The judges were used to deliver chastised Israel from the various enemies God permitted to oppress them during the first centuries in the land. The first three kings (Saul, David and Solomon) ruled over the consolidated and united nation of Israel, the rest over the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah until both went into captivity – the ten tribes never to return again.
Apart from Moses, who the Bible calls the greatest prophet who ever lived, the Lord appointed a number of “super-spiritual” men, among them Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel who were called to speak for God, act on His behalf, and communicate His message courageously to the nation of Israel.
Knowing just when, in Israel’s national history, each of these prophets lived, can help us to understand the contexts in which they brought their messages, and how and where those prophecies still apply to the future.
And then, of course, there is the Messiah – Prophet, Priest AND King! For the Jews as a nation He is still unknown, still anticipated, still longed for. For the believer in Jesus He has already come and been revealed, and we now await His return to His OWN people and His OWN land – the People and Land of Israel!