the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 2 of 5
1 Kings 11:26-43
In the same way that God had acted in preparing David while Saul was still alive, He now raises up Jeroboam during Solomon’s lifetime. Then just as Saul did beforehand, Solomon seeks to take the life of the one the LORD intended to succeed him (v. 40). But note the contrast between Jeroboam, who lifts up his hand against the king (v. 26), and David, who refuses to do so; between Jeroboam, who flees into Egypt, and there learns idolatry, and David who hides in the wilderness.
David had begun his life well, had continued it badly but then ended it well. Solomon began well, continued well but finished his career badly. We find a contrasting example in Jacob, whose days were "few and evil" (Genesis 47:9), but whose end was strikingly beautiful (Hebrews 11:21).
This attempt to murder is the last recorded act on Solomon’s part! Then he sleeps with his fathers. He had had a "time to be born". According to his own statement there now comes for him the "time to die" (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Dear reader, you do not know when your time will come. But what you must realise is that the time we now live is equally the time to believe, and the time to live for Christ.
