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Man After God’s Own Heart
479
The people had cherished the same sins that prompted David’s
action. As the Lord brought judgment on David through Absalom’s
sin, so through David’s error He punished the sins of Israel.
The destroying angel had stood on Mount Moriah, “by the thresh-
ing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” Directed by the prophet, David went
to the mountain, “and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings,
and called on the Lord; and He answered him from heaven by fire
on the altar of burnt offering.” “So the Lord heeded the prayers for
the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel.”
The spot where the altar was built, regarded from that time on
as holy ground, was the place where Abraham had built the altar to
offer up his son. Later it was chosen as the site of the temple.
David had reached the age of seventy. The hardships and ex-
posures of his early wanderings, his many wars, and the afflictions
of later years had sapped the fountain of life. Feebleness and age,
with his desire to be alone, kept him from quickly seeing what was
happening in the kingdom, and again rebellion sprang up in the very
shadow of the throne.
The one who now wanted the throne was Adonijah, “very good-
looking,” but unprincipled and reckless. In his youth “his father had
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not rebuked him at any time by saying, ‘Why have you done so?’”
Growing up with very little restraint, he now rebelled against the
authority of God, who had appointed Solomon to the throne.
Solomon was better qualified than his older brother, but although
God’s choice had been clearly shown, Adonijah was able to find
sympathizers. Joab, up to that time loyal to the throne, now joined
the conspiracy against Solomon, and so did Abiathar the priest.
The rebellion was ready. The conspirators had assembled at
a great feast to proclaim Adonijah king, when their plans were
defeated by the prompt action of Zadok the priest, Nathan the
prophet, and Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. They told the king
about the situation, reminding him that God had said that Solomon
should come to the throne next. David at once abdicated in favor of
Solomon, who was immediately anointed and proclaimed king. The
conspiracy was crushed.
Abiathar’s life was spared out of respect to his position as priest
and former loyalty to David, but he was demoted from the office of
high priest, which passed to the family of Zadok. Joab and Adonijah