The King David Quandary

Most of the time when I think of King David, I just long to have as close of a relationship with God as he did. I admire the undying love he had for the father, and the incredibly deep level of trust. HOWEVER, today (I hope you don't mind) I'm going to talk about something that has me totally perplexed.

I just had surgery on my foot and have been laid up for awhile (foot in the air, ice on the foot). The biggest upside of this is that I've had some extra time for searching through my favorite book for little tidbits I may have missed before. Yesterday, I just happened to find such a tidbit.

Generally speaking, when people come to the end of their lives here on earth, the things they are concerned about are things that really matter. You don't find them on their deathbed wishing they had gotten in a few more hours at work, or even that they could have reached a higher payscale. They always seem to know by then that it's their family and friends that really matter.... And they cherish the time spent with them. I've gotten great comfort from this over the years, just knowing when the chips are down, most of the stuff that causes us to worry won't even matter anymore.

Which leads me to I Kings and King David. I was reading about how David had Solomon named the new King, and was right in the middle of the feeling of amazement I get that God would have the son of the woman David committed adultery with be the new king. That's so like God. But that's a whole different post.

The thing that got my attention yesterday was David's last words to Solomon from his deathbed. Now, you would think he would be talking to Solomon about how much he loved him and how much he cherished the memories. "Remember, Solomon, when you and your buddies took the chariot without asking and parked it behind the palace where you thought I wouldn't see it?" Something of that nature. But instead, David spends his time telling Solomon who to get even with, which people to make sure he has put to death, etc., etc.

Somehow this just isn't what I would expect from a man after God's own heart. I'm still pondering it... and these are some ideas I've come up with so far in discussing it with Leonard.

1. Most people get very sentimental at the end of their lives because of that overwhelming sense that the end is near. David was acutely aware that it was not the end, but only the beginning. Maybe he didn't have sadness in his heart because he was leaving this world... or at the very least that sadness was completely overshadowed by the joy he felt that he would finally get to be face to face with the God he had spent his whole life worshipping.

2. Things were different back then, there's no doubt about it. Maybe these are things that God had told David needed to be taken care of. Maybe he was just passing the message along to Solomon.

I'm not sure. I just know this kind of took me by surprise. I've read it before, but it has never really sunk in. Maybe because I'm getting older and more sentimental with every day that goes by. David, whose heart was overflowing with love for God, spent his last moments on earth telling Solomon who to kill and/or punish.

Does that bother anyone else?