How to Approach Jesus Your King

1 Kings 1:15-27  (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 1:15-27.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

1 Kings 1:15 (NIV)
¹⁵  So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him.

On verse 15:  David was by no means a perfect man, husband, father or king, but by the way his wife Bathsheba approaches David, we can learn some important lessons on how we the church, also known as the bride of Christ, ought to approach our perfect man, husband, father and king Jesus Christ.

First, I wonder how odd or awkward it was for Bathsheba, now an older woman, to walk into an aging King David’s room and see him with another, younger woman.  Granted, verse 2 says that Abishag and David were not sexually intimate with one another, though they lay in the same bed together to keep an ailing David warm.  Still, at the very least it shows how much things had changed over time between David and Bathsheba:  Bathsheba, once the most desirable woman to David, is now an older woman and David is not the virile man he used to be.  Thankfully, when we approach our King and husband Jesus, we approach One who never changes and never ages.  Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.  He is just as strong and passionate for us on day 1 of us meeting as on day 20,000.

1 Kings 1:16 (NIV)
¹⁶  Bathsheba bowed low and knelt before the king. “What is it you want?” the king asked.

On verse 16:  Just as Bathsheba bowed low and knelt before the king (v16), we are to come before our King with reverence, honour and humility.  Just as Bathsheba boldly approached the king, so we can approach Jesus’ throne of grace with confidence and receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (see Hebrews 4:16).  Bathsheba’s simultaneous humility and confidence before David reminds me that approaching our King Jesus is about having reverence in one hand and confidence in the other.  What kind of confidence?  Not confidence in our own merit, but confidence in who Jesus is and who we are – i.e. blameless, accepted, forgiven, included, loved, and valued – because of Him.

1 Kings 1:17 (NIV)
¹⁷  She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the LORD your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’

On verse 17:  Just as Bathsheba approached the king on the basis of a promise that the king had spoken, so we approach our King Jesus on the basis of promises He has spoken.  What promises?  There are many – for example, the promise that He is for us and not against us and will not count our sins against us, the promise that we can come to Him in our weariness and find rest in His presence, the promise that in all things He works for our good and for His glory.  When you approach your King, remember His promises.

1 Kings 1:18-19 (NIV)
¹⁸  But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it.
¹⁹  He has sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant.

On verses 18-19:  Whereas Bathsheba and Nathan would approach David on the basis that David did not have full knowledge of what Adonijah had done, we can approach our King Jesus knowing that He knows and sees everything.  When we tell Him our situation, it’s not because He doesn’t already know, but rather it helps us get something off our chest.  When you approach your King Jesus, you approach the One who knows and understands you perfectly.

1 Kings 1:20-21 (NIV)
²⁰  My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
²¹  Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.”

On verses 20-21:  Just as Bathsheba expressed how all of Israel’s eyes were on David to do the right thing, so we come to Jesus our King, placing our hope in Him to always do the right thing.

1 Kings 1:22-27 (NIV)
²²  While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
²³  And they told the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” So he went before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.
²⁴  Nathan said, “Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne?
²⁵  Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
²⁶  But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite.
²⁷  Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

On verses 22-27:  From Bathsheba in verses 15-21, I learn a number of lessons on how we ought to approach our perfect king Jesus.  In contrast, from Nathan in verses 22-27, I learn a number of lessons on how we ought to approach our human leaders who are not perfect.  Keep this in mind: if there’s anyone who knew David’s flaws and imperfections, it was Nathan.  Nathan was the one who had to confront David regarding his affair with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah.  Yet what impresses me about Nathan here is that, despite knowing all of David’s flaws, Nathan still treats his imperfect leader and king with incredible honour and respect.  For example:
–        When approaching David, Nathan the man of God bows down before David with his face to the ground (v23).
–        When talking with David, Nathan repeatedly refers to David as “my lord the king” and refers to himself as “your servant” (v24, 26-27).
–        Rather than coming to David with an accusatory, pre-judging attitude, Nathan asks questions to make sure he first understands his leader’s perspective.

Likewise, I believe it glorifies God, blesses others and reflects well on you when you treat your human leaders – imperfect as they are – with honour and respect.  We do this not to kiss up to them.  Rather, we do this to honour God, to practice humility, and to love people well.  No human leader is perfect, but like Nathan, may you not let people’s imperfections keep you from treating them as God would have you treat them.  How you treat the human leaders in your life will impact on how others treat you.

Jesus, my lord the king, You are the only unchanging One, the One who is faithful in every way, and whose passion and power never wane.  Thank You that by Your great and precious promises I can approach You with confidence and find in You all the help, wisdom, peace, rest and strength that I need.  May I treat You and those around me with the kind of humility that honours You.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!