Boundaries

May 29, 2008

1 Kings chapter 2 should have a subtitle to it - Boundaries! If you have not read it let's do a quick review:

David is dying and makes Solomon the King (in chapter 1), then calls him in to tell Solomon all the enemies that David had. He basically tells Solomon that he has permission to get rid of them.

First up is the brother who tried to take the kingdom by force. When he pleads not to be killed, Solomon tells him as lon as you live like you are loyal to me, you get to live. Well brother tries tp get pne of David's cocubines,, a sure sign that he was the rightful king. You can guess where this is going, if not read 1 Kings 2. Solomon had set the boundery, the brother crossed it.

Other things happen as well, one noble man runs and swears he will die at the alter of God so Solomon has him killed there. But one stands out to look at. Do you remember Shimei? We talked about him before. David must have know something was up because he is back on the hit list. And it looks like he deserves it.

1 Kings 2:36-46 ESV
(36) Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever.
(37) For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head."

Solomon knew Shimei was an enemy of dad's so he moved him where he could keep an eye on him. And Shimei agreed to it.

(38) And Shimei said to the king, "What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

The boundary is now in place.

(39) But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei's servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, "Behold, your servants are in Gath,"
(40) Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath.

Well, it took a while but he broke the agreement. I can hear someone now. 'Come on, he was good for three years and he had to go get his property back!' Did he? Is an agreement and agreement? Is a boundary a boundary?

(41) And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned,
(42) the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die'? And you said to me, 'What you say is good; I will obey.'
(43) Why then have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the commandment with which I commanded you?"
(44) The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the LORD will bring back your harm on your own head.
(45) But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever."
(46) Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

So Solomon had him killed for breaking an agreement. Nope! He had him killed for what he had done to David. He had a house arrest and he broke it. Plain and simple. You do not break the rules because you like it.

So what can we learn from this? Solomon in all the cases clearly stated the boundary and what would happen. In those we deal with in life we have to tell them what we will expect and not expect from them. If they choose to do it then they will get the reward. If they break the rules what do you do? No you do not kill them, you forgive them. But in forgiving you have to let them know the behavior is not acceptable and it is going to be paid for with a price.

Set boundaries in your life and let people know them. It is a good way to stay on the straight and narrow. For you and them.

Read through the Bible in one year in Historical order
Today
1 Kings 1:1-2:46, Psalms 37:1-40, Psalms 71:1-24, Psalms 94:1-23
Tomorrow

Psalms 119:1-88
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