1 Kings 2:10–12

2 Samuel 5:4 tells us that David was 30 years old when he began to reign, and reigned 40 years over Israel. So he died at 70 years of age and was buried in Jerusalem. For seven years he reigned in Hebron and for 33 years in Jerusalem. By the time David died, Solomon was already reigning and his kingdom was firmly established. Solomon also reigned for forty years. How short indeed is the span of earthly glory! The last days of Paul in prison were much brighter with rejoicing than the last days of either David or Solomon.

"So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers" only expresses his death. In Scripture that is a different expression from "buried with his fathers." Compare 2 Kings 15:38 with 2 Kings 16:20 and you will see it at once.

"Asa slept with his fathers" — the same words that are said of Jeroboam, of Rehoboam, and of so many others. It may be a special favour. … But this favour is far from showing that the Lord took pleasure in them. It does not show either that they had found beyond the tomb the happiness their hearts had sought in vain in the world.

Zion is the place which illustrates God's sovereignty in grace, as we see from another psalm (Psalm 78:68). It shows that grace at work when man has done all he could to produce utter ruin. … Zion itself means "fixed." Scripture first mentions it (2 Samuel 5:7) when David takes it out of the hand of the Gentile "treader down" — the Jebusite. It becomes then "the city of David," which, we rejoice to remember, means "Beloved."

The last verses of our chapter (1 Chronicles 29:26-30) repeat 1 Kings 2:10-12 in view of at last closing David's history. The Holy Spirit mentions his old age, "full of days, riches, and honour." That fits the purpose of this book. It also stands in contrast with his end, as 2 Samuel 23:1-6 and 1 Kings 1 record it for us.

Was David writing of himself? Impossible. He had died and was buried, and his tomb was with them, still holding his dust. Clearly his tomb was then well known. And all were perfectly agreed that he, the first of his dynasty, had not risen from the dead. Yet he wrote of One who would die, and would be raised soon afterwards. For God would not leave that One's soul in Hades (the place of spirits without their bodies), and He would not allow His body to see corruption.

He contrasted Christ with the Psalmist. He said, "David indeed, having in his own generation ministered to the will of God, fell asleep and was added to his fathers and saw corruption." But He whom God raised again "saw no corruption" (Acts 13:36-37). This fact is of fundamental importance for us today.

In Acts 13:36 we have a full, unqualified commendation of David's life. No "but" comes in to spoil the picture. … We notice David "served his own generation by the will of God." He could not truly serve his own generation unless he served the will of God.

The last verses of that chapter (1 Chron. 29:26-30) repeat 1 Kings 2:10-12 in order to close David's history at last. The Holy Spirit mentions his old age — "full of days, riches, and honor" — to match the purpose of Chronicles. This stands in contrast with his end, which 2 Samuel 23:1-6 and 1 Kings 1 record for us.

In this first subdivision, then, we find David in possession only of part of a divided kingdom. We trace the growth of his power, despite enemies and hindrances, until the death of Ishbosheth opens his way to the throne of all Israel. During all this time (seven years and a half) his throne is in Hebron. That place holds many cherished memories, linked forever with the faith of his pilgrim forefathers, from Abraham to Jacob. "Communion," with all that it implies, must be the power of a kingdom.

David reigned at Hebron for seven years before he reigned at Jerusalem. This period was one of conflict between the house of David and the house of Saul. But even after this, when all the tribes owned him as king, David fought one long series of conflicts with Israel's enemies all around. True, he was successful in these conflicts. His conquests reached far and near, for God was with him and gave him victory over his enemies. But a time of conflict, however successful, is not a time of quiet and rest. Solomon, as his name shows, was the peaceful prince.

David reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three in Jerusalem, together forty years. That number always expresses the sufficiency and completeness of whatever it is used about. And Messiah will rule among His enemies till all of them are put down. But how to divide the era of judgment… is not revealed. God will give understanding to diligent faith. But if you try to line up the events of David's reign with the future course of judgment, you will certainly fall into mistakes.

2 Samuel 5:4 tells us that David was 30 years old when he began to reign, and reigned 40 years over Israel. So he died at 70 years of age and was buried in Jerusalem… Solomon also reigned for forty years (1 Kings 11:42). How short indeed is the span of earthly glory! Paul's last days in prison were far brighter with joy than the last days of either David or Solomon! (2 Tim. 4:6-8).

In Acts 13:36 we have a full, unqualified commendation of David's life. No "but" spoils the picture. Another translation gives a delightful rendering of the verse: "David, indeed, having in his own generation ministered to the will of God, fell asleep."

There was this difference between David and his son. Together they picture our Lord Jesus Christ in His sufferings and in His glory. Still, we would be very wrong to suppose that David had not a better portion before God than his son had. Faith is better than its own results. If we could have heaven without the pathway of faith on earth, we would never be as blessed as we hope to be.

The Second Book of Samuel shows David setting up the kingdom of Israel. The opening of First Kings shows us that same kingdom firmly established by Solomon. Note that Solomon's rule forms one continuous whole with David's. The death of the old king did not interrupt it for a moment, because Solomon had sat on his father's throne while David was still alive. As a picture, this is one single, unbroken reign. Its two periods look very different from each other, yet the reign joins them both in a complete and unbreakable unity.

David dies (vv. 10-12). Here the Word does not note the opening of Solomon's reign. It notes what marks that reign in general and as a whole: "his kingdom was firmly established." This is the character of the kingdom of righteousness, in contrast with the kingdom of grace, which was full of trouble and rebellion.

We can learn Solomon's own thinking from his Book of Proverbs: "Take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness" (Proverbs 25:5). After Solomon carried out judgment on Joab and others, the Holy Spirit says, "the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon" (1 Kings 2:46).

So, when the evil had been fully judged, "the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon." Three years passed before Scripture says the kingdom was fully established… In the same way, when Christ takes His kingdom, there will be a short period in which Gog and Magog come down from the far north to attack Israel — a land brought back from war and living in peace. But they will be judged without mercy, so that Christ's kingdom may be established in unchallenged supremacy (Ezekiel 38).

It is worth noting that the throne is always called David's throne, not Solomon's or any other king's (1 Kings 2:12; Jeremiah 13:13; Jeremiah 29:16). Solomon made a throne (1 Kings 10:18; 2 Chronicles 9:17-18)… All of this carries symbolic teaching. It will be fulfilled in the One who will sit on the throne of David in power and glory for a thousand years.

Solomon and his glorious reign foreshadow the reign of that greater Son of David, our Lord, in whom the covenant promise made to David will be fully accomplished. The section that begins with Solomon's enthronement is full of rich meaning, both as a picture and as prophecy. Solomon's righteous judgments, his wisdom, his reign in peace, and above all the building of the temple, all foreshadow Him who will soon receive the throne and build the temple of the LORD (Zechariah 6:13).

Luke tells us how Gabriel announced the coming of Christ as a Saviour, and then goes on to say: "the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David" (Luke 1:32). In this verse the "throne of David" refers to Christ's thousand-year reign… David's reign foreshadowed the reign of Christ.