1st Kings

by Gary DeVaney

King Solomon

I Kings 1:1-4 King David tried but he was too old and impotent to have sex with Abishag, a good looking virgin. The spirit was willing, the flesh was weak so the King got no heat.

I Kings 1:5-35 Adonijah, another of David’s sons, displayed ambition to be King. The priest, Abiathar and Joab supported him. Many did not, who supported Solomon. Nathan got Bathsheba to tell David that Adonijah was King and that she and Solomon will be considered criminals. David answered: Solomon should reign after me. Nathan, do a ceremony, then put Solomon on my throne. I designate him ruler of Israel and Judah.

I Kings 1:41-43 Adonijah is told that King David had made Solomon King. Adonijah's guests all left in terror each going his own way. Adonijah seized the horns of the altar and said: Let King Solomon swear he will not kill me. Solomon said: If he is innocent, he will live, if guilty, he will die. (About 962 BC)

I Kings 2:1-11 David turns on Joab, his main General, and tells his son Solomon to kill him. I swore to Shimei, that by God, I would not kill him, you murder him. David died after being King over Israel 40 years.

Was David King over all of Israel for 40 years? Judah, maybe. On his death bed, David talks of God and orders his son, Solomon, a new King, to murder for him. What's wrong with this picture?

Many believers worship God and view David to be God's hero. To have David order murders fearlessly on his death-bed, what a fearless, murderous model this sends to believers. David had no fear of last-minute murdering even though he is about to enter the afterlife. David obviously still doesn't view his murdering a sin.

Note: In The New Testament, both Matthew and Luke, with a total discrepancy in names, trace Jesus Christ’s genealogy back through King David. It may surprise you that it was not through His mother Mary, but through His "father” Joseph. Why Joseph? Wasn't Jesus a “virgin birth”? Believing is such nonsense when contradictory facts exist.

Matthew 1-16 has Jesus' lineage depicted starting with Abraham, going forward in time through Joseph. The most important controversary in Matthew is that King David's son Solomon is in Jesus Christ's lineage. It ends up going through Joseph which has to be bogus due to the "virgin birth".

Luke 3:23-38 reverses the lineage order from Jesus all the way back to Adam, starting with Joesph again (which is again impossible) but through Nathan, another of David's sons. 

Clergy spin that this really defines Mary's lineage, not Joseph's lineage because women weren't mentioned in legal or marriage matters. Their husbands were. Some clergy spin that it was Mary's 2 parents who the 2 lineages define. Well, clergy has had time to figure out a plausible "spin".  

I Kings 2:13-25 Adonijah went to Bathsheba and said: You know that the Kingdom was mine and all Israel expected me to be King; but, God gave it to Solomon. Would you ask the King to give me Abishag to be my wife? Bathsheba asked Solomon but Solomon had his older brother, Adonijah, murdered.

I Kings 2:28-46 Solomon ordered Joab murdered in the tabernacle because he had killed men without his father's knowledge. God put blood upon Joab and his seed forever, but, upon David’s seed shall there be peace forever from the Lord. (KJV) Shemei, after failing an order, Solomon also had murdered.

By now, this behavior is predictably amusing isn't it? Can't we already see why Solomon was chosen, by God, to be King?

I Kings 3:1 Solomon married The Pharaoh of Egypt’s daughter.

Was she a Hebrew? Wouldn't that be somewhat doubtful?

I Kings 3:4 Solomon loved God and obeyed the statutes of his father David. He offered 1,000 burnt-offerings (sacrifices) at the altar and burned incense. 

Isn’t that overkill even for a blood-thirsty and burnt-gut-smelling God?

I Kings 3:7-9 Solomon asked humbly of God to become wise. It pleased God, so, God gave Solomon wisdom, an understanding heart, like none before him...

Q: Assuming Creation was myth, if you won $100 each time you found Biblical evidence that God did something good for someone without hurting or destroying someone else to do it, how much would you win? Well, maybe Sarah and Hannah by their having a child in their old age; but didn’t God make them barren in the first place? How about Solomon’s getting wisdom? What? It didn’t last, you say? Any others? What if you won $100 each time you produced evidence that God killed someone? You would have vast wealth? Really? How about each time the character called Satan killed someone? What? You’d be broke? Are you sure this is all within chapter and verse Biblical evidence?

I Kings 3:9 Give your servant an understanding heart to judge people and to distinguish right from wrong.

Some people stretch and interpret wisdom in this case to be obedience. Actually here, Solomon asked for wisdom and judgment, to know right from wrong. With all his crazy murdering he could use a dose. Let's see if any judgment, obedience or right and wrong takes place or if Solomon’s wisdom lasts throughout his lifetime. Remember, in Genesis, God didn't want people to have knowledge and wisdom. Has God changed?

I Kings 3:14-15 God tells Solomon: If he keeps God's statutes and commandments as David did, God would lengthen his days.

Murder? Theft? Adultery? Coveting wives and property? What Commandment did David keep?

I Kings 3:16-27 Two harlots (hookers) came to the King, each with stories of one living, one dead child. One mother had made a mistake and her child was dead. She took the other's child claiming it to be her own. Solomon had to decide who was truthful. He said to divide (cut up) the child equally. The real mother said: Give to the other mother the living child. Solomon gave it to the real mother as she couldn't see the child die.

But, what if these monkey-minds had blindly obeyed the great King Solomon? It would have been one sliced and diced child.

I Kings 8:63 Solomon sacrificed to God 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep.

I Kings 9:20 / 21 Solomon conscripted all non-Israelites as forced laborers, slaves.

I Kings 10:1-13 The Queen of Sheba was indeed impressed with Solomon’s wisdom.

Solomon was so obsessed by The Queen of Sheba that he wrote the greatest love poem of all time: "The Song of Songs". Solomon, our Biblical hero, God's chosen, had, God condoned, sex with a black woman. This woman, The Queen of Sheba, is recorded proof by Assyrian 8th century BC inscriptions, that there were women rulers in The Arab World at one time in what is now called the Yemen and Ethiopia.

Catch this: “What God had commanded” verses “The Bible’s reality” in:

Deuteronomy 17:15-17 God said: You may set a King over you that God will choose. He shall not multiply for himself wives nor gold and silver.

I Kings 10:23 Solomon surpassed in riches and wisdom all the Kings on Earth.

I Kings 11:3 Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

Solomon multiplied his wives and wealth contrary to God command in Deuteronomy 17:15-17. This validates questioning the Biblical God's powers and control. Also this, again, questions God's ability to choose well concerning His chosen heroes.

God chose Saul to be King and actually changed Saul's heart. That didn't take satisfactorily so God eliminated Saul.

God chose David to be King, who was a mass murderer, and adulterer and did many heinous deeds. But, God was happy with David.

God chose Solomon, after killing his earlier brother after 7 days, to punish David and God was not pleased with Solomon. What a God! What a Bible! What continued insanity!

Solomon was a wise man? Wow! Just think of all that alimony, child support and kept mistress fees. And, what about God’s "chosen" concerning a King’s wives and a King's possessing of gold as stated in Deuteronomy 17:15-17?

I Kings 11:4 When Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart to strange Gods. His heart was not entirely with the Lord. Catholic

What wisdom? It looks like God's wisdom wore off - or Solomon truly got wisdom and left the Biblical God for other, better, more worthy gods. Behold! Solomon, himself, ended up worshipping other Gods! Solomon, like most Jews of the Old Testament, really must not like this Biblical God.

I Kings 11:6 Solomon did evil. He did not follow God as David had done.

I Kings 11:9-12 God was angry at Solomon. God won't deprive Solomon, but will take it out on his son (Rehoboam).

Ezekiel 18:20 The son shall NOT be charged with the guilt of the father.

These 2 C&Vs are a BIG contradiction!

Do you really and truly love this God? Can you explain why? Do you fear Him?

I Kings 11:11 Solomon failed to keep God’s statutes.

What really proves to be hypocritical is with Solomon failing God and actually ending up serving other gods, Solomon wrote the books of Ecclesiastes, Proverbs and other accepted parts of the Canon / Bible. How can Solomon, who served other gods and who didn't please God, be a writer in God's holy, sacred Bible? Matthew has Solomon being in Jesus Christ's lineage / bloodline - right along with 2 women who sold sex - Tamar and Rahab the harlot.  

I Kings 11:42 Solomon reigned over all Israel 40 years and died.

I Kings 19:18 God would leave only 7 thousand in Israel, The Promised Land.

As compared to other history bearing nations during this time: Syria, Greece, Babylon, India and others; this God was a wimp and a loser. He turned on, betrayed and destroyed Israel just as Adolf Hitler turned on and helped his enemies destroy his own Germany.

I Kings 20/21/29: Israel’s King Ahab inflicted a severe defeat on Syrians killing 100,000 soldiers in one day.

I Kings 20:35-36 God caused a prophet to say to his companion: Strike me. The companion refused. God's prophet said: Since you did not obey the voice of God, when we part a lion will kill you. When they parted a lion killed him.

Really? What’s the point?

I Kings 21:1-29 King Ahab said: Naboth, sell me your vineyard. Naboth said: No. Ahab sulked to his wife Jezebel. She wrote letters directing leaders to have a feast, with Naboth at the head of the people. Next, she wrote: Get two scoundrels to accuse that Naboth cursed God and the King. Then, take him out and stone him. Naboth was stoned and died. Angry God has dogs eat Jezebel in the streets, then, declares that all of Ahab's bloodline, when they die, will be eaten by dogs and birds.

God decided to bring evil upon Ahab. Ahab humbled himself which impressed God, who changed His mind and decided to bring evil upon Ahab’s son's reign instead. Righteous?

I Kings 22:19-23 God, after holding counsel with His angels, permits His prophets to lie and deceive others on His behalf. God put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours and decreed evil against you.

It’s awesome! God seeks advice from a staff? God uses a staff to make corrupt decisions? Ya gotta love it. This God has His prophets lie and deceive others on His behalf? Where’s the evidence? Well, I’ll stop playing dumb because, I’m caught. It’s all right here.

I Kings 22:34-40 Ahab, shot by an arrow in battle, bleeds in the bottom of his chariot and dies. Dogs lick his blood as God prophesied.

Often, believers declare that you can't take away the people's beliefs, their religion, their God. Those believers don't know the Bible's ugly stories, its ugly religion and its ugly God. To say the people have to believe in something, in this case, is like saying heroin addicts have to be addicted to something. Sometimes, it provides a temporary, perverse, "feel-good" fix, But, most of the time it produces, for the addicted, a horrible prison, punctuated by destructive behaviors. Just think, of all "the prices" the wars, murders, and thefts mind-set believers and all of this planet's societies have had to pay for their sacred "beliefs" (addictions).

Then, insecure believers say: If you are going to take away our beliefs (addictions), then, you will have to replace them with something. God is a Red-Herring. The 22-Acres concept suggests: Check out our Criminal and civil laws. They are more than enough to obey and to support.

For, the strength of knowledge is in the one who knows, and the strength of the one who knows is knowledge; however, knowledge is not the power. Gambling on God, faith, fantasy, belief and ignorance may be the fascination, but, applied knowledge is the power.

If you should ask, suggest, order or want someone to do something for you and they say no! Do you get mad, consider them to be Satan, demonize, punish or eliminate them from your atmosphere? Isn’t that a God-like attitude? Aren’t you playing God? What are you offering them in return? What if your attraction or what you offer isn’t good enough to win their services? Do you want to punish them for eternity? If no, who is more mature and moral, you or the Biblical God?

Burton Visotzky: As long as humanity has free will, God has to learn again and again how to relate to His creatures.

Bill Moyers: Do you like this God?

Lewis Smedes, Phd. Seminary Professor: In my experience, God is not very friendly.

Critic: Your quoting out of context.

Response: It holds an intrinsic context and a value of its own.

Were God’s chosen, chosen for privilege, the good life or to become His personal slaves?

How many ways have God’s chosen become the poor, the victims, the persecuted, the suffering, the dead?

Did the slave-owners of the old south really feel they were fulfilling a divine Biblical, God-like destiny? Did they use Biblical arguments to defend slavery? Do some clergy (slaves / brides of Christ) use similar principles and techniques?

Clergy, do you really care about the survival of humanity who are not related to you by church or blood? Is your love for all peoples just lip service? Then, why are you happily looking forward to “the harvest” when you and the rest of God’s elect will “be saved”. You happily state that all others will be eternally punished in an everlasting hell? Horrors! What if you found out that you have the wrong ticket? Would you still be as excited? Would you be disappointed if there were no hell and you simply expired?

One test of the effect of this writing is the speed in which a believer falls into comatose.

They can’t handle this writing any better than I could handle watching someone shoot up a playground full of school kids. Unlike them however, I would be on that someone with my fist down his throat or would die trying. Murder is not the answer. Education is. Do you know what the Bible says? What do you say when people ask you about the Bible and God?

Believer: I would tell them to pray on it as I wouldn’t answer them. I would not go to my clergy for an answer as I would be afraid of what he might think of me.

Religion is the opium of the masses? Clergy fleeces their flocks? How astute!

Some believers get angry and insulting when exposed to a chapter and verse study of God. Some believers can’t resist defending God although they know little about Him and what He (God) did to people throughout the Bible. Some authoritarians righteously posture to stand in for God and assume to become the authority of God. Some, rather than debate the topic, attempt to conquer your soul / will.

The tyrant will punish and discipline you to obey, what amounts to, his own will. Is it the master-slave mentality that triggers these behaviors? Is preaching the God-game mostly ego masturbation?

Words that are the tools of tyrants:

“Don’t you believe?” Means don’t or won’t you obey me?

“Have faith!” Means for you to obey me!

“Trust me!” Means shut up and obey me!

Would you upset authoritarians and tyrants if you thought and chose for yourself?

Would others, close to you, upset you if they think and choose for themselves?

God: The Hypnotic Faith Addiction

People become addicted and dependent on a God and they behave as if being addicted to a drug. Due to “brainwashing” (programmed unthinking, laziness, fear and ignorance), this phenomenon hits all cultures. No rational, thinking person wants to become dependent on a medicine, drug nor a God, but a fearful society zealously demands it. Pain, fear of death, abuse and violence (all losses) trick people into fantasizing and pretending they are firmly protected by an imaginary, super-natural power called God.

As faith in this fictitious and assumed power (God) develops, periodical “testimonies”  (natural or fictitious occurrences portrayed as exceptional) escalate the addiction. The God / drug addiction is like a contagious psychological virus that spreads. The concept of God doesn’t provide you an escape, but, it makes you think it does and your feelings tend to conform. Your feelings let you down. This drug, called faith, sometimes hypnotizes you to feel-good (the absence of pain) when you experience fear, confusion and sense of loss. It is claimed to be a “spiritual motivation”. You can hypnotize yourself (a natural ability) to experience the absence of pain while sensing adversity. Hypnosis does that. You don’t need a Savior or God to do it. You feel empowered to have authority, to be in control. God, is artificial, but when you survive, you bond to give the fictitious God credit. You then end up praising this phantom God, not to feel-good, but in an attempt to keep from feeling bad and to gain like-minded helpers to validate your life in the form of a support group. The addiction often becomes contagious. Faith becomes the fix that blocks your understanding and acceptance of raw, painful reality by giving up your own hypnotic power in favor of “conversion”, a buying into the fictitious power of a God or drug, you have become dependent upon. Paradoxically, when you are ultimately let down (when you die) is when you irrationally most believe that you will somehow be chosen and saved.

People are blackmailed that without the addiction to God they will die and suffer eternal-damnation in Hell or that they will have to suffer eternal life with God. If the Biblical God is as angry and cruel in Heaven as His deeds are recorded to have taken place on Earth, then, Heaven and Hell amounts to heads and tails of the same coin.

Authoritarians know they must addict others to the fear of God (authority) so to better exploit them to the obedience of their authority, will and agenda. They all compete for position in the hierarchy, by promoting a cast system, with every opportunist trying to be superior and to subordinate the rest. Often, a God’s promise amounts to the desire for a feel-good empowering but, in reality, reduces you to a servitude existence. Your feelings were successful only in letting you down.

In history, weaker men invented and used “The God Concept” to hypnotize, paralyze and addict their believers into following, sacrificing for and supporting their mostly conflicting agendas. They projected God as their feared and invisible law enforcer; their disciplinarian.