1 Kings 2:12
“Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.”
When Solomon became king, it was very important for him to properly establish his throne. What he did in those first few years determined the course of his kingdom. If he made foolish mistakes, then his kingdom would be weakened. If he made wise decisions, then his kingdom would be strengthened.
Solomon understood the importance of establishing his throne. Four times in 1 Kings 2, God used the word “established” when talking about Solomon’s kingdom. Solomon knew that he could not rule off the coattails of his dad, and he understood that his kingdom depended upon him making the right decisions that would establish his throne.
Your life is your kingdom. As you sit upon the throne of your kingdom, it is important that you properly establish the throne of your life. Every decision you make in your life will ultimately determine your life’s direction. If you make bad decisions, then the throne of your life will be weakened. If you make wise decisions, then the throne of your life will be strengthened. Solomon made five wise decisions that established his throne, and those five decisions will help to establish the throne of your life.
First, he listened to those before him. Before David died, he sat Solomon down and gave him instructions on running the kingdom, and he also gave him instructions on dealing with different people. Solomon wisely listened to his father’s advice, which ultimately established his kingdom.
If you are going to establish the throne of your life, then you need to listen to those before you. There are people who have been where you are going, and you would be wise to adhere to their advice. Don’t think that you are smarter than those before you. Stop trying to reinvent the wheel and listen to those before you so you can establish the throne of your life.
Second, he got rid of the wrong spirit. Adonijah would have destroyed the spirit of Israel, so he had to get rid of him. The strength of your kingdom will be determined by your spirit. You must daily work on getting rid of the wrong spirit in your life so you can establish the throne of your life. Be sure to get rid of the negative influences in your life.
Third, Solomon got away from the wrong spiritual leaders. You must get the right spiritual leaders in your life if you are going to establish the throne of your life. Make sure the spiritual leaders in your life are scripturally sound. Just because they have a good personality doesn’t make them right, but they must stand strong on the doctrines of God’s Word.
Fourth, he got rid of sin that had been ignored. Joab was that sin that constantly nagged David’s kingdom, and Solomon had him killed for the innocent blood that he shed. If your throne is going to be established, then you must get rid of the hidden sins in your life. They will destroy your kingdom if you allow them to linger.
Fifth, he lived by principle. When Shimei didn’t adhere to Solomon’s order, he had Shimei killed. You must learn to live by principle. Principles, and not feelings, will be what establishes your throne. Living by principle keeps you doing right when you don’t feel like doing right.
Friend, it doesn’t matter how old you are, it is never too late to establish the throne of your life. Take these five areas and apply them to your life. These five things will help establish your throne so that your life will be sound for many years.