"That the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'"
1 Kings 2:4
ESV - 4 That the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.
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1 Kings 2:4 (KJV) says "That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel." This verse is part of the instructions that God gave to Solomon as he took over from his father David just before David died (1 Kings 2:1-9). God knew that David had been faithful in his walk before God, save for his failings recorded in the Bible and he graciously declared him righteous (Acts 13:22). So what does it mean to walk before God in truth? God has set clear standards of spiritual conduct for His people and, more specifically in this context, for leaders who will be leading His people whether kings, presidents or church leaders. The Hebrew word for truth is "emeth" which is best translated as firmness or faithfulness. This does not mean that the leader would be perfect in God's eyes [for no human being can attain such standard] but that his loyalty to God is uppermost in his mind and informs his personal conduct and leadership principles and judgments and that his general prudence depicts a God-fearing person. The second part of 2 Kings 2:4 amplifies the meaning of this word. God declares that if Solomon would walk "with all his heart and with all his soul" he shall have someone always reigning in his throne. This Hebrew phrase speaks of total commitment to obedience (cf. Deut. 6:5, 10:12, 11:13, 18; Joshua 2:5). Hezekiah and Jehoshaphat were two examples of leaders who touched the heart of God by reason of their faithfulness. Let us briefly examine some biblical excerpts on these two great men of God. Th The Bible teaches in 2 Chronicles 17:6 regarding Jehoshaphat, "And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah." The man was determined to please God and to fight and destroy all forms of idolatry in his kingdom. The detailed description of his righteous acts are recoded in 2Chronicles 17-22. The man achieved great success because he was careful to walk in obedience to God. Hezekiah on his part was similarly faithful to God despite his human failings as a leader (2 Kings 20:13). He cried to God in his terminal illness showing that he was a man of great faith. His cry is recorded in Isaiah 38:3 "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight." God was touched by his tears and graciously granted him fifteen more years. Few people would move God's hand under such circumstances. These two men therefore walked with God in faithfulness. In total contrast to his godly deportment, Hezekiah was succeeded by his evil son Manasseh who reigned for 52 years in Jerusalem while Jehoshaphat was succeeded by a wicked Queen Athaliah who was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel but was later violently overthrown and killed according to the decree that God had been pronounced on the lineage of Ahab and Jezebel (see 2 Chronicles 23). Now the call to faithfulness rests on every child of God who has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. God expects us to live in a manner that befits our calling, knowing the price that Jesus paid for our redemption. None of us can be perfect in God's eyes but God checks on our loyalty (Jeremiah 17:9-10). His Spirit leads us in all truth and reminds us of the commands of Christ even in the most trying moments of our walk (John 16:7-15). We should allow God's word to speak to every circumstance of our lives so that His Spirit takes full charge of our lives. Where we inadvertently sin or disobey God, we should return to the path of obedience. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanseth us from all sin."
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