In 1 Kings 1 we find that King David is slowly dying after a great life of leadership and influence. This meant that a new King needed to be selected. Along came a guy called Adonijah, that thought he’d make himself King. But he went about it the wrong way and tried to exalt himself as King…
1 Kings 1.5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith EXALTED HIMSELF, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Adonijah tried to get together some people that would follow him, but most of the people, that belonged to David didn’t follow him…
1 Kings 1:7 Then he CONFERRED with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. 8 BUT Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who [belonged] to David WERE NOT WITH Adonijah.
The Difference with David
David's mighty men didn't follow Adonijah the new king, because David never exalted himself, but was more interested in exalting other’s, encouraging others and seeing others reach their full potential.
Some of my favourite verses in the life of David are 1 Samuel 22:1-2…
1 Samuel 22:1 And David left there and escaped to the cave Adullam. And his brothers and all his father's house heard, and went down to him there.
1 Samuel 22:2 And every man in distress, and every man who had a creditor, and every man bitter of soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became commander over them. And about four hundred men were with him.
David took a bunch of people who had all sorts of problems
· Were in distress
· Owed someone money
· Had a bitter soul
And he changed them into a great army, who were referred to as “DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN”
That’s what makes a great leader, the kind of leader others will follow.
These people belonged to David, because of his love and care for them. They would do anything for David.
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