As King David's reign drew to a close, Solomon faced the immense task of establishing himself as the rightful ruler over God's people. Wasting no time, he eliminated any threats against his throne by judiciously removing those who had sided with his rival brother, Adonijah. This firm yet prudent action allowed the bloodguilt from past conspiracies to be removed and peace to be established within the kingdom.

Yet Solomon knew that maintaining peace would require even greater wisdom. Though only a young man when he became king, Solomon approached the Lord with humility, acknowledging his need for divine guidance. In a dream at Gibeon, the epicenter of Israel's worship, God invited Solomon to ask for whatever he desired. Rather than requesting long life, riches or vengeance against his enemies, Solomon petitioned the Lord for discernment and an understanding heart to lead God's people righteously.

The Lord was pleased with Solomon's selfless petition. Not only did he endow the new king with unsurpassed wisdom, but promised to also grant him riches and honor beyond measure if he faithfully obeyed the commands of his father David. When Solomon awakened from this profound dream, he hastened to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices of dedication and thanksgiving to the God who had so bountifully blessed his kingship.

Solomon's divine wisdom was soon put to the test. Two women engaged in prostitution came before the king, each claiming to be the mother of the same living child. In their arguments over the true mother, they revealed that one woman's infant son had unexpectedly died in the night, whereupon the other woman had secretly switched the living child with the dead one. Without any further evidence, justice seemed impossible to determine.

Rather than rushing to judgment, Solomon shrewdly devised a plan to reveal the real mother through her natural affection. He commanded that the living child be cut in two, so that each woman could receive half. Shockingly, one woman passionately pleaded for the boy's life, willing to forfeit her maternal rights rather than see him killed. Through her unconditional love demonstrated in crisis, her identity as the true mother was unmistakably clear.

As news of Solomon's discerning verdict spread throughout Israel, all the people stood in awe of the King's God-granted wisdom. They saw that he had been endowed with an ability to administer justice far beyond any human ability. In Solomon's rule, the Israelites glimpsed qualities that would be perfectly embodied in their promised Messiah - a Son of David who would one day judge all nations with faultless righteousness and establish an eternal kingdom of peace.

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As King David's time drew to a close at 70 years of age, it was time for new leadership to emerge over Israel. While David's son Adonijah attempted to seize control of the kingdom, God had made it clear through the prophet Nathan that David's younger son Solomon was to be the next king. In his dying words, David charged Solomon to "show yourself a man" and take charge as king.

Ruling wisely over a united Kingdom would require Solomon to make adherence to God's Torah his highest priority. The instructions and commands given to Israel through Moses were the very guidelines by which the king and people were to live. Faithfulness to God's word would determine the success or failure of Solomon's reign. David warned his son of certain men like Joab and Shimei who posed potential threats due to their disloyal acts in the past. A proper purging of such enemies within his administration would be necessary for Solomon to solidify his position as king.

Shortly after taking the throne, Solomon was approached by his older brother Adonijah requesting to marry one of David's concubines, Abishag. However, Solomon recognized this was not an innocent match-making proposal, but rather a crafty plot by Adonijah to strengthen his claim to the throne. Marrying a king's concubine in other cultures equated to seizing the monarchy. In wisdom, Solomon dismissed the notion and declared Adonijah's action as treason worthy of death.

The prophet Nathan had foretold years earlier that God would remove the priestly line of Eli due to their disobedience. When Abiathar the priest aligned with Adonijah’s coup, Solomon fulfilled this prophecy by stripping Abiathar of his priestly authority, though sparing his life. Joab and Shimei, two others David warned about, met their ends as well due to ongoing defiance. Through decisive yet merciful action, Solomon established the security necessary to faithfully lead God's people into an era of peace and prosperity.

Solomon's reforms pointed forward to an ultimate, ideal king who would one day purge all evil from God's kingdom forever. The dividing of Israel after Solomon's demise intensified the longing for a Messiah who would permanently unite the nation under God's righteous rule. Jesus Christ fulfills these ancient hopes as the son of David serving also as our great high priest in the order of Melchizedek. At his still-future glorious appearing, Jesus will make all of Israel's enemies a footstool beneath his feet, finally and fully establishing the eternal Kingdom of God on earth.

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As David's time as king drew to a close, he called upon his son Solomon to impart some final words of wisdom before passing away. David had reigned faithfully over Israel for forty years, seeing many victories and blessings from God. In his old age, he was now looking back reflectively on all that God had done through him. More than anything, he wanted to ensure Solomon understood the importance of following God with all his heart as the new king. David told Solomon his time had come to join his ancestors, urging him to "be strong and show yourself a man" by taking on the heavy responsibilities of leadership.

David emphasized that the key to Solomon's success would be wholly committing to obeying God's commands and statutes. He reminded Solomon of God's promise that if the kings of Israel walked faithfully before Him, their dynasty would be established forever. Keeping God as the highest priority through studying His word and living righteously was the surest way for Solomon's reign to be blessed. As with Joshua after Moses, God promises to be with those who heed His voice. This mirrored the heart of Deuteronomy and Jewish teachings to always remember God's instructions. David wanted to impart the significance of loyalty to Yahweh above all else as the foundation for Solomon's kingship.

While stressing devotion to God, David also gave Solomon practical counsel about administrative matters. He informed him of two men, Joab and Shimei, who still needed to face justice for past dishonorable acts, though David had shown them mercy. Joab had unlawfully killed commanders out of personal interests, while Shimei cursed David during a time of rebellion. David ordered Solomon to deal wisely with punishing their offenses according to the law, though with discretion. In contrast, he told Solomon to continue showing kindness to the sons of Barzillai who had faithfully assisted David in his time of need. David's final warnings emphasized the importance of rooting out anything that could corrupt or harm the kingdom from within.

After imparting this wise guidance, David's time on earth came to an end as he passed away and was buried in Jerusalem. The writer reflected on David's forty year reign that began in Hebron and concluded with three full decades ruling from Jerusalem, leaving a strong legacy. With his father's death, Solomon formally took the throne as the new king of Israel. Through obeying God and applying the principles David emphasized, Solomon's rule was established on a firm foundation just as God intended. Solomon was set up for success by his father's perfect parting words that focused on maintaining a right relationship with Israel's covenant-keeping Lord above all else.

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