1 KINGS 2:19-23: “So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak on Adonijah’s behalf. The king rose from his throne to meet her, and he bowed down before her. When he sat down on his throne again, the king ordered that a throne be brought for his mother, and she sat at his right hand. “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “I hope you won’t turn me down.” “What is it, my mother?” he asked. “You know I won’t refuse you.” “Then let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem,” she replied. “How can you possibly ask me to give Abishag to Adonijah?” King Solomon demanded. “You might as well ask me to give him the kingdom! You know that he is my older brother, and that he has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side.” Then King Solomon made a vow before the Lord: “May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request.” NLT

OBSERVATION: Am I aware of what is on my blind side? It is easy to go through life oblivious to what is on our blind side. We all have weaknesses in our lives, and our perspective is limited. Without insight from the Holy Spirit or the counsel of a godly friend, we are all vulnerable.

The account of Adonijah’s request to marry Abishag, the virgin nurse who had cared for King David in his final days, seems innocent enough. It was no doubt veiled in words of affection as Adonijah approached Bathsheba and asked her to approach her son, King Solomon, to request on his behalf.

Adonijah had attempted to establish himself as King of Israel while David was still alive. It was Bathsheba who interceded with King David, reminding him of his promise to make her son, Solomon, the next King. King David honored his word to Bathsheba, and Solomon was established as King of Israel.

Those who had gathered around Adonijah, Solomon’s older brother, quickly abandoned him when they learned the news. Adonijah ran to the altar, grabbed its horns, and begged for mercy from King Solomon.

“Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar in fear, and that he was pleading, ‘Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!” Solomon replied, “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die.” (1 Kings 1:51-52 NLT)

Solomon showed mercy towards Adonijah. Adonijah had access to the King’s Court, and, even though the text does not give us this information, from what happens next, we can assume that Adonijah was still scheming how to usurp the throne and establish himself as King.

One thing one could attempt to do in these times, as they positioned themselves to usurp the King’s throne, was to entice his concubines (female attendants) to their side. These female attendants would symbolize their strength and give the usurper valuable information. Adonijah’s request to marry Abishag, David’s nurse, was such a ploy. Yet, it was hidden in the request of romantic love, and even Bathsheeba did not see through it!

What did Adonijah hope to gain from this marriage? Abishag was the closest person to King David in his final days. She cared for him, kept him warm, fed him, and was his constant companion. There was no sexual relationship between the two, but no doubt a strong personal and emotional relationship. It is not difficult to imagine that David confided in her in his final days in ways that he did with no one else.

Adonijah wanted to learn all of these secrets. He wanted to use this marriage to penetrate the inner circle of King Solomon and learn his weaknesses. He craftily planned this rebellion, preying on Bathsheeba’s blind spot, and hoped he could take advantage of King Solomon in the same way.

God protected King Solomon from this deception. In this instance, the Holy Spirit revealed Adonijah’s deception to Solomon and protected him from his blind side. Solomon evaded a takeover threat to his new rule, and no doubt, his mother saw how she was tricked into bringing this request to her very own son.

This is a long breakdown of an event that is revealed in only a few short verses, but books could be written on the subject! We all have blind spots in our lives. Most accidents are not caused by running into something that we see. Rather, they are caused by something we don’t see, something that approaches us from our blind spots. The enemy is an expert in taking advantage of these in our lives.

How do we avoid the blind spots in life that can cause us to make uncalculated mistakes?

My wife has a condition with her eyesight that limits her peripheral vision. While I can see peripherally on my right and left, my wife cannot see on her left and has limited sight on her right peripheral vision. Over the years, she has faced several accidents, thankfully none that were serious, that resulted from cars approaching her on her left side.

Recently, we purchased a new car that has all the bells and whistles of modern safety, including blind-spot warnings! We both feel much better knowing that she has added protection when on the road. This practical application reminds us that we all need adequate protection as we travel on the highway of life. Here are three simple things that act as the blind-side warning system in my wife’s car.

GOD’S WORD: Daily abiding in God’s Word keeps my mind renewed and my focus on the pathway of life. Through God’s Word, I receive daily alerts of the blind spots in my life.

HOLY SPIRIT: As I grow in God’s Word and learn to listen in prayer, I begin to develop a spiritual ear and hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. John writes in his first epistle that it is the Holy Spirit’s anointing in our lives that teaches us and keeps us in the truth (1 John 2:20-21).

GODLY COUNSEL: Solomon writes in the Book of Proverbs, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” (Proverbs 27:6 NKJV) A good friend who offers godly counsel can help us see things we normally would miss.

The text does not tell us if King Solomon consulted with anyone after his mother’s request. Yet, I am sure that the final advice his father, King David, gave to him as he assumed the throne, helped Solomon see his blind spots. Without this, and without the Holy Spirit’s help, Solomon might have faced another uprising to unseat him from the throne.

We all need help with our blind spots! The enemy is always trying to take advantage of us and exploit our weaknesses. Yet, when we abide in God’s Word, when we abide in prayer and listen to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, and when we seek godly counsel from trusted and proven friends, like Solomon, we too can avoid the collisions of life!

Heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful reminder that I need help dealing with my blind spots. Speak to me each day through Your Word! Help me listen attentively and obediently to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit. And, give me the grace to humble myself, allowing others to speak into my life, helping me see my blind spots and weaknesses. As I do these three things, help me walk in the victory that You have set before me.

In Jesus’ Name!