Living Up to Your Name

Living Up to Your Name                                 October 5, 2025

In 1 Kings chapter 1 and 2 we learn about a man named Adonijah.  According to biblehub.com the name Adonijah is derived from two Hebrew words, Adonai meaning “Lord” and Yah, a shortened form of Yahweh, the name of God in Hebrew.  Putting these together the name Adonijah means “my Lord is Yahweh” or “Yahweh is my Lord.”  When we read the Old Testament there are many examples of people who lived up to the meaning of their names.  When we look at Adonijah’s life it seems that he didn’t live up to his name.  Examining Adonijah’s life can help us reflect on several questions that we can use to assess how we are doing in living up to the name we carry, the name Christian.

Are we seeking God’s will or our own will?  Adonijah wanted the throne, however God had decided Solomon was to have the throne.  His desire for the throne and its associated power blinded him to God’s will.  Seeking our own will ahead of God’s will can lead to destruction.  Proverbs 3:5-6 shows us we should be trusting in God and allowing Him to lead us in His way.  Trusting and acknowledging God with every decision aligns our will with His and leads us down the path He has prepared for us.

Do we recognize God’s authority or do we allow pride to rule our lives?  Solomon showed mercy to Adonijah when he first attempted to take the throne, 1 Kings 1:52-53.  Adonijah didn’t recognize Solomon’s authority and allowed his pride to make what looked like a second attempt to take the throne, 1 Kings 2:22.   James 4:6 teaches us that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.  Pride breeds arrogance which can lead to destruction.  Therefore, we need to demonstrate humility and reliance on God.

Do we demonstrate obedience and recognize the second chance God has given us?  Solomon demonstrated mercy to Adonihah and gave him a second chance, however Adonijah didn’t take advantage of the mercy afforded to him.  God has been merciful to us, through Christ he has provided reconciliation and restoration.  Although He has been merciful to us, His mercy requires a response of repentance, changed behaviour and obedience.  On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached to the people and as a result of this they were “pierced their heart” and they asked “brothers what shall we do?”  Peter responded and told them to repent of their sins, turn to God and be baptized for the forgiveness of their sin (Acts 2:37-38).  As believers it is necessary for us to know and obey His word (James 1:22; Luke 11:28).

Before we act do we think about the consequences of our actions?  I don’t know the entire rationale of Adonijah’s decision to want to marry Abishag, however, this was seen by Solomon as an attempt by Adonijah to take the throne.  Adonijah’s action revealed the true nature of his heart and had significant consequences, as it resulted in his death.  All of our actions and decisions, whether big or small, have consequences.  Consequences can be positive or like in Adonijah’s case negative.  Each one of us has an accountability towards God, which means recognizing His sovereignty over our lives, understanding that He sees everything we do, and that our actions will be evaluated in light of His truth (Romans 14:12).  We also have an accountability toward each other.  Our actions can have consequences not just in our own lives, but also in the lives of others.  1 Thessalonians 5:11 teaches us to encourage and build each other up.

Adonijah’s life serves as a warning for us, a warning about pride, ambition, and resisting God’s plan.  When we examine Adonijah’s life, he didn’t demonstrate that he recognized Yahweh as his Lord.  For those who carry the name Christian my prayer for you, myself, and my family is that we seek God’s will ahead of our own, that we recognize and obey His authority in our lives, that our actions demonstrate that we recognize His sovereignty and that we build each other up and encourage each other.  If you are not a Christian my prayer for you is that you will search God’s word, be obedient to His plan for you and accept the redeeming grace of the second chance He offers all of us.

Kevin Pickles