I am the one who deserves to die ...

The wise King Solomon commanded Benaiah

to strike down Adonijah with a sword after Adonijah requested,

through his mother Bathsheba, to marry Abishag the Shunammite.

Solomon then summoned the priest Abiathar

and told him to return to his hometown of Anathoth.

Although, in Solomon’s view, Abiathar deserved to die

for supporting Adonijah during David’s succession,

Solomon spared him because he had carried the Ark of the Covenant

for David and had shared in David’s sufferings.

Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood and exiled him.

This fulfilled the prophecy that the Lord had spoken at Shiloh concerning Eli’s family

(1 Kings 2:23-27).

As I meditate on this passage, I am reminded that, in the eyes of the holy and just God,

we were enemies deserving of death (Romans 5:10).

Yet, God chose to spare us, grant us new (eternal) life, and make us His children.

To bestow upon us this incredible love, grace, and blessing,

God made "Him who knew no sin" (2 Corinthians 5:21),

His eternal life (1 John 1:2), His eternal only begotten Son, Jesus Christ,

become the one who deserved to die on the cross in our place.

That is why the people at that time shouted, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"

(Luke 23:21)