Grabbing Life By The Horns

Steve Adams, Eastgate Bible Church

Usually when using the phrase “grabbing life by the horns” we assert that life will submit under our rule.

Recently, I was challenged by a different application of “taking hold of the horns” in 1 Kings. King David was old, and God had promised his son Solomon would be the next king. However, Adonijah declared himself to be king with the support of others like Joab.

On separate occasions, both Adonijah and Joab realised they had rebelled against God, but their response was the same. The first response for Adonijah (1 Kings 1:50) and Joab (1 Kings 2:28) was to “take hold of the horns of the altar”. They knew their only hope was that God might be merciful and accept the substitutionary death of a sacrifice in their place.

Almost 1000 years later, God’s King, Jesus, came into this world. Like Adonijah, we’re all inclined to reject God’s king and assert our own rule. Our confident hope is God’s grace and mercy - that Jesus came to be the final and perfect substitutionary sacrifice for our rebellion. He is the “horn of salvation” to whom we desperately cling for grace, life and hope.