King Solomon sat on King David’s throne but he would not live in his house. Solomon understood three important issues of succession. You must:
1. OWN THE THRONE: Solomon tied up the loose ends left behind by the old king, he exiled or executed people who had committed crimes against his father.
2. ALIGN FOR A NEW RULE: Solomon married the Pharaoh’s daughter to bring Egypt into alliance.
3. BUILD YOUR OWN HOUSE: Solomon probably had many reasons for not living in David’s house. For you, maybe the old king still lives there. Regardless, there must be clarity in succession; don’t leave the old king where he can micro manage the new king and don’t curate the personality of the old king into the new leadership. You can’t lead an organization into a new era by using the old ideas and methods, as wonderful as they were.
In succession, the throne is passed on, the house is not. So we must discern that:
THE THRONE is comprised of things that are Kingdom, eternal and irreplaceable: the vision, call, ultimate responsibilities, covenant relationships, the seat of authority and influence.
THE HOUSE is personal, built to store all the things that are specific to the temporal methods and personality of each dynasty, Jesus called it “the old wineskin.” These things must be replaced.
Failure comes if the old king values the succession of his personal legacy over the succession of his God-ordained vision.* It’s a subtle sort of narcissism.
If succession turns toward the control of temporal things; money and assets owned by the previous rule, there will be disempowerment and eventually division fuelled by greed and control. The throne must have preeminence over the house; vision over personal identity. David inspired Solomon to become the wisest man who ever lived and when David raised the money to build the new temple he didn’t hide it under his mattress, he released it to Solomon’s leadership. Kings who hide money under the control of the old administration will diminish their successors.
True succession is when we run with the mandate and tenets of our vision, kill the politics, exile the greed and build a new house for a new day. You don’t need the old house, use your faith.
*A note to old guys; you’ll still have a legacy, but it won’t be ruining the show.
Terry and I have been in Canada for two weeks and have come across horrendous politics, but we’ve also spent time with exemplary visionaries and leaders. How’s it going where you’re at?
Al Purvis 
Another good article Pastor Al. It is interesting because lately I have been studying a lot about the Old Covenant and the New Covenant and how with the New Covenant Jesus brought the Old into a whole new level of maturity. When you mentioned the wine skins I thought about that.
When I get to the time when my sons are ready to take over, what I have to do is give them my resources, use my authority to establish them, and then get out of the way. And I think that will be the best time of my life — like a sabbath day time where I can rest from my work and watch my sons bring the old into a whole new level of maturity. I don’t want to die until I’ve seen this. But if I don’t get out of the way I will just forfeit that new maturity and frustrate my sons.
I’ve seen here in Asia with yourself and others in Cambodia, that when a father successfully hands over the work to his sons, the sons not only accomplish more, but they also bring their father’s vision into a greater level of maturity.