2 Samuel 24

Related Topics: David; Joab; Numbering the People; Trials or Temptations; Ornan; Mount Moriah; Temple Mount; the Place where God Placed His Name; Abraham; Solomon

Chapter 24

Remember — we said that the final four chapters of 2 Samuel are most likely an epilogue and do not follow the chronological line of the narrative? It is very probable that this chapter — though not chronologically at the end of David’s life — was chronologically connected to the events of Chapter 21.

1Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” 2 Samuel 24:1

BIG QUESTION: How do we reconcile God inciting David this verse with James 1:13?

13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

ANSWER: God TESTS our faith that we might stand— having our faith refined.

James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds, 3for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

1 Peter 1:6-8 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

By contrast — Satan TEMPTS men that he may find out their weaknesses and destroy them.

We must remember that Satan can not tempt us without God’s Permission.

EXAMPLE: Job — Satan was accusing Job before God and God PERMITTED Satan to touch Job’s life. God prescribed the limits of the temptations and attacks. With those truths in mind — Lets start with the opening words.

1Again the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel,

The NATION required discipline. It needed a Divine spanking so that it would stop and think of how it was offending God.

SIDE NOTE: Our society has become so un-Biblical in it’s thinking about loving discipline and correction. Spanking is thought to be barbaric and brutal. Time-Outs or “That’s it – no cell phone for the rest of the day” is the norm for discipline.
Because of that — it is beyond even most Christians to view national adversity or calamity as God’s loving discipline.

As we read the history of Israel there were no “time-outs” – no cell phone privileges revoked! We are not told the specific action that displeased God — but our study of this nation has proven that it was capable of some really rotten behavior.

They were FAR from steadfast in the allegiance to God. The Holy Spirit has only chosen to let us know that at THIS moment in their history they had gone further astray than usual — and discipline was necessary!

TO THAT END — “the Lord incited David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.”

BIG IDEA HERE: God PERMITTED a sinful attitude in the heart of David to come into action.

As we look at the nature of David’s command we can see that there was festering in David’s heart, a thirst for war and pride in his victories; a growing ambition.

1 Chronicles 21:1 Then Satan stood against Israel and incited David to number Israel.

“Satan” = (saw-tawn) — an opponent; especially (with the article prefixed) Satan, the arch enemy of good: adversary, Satan, withstand.

We see the same word used in other passages:

*1 Kings 11:14 And the Lord raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite.

1 Kings 11:23 God raised up as an adversary to him, Rezon the son of Eliada, who fled from his master Hadadezer king Zobah.

So the parallel passage in 1 Chronices 21 could mean that this “adversary” was a supposed friend of David who played upon David’s wrong state of heart suggesting that David should go ahead and number the people, all the while knowing that God would be angered against David.

Ultimately, behind such deceitful and destructive action is THE adversary, Satan who is the father of lies and who only and always seeks to steal, kill, and destroy. Having said that, most Bible translations read 1 Chronicles 21:1 as Satan.

CRUCIAL QUESTION: WHAT made numbering his soldiers such a great offence in the sight of God?

We know that in Numbers 26:1-2 God commanded Moses to number from twenty years old and upward, by their fathers’ houses, all in Israel who are able to go to war.” In light of that, David’s action here is a great example of how God is supremely concerned with the HEART because a WRONG heart can use an otherwise LAWFUL action for sinful purposes. The PROOF that David’s command came from a wrong attitude that was deeply settled in his heart is proven by what follows:

3But Joab said to the king, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” 4But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to number the people of Israel.

We have said all along that Joab is a very complex character. He was a man of war, a fierce and skilled soldier, a man to be feared. When his own interests were at stake Joab proved to be a man moved by passion without any regard for man or God. But when it came to his king and matters of state he was not a reckless man. Joab knew pride and passion when he saw it because he saw it when he looked in the mirror. Joab saw David’s command for what it was, a prideful thing that was going to lead to a painful outcome.

QUOTE: The Pulpit Commentary: 2 Samuel. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (596). “He saw whither the king was drifting, and….the increase of the royal power, resulting from successful war.”

This moment in David’s life is a HUGE WARNING to EVERYONE here tonight even to those who love Jesus most!

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Psalm 51:6

HERE’S the warning:

The man who wrote those words was in fact divinely inspired to write them is none other than David. Yet when we find him in 2 Samuel 24 he is so self-deluded that he can rationalize doing a lawful thing to accomplish a sinful end and then not even listen to Joab’s legitimate objection!

5They crossed the Jordan and began from Aroer, and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, toward Gad and on to Jazer. 6Then they came to Gilead, and to Kadesh in the land of the Hittites; and they came to Dan, and from Dan they went around to Sidon, 7and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out to the Negeb of Judah at Beersheba. 8So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9And Joab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were 800,000 valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were 500,000.

HERE’S proof that David’s action was driven by SINFUL attitude:

10But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people.

PLEASE note the little word, “BUT.”

This word always marks a CONTRAST. David THOUGHT that the result of numbering his troops would give him a great sense of security — significance — and status in the eyes of other kings and nations. What it RESULTED in was a sense of humiliation and failure before God!

HERE’S THE PICTURE — When we yield to the lust of the flesh we think that the outcome will be joy and satisfaction BUT — the opposite is true. Our hearts trouble us.

David’s heart “STRUCK” him.

Struck = to strike, to give wounds.

When we are wounded we ask ourselves, “WHY did I do that?”

Jesus spoke of the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men:

And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin…John 16:8

CONVICT = Convince, convict, tell a fault.

THIS WORK of the Holy Spirit, CONVICTING us of sin, CAUSING our hearts to WOUND us, is a very PRECIOUS thing.

We must be so careful to:

1. RESPOND to that conviction
2. Not blow it off when our hearts WOUND us

Paul the apostle spoke of the possibility of continuing in sin to the point where you can no longer be convicted of sin.

having their conscience seared with a hot iron; [1 Tim 4:2 KJV] (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20tim%204:2&version=KJV)

SEARED = kauteriazo, kow – tay – ree – ad’ – zo

To brand (“cauterize”), i.e. (by impl.) to render insensitive

Here is a man who INCREMENTALLY has gotten to the place where he no longer hears the voice of the Holy Spirit convicting of sin. The first time that you do something that you know is wrong it is preceded by a tremendous struggle. You want to do it but you know you shouldn’t. You fight it and fight it, but you give into it.

It is amazing how you have no sooner done it that you feel MISERABLE. You say, “WHY did I do that?” You may loose sleep over it. You are distracted from your daily routine and responsibilities.

LIKE DAVID, the pleasure that you wanted to get from it is no where to be found. It was pleasurable in the moment of the act, but now it’s killing you! BUT, the next time you are faced with the same temptation you don’t fight it with the same intensity. The reason is that your defenses have been torn away. Having done it once, it is easier to do it the second time. You DON’T feel so bad. In fact, you begin to develop a rational for your action. In time, you don’t feel anything at all. You can do it without any remorse at all.

The fact that God’s Spirit speaks to you is a BLESSING, but there is a warning. It is possible for you to continue in a sin to the extent that God’s Spirit will NOT speak to you about that sin.

EXAMPLE: Hosea 4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone.

DON’T talk to them any more…. Just let them alone. THAT is the worst place that you can be!

EXAMPLE: Jeremiah 14:11 The Lord said to me: “Do not pray for the welfare of this people.

“Jeremiah, they’ve gone too far, don’t pray for their good because if you do, I will not hear you.”

It is possible to go too far in a sin, so far that God will no longer speak to you about it. So far that God will just let you go. DON’T LEAVE here without turning from your sin and trusting your life to Jesus!

And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.”

David did what everyone SHOULD do when their hearts begin to smite them…. He CONFESSED his sin. The CONVICTION of sin is always intended to lead to CONFESSION of sin.

Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

There was another time when David DID try to COVER his sin (2 Samuel 11). He went so far as to commit murder to cover it. He refused to confess it for nearly a YEAR. It was a horrible time under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. NOT THIS TIME. This time he has no proud desire to remain on good terms with himself.

10But David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I have done very foolishly.” 11And when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying…

PLEASE NOTE: The Lord responds so quickly to brokenness and humility — confession and repentance.

CRUCIAL INSIGHT: The TAKING AWAY of sin can ONLY be done by God.

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far does he removed our transgressions from us.

All we can do is RECEIVE the forgiveness of our sins. There is NOTHING that we can do in the forgiveness of sin — there is nothing that we can DO that could permit us to feel responsible for our righteousness. LISTEN — There are no DEALS to be made with God, “IF you forgive me Lord, I’ll do this or that…”

Here’s the deal:

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

WE confess and HE forgives.

God has already done the work necessary for our forgiveness. ALL that we can do is respond to the CONVICTION of sin and CONFESS.

CRUCIAL: The forgiveness that God offers to us is COMPLETE.

Romans 5:1 Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

JUSTIFIED = Just-As-If-I’d never sinned

Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,

BLOTTED OUT = exaleipho, ex-al-i’-fo; to smear out, i.e. obliterate

Man knows NOTHING of that kind of forgiveness.

12“Go and say to David, ‘Thus says the Lord, Three things I offer you. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’”

NOW COMES THE CHASTISEMENT

13So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me.”

EACH of these was suited to correct David’s pride in human resources! In each of them there was NOTHING that David could do to save himself or his people.

14Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the hand of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man.”

QUESTION: WHY should the sheep suffer for the sin of the shepherd?

REMEMBER the beginning of the chapter. The sheep were not any LESS guilty than the shepherd. BOTH were guilty and BOTH would be chastened!

15So the Lord sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning until the appointed time. And there died of the people from Dan to Beersheba 70,000 men.

70,000! REMEMBER — God is PERFECTLY JUST! We look at this and think — How UNFAIR — 70,000? It is because we have such a dim view of BOTH the sinfulness of sin and the righteousness of God. HIS justice is PERFECT justice!

Revelation 16:7 “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!”

Revelation 19:2 for his judgments are true and just…

The pride of the king, confiding in the number of his population, is judged. The nation that had provoked the Lord to anger is itself judged.

DON’T MISS THIS — what we see here is not the SEVERITY of God but the MERCY of God. There should have been THREE full days of this!

Yet at the end of the first day we see God stay His hand!

16And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it,
the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, “It is enough; now stay your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Behold, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me and against my father’s house. (strike MY family and my household)”

For ALL of his faults — David truly was a man after God’s own heart! Here he is willing to take upon himself MORE than his own share of the blame.

It surely wasn’t like that in the Garden of Eden. Remember how Adam threw Eve under the bus rather shoulder the blame for the original sin of mankind! WHAT a foreshadowing of the great Son of David — Jesus! He was SINLESS in birth and SINLESS in life. He was indeed the lamb without spot or blemish! Rather than see us perish — Jesus was not only WILLING to stand in the place of sinners — He DID stand in our place.

AWESOME — The end of this chapter POINTS to and is BUILDING towards the very act in which Jesus — the righteous One — dies for the unrighteous. God commands David to an action that PREDICTS the death of Jesus on the Cross that delivers us from the wrath that is to come.

18And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, raise an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”

Araunah (ore-naw’,)

He is called Ornan in 1Chron. 21:18 18Now the angel of the LORD had commanded Gad to say to David that David should go up and raise an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

He was a Jebusite. REMEMBER — The Jebusites were the Canaanite inhabitants of Jerusalem. They are first mentioned way back in Genesis 10. The Israelites could NEVER dislodge them from that place. They were so securely entrenched in Jerusalem that they mocked the Israelites —

2 Samuel 5:6 We can defend this place with the blind and the lame!

That was the case UNTIL God’s anointed king sat on the throne of Israel. It was David who finally conquered the Jebusites and secured Jerusalem for Israel.

GO UP — THRESHING FLOOR. Threshing floors were on the heights. They were flat hard places where the grain would be threshed by way of ox-drawn sleds. The grain would then be tossed into the air and the winds that would be unblocked on those high spots would blow away the chaff and allow the heavier grain to fall to the ground.

ABOVE the City of David is the highest part of Mount Moriah. THAT is where Ornan lived. Some commentators believe this man to have been the former king of the Jebusites. Ornan’s threshing floor was located on the elevation of Moriah.

MINDBLOWING — Back in Genesis 22 God commanded Abraham to take Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice to God.

Like Jesus — Isaac was Abraham’s ONLY son whom he LOVED

Like Jesus — Isaac was a young man who willingly went to be sacrificed by his father

Like Jesus — Isaac carried the very wood upon which he would be sacrificed.

On the way to Mt. Moriah Isaac said, Dad — I see the wood for the sacrifice and the fire for the sacrifice — but where’s the lamb for the sacrifice?

Abraham said — The Lord will provide HIMSELF as the sacrifice — in THIS very place it will one day be seen.

The difference between Isaac and Jesus is that just before Isaac’s dad was about to sacrifice his son the Lord stopped him and substituted a ram for Isaac. NOW — HERE in 2 Samuel 24 God COMMANDED David to offer the sacrifice that would turn away the judgment of God on the very spot where Abraham brought Isaac.

AFTER DAVID’S DEATH — David’s son, Solomon, would build the Temple of the true and living God on that very spot on Mount Moriah.

2 Chronicles 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

We keep coming to THIS place! WHY? Because the exaltation of God — the redeeming of this fallen world — the reign of God on earth — are all wrapped up in THIS PLACE.

Deuteronomy 12:5-7; 9-14 But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go, 6and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. 7And there you shall eat before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your households, in all that you undertake, in which the Lord your God has blessed you…… 9for you have not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance that the Lord your God is giving you. 10But when you go over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and when he gives you rest from all your enemies around, so that you live in safety, 11then to the place that the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell there, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, and all your finest vow offerings that you vow to the Lord.

12And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and your daughters, your male servants and your female servants, and the Levite that is within your towns, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. 13Take care that you do not offer your burnt offerings at any place that you see, 14but at the place that the Lord will choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I am commanding you.

THIS is THE ONE PLACE on the face of this earth that God has PLACED His Name. It is THE place promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob — BECAUSE it is in THIS place that the true and living God would be worshipped.

It is THE place where the true and living God would manifest His glory in a visible tangible way within the veil in the Holy of holies. It is in THIS place — on Mount Moriah — where God Incarnate would be PROVIDE HIMSELF as the Lamb of God who would be slain for the sins of the world.

One day — in the not distant future — this same Incarnate God will RETURN to THIS PLACE and from it RULE the world in righteousness for 1,000 years!

19So David went up at Gad’s word, as the Lord commanded. 20And when Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. And Araunah went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. 21And Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be averted from the people.” 22Then Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering and the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. 23All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “The Lord your God accept you.” 24But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.”

QUOTE: Adam Clarke — He who has a religion that costs him nothing, has a religion that is worth nothing: nor will any man esteem the ordinances of God, if those ordinances cost him nothing.

Ornan made a generous offer to David — one born out of genuine respect. Had David accepted the gift it would have been Ornan’s sacrifice, not David’s nor would it have turned away the judgment of God BECAUSE it was David that sinned, not Araunah.

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25And David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord responded to the plea for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.

2 Samuel 22-23

Related Topics: David; Psalm 18; David’s Mighty Men

We are now down to the final three chapters of 2 Samuel. Remember, these are most likely an epilogue to the book and appear to be out of the chronological flow of events in David’s life.

In Chapter 23 we find a song of David. It is the same in substance, and almost the same in words, with Psalm 18.

1And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.

This gives us a time stamp back to the time in which David was being hunted by Saul.

2He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation (figurative expression for strength and power), my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.
4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.

This song of deliverance reminds us of how David suffered horribly and incessantly at the hands of Saul despite the fact that David was absolutely innocent. Throughout all of it he maintained complete integrity.

Note, Character, integrity, and innocence do not make us immune from attack and suffering!

2He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.
5 “For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; 6 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me.7 “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called.

Waves of death encompassed me. I don’t know how many of you grew up around the beach and large surf. To be caught in the impact zone is so frightening! Wave after wave just pounds you — you come up from one — amazed to have made it to the surface and another one is breaking 10 feet in front of you.

Life can feel like that. You can be so accomplished, so together, but there you are caught in the impact zone. Spiritual attack or relationship/marital train wreck or a financial fiasco.

7 ….From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.

Isn’t that awesome! Reminds me of Psalm 40

Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.

Inclined means to bend or bow down, to turn aside as in turning to see who called you. It can also mean Go down.

WOW! It makes me think of the incarnation! God comes down from heaven to join us in our humanity and identify with us. He stands in our place to endure the wrath of God on behalf of fallen man. But by way of the incarnation He also becomes our great high priest who is acquainted with all of our infirmities!

Hebrews 4:15-16

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In VERSES 8-17 David describes the Lord’s intervention and deliverance by way of metaphor.
He uses the metaphor of earthquake, smoke, fire, fiery coals, and ash clouds — all of which can be involved in a volcanic eruption. Earthquake imagery is often associated with the Lord (Ps. 77:18; Isa. 5:25; 24:18).

He also describes battles in terms of a storm which was common both in the Bible and in other ancient Near Eastern literature. David describes the Lord as a mighty warrior riding in a chariot drawn by the wind or a cherub.

18 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me.19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support 20 He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

David contrasts his great peril with God’s awesome deliverance. David knows that he was incapable of coming out victoriously, he knows He is saved by God’s hand. The bottom line, why was David delivered? David says, “Because He delighted in me.”

Would you please remember, even when you are suffering wrongly at the hands of man, God delights in you. He might not always delight in our actions or attitudes, but we are now in Jesus.

Eph. 1:6 KJV

6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Remember, this is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Remember, this is my BELOVED Son, here Him!

21 “The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God.23 For all his rules were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside.24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 25 And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.

QUOTE:
Jamieson, Fausset, Brown — The statements of innocence, righteousness, refer to his personal and official conduct and his purposes, during all the trials to which he was subjected in Saul’s persecutions.

QUOTE: Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol.1 — David’s early troubles arose from the wicked malice of envious Saul, who no doubt carried out his persecutions under cover of charges brought against the character of “the man after God’s own heart.” These charges David declares to have been utterly false, and asserts that he possessed a grace–given righteousness which the Lord had graciously rewarded in defiance of all his (accusers). Before God the man after God’s own heart was a humble sinner, but before his slanderers he could with unblushing face speak of the “cleanness of his hands” and the righteousness of his life…. There is no self–righteousness in an honest man knowing that he is honest, nor even in his believing that God rewards him in providence because of his honesty…. but it would be self–righteousness indeed if we transferred such thoughts from (our standing before man) into (our standing before God), for there grace reigns not only supreme but (is the only cause) in the distribution of divine favours.

26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 27 with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.

David recognized the principle: with the merciful You will show Yourself merciful. We know form our study of 1 and 2 Samuel that mercy was the common practice of David.

Twice in his dealings with Saul (1 Sam 24 in Engedi, and 1 Sam 26 in Saul’s Camp). Also his dealings with Shimei (2 Samuel 16:7-12)

28 You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.

Hannah, the mother of Samuel sang of this at the beginning of Samuel (1 Sam. 2:7–8). This is a constant theme throughout Scripture. God controls human destiny, humbling the proud but raising the humble.

EXAMPLE: Daniel 5:18-30

18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would,
he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives,
and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.24“Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 30That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

In verses 29-46, David declares his confidence in God and his anticipation of future victory. God’s past faithfulness to David has given him trust for the future. The life of the Christian is one that goes from faith to faith.
That is why every opportunity to trust the Lord is critical to our future confidence in the Lord.
Your adversary the devil will fight tooth and nail to keep your from living by faith.

You see,he knows that one moment of faith leads to another moment of greater faith. For your adversary the devil there is no such thing as a little moment of faith. He knows that the whole of our relationship with God is predicated on grace and faith. Saved by grace through faith,and the just shall live by faith, this grace in which we stand. Legalism and self-confidence are his great strategies against us!

The Bible instructs us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not to our own understanding, but acknowledge Him in all of our ways! (Pr. 3:5-6)That is why your adversary the devil will try to train you to trust in someone or something else than God. To lean upon own wisdom or talent.

In every so-called “little matter”. Here’s his lie — “This is just a little thing. There is no need to trust the Lord in this little matter that is so mundane, so inconsequential. Of course in the big things of life you should trust in God, but this isn’t one of them.”

Listen, God so often proves Himself worthy of trust incrementally; preparing us to trust Him for things that are extraordinary and of great consequence!

QUOTE: Alexander MacLaren –
Faith has the right thus to argue from the past to the future, because it draws from God whose resources and patience are equally inexhaustible.

2 Cor 1:8-10

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.

Hudson Taylor was living by faith long before he ever got to China. Meet God and live by faith at school! Meet God and live by faith at the office.
Meet God and live by faith at the kitchen sink.

Have a consistent walk of faith with God today and you will be ready to trust God come what may tomorrow!

47 “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,48 the God who gave me vengeance and brought down peoples under me,49 who brought me out from my enemies; you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from men of violence.50 “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name.51Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”

CHAPTER 23

The last recorded words of David.

1Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue.3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God,4 he dawns on them like the morning light,
like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.

The idea of the ideal king here is probably a twin reference to David’s kingdom and the perfect rule of the coming Messiah. From one perspective, David’s reign was a disaster; repeated family crisis, an attempted insurrection from his own son, another civil war, and three years of famine. In contrast, Solomon’s reign seems idyllic; great prosperity, prominence and glory.

Yet the Bible has nothing but praise for David and his reign (Psalm 89:20; Isaiah 55:3-4; Romans 1:3; Revelation 22:16). While Solomon is barely mentioned, and when he is, it is almost in a backhanded way (Matthew 12:42)

Why?

1. Because David’s passion in life was simply to be with God (Psalm 84:10), while Solomon’s passion was personal improvement (1 Kings 3:4-15).

2. Because David endured to the end, loving and serving God in the final chapters of his life (2 Samuel 23:1-7), while Solomon forsook God in his later years (1 Kings 11:4-8)

5 For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? 6 But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand;7 but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire.”

Here we see that David realized that his house was far from perfect, yet God dealt with him on the basis of His promises. That is so wonderfully true.

8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had:

Remember that these men were not great in the beginning.

1 Samuel 22:2

And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them.

These men would never be the same for their closeness to God’s anointed King! This was a group of broken men who needed a leader who would direct them into God’s best for their lives. These men came to David in distress, in debt, and in bitterness of soul, but they didn’t stay that way. Because of their time near David and under David’s leadership they would become:

1 Chronicles 12:8

Mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.

CRUCIAL INSIGHT: It is evident that David did not accomplish what he did all by himself; most of God’s great works are not accomplished by one man, but by one with the support of many. Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded (KJV – lifted up)his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.

There is a picture for us here as to one of the great pre-requisites of victory in the Christian life. We don’t lift our hands with a spear in them. But we are told in 1 Timothy 2:8

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;

9And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.

Here is a second prerequisite for victorious Christian walk: you must be a man or woman whose hand cleaves to the sword. Eph. 6:17 The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
(Also Heb. 4:12)

Is your Bible in your hands? Are you wearing your Bibles out?

11And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. 12But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory.

The third prerequisite is faithfulness in service. David said: Here’s your job – Guard the beans. The Philistines attacked and everybody else split. But Shammah said “I have a job to do”. Because he was faithful in service when everyone else bailed, he is recorded as a mighty man of God.

Maybe your job is to change the diapers in the nursery. What has the Lord given you to do? stand your ground even when everyone else bails until the Lord releases you.

13And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”

David wanted water from a well in Bethlehem, but the Philistines surrounded the city. (Key Insight: Bethlehem = House of Bread). The well, which would speak of the water of the Spirit, Is in the house of bread.

John 6:63

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

The house of bread is where you draw the water of the spirit. It is when you are in the Word of God; reading, studying, meditating; you are most refreshed. When I am studying the Word I am so blessed, and I pray that you too would be when we study it together. Its like a pitcher of cool water poured over you.

15And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”

David was not giving an order. He was just thinking out loud. These mighty men heard what their king was thinking! Do you hear what your king is thinking…. What is on His mind?

It is one thing to obey the commands — it is another to hear the heart beat of the Lord… To sense His heart.

Why couldn’t the water be easily gotten? Because the House of Bread was surrounded by the Philistines. This Book is surrounded by Philistines. They know that there is water in it. They do everything possible to keep you out of it.

THIS place is surrounded by Philistines. They know that the Word is poured out here. They want to keep your from it. They want to keep us from the vision of pouring it out as much and as often and as many ways.

16Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David.

How did they do it? It Doesn’t say. Because your breaking through the Philistines is something that can not be programmed. You have to seek the Lord and say — “Lord, how do I break through? You have to seek the Lord and say — “Show me my schedule and my priorities to know how to break through”.

But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

David took the water and poured it out. It was precious water. His body yearned for it. His friends risked their lives for it. It was a spontaneous and creative act of worship. A sacrifice that only Jesus is worthy of. To pour it out before the Lord was a way of saying that he was not worthy of it, that only the Lord was worthy of it.

18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three. 19He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

KEY OBSERVATION: Abishai is listed here, but Joab is not listed amongst these mighty men. Joab was famous in his own day but in God’s perspective — in the light of eternity — he was disqualified. But Abishai was recorded in eternity as a hero.

20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab.

Ariels – the exact meaning of this word is unknown. It may mean “lion of God,” in which case it probably should be translated as “a champion” or “warrior”. KJV translates this phrase as “two lion-like men.” He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.

1 Pet 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

What did he do? He went into a snowy old pit and faced the Lion. Here is the picture: Your adversary the devil doesn’t back off just because you feel like your heart is growing cold, and your circumstances have you in the pits. He has no pity for you. You shouldn’t have a pity party either. Get down and do battle. That is what Benaiah did.

21And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 23He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three.

He not only went down into the pit and killed a lion, he also killed and Egyptian. He wrestled the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his own spear. Bennaih’s first battles dealt with lions. Lions which speak of Satan. His second battle was with an Egyptian which speaks of the world.

There is one subtle, but significant point. How did he overcome this Egyptian?

VERSE 21 – but he went down to him with a staff

The staff in the Bible is speaks of being a pilgrim. How do we overcome this huge Egyptian that seeks to overcome us? By being a pilgrim. The world has no pull on you if you have your heart set on the things above… the things of eternity.

I blow it when I lose sight of eternity and get hung up on the temporal circumstances around me.
When you recognize that the world is not your home, the world has no pull on you.

Here is an illustration: When I go out of town and go to the airport for my return flight, I do not think to myself: “I think I’ll build a house here.” I realize that the airport terminal is only a point of departure for my home. This world is only a point of departure for our real home. This world is terminal. We take on the world by declaring: “I am a pilgrim”.

And David set him over his bodyguard.

Do you know why you faced lion like men today?
It is preparing you to do battle against the big one.

24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, 25Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, 27Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, 29Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, 30Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim, 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel of Gilo, 35Hezro of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

2 Samuel 21

Related Topics: David; Saul; Famine; Gibeonites; Covenant; Philistines; War

We are coming to the FINAL FOUR chapters of 2 Samuel. They are not placed in chronological order with the rest of the book. In Chapter 21:1 we find the vague expression “in the days of David” — there is no specific time stamp.

CHAPTER 21
– Record of a 3 year Famine and the death of Saul’s sons (21:1–14)
– Philistine wars (21:15–22)

CHAPTER 22
– Song of David (22:1–51)

CHAPTER 23
Last words of David (23:1–7)
David’s heroes (23:8–39)

CHAPTER 24
The census and the threshing floor (24:1–25)

CHAPTER 21

1Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord.
And the Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.”

The first observation is that it took three years for David to seek the Lord. You would think that David would have sought the Lord in the first year. Or at the least into the second year of draught David would have said, “Something is wrong here… We are having some serious problems here… I better seek the Lord.” But It wasn’t until the third year that David decided to seek the face of the Lord.

Note that David was not seeking merely pragmatic information. He knew that the answer was to be found in seeking the face of the Lord; in Personal Communion with the Living God. How different from modern church culture where everyone is running to the next conference or seminar for answers.

Psalm 73:16-17

But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task,17 until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end.

Here is the picture: It is tragic that people wait for things to get real desperate before they seek the Lord; seek to meet with him. I wonder how many of our problems would have been avoided if we had only sought the Lord, enjoyed fellowship with Him, sensed His heart and His desires, asked His mind in matters at the beginning.

As the words of an old hymn tell us:

O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bare
All because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer

A lot of needless problems and suffering because we don’t eek the face of the Lord. It is so sad that it takes some tragedy to move us to seek the face of the Lord. But the reality of it all is that we have so pushed God out of the center of the Christian life and supplanted Him with a church subculture that seeking the face of the Lord is lost on the average professing Christian.
Sadly, it does take a tragedy to move us to seek His face!

God would be so pleased if we would seek Him without some disaster hanging over our heads. He would be so pleased if He were not our last resort, but rather our first and best time would be spent seeking His face.

Think of the great condescension of God in seeking to meet us face to face. For God to be Immanuel— God with us — meant that He had to leave His throne of glory. All of that being said, when things are going wrong, it is a wise thing to seek the Lord. Don’t let your adversary the devil rip you off by saying, “You really don’t think God will hear you NOW!”

The reality – because as it was with David, the Lord will show you what is wrong. Maybe there is something spiritually wrong that even you are not aware. Something has crept in and God is trying to get your attention. We remember that David ruled as king over Israel for 40 years. If this chapter is in chronological order — the nation of Israel has been unaware of this sin for some 40 years.

Now, 40 years after the deed of Saul, God is dealing with that sin and these 3 years of famine are his way of getting their attention. The question that is often asked is “Why did God wait FORTY YEARS to deal with this problem?”

QUOTE: Matthew Henry
some troubles especially show that they are sent to bring sin to remembrance. God’s judgments often look a great way back, which requires us to do, when we are under his rebukes.

These closing chapters are considered by many scholars to be an EPILOGUE. An epilogue is a section or speech at the end of a book or play that serves as a comment on or a conclusion to what has happened.

In his Harmony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, William Day Crockett places this shortly after David is settled in Jerusalem, after ruling over Judah from Hebron for 7 ½ years, he is recognized by all 12 tribes.

Some place the famine after David’s kindness to Mephiboshet (2 Sam.9) and before the rebellion of Absalom (2 Sam.15-18)

Others refer to the opening of CHAPTER 22 as pointing to the famine being an event early on in David’s reign,at the beginning of his rule in Hebron

2 Samuel 22:1

And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul.

KEY POINT #1 — The passage of time does not lessen the ramifications of sin. If this is indeed at the end of David’s reign. We must remember that the delay of Divine justice is not a token of innocence. Sin must be dealt with. If this is indeed at the end of David’s reign,
God in His patience allowed 40 years to pass before dealing with it. Upon revealing the sin, the Famine came and remained until the sin was dealt with.

KEY POINT #2 — Even though it took 3 years of a desperate situation to move David to seek the face of the Lord, The Lord answered David. Here is a wonderful illustration of a New Testament truth

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

The reason for the drought and famine was sin committed by Israel’s first king — king Saul. When the children of Israel first came into the promised land under the leadership of Joshua — it was obvious that the hand of God was with them. The people of the city of Gibea understood that their only hope to escape extermination was to make a treaty with Israel. The Gibeonites also knew that there was to be no treaties between Israel and the Canaanites.

They knew that they would have to resort to deception to gain a peace treaty with Israel. So they pretended to come from afar.

They brought moldy bread and wore torn garments and worn sandals as evidence of their long journey. (Judges 9) Joshua and his men made a fatal mistake.

Josh 9:14-15

So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. 15And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

The Gibeonites got the treaty they wanted because Joshua did not seek the face of the Lord. The terms of this treaty prohibited Israel from wiping out the Gibeonites. They could only relegate the Gibeonites to performing manual labor in Israel.

After 400 years under the rule of the Judges, Saul broke this treaty. His actions are not mentioned anywhere else in Scripture but here. It was for this that God was judging the Israelites by means of this drought and famine during the time of David.

God is a covenant keeping God. He expects that His people will be a covenant keeping people.

Saul was zealous to defeat the enemies of God,
but it was misguided zeal. He attacked a people Israel was not to harm. Being zealous does not make an action right.

We remember that Paul the apostle said that he persecuted Christians with great zeal; believing that he was doing the work of God. (Acts 22:3-4) Zealousness is bad if it isn’t after the truth.

2 Samuel 21:3-6

3And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?” 4The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “What do you say that I shall do for you?” 5They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel, 6let seven of his sons be given to us, so that we may hang them before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

The request of the Gibeonites was reasonable in the context of that culture. They didn’t want any monetary compensation. They didn’t want vengeance against Israel at large. They only wanted vengeance against the family of the man who committed the atrocities against their people.

2 Samuel 21:7

7But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the Lord that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.

In sparing Mephibosheth,David carries out the deal.

2 Samuel 21:8-9

8The king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Merab the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9and he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites,

This would nearly extinguish the house of Saul

1 Sam 13:13-14

And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14But now your kingdom shall not continue.

In 1 Chron. 8:29-39; 9:35-44 there are no descendants of Saul listed other than from the line of Jonathan and they hanged them on the mountain before the Lord (implies that the execution of these men was sanctioned by God), and the seven of them perished together. They were put to death in the first days of harvest, at the beginning of barley harvest.

2 Samuel 21:10-14

10Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell upon them from the heavens. And she did not allow the birds of the air to come upon them by day, or the beasts of the field by night. 11When David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done,
12David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the men of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa. 13And he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan; and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 14And they buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father. And they did all that the king commanded. And after that God responded to the plea for the land.

What is going on here?

Numbers 35:31; 33-34

31Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death…… 33You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of the people of Israel.”

Saul is dead and it is his sons who will have their blood shed.
It is not unreasonable to think that his sons helped in, or benefited directly from that massacre, thus David’s action would be in keeping with the perfect justice of God.

This is not easy stuff. Sadly, the common practice of professing Christians when confronted with hard passages like this is to throw out those portions of the Bible as irrelevant or un-inspired. They reject it as valid because they don’t like the way they feel about it.

When in doubt retreat to the light. When trying to understand a hard passage start from the light that you do have.
Don’t attempt to come to a conclusion from the starting point of your own darkened and limited understanding. Concerning this passage, we retreat to the certain light of Genesis 18:25.

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? It is a rhetorical question. Of course He will! In essence, retreat to the cross. How just will God be? So just that He would not save us without satisfying His divine justice in judging our sin! Romans 3:26

so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

2 Samuel 21:15-16

15There was war again between the Philistines and Israel, and David went down together with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines. And David grew weary. 16And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, (This was about 30 pounds)

The shot put in High School is 12 pounds… In college it is 16 pounds. It is hard to imagine throwing a 30 pound spear. What a powerful man.

2 Samuel 21:16-17

and who was armed with a new sword, thought to kill David. 17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him.

Even though David grew faint, David held his ground and the Lord provided him a timely rescue. Remember, in the Garden of Gethsemene Jesus held His ground sweating great drops of blood. When Jesus grew faint, the Father sent Angels to minister to Jesus.

Here is the picture for us. In spiritual warfare, even strong saints grow faint. Satan attacks even more fiercely, but those who stand their ground will be refreshed and relieved and become more than conquerors.

2 Samuel 21:18-19

18After this there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph,
who was one of the descendants of the giants. 19And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, struck down Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

Here is an apparent contradiction in the Scriptures,but it is one that is easily remedied.

FIRST — 1 Chronicles 20:5 makes it clear that Elhanan killed Goliath’s brother, not Goliath himself — thus agreeing with the account of David slaying Goliath recorded in 1 Samuel 17

SECOND — It is not IMPOSSSIBLE that there were two different men named Goliath. Because there are so many duplicate names in the OT, this is also a possibility.

THIRD — It is easily plausible that “Goliath” was a common noun for a giant just as “Achish” (1 Sam. 21:10; 27:2) may have been a title or common noun for a Philistine ruler. Just as “Pharaoh” is a title of the king of Egypt, not a name.
That being the case — There would no conflict in saying that both David and Elhanan killed A “Goliath.”
Then David’s men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

FIRST – I don’t think David took their advice.
2 Samuel 21:22

22These four were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

QUOTE: Blaikie — The Second Book of Samuel p. 342 (paragraphs 1 and 2)

SECOND – They said this to David out of concern for the safety and preservation of their king whom they loved.

QUOTE: Blaikie — The Second Book of Samuel p. 342 (paragraph 3 “The north wind….”)

2 Samuel 21:20-22

20And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 21And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei,
David’s brother, struck him down. 22These four were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

2 Samuel 20-21

Related Topics:
David; Joab; Abishai; Amasa; Sheba; Rebellion; Ongoing Battle; Gibeonites; Philistines

INTRODUCTION
The Old testament is the living illustration of New Testament truth.

Eph. 6:10-13

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Stand. Withstand. Having done all withstand. There is no furlough from the fight of faith. There are no breaks from the battle that we are engaged in. This needs to be a settled understanding in the Christian life – that there is no real resting place on this side of eternity.

Tonight, in 2 Samuel 20 we have a great Old Testament Illustration of Ephesians 6.

David has just put down a rebellion led by his son Absalom. He has just put up with a squabble between the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel and the 2 Southern Tribes of Judah over who should escort David back into Jerusalem. In Chapter 20, David is put through another rebellion.

The lesson for us is that we should not be put out when we go through consecutive trials or relentless spiritual attack. Christians, if you don’t recognize that this present world is not your home you are going to have a rough go of it.

Heb 11:10;15-16

10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God…… 15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

2 Samuel 20:1

1Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!”

Note that this is happening while David is still on his way back to Jerusalem after Absalom’s rebellion. He is dealing with the petty, pride driven argument between the northern and southern tribes. He hasn’t even gotten back to his palace when Sheba rebels.

First, that would be non-stop adversity and conflict.
Second, this happens on the heals of reconciliation between the Northern and Southern Tribes.

QUOTE: Matthew Henry
When a reconciliation is newly made, it ought to be handled with great tenderness and caution, lest the peace break again before it be settled. A broken bone, when it is set, must have time to knot.

Third, Sheba takes advantage of the conflict between Judah and Israel; this is another, new crisis during David’s reign.

Its crucial to note that Satan love to work in the context of confusion and division. The N.T. tells us (1 Cor. 14:33) that God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.

Satan loves to create a bed of confusion, like a garden box. James tells us the soil that he loves to work in, and the harvest he hopes to produce.

James 3:16-18

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Satan uses the chaos as his opportunity to accomplish the most evil of works. To draw people away from the true King who is Jesus.

There are three things behind Sheba’s rebellion:

1. Denial of the king’s sovereignty — NLT “Down with the dynasty of David!

2. Devaluation of who the king is — he claimed that there was no inheritance for them in David.

3. Decision to go your own way — each man to his own tent! Every man was king in his own tent!

The same three elements behind the attempts of Satan to keep a man or woman from following Jesus. Denial of the king’s sovereignty — “Down with the dynasty of Jesus! You don’t want Jesus to be your king. Devaluation of who the goodness Jesus — There is no blessing to be found in Jesus; no life to be found in Jesus; if follow Jesus it means the end of life as you know it.

“Abundant life” is a life that is “blessed with all spiritual blessings … in Christ. An inheritance, incorruptible, that fades not away reserved for us in heaven”.

Decision to go your own way — each man to his own tent! Be your own king!

2 Samuel 20:2

2So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

QUOTE: Alexandar Maclaren
“Remember, the more rebels there are, the more need for us to be conspicuously loyal to our King.”

Only 2 of the 12 tribes were steadfastly going to follow David to his throne. Not far from the odds in the average classroom or workplace! 10 against the 2 who would be loyal and steadfast!

2 Samuel 20:3

3And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.

We are woefully indifferent and ignorant to the sinfulness of sin!

Everywhere around us the sinfulness of sin is not only diminished, sin itself is actually glorified. Remember Joseph in the house of Potiphar. Every day the wife of Potiphar tried to get Joseph to have sex with her. Joseph’s response:

Genesis 39:8-9

8But he refused and said to his master’s wife….. 9 …. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”

The average young man (late teens / early 20’s) wouldn’t call that “great wickedness”. He would call it a great opportunity. There’s even a reality TV show called The cougar built around the theme of attractive older women and young men! The world doesn’t call the attempts of Potiphar’s wife to seduce Joseph great wickedness to be avoided. It condones such sin. It rationalizes such sin. It glorifies such sin. It defines such sin as normal behavior. All which is in absolute and utter contradiction to what God has revealed to us about the nature of sin.

Sin wreaks death and pain in every direction!

1. Vertically. It Grieves God. It Killed Jesus.
2. Personally. It Ruins man’s relationship with God. Rots out the heart and conscience of Absalom. Wrecks physical and emotional well being.
3. Horizontally. It ruins families (Look at David’s!). It ruins the lives of those who are victimized by our sin.

These ten women would live the rest of their lives as widows and childless. Think of the spouses, children, business associates, churches that have been left desolate by one person’s sin!

2 Samuel 20:4-5

4Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him.

Remember that amasa was Absalom’s former general. After the rebellion of Absalom was defeated David graciously made Amasa the commander over all of his troops even over Joab!

David was gracious, but not necessarily wise. Amasa was not a completely competent military man. While leading the armies of Absalom, Amasa was soundly beaten by Joab.

2 Samuel 20:6-7

6And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.” 7And there went out after him Joab’s men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

Joab pursues Sheba with the personal troops of David, but the troops are in by David’s decree under Abishai’s command.

2 Samuel 20:8-9

8When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment, and over it was a belt with a sword (dagger) in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. 9And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?”

Joab is one cold and ruthless man. First, he asks first about Amasa’s welfare. “Is it well with you” literally means shalom! PEACE! Then he calls his cousin Amasa ‘my brother’. We would paraphrase the passage — “Peace Bro! Joab”

“Bro” is the guy he’s about to kill! And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. Amasa would not have thought this a violent or hostile action. It was a friendly gesture commonly used between men when they were greeting each other.

10But

the conjunction is used to let us know that what happens is totally contrary to (most importantly) what Amasa expected or the reader might expect.

2 Samuel 20:10

10But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab’s hand.

The point is not simply that Amasa didn’t see the sword. The point is that he should have seen it, but he didn’t because he was not being careful as he should have been. It was a conversation with a dear friend who was horribly betrayed by his right hand guy in ministry. Did you ever see it coming? NO!

So Joab struck him with it in the stomach. The coldness and hypocrisy of Joab is uncovered in the way he greeted Amasa: Peace Bro! But the brutality and violence that was in the heart of Joab is understood by the graphic description of what Joab’s blow did to Amasa.

2 Samuel 20:10b

and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died.

What an Incredibly violent assault. Joab was a man of war and had no doubt employed these skills and gutted many enemy soldier in defending Israel and defending Israel’s king. Now he uses that same skill set to gut a man he greeted as friend and called brother! A man he actually viewed as an adversary. A man who must be done away with.

Our dear friend in England, Jim King in speaking of personal emotional pain will say “I’m just gutted”. He is so emotionally torn up over what someone else’s is suffering through, or so personally hurt by someone, that he feels like he’s been “gutted.”

I don’t want any show of hands — but I wonder how many here tonight have been gutted relationally or professionally, or even in the ministry. Remember that these things are happening amongst the people that God chose to call his people.
One would hope that being a citizen in the Kingdom of God would make us immune from such hypocrisy and brutality.

In reality, it doesn’t. The fact that it can and does is seen in the fact that the Holy Spirit was careful to warn against it.

Gal. 5:13-16

13For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 16But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

We can gut one another with our words. Think of this — Joab was using a skill set used to serve the nation of Israel — and in so doing was a preserving the lineage for the birth of the Messiah, the Savior of the world. But he used that same skill set to violently slay a man who was about his king’s business.

Some of the most brutal behavior I have ever seen in the church has been by men who used their tongues in proclaiming and explaining the Word of God. They had trained their minds and speech in the cause of the King of the Kingdom. They had learned communication skills on how to get to the hearts and minds of men and women. And at some point when they felt threatened or they became ambitious they used those very skills to destroy lives and ministries!

What a warning. This Joab is to us who would serve the Son of David! That we can use things once useful and fruitful in the service of our king to gut a brother or sister or gut a ministry. This Amasa is to us concerning discernment. We don’t want to be paranoid in our relationships or in ministry. But we ought to be discerning.

Paul tells us that Love believes all things. That does not mean that we should be blind to the dagger in someone’s hand.

QUOTE: Fausset
Love Believes ‘All that is not palpably (observably) false, ………..all that it can with a good conscience believe to the credit of another’

It does not mean that love is to allow itself to be deceived by the pretences of any dishonest person that comes along.

Joab was infamous for having in much the same way killed Abner. We are called to be a discerning people as well.

2 Samuel 20:10

10 ….Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

Wow! How does that work? Gut the man and then just carry on about the kings business. Again, Not unlike a lot of things that happen in churches. Brothers gutting brothers and then just carrying on in the ministry while their “brother” lies on the ground with his guts falling out!

If this seems dark and bloody, that’s because it was. Out of His infinite wisdom the Holy Spirit has left us this record.

2 Samuel 20:11

11And one of Joab’s young men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.”

There are two troubling things here:

1. Here is a striking proof of Joab’s unrivaled influence over the army. He commits this treacherous and violent murder before their eyes and yet they unanimously followed him as their leader in pursuit of Sheba.
2. We see Joab’s name joined with David’s

QUOTE: Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
The conjunction of these two names is very significant. It shows that the one could not afford to do without the other–neither Joab to rebel against David, nor David to get rid of Joab, though hating him.

2 Samuel 20:12

12And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the highway. And anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him.

At first look most of us are thinking “Are you kidding me? They couldn’t just pass by without stopping to stare at a man with his bowels spilled out on the ground?”

The evolutionist / humanist says that mankind is essentially good and he is evolving constantly towards the greatest expression of that goodness.
They concede the occasional aberrant person here and there (the Joab’s if-you-would) but every day and every way things are getting better.

Then we come to this passage. It is not a dark page from a dark time in the distant past of man’s social evolution, This is mankind today! Fallen Man has a morbid attraction to blood and gore! People today do the same thing today; only in movie theaters!

• Friday the 13th and it’s 11 sequels ($1/2 Billion earnings worldwide).
• Halloween and it’s NINE sequels ($1/3 Billion earnings worldwide)

At the average of $5.00/ticket that translates into 160 million sets of eyes watching people slashed and hacked to death.

2 Samuel 20:13-22

13When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 14 And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled and followed him in.
15And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down. 16Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’” 17And he came near her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” 18Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter. 19I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?” 20Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.” 22Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab.

Good grief! So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

Let me preface my thoughts here. I am not advocating cutting of heads throwing them over walls! The people of Abel were wise in not tolerating the rebel in their midst and in sparing their city the ravages of a siege.

There comes a point when you — and again, let me be clear — There comes a point when you cut ties (not heads) — with the rebel or rebels because there will always be carnage when rebellion is allowed to grow. It should not matter who they are.

Romans 16:17

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.

If you deprive them of your ears and they persist in trying to solicit people to their cause there will be collateral damage!

Proverbs 29:22

A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.

Proverbs16:28-29

A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.29 A man of violence entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good.

Not only will people be harmed but Jesus will ultimately deal with it

Proverbs 15:25

The Lord tears down the house of the proud

2 Samuel 20:23-26

23Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24and Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25and Sheva was secretary; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.

So there we have it. A traitorous kiss. A man disembowled with a single thrust of a dagger and left in the road to die. A head thrown over a wall.

As dark and twisted as the events are we do close on an amazing note of encouragement and hope!
What is so amazing is the fact that despite all of this insanity David was able to do what the rest of the kings of Israel (save Solomon) were unable to do. To keep the 12 tribes united together under one kingdom!

How is that? Despite his failings, David was still a man after God’s heart. He had a very intimate relationship with God. He ultimately was a man submitted to the Lord. He never set other gods before him. That’s great news for you and me!

Because of our trust in Christ, though we have trial and tribulation, though we fail often, Jesus will never forsake us.

Romans 5:1-2

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 8:33-35; 37-39

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…. 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Samuel 19

Related Topics:
David; Joab; Absalom’s Death; Grief; Excessive Sorrow; Influence via Attitude; Grace; Pride; Fickleness of man

2 Samuel 19:1-8

*1It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” 2So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
5Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, 6because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord,
if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.

Joab rebukes David. “Snap out of it! You are discouraging the very people that risked their lives for you.” There are several lessons for us here.

1. There is such a thing as excessive mourning. We need to understand that we have the capacity to feel and to emote because we have been made in the image and likeness of God. As such, we have a mind. We can think and reason. We can feel and emote. One of the great problems of evolutionary thought is that it can not answer the question: How does that which is unconscious create consciousness? Our personhood is derived from the Image of God. We are told that God the Holy Spirit can be grieved. Jesus, God incarnate, wept at the tomb of Lazarus and he wept over the city of Jerusalem. To grieve and mourn is not a sin. We are exercising God-given capacity in those things,but there can come a point when we must stop mourning and beyond that point it is excessive.

An example is the prophet Samuel.
1 Samuel 16:1

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go.

God doesn’t say to Samuel, “Why are you crying?”
as though Samuel shouldn’t have been crying. Instead God says, “It’s time to stop crying.” There is a time for tears

Ecclesiastes 3:4

a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

Grieving and weeping are not in and of themselves signs of unbelief or ungodliness,but there comes a time when God says, It’s time to stop and move forward. It is time to stop mourning over the past and participate in the unfolding of my plans. To grieve and mourn beyond that is the same thing as saying that you disagree with what God has done or what God has permitted.

The real ungodliness and unbelief for Samuel would have been for Samuel to continue to mourn over Saul, for Samuel to do nothing, and for Samuel to sit and live in the past. That would have been unbelief and even rebellion! More specifically, David is being rebuked for his excessive grief and mourning over the death of Absalom.

1 Thes. 4:13

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

Paul does not say that Christians should not grieve over the death of saved believers. Christians do sorrow when our loved ones in Christ are taken away from us in death.
It is not a lack of faith to do so.
It is not a lack of Christian maturity to do so.
He just says that our sorrow is not like those who have no hope.

The sorrow of the believer is an ache over the absence of the loved one on this side of heaven.
But the sting of that loss, and the resulting sorrow, is swallowed up in the hope of heaven.

QUOTE:
Spurgeon — Some Christians sorrow at times in death or tragedy like those who have no hope in God and this is wrong to do. “If your dear ones are dead you cannot restore them to life by your unbelief; and if they still survive, it will be a pity to be downcast and unbelieving when there is no occasion for it. ‘Your strength is to sit still.’ Remember that you are a Christian, and a Christian is expected to be more self-possessed than those who have no God to fly to.

1. Your attitude affects others. Especially if you are in a place of leadership.

When you are in the ministry you do not have the luxury of pouting because discouragement spreads like wild fire.

EXAMPLE: The discouraging words and attitudes of ten men led a generation into fear and unbelief. For which God said they would never enter the land of promise which resulted in a death march in the wilderness until the last of that generation died.

Because of that you can not let your own emotions effect others. Did David have a right to grieve?
Yes, but it should not have been done in such a way as to bum out the rest of Israel.

One of the keys to strong and stable ministry is to find men and women who will not let their own emotions overflow onto others in an adverse way.

1. Happy or heavy is a choice.

Possessing an attitude that blesses those around me is not contingent upon things going my way. It is because I have decided to to be a blessing

On what basis do I say this?

Phil 4:11

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

I think of a married couple. They spent weeks at a time in Pediatric Intensive Care with their little boy. He was having constant seizures and nobody could find a way to stop them. We made our first visit to their home and they were living in a single wide mobile home at the end of a dirt road in the middle of a forest — while dealing with their first born baby constantly suffering seizures! After years of going through this the boy finally ended up going to UCLA Medical Center where he was one of like 5 people in the country that had half their brain removed. Through all of that, they were never a source of discouragement. By man’s standards, this couple has a right to be unhappy, but they have made choices to be happy.

Have you and I chosen to be unhappy today?
Happy or Heavy? It is a choice we make.

1 Samuel 19:9-13

9And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines,
and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”11And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? 12You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’”

Who was Amasa? He was the man that Absalom placed over his rebel army!

2 Sam 17:25

Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab.

This is an incredible display of grace by David. This is so like Jesus. There are so many guys that were once influential in the cause of the enemies of God who are now captains in God’s army. The grace of David extended to the former commander of his enemies army would sway the hearts of those that were against him.

2 Samuel 19:14-15

14And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.” 15So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.

David would not come back and force himself upon them as king.

QUOTE: Redpath
“David didn’t lift a finger to re-establish his authority . . . His return to sovereignty was decided by the voluntary submission of his kinsmen and by their loving obedience to his will.”

He would not come back unless he was welcomed by the hearts of all. What a great picture of King Jesus. Jesus will never force Himself upon any of us. Salvation is a matter of a man or woman
willingly bowing the knee to Jesus, willingly abdicating the throne of their hearts and willingly asking Jesus to be king of their lives.

Just as David swayed the hearts of the people, so Jesus sways our hearts. For years of my life, man tried to force me to bow to their religious system. In one evening Jesus swayed me. He won me over.

Don’t confuse Jesus with religiosity or churchianity.

QUOTE: Blaikie
The Second Book of Samuel p. 292-293
Christianity really is all about Jesus. He is a different kind of King! Religion, Church,
is all so empty and so pointless if your heart has not been swayed by Jesus.

2 Samuel 16-23

16And Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17And with him were a thousand men from Benjamin. And Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan before the king, 18and they crossed the ford to bring over the king’s household and to do his pleasure.
And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, 19and said to the king, “Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” 21Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” 22But David said,
“What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” 23And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

Two ways of looking at David’s dealing with Shimei.

1. As another example of David’s gracious treatment of even the worst of his enemies — and as such a type or picture of Jesus. Surely I was a Shimei — in times past – hurling stones at Jesus in a manner of speaking, mocking those who loved Jesus. But here I am. Saved by Grace. Serving by Grace the One who was so gracious to me.

2. This was all calculated by both David and Shimei in light of the immediate political climate. Shimei’s course was purely that of a political opportunist. He was bold and wise.
   He was taking full advantage of this moment of peace.He openly and publicly played upon the conciliatory actions of David making sure he jumped on that train before it left the station.

On David’s side, had he followed Abishai’s counsel it would have offended the thousand Benjamites who formed his escort. He also knew that this was not the moment to punish any of his enemies because nothing but trouble and fighting would have have followed. This viewpoint helps us understand 1 Kings 2 where just before dying, David commanded that Shimei be put to death.

David had vowed to not kill Shimei, but he also understood that Shimei was not a genuinely repentant man. He was instead a political animal whose confession and display of support for David (1,000 men) were merely political pretense intended to save his hide. David knew that leaving Shimei alive would pose a threat to Solomon.

2 Samuel 19:24

24And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself,
that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame. 27He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. 28For all my father’s house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?”

Why would I want to rebel against you, David? The whole matter is a lie!

2 Samuel 19:29-30

29And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” 30And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”

Was David compromising here…. Was David confused here? I believe that he is doing something along the lines of what his son Solomon would one day do (1 Kings 3). Two women came to Solomon with one living baby, both were claiming that the bay was theirs. Solomon said — “Cut the baby in half.” The women to whom the child really belonged said, “NO – Let her have it”. The other woman said, “O.K. – Let’s divide it”

Note Mephibosheth’s answer. I don’t care about the land or the possessions…. I just want you David. I don’t care about the gift…. I want the Giver. David knew then, that Mephibosheth was not after gifts

HUGE QUESTION: What are you and I after? Do you want Jesus?Or do you want Jesus in order to get the girlfriend/boyfriend, the promotion, the rent check? Can we say, “I don’t want gifts or things — I just want you”?

2 Samuel 19:31-35

31Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. 32Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. 33And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” 34But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not?
Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?

I’m getting too old. I can’t tell if it’s Ruth’s Chris or McDonalds. I can’t tell if the music is in tune or out of tune. All of those palatial goodies would be wasted on me!

2 Samuel 19:36-38

*36Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you.” 38And the king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you, and all that you desire of me I will do for you.”

What a beautiful quality. In his old age he was glad to see others be blessed with that which he never enjoyed.

2 Samuel 19:39-43

39Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. 40The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. All the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way. 41Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” 42All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?” 43And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

The king is coming back and they fight over him. The 10 Northern tribes are saying to the Southern tribes of Judah, “Why do you get to bring him” back? Judah said, “because he’s our relative.”
Then the Northern tribes said — “We were the first to want him back”

TWO THINGS HERE

1. We are all so easily offended.

QUOTE: Blaikie p.294-295

1. Man is so fickle, only a few weeks earlier they were fighting against David and now they are fighting over David. It is important to understand the nature of people. When you are serving Jesus, know that the same people who at the beginning of the week one week cried — “Hosanna”, cried “Crucify Him” before the week was over

It must be a settled thing that the “love of Christ constrains” you. Because if it is the love of people that constrains you, you will not be motivated to serve them for very long.

What happens when the “hosannas” turn into “Crucify him”? If its your love for the lost that motivates you to evangelize — what happens when NO ONE responds? Jeremiah preached for 40 years without a convert. The ONLY true motivation for ministry is simply “Jesus — “I love you”
regardless of peoples attitudes or response.

The same people that were fighting against David are now fighting over him. And next week — in CHAPTER 20,we will see them fighting against him again.

CLOSING POINT / TRANSITION
There is NO furlough from the fight of faith.
There are NO breaks from the battle that we are engaged in. It would do us all well to have that as a settled issue. It is good for us to realize that there is NO real resting place
on this side of eternity, until we are taken home to be with the Lord

EXAMPLE: David has just put down a rebellion led by his son Absalom. He put up with a squabble between the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel and the 2 Southern Tribes of Judah over who should escort David back into Jerusalem…..

The lesson for us is that we should not be put out when we go through consecutive trials. Not very much time passes before you are rudely reminded that this world is not your home.

What we are longing for is what Abraham longed for:

Heb 11:10;15-16

10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God…… 15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

2 Samuel 18:16-33

Related Topics: David; Absalom; Joab; Absalom’s Death; Messengers; Grief; Excessive Sorrow; Shame; Rebuke; Sowing and Reaping;

REVIEW

9And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great terebinth, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
11Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’ 13On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king),
then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak.

CRUCIAL OBSERVATION

One man was absolutely set on obeying the clear command of David while Joab was not! Why was that? The one man said —

“Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’

Don’t miss this. There was a very real sense in which David lost a big part of Joab’s heart. He lost Joab when he sent orders to Joab commanding him to arrange it so that Uriah the Hittite (Bathsheba’s husband) would die in the heat of the battle, and he sent those orders to Joab literally by the very hand of Uriah!

Remember the themes of this 2nd Book of Samuel

1. FAITH and FAILURE
2. TRIUMPH and TRAGEDY

David’s failures lead to David’s tragedies!

15And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.16Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them. 17And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home. 18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom’s monument to this day.

Absalom ended up in a pit

When we try to seek our own kingdom, the result is that you always end up in the pit. Much better to have a godly legacy when you die than to build monuments to yourself in life and then be thrown in a pit, so-to-speak, and remembered no more when you die.

19Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.” 20And Joab said to him, “You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.” 21Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. 22Then Ahimaaz (akh-ee-mah’-ats) the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?” 23“Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz (akh-ee-mah’-ats) ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.24Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he drew nearer and nearer. 26The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.” 27The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz (akh-ee-mah’-ats) the son of Zadok.” And the king said,
“He is a good man and comes with good news.”

Since the messenger was someone David knew (akh-ee-mah’-ats) — he assumed it was good news. He is a good man, and comes with good news.

28Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” 29And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz (akh-ee-mah’-ats)answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.” 30And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

Interesting, Ahimaaz (akh-ee-mah’-ats) was a better runner than the Cushite, but running fast didn’t make him a better messenger! In reality, he was a worse messenger because he didn’t know his message. Here’s the picture: A message can be delivered beautifully, but the messenger’s first responsibility is to get the message straight.

Some guys are great at coming up with clever sermon titles or coming up with catchy names for a series of studies. Some guys are the masters of alliteration. Alliteration is when you use the same letter or sound at the beginning of a series of adjacent words or to use the same suffix at the end of a series of adjacent words.

A great example is Warren Wiersbe.

TITLE — Numbers 8-10 Dedication and Celebration

POINTS — Caring for the lamps – Dedicating the Levites – Following God’s guidance

Wiersbe is brilliant at branding a chapter with a title and then using alliteration to help you remember the major parts of a chapter; and then he delivers a clear message. In keeping with the 2 messengers of our text Wiersbe would be like a FAST messenger with a CLEAR message.

Personally, I’m horrible at Titles. They ask me for a title on Monday night and all I can say is 2 Samuel 18-19. There are other guys who have the clever title and four point sermons perfectly alliterated. But they don’t have the message straight!

Sadly, we live in a world that values style over substance. We should want to be great at communicating truth, but we must always remember the form or style or the medium must never trump content. Because those things can come and go and change over time.

EXAMPLE

Music of the 80’s. Their was a very specific musical form and a very specific style (look). In talking about the weakness of U2, Bono said there were bands that had everything going on in regards to style and presentation, but they didn’t have “IT”. U2 had NOTHING going on in style and presentation — but we had “IT.” If you look back on virtually all of those bands now (Flock of Seagulls) nearly thirty years later they are gone— they were empty containers. U2 is still incredibly relevant because their musical form and their whole graphically and theatrically are the containers of the message they want to communicate (not an endorsement of everything they say or do).

We should not dismiss form or style or a medium of communicating (audio/graphics/spoken word/word to music). We should want to use and master those things as means consecrated to carrying the message!

For Paul the apostle, style never trumped content. He saw himself first as a man entrusted with a message.

1 Cor. 4:1-2

1This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

He never wanted style to influence his listeners.

1 Cor. 2:1-5

1And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom… 3And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Each of us are sent into the world as messengers. Don’t think you can’t deliver the message because you aren’t very articulate. You have heard me quote Charles Spurgeon on countless occasions. Let me read Spurgeon’s own words on how he came to Christ.

“I sometimes think I might have been in darkness and despair now, had it not been for the goodness of God in sending a snowstorm one Sunday morning, when I was going to a place of worship. When I could go no further, I turned down a court and came to a little Primitive Methodist Chapel. In that chapel there might be a dozen or fifteen people. The minister did not come that morning: snowed up, I suppose. A poor man, a shoemaker, a tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to preach. He was obliged to stick to his text, for the simple reason that he had nothing else to say. The text was, ‘Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.’ He did not even pronounce the words rightly, but that did not matter. He began thus: ‘My dear friends, this is a very simple text indeed. It says, “Look.” Now that does not take a deal of effort. It ain’t lifting your foot or your finger; it is just “look.” Well, a man need not go to college to learn to look. You may be the biggest fool, and yet you can look. A man need not be worth a thousand a year to look. Anyone can look; a child can look. But this is what the text says. Then it says, “Look unto Me.” ‘Ay,’ said he, in broad Essex, ‘many of ye are looking to yourselves. No use looking there. You’ll never find comfort in yourselves.’ Then the good man followed up his text in this way: ‘Look unto Me: I am sweating great drops of blood. Look unto Me; I am hanging on the Cross. Look: I am dead and buried. Look unto Me; I rise again. Look unto Me; I ascend; I am sitting at the Father’s right hand. O, look to Me! Look to Me!’

When he had got about that length, and managed to spin out ten minutes, he was at the length of his tether. “Then he looked at me under the gallery, and I daresay, with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger. He then said, ‘Young man, you look very miserable.’ Well, I did; but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made on my personal appearance from the pulpit before. However, it was a good blow struck. He continued: ‘And you will always be miserable — miserable in life and miserable in death — if you do not obey my text. But if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved.’

Amazing. The man who is now man known as the “Prince of Preachers” was led to faith by a man who was lacking in style but not in substance!

On another level, there are many believers like Ahimaaz……Ready to serve — Zealous. Ready to get going. But once they get going they don’t know WHERE they are going, WHY they are going, or WHAT they are supposed to do when they get there.
Zeal without knowledge can cause a lot of problems. That is why Paul said to Timothy in

2 Tim. 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

We do not want people in a hurry to get in to ministry. We do want people in a hurry to be equipped for the ministry that God has for them.

WHAT is your message — WHAT is your task.

HOW are you to do it — WHY are you to do it.

WHERE are you to do it?

Fits perfectly w/ this weeks Servants Class — vision and mission.

31And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “Good news for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.” 32The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.” And the king was deeply moved

Deeply moved implies a violent trembling of the body. Think of some movie where a man is buckled by tragedy and sobs convulsively. On multiple levels David is completely undone at hearing the news of Absalom’s death. There is the sheer shock and gut wrenching agony of a dad hearing news of his son’s death. Then, without doubt, David is shaken because he knows that in a very real way he had supplied the soil from which this tragedy had grown.

Again, this is not Judgment, it is sowing and reaping. David had provided the soil for this tragedy in his indulgent parenting. (Amnon and Tamar and Absalom). David had provided the soil for this tragedy in his sin with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah; after which God promised David:

2 Samuel 12:10-11
10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house.

QUOTE: G. Campbell Morgan

“We cannot stand in the presence of that suffering without learning the solemn lessons of parental responsibility it has to teach, not merely in training our children, but in that earlier training of ourselves for their sakes.”

32 …. and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Morgan points out that everything in the story leads up to, and culminates in, this wail of anguish over his dead boy . . .

CRUCIAL OBSERVATION:

Five Times he repeats the words MY SON

QUOTE: G. Campbell Morgan
“This surely had a deeper note in it than that of the merely half-conscious repetition of words occasioned by personal grief. The father recognized how much he was responsible for the son. It is as though he had said: He is indeed my son — his weaknesses are my weaknesses, his passions are my passions, his sins are my sins.”

David saw his own sins – his own weaknesses, his own rebellion – exaggerated in Absalom.
Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

There is so much pathos here. This is not a line in a script of a screenplay based on a novel!
This is the Holy Spirit’s record of real life.

QUOTE: Spurgeon

“Our children may plunge into the worst of sins, but they are our children still. They may scoff at our God; they may tear our heart to pieces with their wickedness; we cannot take complacency in them, but at the same time we cannot unchild them, nor erase their image from our hearts.” (Spurgeon)

There is in David an echo of the heart of God. A faint image of the Covenant love of God for mankind. Haven’t you just ached as we have followed this drama? Haven’t you been moved at the very thought of the pain inflicted upon David by Absalom’s utter and treacherous betrayal?

On an infinately greater scale, God has only and always know rejection and betrayal at the hands of man. And beyond any of our capacity to comprehend, God has been unfailing in his love for us.

Mankind (that includes you and me) has plunged into the worst of sins (Hitler, Mussolin, Manson, Dommer), but mankind was still the object of His love. Mankind (you and I) has scoffed at God. Torn HIS heart to pieces with our wickedness, but HE never erased us from HIS hearts.” (Spurgeon)

From Genesis 3 forward God has sought to restore and reconcile mankind to Himself. We are going to follow this amazing record of Covenant love in our next meeting of OPEN on Sept. 27

This is huge! Especially on a communion night!
David wanted to die in the place of his rebellious son. What David could not do, God did by dying in the place of His rebellious sons and daughters! In the cry of David, we actually hear the cry of God for His lost children. His desire to restore, His desire to forgive.”

Do you know that before God each of us are traitors and rebels in His universe?

Isaiah 53:4-6

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

2 Samuel 17:24-18:18

Related Topics: David; Absalom; Joab; Loyalty; Shobi; Machir; Barsillai; Absalom’s Death; Sowing and Reaping; Fruit of Rebellion;

In our last study we closed with the suicide of Ahithophel. Ahithophel is a LIVING EXAMPLE of the power of bitterness. He allowed his bitterness towards David to GROW over the years — and because it GREW he became a TROUBLED man.
So TROUBLED that he could become the chief advisor of David’s traitorous son! THAT is a troubled man. And that bitterness had become so great and powerful that it would CORRUPT many.

Ahithophel was willing to:

• See TEN women abused
• See Absalom grievously sin
• See the kingdom of Israel suffer greatly
• Simply to satisfy his longing for bitter revenge

This guy was also an extraordinarily bright man. He understood that he was co-conspirator in this plot against the king — and would face certain consequences if they failed. He knew the rebellion could only succeed if Absalom carried out BOTH parts of his plan.

By the hand of God Absalom had rejected the wise counsel of Ahithophel in favor of a horrible plan presented by a man named Hushai — one of David’s loyal men. When Absalom rejected the second part of his counsel — Ahithophel KNEW that the coup was doomed.

Ahithophel — deeply offended — overwhelmed with resentment — returns to his house.

2Samuel 17:23 ….He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his
father.

Ahithophel was not going to wait for the inevitable reversal and return of David — and the resulting execution.

QUOTE: Spurgeon —

Thousands set their houses in order, but destroy their
souls; they look well to their flocks and their herds, but
not to their hearts’ best interests. They gather broken
shells with continuous industry, but they throw away
priceless diamonds.

WE PICK UP IN VERSE 24

2Samuel 17:24-25 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25Now
Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa
was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had
married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah,
Joab’s mother.

Amasa is now made the highest ranking soldier in in Absalom’s army.

2Samuel 17:26-29 And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.27When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the
son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the
son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite
from Rogelim, 28brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels,
wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils,
29honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for
David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The
people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the
wilderness.”

KEY OBSERVATION:
THREE OBSCURE men came and ministered to — served — David and his men. Each of them are interesting:

• Shobi, the son of Nahash…. of the Ammonites

Back in 2 Samuel 10 David sent messengers to Hanum, the son of Nahash. Hanum cut off 1/2 their beards and cut off their robes. This was a radical disgrace in that culture. When David heard how his messengers were treated he got his men together and made war against the Ammonites

THIS guy SHOBI — is the brother of Hanum.

He could have said — “ME — help DAVID?” He had every reason to take that attitude.

• MAKIR, the son of Ammiel.

In 2 Samuel 9:4 we were told that he was housing and caring for Mephibosheth in a place called Lodebar. He could have said — “Me help David — NOW? I’ve already done my community service — I took care of a lame guy for years…. Let somebody else carry the load”

One could have said: “I’m MAD”

One could have said: “I’m pooped”

• BARZILLAI

We will see this guy later on. He is 80 years old.

He could have said: “I’m OLD”

One could have said — “I’m MAD”

The other could have said — “I’m spent”

HERE’S THE PICTURE:
These are the SAME three excuses that you hear ALL of the time for NOT serving the Lord. Excuse that I am capable of making.

• “I’m not going to serve THAT ministry because my friend was so hurt in that church” SHOBI was bigger than that. He realized his brother was a bonehead and that David was God’s man.
• “I’ve paid my dues… I’m not going to help”
  MACHIR was bigger than that. He had a heart to serve! By the way — If you have labored long — If you have been on the front lines — You have experience and THAT is why you are valuable.
• “I’m too old”. BARZILLAI was bigger than that. Age didn’t diminiosh his zeal.

2 Samuel 17:29….. for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

There is something very much like the heart of God in these men. Jesus is God incarnate — God become man. There was a day when God incarnate was in the north of Israel in Galilee in a deserted place.

Mark 6:34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep
without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many
things.

He fed them the Word of God. I believe with all of my heart that this is why the Lord planted Metro!

Roseville, Rocklin, Granite Bay, Folsom — might look like great places to live and work and shop and eat. But when it came to the Word of God — “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.” After His resurrection Jesus said to Peter — If you love me, feed my sheep, tend my lambs” IF you love Jesus, THEN go to the wilderness where people are hungry and weary and give. THAT is what these three men did.

These three men were not notable warriors. But they had a heart to feed people who were starving in the wilderness. What a GREAT PASSAGE for us to chew on as we are moving towards our once a month home groups.

CHAPTER 18

2 Samuel 18:1 Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them…

As a result of Absalom buying into the advice of Hushai, David was provided the time to cross over to the East side of the Jordan River. In that same reprieve — a great army of men loyal to David made their way to him in the wilderness.

Josephus — the Jewish historian — puts the numbers in that army at 4,000. We aren’t sure of the exact number — but the text gives us enough to believe it was substantial.

2 Samuel 18:1 — …commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.

v.3 — you are worth ten thousand of us

v.4 — while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands

2 Samuel 18:2 And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of
Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third
under the command of Ittai the Gittite.

David was a gifted and great leader. Not only a man of character and courage — but he knew war.

FIRST — David was wise enough to choose the battlefield. He engaged Absalom’s army in terrain where the experience and courage of each individual soldier counted more than sheer numbers of Absalom’s army.

SECOND — David understood the limitations of his army.

Even though his army now numbered in the thousands — David knew it was significantly inferior to the numbers of troops that had gathered to Absalom from Dan to Beersheba — the length and breadth of Israel.

David knew that if he allowed Absalom’s army to meet them in one place, the shear numbers would have swallowed David’s smaller force. So — David divided his smaller army into three so that he could meet Absalom’s larger army at three different points

POINT:
David looked at the army God had given to him and developed a strategy that fit that God given army. 

EXAMPLE:
It Might Get Loud — The Edge on U2

Paraphrase — We understood our limitations as musicians and worked hard within them to make music that expressed what we were passionate about.

If the Edge tried to be Eddie Van Halen the world of music would be poorer.

POINT:
Don’t try to be things you’re not.

THIRD — He not only understood his divinely appointed limitations — he also understood his divinely appointed assets.

He was able to execute this strategy because he knew he had three valuable and valiant men who were qualified to lead in these three points of attack. These are GOD’S provision for God’s king.
These men were essential.

Without them — His choice of battle grounds — His strategy that would make the most of his armies limitations — were futile.

APPLICATION for ministry — You don’t need to be BIG or MANY in number — but you do need:

• A God ordained leader — who has been provided with the tools to see the nature of the battle / mission.
• Understand God’s provision for the mission
• What they are and what they are not
• Then organize and arrange

God provided KEY men in key places. With that kind of a team you can lead an outnumbered army to victory.

2 Samuel 18:2-3 ….And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” 3But the men said, “You shall
not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us.
If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you
are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that
you send us help from the city.”

The people surrounding David would not hear of him going out to battle with the rest of his army.

They understood that:

• if the enemy troops discovered where David was they would direct all of there forces on that spot!
• if David fell in battle their cause was finished! 
• that it would be hard for David to fight against his own son Absalom.

2 Samuel 18:4 The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the
gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by
thousands.

CRUCIAL: David was not stubborn.

He knew how to submit to the good advice of others. This was not a sign of WEAK leadership — It was a sign of STRENGTH. A truly strong leader will LISTEN to the wise advice of the people around him.David was a truly MEEK man!

MEEKNESS does not = WEEKNESS.

Jesus said — Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me for I am MEEK. Jesus is not weak. In Him all things are held together — He holds the universe together by the word of His power.

Meekness is POWER UNDER CONTROL.

Jesus submitted to His heavenly Father.

David Martyn Lloyd-Jones defines meekness as — “The taming of the lion!”

2 Samuel 18:5 And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man
Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave
orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

KEY OBSERVATION:
David wanted it clearly known that Absalom was to be captured alive and not mistreated in any way. David gave this commandment in the presence of all the people so that the captains would feel greater pressure to do what David commanded.

THIS IS RADICAL —
David’s command concerning Absalom tells us that David FULLY expects to win! It never occurred to him that Absalom would NOT fall into their hands.
David is as confident that they will win in this battle as he was when he walked down to the face Goliath!

With the eye of FAITH he saw his enemies defeated!

His confidence was not in:

• The courage of his troops
• The battle readiness of his troops.
• The brilliance of his strategy
• The favorable nature of the battle terrain.

His confidence was in the knowledge that plans and purposes of the Living God are always a certainty.His plans might be opposed — but His plans are never thwarted.

2 Samuel 18:6-8 So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of
Ephraim. 7And the men of Israel were defeated there by the
servants of David, and the loss there was great on that
day, twenty thousand men. 8The battle spread over the face
of all the country, and the forest devoured more people
that day than the sword.

REMEMBER — David wisely determined the field of battle to best suit his men.

There in the forest the experience and courage of each individual soldier counted more than the sheer numbers of Absalom’s forces. When the tide of the fight was clearly in favor of David’s troops, Absalom’s army retreated into the woods where they became victims of the terrain and were easy targets for David’s men.

2 Samuel 18:9 And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David…

Happened to meet = he came upon them by chance.

2 Samuel 18:9…Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great terebinth…

KEY INSIGHT:
The fact that he was riding a mule tells us something of Absalom’s death. Mules were used when the army was on the march, but they were sent to the rear when the fighting began. That he is still on a mule tells us that the LAST thing he expected was for the battle to turn against his huge army.

In his over-confidence he actually got in front of his his army — that was being swallowed up by the forest.

He was LOST in the forest! It was then that he accidently comes upon David’s men. Any open terrain was blocked by David’s men so he forces his mule through the heavily wooded ground.

2 Samuel 18:9…and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule
that was under him went on.

Josephus tells us that he got his hair tangled in the trees. Here is the end of the man who had plenty of opportunities to repent. His years in Geshur — living with the reality of having executed his half brother Amnon. The two years back in the palace of David — not seeing his dad because of what he done to Amnon. During those two years he had ZERO remorse or even care to be reconciled. Instead he began his daily routine of turning the hearets of the people from his dad.

ZERO brokenness — ZERO or repentance. Instead his heart was hardened. By the start of this battle he was beyond remedy. In the person of Joab God found a fitting instrument to execute judgment on Absalom.

2 Samuel 18:10-14 And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11Joab said to the man who
told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike
him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give
you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12But the man said
to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a
thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand
against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king
commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect
the young man Absalom.’ 13On the other hand, if I had
dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing
hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood
aloof.” 14Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with
you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust
them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in
the oak.

QUOTE: Adam Clarke —

His life was quadruply forfeited to the law:

1.) In having murdered his brother Amnon.

2.) In having excited an insurrection in the state.

3.) In having taken up arms against his own father, Deuteronomy 21:18,21

4.) In having lain with his father’s concubines, Leviticus 18:29.

Long ago he should have died by the hand of justice; and now all his crimes are visited on him in his last act of rebellion. Yet, in the present circumstances, Joab’s act was base and disloyal, and a cowardly murder.

2 Samuel 18:15-17 And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and
killed him.16Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops
came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them.
17And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in
the forest and raised over him a very great heap of
stones.

2 Samuel 18:17-18 …And all Israel fled every one to his own home. 18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set
up for himself the pillar that is in the King’s Valley,
for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in
remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and
it is called Absalom’s monument.

Not to be confused with what is called “Absalom’s Tomb” that you can see today in the Kidron Valley today.

CLOSE

Absalom ended up in a pit!

APPLICATION:
When we try to seek our own kingdom….The result is that you ALWAYS end up in the pit

David was a man who learned to let God work and God deal and God raise up. For all of his pitfalls, he ended up honored by the Lord, but the man who would exalt himself ended up in the pit.

Copyrights:

• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
  Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
  a division of Good News Publishers
  All rights reserved.

2 Samuel 16:15-17:29

Related Topics: David; Absalom; Hushai; Ahithophel; Certainty of Prophecy; Reality of Sowing and Reaping; Veracity of Scripture; Vanity; Satan’s Devices Overthrown; Suicide; Suicidal Forces — Cowardice, Pride, Wisdom and Madness, Temporal Concerns vs. Eternal Concerns

In our last study we saw the response of David to two scoundrels in the midst of circumstances that were both emotionally devastating and life threatening.

The first was Ziba — the servant of Mephibosheth.

Mephibosheth was the crippled son of Jonathan to whom David showed great kindness to back in 2 Samuel 9. Ziba APPEARS to be a loyal man offering help in David’s moment of great need — Not only bringing supplies to David and his company, but also informing David that Mephibosheth was in Jerusalem waiting for the opportunity to take the throne of Israel back to the household of Saul. Ziba wickedly used David’s crisis for his own benefit. He got exactly what he came for — David granted to Ziba all of Mephibosheth’s lands and possessions.

David’s response was UNWISE — It was based upon first impressions — and was processed through a wounded mind and heart.

We learned about the importance of:

• The Body of Christ — TWO are better than one
• And WAITING in the moment of crisis to be in a space to clearly make those kinds of decisions.

In VERSE 5 we were introduced to the second scoundrel — Shimei.

1. VERSE 5 – as he came he cursed continually.
   – VERSE 6 – he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David
2. VERSES 7-8 He began to give his interpretation of WHY David was in such trouble

   NONE of his accusations were true — But TRUTH is irrelevant when blinded by bitterness. David’s response to Shimei was comprised of THREE actions —

1) LOOKED ABOVE (realize that God allowed it)
2) LOOKED ABOUT (Looking at his own failures he understood that he was probably worse than Shimei claimed David to be)
3) LOOKED AHEAD (God sees what is happening and will reward David for suffering unjustly)

We closed by saying that if we are to find victory in all of this we must LOOK AFRESH at Jesus

As we pick up the scene shifts back to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 16:15 Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

There is no trace of resistance — no trace of opposition.

2 Samuel 16:16 And when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long
live the king!”

We remember Hushai from 2 Samuel 15:32-34.

Hushai wanted to leave with David and support him. But we remember that David thought it was better to send Hushai back to Absalom – To spy on Absalom — And be on the inside of Absalom’s leadership to undermine the counsel of a man named Ahithophel.

2 Samuel 16:17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your
friend?”

DON’T MISS THIS — Absalom is SHOCKED by the presence of Hushai! Absalom KNEW that Hushai was too good a man — too good a friend of David — to throw in with the likes of Absalom or support his cause. There is some huge stuff for us here between the lines.

• Absalom’s shock at the presence of Hushai was a silent confession that he and his crew were a godless bunch!
• Hushai didn’t fit because men of God — men of integrity — didn’t fit with godless traitors!

QUESTION:
Doesn’t it just make you crazy when a godless political figure is caught in adultery — then incessantly lies and denies — and then finally admits to it — and then after about 24 hours everyone acts as if nothing ever happened at all? BUT — Let an outspoken proponent of Christianity is caught in the same sin — And it’s 24/7 media coverage. The most godless figures are the ones deploring the Christians hypocrisy. With giant Broad-strokes they paint all Christians as lying hypocrites never to be trusted or respected.

MY POINT — They respond in that manner for this simple reason: They KNOW themselves to be godless. Though they know themselves to be godless — and have no concern or desire for godliness or genuine Biblical faith — They BELIEVE certain things about Christianity.

They BELIEVE and EXPECT Christians to live in a way that is CONSISTENT with their professed godliness.

Absalom’s shock is essentially a godless man understanding the truth of 2 Corinthians 6:14.

2 Corinthians 6:14 For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Absalom KNOWS that he and those around him are lawless men — living in spiritual darkness. He is shocked that a righteous man — who is walking in the light would be not just around them but appearing to JOIN them in their lawlessness. JOIN them in spreading moral and spiritual darkness over the people of God.

2 Samuel 16:18-19 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I
will be, and with him I will remain. 19And again, whom
should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served
your father, so I will serve you.”

Hushai is a spy — like any good spy hides his true intentions.

QUESTION: Are we saying that it’s O.K. to lie for a good cause?

First — I don’t think Hushai lied here — I think that Hushai could have said everything here without ever lying.

QUOTE: Adam Clarke —

Hushai meant in his heart that God and all the people of
Israel had chosen David; but he spake so as to make
Absalom believe that he spoke of him: for whatever of
insincerity may appear in this, Hushai is alone
answerable. What he says afterwards may be understood in
the same way.

2 Samuel 16:20-21 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?” 21Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to
your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the
house, and all Israel will hear that you have made
yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who
are with you will be strengthened.”

Ahithophel’s advice is intended to produce three outcomes.

1.) Destroy — with absolute finality — any possibility of a reconciliation between David and Absalom — you have made yourself a stench to your father.

2.) The breach between father and son would FORCE the people to take sides — all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father.

3.) The act itself would give courage to Absalom’s followers — and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

In the ancient world, taking the king’s concubines was an act of treason. The wives of the conquered king were always the property of the conqueror; and in possessing these, he appeared to possess the right to the kingdom.

Herodotus — was a Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC (c. 484 BC–c. 425 BC) and is regarded as the “Father of History” in Western culture.

Smerdis, having seized on the Persian throne after the
death of Cambyses, espoused all the wives of his
predecessor, lib. iii., c. 68.

QUOTE: Adam Clarke —

for a son to take his father’s wives was the sum of
abomination, and was death by the law of God, Leviticus 20:11. This was a sin rarely found, even among the
Gentiles.

As a result — But for the Israelite of the day — and the follower of Absalom — this course of action would leave no doubt as to the RESOLVE of Absalom to end his father’s rule.

2 Samuel 16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in
the sight of all Israel.

This incredibly TWISTED act reveals crucial truths concerning the Word of God:

1.) The CERTAINTY of the prophetic nature of God’s Word and how it proves the existence of the True and living God, who lives outside of time.

2 Samuel 12:11-12 Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I
will take your wives before your eyes and give them to
your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the
sight of this sun.

Isaiah 46:9-11 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none
like me,10 declaring the end from the beginning and from
ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel
shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose 11….. I
have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed,
and I will do it.

2.) The REALITY of Sowing and Reaping

Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8For the
one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap
corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from
the Spirit reap eternal life.

As we read the Scriptures we see this LAW of Sowing and Reaping -

• You always reap the same thing you have sown
• You can’t sow to the Spirit and reap of the flesh
• You can’t sow to the flesh and reap of the Spirit
• You can’t sow to the Spirit and reap death
• You can’t sow to the flesh and reap life
• You don’t reap it right away
• And you always get MORE

Years have passed and David is now reaping what he had sown – with interest. From this same palace roof top David saw and took Ahithophel’s grand daughter for his own sexual gratification.
Now Ahithophel counsels Absalom to take TEN of David’s concubines on to that roof top and have sex with them in broad daylight for all of Israel to see.

3.) The VERACITY of God’s Word — (God says what He means and means what He says)

Hebrews 12:15 (NLT) …watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.

Ahithophel is a LIVING EXAMPLE of the power of bitterness. He allowed his bitterness towards David to GROW over the years — and because it GREW he became a TROUBLED man. So TROUBLED that this man — whose advice was received as the very Word of God — could become the chief adviser of David’s traitorous son! THAT is a troubled man.
And that bitterness was now so big and powerful that it would CORRUPT many.

Ahithophel was willing to:

• See TEN women abused
• See Absalom grievously sin
• See the kingdom of Israel suffer greatly
• Simply to satisfy his longing for bitter revenge

2 Samuel 16:23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the
counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by
Absalom.

CHAPTER 17

2 Samuel 17:1-4 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and
pursue David tonight. 2I will come upon him while he is
weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all
the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down
only the king, 3and I will bring all the people back to
you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the
life of only one man, and all the people will be at
peace.” 4And the advice seemed right in the eyes of
Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

Ahithophel advises TWO things here —

1.) A sudden and selective attack against David

2…. I will strike down only the king

2.) Urgency — Attack while David was still west of the Jordan River.

INTERESTING —
2…. I will strike down only the king

It would appear that this slip of the tongue betrayed the fact that deep in his heart, Ahithophel knew that David was the TRUE king — but once again — TRUTH doesn’t matter to the man overcome by bitterness.

By the standard of man’s wisdom Ahithophel’s plan

• Was Smart
• Was Bold
• Had a high probability of success
• Would spare Israel a protracted civil war between the supporters of David and the supporters of Absalom — an almost bloodless revolution.

DON’T MISS THIS —

EVERYTHING is stacked against David ever returning to the throne. Ahithophel was so convinced of the advantages of his plan that it seemed IMPOSSIBLE that the plan could be opposed.

PROBLEM —
Ahithophel was meticulous in regards to every political and military factor in formulating his counsel. But he failed to take into account the MOST CRITICAL factor of all — GOD! He failed to factor in the fact that –

Psalm 125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and
forevermore.

He failed to factor in the MANY TIMES and METHODS that God had employed in the past to protect David:

• When David was just a boy — God had provided David the strength of arm and courage of heart to save David from a lion and a bear.

• He had delivered David by guiding a single stone from David’s sling into the forehead of Goliath.

• He had delivered David from Saul once by way of David’s wife — who lowered David from a window.

• He delivered David from Saul on another occasion by way of Jonathan.

• He delivered David a third time from Saul by way of a Philistine invasion.

NOW — God was going to deliver David from Absalom by causing a strategically weak proposal by Hushai to find more favor than the far better advice of Ahithophel.

2 Samuel 17:5-7 Then Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” 6And when Hushai came to
Absalom, Absalom said to him, “Thus has Ahithophel spoken;
shall we do as he says? If not, you speak.” 7Then Hushai
said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel
has given is not good.”

AGAIN — This is great drama!

We can only try to imagine just how hard Hushai’s heart was pounding. He is standing as spy before the man who wants to kill the true king. He has already seen him hear — receive — and act upon the counsel of Ahithophel — with ZERO moral reservations! He has just heard further advice from the man whose counsel was respected as the very words of God. And the counsel was GREAT — In fact it was the very advice Hushai most feared Absalom would hear and act upon. But he shows tremendous composure!

Hushai comes up HUGE here. He shows tremendous composure, tremendous skill in

• recommending a plan that would undermine Absalom’s revolt
• making bad advice appear to be the best!

He opens with an implied compliment: Ahithophel’s counsel is not good at this time. In other words — This advice is the exception to his otherwise perfect counsel.

HE FOLLOWS WITH —

2 Samuel 17:8-10 Hushai said, “You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged,
like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your
father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with
the people. 9Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one
of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of
the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will
say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who
follow Absalom.’ 10Then even the valiant man, whose heart
is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear,
for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and
that those who are with him are valiant men.

He reminds Absalom of the legendary courage and fighting skills of David and his loyal men — and the fact that all of Israel is familiar with them. They’re like a bunch of Special Ops guys with a real beef to settle — hiding in some caves. No one knows how many there are — and they might at any moment come out of nowhere and kill a lot of your men — causing the bravest to panic and turn back to David as quickly as they had turned away.

HIS LAST ADVICE was the MASTERPIECE — A word of wisdom from God’s understanding of Absalom’s heart!

CRUCIAL:
The Lord directed Hushai to address Abdsalom’s besetting sin!

• Absalom was a man who prepared chariots and horses and fifty men to go before him.
• Absalom was a man who would cut his hair once a year and WEIGH the amount that was cut!
• Absalom was known and praised as the most handsome man in all of Israel

GOD KNEW THAT the subject of the courage of David and his men would not move Absalom as much as he would be moved by the mere THOUGHT of the magnificent spectacle of the whole of Israel rallying to him in Battle.

2 Samuel 17:11-14 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand by the sea for
multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12So we
shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found,
and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the
ground, and of him and all the men with him not one will
be left. 13If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel
will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into
the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there.”
14And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel
of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of
Ahithophel.”

For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.

THIS IS SO AWESOME!

Satan had outsmarted himself!

He had so carefully and patiently nursed in Absalom vanity and self concern — all to the end that he might by Absalom overturn the throne of God’s anointed king! NOW — the vanity that Satan had hoped to use in driving Absalom to defeat DAVID — has become the very means of defeating ABSALOM.

Satan had actually laid the foundation — not for David’s ruin — but for Absalom’s! The turning point in Absalom’s mind as to the counsel he would follow — was mere thought of not just 12,000 men — but ALL of Israel — rallying to him in Battle.

Christians — be encouraged! Especially when it seems that things look most bleak for the Church.

Psalm 2:2-6 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and
against his anointed, saying, 3 “Let us burst their bonds
apart and cast away their cords from us.” 4 He who sits in
the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. 5
Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them
in his fury, saying,6 “As for me, I have set my King on
Zion, my holy hill.”

The meeting is over — Again — we can only imagine the RELIEF Hushai is experiencing. Absalom withdraws — No doubt obsessed with thoughts of the great gathering to himself that will soon take place.

VERSES 15-21 Just as David had purposed in requesting Hushai to return to Jerusalem, Hushai gets word to Zadok and Abiathar, and by them messengers are sent to David.

2 Samuel 17:22-23 Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left
who had not crossed the Jordan. 3When Ahithophel saw that
his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and
went off home to his own city…

Ahithophel — deeply offended — overwhelmed with resentment — returns to his house.
CHECK THIS OUT!

2 Samuel 17:23 ….He set his house in order and hanged himself, and he died and was buried in the tomb of his
father.

THREE forces at work here

1.) Cowardice

Ahithophel was an extraordinarily bright man. He understood that he was co-conspirator in this plot against the king — and would face certain consequences if they failed. He knew they could only succeed if Absalom carried out BOTH parts of his plan. When Absalom rejected the second part of his counsel — Ahithophel KNEW that the coup was doomed.

Ahithophel was not going to wait for the inevitable reversal and return of David — and the resulting execution.

QUOTE: G. Campbell-Morgan —

“Suicide is always the ultimate action of cowardice. In
the case of Saul, and in many similar cases, it is
perfectly natural; but let it never be glorified as
heroic. It is the last resort of the man who dare not
stand up to life.”

2.) Arrogance — In his own way Ahithophel was as much a victim of vanity as Absalom! What a contrast between David and Ahithophel when it came to bearing disgrace and rejection.

REMEMBER DAVID —

His head hanging so low as he left Jerusalem. Yet his heart bore up so bravely that he could restrain his loyal friends from lashing out at Shimei when Shimei hurled insults — threw stones and wished David dead. THEN THERE IS AHITHOPHEL — who for the FIRST time had his advice rejected — and he can’t bear to go on living!

3.) Earthly Concerns Over Eternal Concerns

QUOTE: Bishop Hall —

“What a mixture do we find here of wisdom and madness.
Ahithophel will needs hang himself — there is madness; yet
he will set his house in order…. And could it be possible
that he that was so wise as to set his house in order was
so mad as to hang himself? That he who should be so
careful to order his house had no care to order his unruly
passions? That he who had care for his house cared not for
his body or soul? How vain it is for a man to be wise if
he is not wise in God. How preposterous are the empty
concerns of worldlings….. While they look at what they
have in their coffers but forget what they have in their
hearts.”

QUOTE: Spurgeon —

“Thousands set their houses in order, but destroy their
souls; they look well to their flocks and their herds, but
not to their hearts’ best interests. They gather broken
shells with continuous industry, but they throw away
priceless diamonds. They exercise forethought, prudence, care, everywhere but where they are >most required. They save their money, but squander their happiness; they are guardians of their estates, but suicides of their souls.”

DOESN’T THAT SOUND LIKE AMERICA in the 21st Century? What are you caring about this evening?

Copyrights:

• Unless otherwise noted, scriptures are quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
  Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
  a division of Good News Publishers
  All rights reserved.

• Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

2 Samuel 16:1-14

Related Topics: David; Absalom; Ziba; Shimei; Abishai; Responding to Ridicule; Rebellion; Conformed to Jesus

We left off last week with king David headed towards the wilderness and his treacherous son Absalom entering Jerusalem to assume the throne of Israel.

2 Samuel 16:1-2 1When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.”

QUESTION: Who is this Ziba?

Ziba is the servant of Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was the crippled son of Jonathan to whom David showed great kindness to back in 2 Samuel 9. Ziba appears to be a loyal man offering help in David’s moment of great need.

2 Samuel 16:3 3And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.”

OBSERVATION:

Ziba tells David that Mephibosheth longed to see the throne of Israel restored to the family of Saul and that Mephibosheth was in Jerusalem, waiting to come to power after David and Absalom ruined each other.

2 Samuel 16:4 4Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

Quote: John Trapp

“A shameless and senseless slander, uttered by a false and faithless sycophant.”

Reality:

Ziba lied to David and this will be revealed in 2 Samuel 19:24-30. In fact, Ziba left the crippled Mephibosheth behind to make it look like Mephibosheth did not support David.

NOTE WELL:

Ziba paints a picture of Mephibosheth that makes him out to be an ungrateful and disloyal man who was in his heart no different than just like Absalom. Ziba’s lie was in part to make himself look like the loyal, selfless citizen, and thus gain favor with David.

RADICAL:

Ziba deliberately told this slanderous lie about Mephibosheth because he knew that David would be so emotionally raw and vulnerable in the face of the heartbreaking betrayal he was experiencing at the hands of Absalom. At a time of personal crisis and betrayal the last thing you need to hear is that someone else you have loved has turned against you.

QUOTE: G. Campbell Morgan

Ziba “was utterly despicable, and the more so because at the moment the sorrow he brought to the heart of David was his feeling that his kindness toward Mephibosheth was ill requited.”

2 Samuel 15:4 4 4Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”

DON’T MISS THIS — Ziba wickedly used David’s crisis for his own benefit. Ziba operated on the premise that David and the lives of those dear to him were in grave danger running for their lives. He knew that the logistical circumstances coupled with David’s emotional state would leave David virtually incapable of examining the accusations Ziba made against Mephibosheth. In this very moment it would be natural for David to act on first impressions

At first look, Ziba’s arrival and gift would encourage everybody, be seen as a token for good. It would be easy for David and everyone with him to say, WOW, at least someone is loyal and helpful and on top of that he’s even from the household of Saul. As a result, (4Then) David not only welcomed Ziba, but rewarded Ziba not just as loyal, but heroically loyal! That is what Ziba wanted all along!

Shame on Ziba! But let’s consider David for a moment. No one in this room can stand and point the finger at David and condemn David for responding the way he did because that is how any one here has or will process such things in the face of a crisis. But though we can’t condemn David, we can’t condone his behavior either. Concerning believing the report about Mephibosheth:

Proverbs 18:13 KJV He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

As a result we don’t think about checking out the other side of the story. We begin to operate on emotion and feelings. That is why we need our brothers and sisters in Christ

Eccl. 4:9-12 9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Even if David was at that moment incapable of questioning the statement, he needed someone around him who would say wait a minute.

2 Samuel 16:5-8 5When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. 6And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! 8The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”

• FIRST, this guy is a DISTANT relative of the former king Saul. He was a man who resented David for replacing the dynasty of Saul.
• SECOND, his name comes from the Hebrew word that means Hearer of reports. This hearer of reports had heard that David was on the run from his own son.

KEY OBSERVATION:

What did he do to David in the midst of such a difficult time?

• VERSE 5 – As he came he cursed continually.
• VERSE 6 – He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David
• VERSES 7-8 – He began to give his interpretation of why David was in such trouble. You are paying the price for overthrowing Saul. You are a bloody man, and now YOU are being overthrow.

NOTE: This was a bitter man’s perception of David’s devastating situation. The outward appearance of things seemed to confirm Shimei’s analysis. However, none of this came upon David because of what he did to Saul or Saul’s family. Shimei was wrong because David actually treated Saul and his family with great love and graciousness. Shimei was wrong because David was not a bloodthirsty man who overthrew Saul. We know from our study of 1 Samuel that the opposite was true.

David had opportunities to kill Saul

1 Sam. 24:9-10 And David said to Saul, “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Behold, David seeks your harm’? 10Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you.

The truth is irrelevant to those who harbor bitterness. Shimei was wrong because David did not bring Saul and his family to ruin. Saul himself brought the family to ruin.

SO IT IS TODAY. There are still Shimeis who are quick to hear a report and run with it on the basis of their own prejudiced feelings and then begin to hurl stones and insults.

Shimei was right that the Lord had brought this upon David, but not for any of the reasons Shimei thought. Not to judge or punish, but to humble David and shape his heart.

As Shimei was hurling stones and insults, we read:

2 Samuel 16:9 9Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.”

Did Abishai have the RIGHT to say this?

Ex.22:28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

Eccl. 10:20 Even in your thought, do not curse the king,

Abishai had a right to make the statement, but check out David’s response:

2 Samuel 16:10 10But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?

Why did David say that? Abishai had spent a lot of time with David. He was with David in the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 26)

It was there in the wilderness of Ziph that Saul was chasing David to kill him. One night, Abishai volunteered to go down with David into Saul’s camp. The two of them came upon Saul while he was sleeping

1 Samuel 26:8 8Then said Abishai to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.”

David said, NO….. he is the lord’s anointed vessel.

KEY POINT:

Abishai is aware of David’s character. Yet again, when David is threatened and cursed Abishai wants to lop off the head of Shimei. That is why David said, “What am I going to do with you.”

2 Samuel 16:10-14 10If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, “Curse David,” who then shall say, “Why have you done so?’” 11And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” 13So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. 14And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan.

NOTE WELL:

Though David acted impetuously and unwisely in believing Ziba’s lies he was not a complete spiritual wreck! (He was a good tree!)

THERE ARE THREE THINGS FOR US TO TAKE TO HEART IN DAVID’S RESPONSE TO SHIMEI

1.) He looked above and saw God’s hand. VERSE 10 — Don’t you see Abishai, the Lord has allowed this to take place. David had come to know that the Lord was in all things. He wasn’t always like this.

EXAMPLE: When David ran into a foolish man named Nabal (1 Sam. 25). David asked Nabal for some food and supplies for his troops and Nabal said, “Who is this David, but a rebel?” When David heard that Nabal had insulted him, he told his men, “Put on your swords men” When Nabal’s wife (Abigail) heard that David was after Nabal, she said, “David, please forgive my husband, his name means fool and that is exactly what he is.” Earlier David was a fighter when insulted.

Now he is mature. He has deepened and he is now governed and moved by something other than the winds of adversity or insults.

ILLUSTRATION:
Sailors in the northern oceans have frequently observed icebergs moving against the wind. The explanation is that the iceberg, with nine tenths of it’s mass below the water, was caught in the grip of strong currents that moved them in a certain direction no matter which way the winds raged.

This is the mark of maturity in our faith, no matter how hard or harsh the insults and put downs, the man or woman who has a depth of living in the currents of God’s grace will always respond and move in the right direction, in a direction that goes against the natural impulses of the mind and heart.

BIG IDEA:

We must realize something at the very first, there is not one insult that can come against us unless the Lord allows it.

In Job 1 we are told that Satan could only touch Job by God’s permission

We are in Christ. The Lord allows us to experience put downs not to destroy us, but rather to develop us. You can learn from criticism.

QUOTE: Many Christians are more willing to be destroyed by praise than to be saved by criticism.

I have seen that to be so true in my own life and in others. It is so easy to respond to criticism with, “That’s just your opinion” or “I don’t want to hear from you, I’ll just listen to the Lord” There are those who surround themselves with sycophants, Yes men. Then they launch out into the ministry. The faults that they never wanted to hear about will end up being their destruction. They are willing to march off to their death to the applause of men more than hearing a criticism that the Lord has allowed to surface.

QUESTION: Are you and I convinced that when we are being put down that God is allowing it because there is something for you to learn?

Are YOU embracing it as from above?

2.) He not only looked above, he looked about and saw his own blunders

2 Samuel 16:11 11“Look around me Abishai…. My son Absalom wants to kill me….. I have failed with my own son….. How much more should this Benjamite put me down?”

David had allowed rape (Amnon raped Tamar) and murder (Absalom had Amnon killed) and bitterness (He refused to see Absalom for 5 years) to exist in his family.

When someone puts you down, take a look around at the mistakes that you have made. However brutal the put down is that is coming at you, it is not nearly as bad as you deserve. If you are really honest, then you will realize that you deserve a lot worse than some Shimei’s throwing at you! What if every one of your thoughts of this past week, every unheard word that you spoke, every attitude of your heart, every ungodly action was made public tonight on the screens? There is not one of us who wouldn’t just want to die.

Here is how we can deal with the Shimeis of our life.

Rom. 7:18 18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.

When you realize that there is no good thing in your flesh, you no longer seek to defend your flesh or protect your flesh. You’re free from the need to retaliate!

3.) He not only looked above and then he looked around and saw his own blunders, he looked ahead.

David knew that if he did what was right in the present moment, God would take care of the future.

2 Samuel 16:12 12He was looking ahead to the reward that was coming because he was quietly taking these put downs

God not only rewards us for our service for Him and to Him, he also rewards us for quietly enduring in suffering.

Matt. 5:10-12 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Three simple things to due when people put you down:

• LOOK ABOVE (realize that God allowed it)
• LOOK ABOUT (Realize your blunders and you won’t be so hard on the Shimeis)
• LOOK AHEAD (God sees and will reward in an appropriate time)

A WORD ABOUT SHIMEI — because there is no doubt a bit of Shimei in each of us and some are full blown replicas of him.

Lets take a look and see what happened to Shimei. In verse 13, note the order, at first he threw stones and then hurled insult, but then he cast dust. Casting dust was the way a man would say, “I wish you were dead.” He went from casting insults to wishing David were dead.

That is exactly what happens when you are a Shimei. You throw stones and insults until eventually it eats at you and wish the person was dead. That is why we are not to give place to wrath and not let the root of bitterness take hold.

QUESTION: Do you think that Shimei was a happy guy? Do you think he was the kind of guy you wanted to have an machiato at Bloom with? Do you think that he was the kind of guy you invited to parties? No, there is something about stone throwers and dirt throwers that is ugly.

NOTE: When you throw dirt, it blows back in your face. Look at his end:

2 Samuel 19:19b-20 “Let not my lord hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. Do not let the king take it to heart. 20For your servant knows that I have sinned.

2 Samuel 19:21-23 21Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” 22But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” 23And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.

I know who I am… This guy doesn’t make me insecure. David forgave Shimei.

Does this CHANGE Shimei at all?

David’s LAST words to Solomon were — “Bury Shimei”
1 Kings 2:1-3; 8-10. WHY? Shimei had not changed at all. David recognized him to be a threat to Solomon.

Is it at all possible that you are like a Shimei? Do you find yourself wrongly viewing someone else’s situation because your view of them is distorted by bitterness? Hurling insults and casting dirt? If so, you will find yourself becoming an increasingly bitter person. If you are critical of your spouse or your brothers in Christ, then repent

CLOSING:

We constantly say at Metro, “It’s All About Jesus.” To really find victory in all of this we must look afresh at Jesus

1 Peter 2:21-25 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Jesus was without sin. You and I can’t say that of ourselves. Yet, He was put down. Jesus experienced put downs. Yet he never answered back in malice.

QUOTE: We may regret much of our SPEECH, but we will NEVER regret timely SILENCE

Proverbs 10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: But he that refrains his lips is wise

James 1:19 Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath

Jesus was SLOW to speak. He died, not defending Himself, not defending His reputation or His ministry. He said, “Father forgive them.” You can throw stones and hurl insults and cast dirt at a corpse, but it will not retaliate. If you are retaliating in response to to put downs, then you are not dead yet

We are to reckon ourselves to be Dead and buried with Christ.

• “But Richard, if I don’t defend myself…..then my reputation will be shot” – DIE
• “But Richard, if I don’t stand up for my rights, then my ministry will be ruined” – DIE

The secret of life is death. The world does not understand that when you die to reputation, the pressure is off.

Quote: Bob Dylan — The Disease of Conceit

There’s a whole lot of people suffering tonight From the
disease of conceit. Whole lot of people struggling tonight
From the disease of conceit. Comes right down the highway,
Straight down the line, Rips into your senses Through your
body and your mind. Nothing about it that’s sweet, The
disease of conceit.

There’s a whole lot of hearts breaking tonight From the
disease of conceit, Whole lot of hearts shaking tonight
From the disease of conceit. Steps into your room, Eats
your soul, Over your senses You have no control. Ain’t
nothing too discreet About of disease of conceit.

There’s a whole lot of people dying tonight From the
disease of conceit, Whole lot of people crying tonight
From the disease of conceit, Comes right out of nowhere
And you’re down for the count From the outside world, The
pressure will mount, Turn you into a piece of meat, The
disease of conceit.

Conceit is a disease That the doctors got no cure They’ve
done a lot of research on it But what it is, they’re still
not sure

There’s a whole lot of people in trouble tonight From the
disease of conceit, Whole lot of people seeing double
tonight From the disease of conceit, Give ya delusions of
grandeur And a evil eye Give you idea that You’re too good
to die, Then they bury you from your head to your feet
From the disease of conceit.

Copyright ©1989 Special Rider Music

When you finally say, “I am crucified with Christ,” it is then that you don’t have to defend yourself or protect yourself and you are finally alive. The secret is to get your eyes off yourself and get your eyes on Christ.

Matt. 10:39 He that keeps his life will lose it; and he that loses his life for My sake shall find it (Aorist tense – Action completed in the past, with present continuing results)

Do you find yourself LOST today? It is because you have not lost your life for Christ’s sake. You are still complaining about how you are being treated. The Spirit filled life is not one of emotional gratification. It is in a real sense one of self extermination. It is the end of self. That is not a one time thing. It is a daily experience (Matt 10:39).

CONCLUSION:

When people put you down, remember what David did:

Look above — look about — look ahead

Make sure that you are not a Shimei. Look afresh at Christ.

2 Samuel 15:7-37

Related Topics: David; Absalom; Pride; Rebellion; Pride and Selfishness of Man; Recipe for Division; Ittai; Loyalty; Grace; Conformed to Jesus

We left of at verse 6 of 2 Samuel 15

2 Sam 15:6 So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Rising early, everyday, Absalom met the people at the gate of the city. With extreme skill and subtlety he was able to subvert and steal the hearts of David’s subjects without saying any specific thing that could condemn him. If accused he could say, “Tell me one specific thing that I have said or done.” He was so brilliant that if any accused him he could say, “I’m just helping king David to deal with all this discontent.” While in reality Absalom was promoting discontent.

Now that he has stolen the hearts of the people he launches his rebellion.

2 Sam 15:7 7And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king,

Some translations read FORTY years. This may be Absalom’s age at the time. It is most likely a minor corruption of the text. Based on the readings in Syriac and Arabic translations, along with Josephus, and some Hebrew manuscripts, it should read four years. Meaning that it is now four years since his return to Jerusalem after three years of exile in Geshur.

Remember, during the first two years David would not see Absalom. Finally, Absalom came before the king and bowed in pretend humility and submission before his father. For the next two years, Absalom pretended submission to king David. While pretending submission he went every day for two years to the city gate where he quietly, patiently and diligently undermined his dad’s rule and stole the hearts of the people.

Then this man who preteneded submission to God’s anointed king pretends to be a worshiper.

2 Sam 15:7 “……please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron.

Radical — Absalom committed treason under the guise of worship. He knew that the appearance of spirituality could work in his favor.

We don’t want to miss this, divisive people almost never see themselves as divisive. They actually see themselves as doing God’s work, setting things right for God, and often believe that God’s hand is upon them.

PROBLEM:
Many people will only look at the spiritual pretense and image the Absalom sets forth and miss the divisive agenda behind the persons actions.

2 Sam 15:8-9 8For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.’” 9The king said to him, “Go in peace.”

A COUPLE OF SAD THINGS HERE:

1. These are David’s last words to Absalom — I’m sure he never dreamed these would be his last words to his son. With his last words he wished peace to to a man who had no intentions of peace.

2. Upon hearing his dad say GO IN PEACE Absalom went to carry on the plot to overthrow David’s kingdom

2 Sam 15:9 9….So he arose and went to Hebron.

Hebron was the chief city of Judah. David ruled from Hebron as king of Judah (2:3-4). Absalom was born in Hebron(3:2–3). Hebron was far enough to be out of David’s immediate observation, but within walking distance for an army.

2 Sam 15:10-11 10But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” 11With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing.

Notice how cleaver Absalom is in establishing the appearance of legitimacy! First, Absalom was hoping that most of Israel would see this as succession to the throne, not treason. Second, in order to further the appearance of legitimacy he needed to get others to endorse or appear to endorse his government.

These 200 guys know nothing and he counted on these 200 guys, who were not against David, to at least be silent and give the impression that they were for Absalom.

LESSON:
When the innocent and unknowing are amongst the divisive, their silence is always received as agreement and endorsement.

2 Sam 15:12 12And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh.

WOW! No doubt the offering of sacrifices was for the sake of image, but it would appear that he offered the sacrifices because he was deceived enough to think that God wanted to bless him.

“While he was involved in offering sacrifices.”

In our New Testament context it would say, “While he was going to church and raising his hands and giving tithes.”

While looking and acting spiritual, he sent for the man who would be his top advisor in the stealing of his father’s throne.

Ahithophel — Ahithophel was renowned for his wisdom and wise counsel

2 Samuel 16:23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.

TWO THINGS HERE:

1.) Even wise men can be led into siding with divisive leaders. Listen, the adversary of our Savior and King is always looking for a good recruit to divide the Kingdom of Jesus. And he knows way in advance how to prime you to be one. A perceived wrong (because it was seen through the lens of insecurities) or a legitimate wrong done to you left unforgiven leads to bitterness.

Hebrews 12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

You might be carrying on as normal in every other area of your life for years until your adversary the devil needs to push that button and in that moment you will be ready to join the first person who wants to hurt the person who hurt you. And you will be glad to use your gifts and talents in it. And even think you are doing the work of God because obviously God has to be against the man or woman who wronged you!

BY THE WAY — In Ahithophel, David is reaping what he had sown in his sin with Bathsheba. But you see that possibility was not even a consideration at the time of David’s sin. David never once thought that the gratifying of his sexual desires would result in an unwanted pregnancy, the murder of a trusted friend (Uriah), a dead baby, and a civil war led by one of his sons (Absalom) who would be counseled by David’s own counselor Ahithophel — a granfdather with an axe to grind.

2 Sam 15:12 And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

Once some started coming to Absalom’s side, others were encouraged to come. There was an ungodly, demonic synergy at work.

We have the advantage of hindsight (20-20) and we know that all of these people were rallying to the wrong man and the wrong cause. We need to remember that these people are just acting like people. Here’s the recipe for division and rebellion.

• Take one Absalom, a master of manipulation and was driven to employ his every skill to achieve his self-serving / self-advancing agenda.

• Add one Ahithophel, a bright, but bitter man

• Add People, who are by nature forgetful and fickle (Hosanna >>> Crucify Him)

• And voila! — you have a divided kingdom!

David’s Escape:

2 Sam 15:13-18 13And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” 14Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” 15And the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” 16So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. 17And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house.18And all his servants passed by him,
and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.

KEY OBSERVATION:
The Holy Spirit uses the phrase “the king(’s)” six times in this passage, because He wants us to see David as the legitimate king and Absalom as a treacherous traitor.

Notice in verse 14 how David knew that Absalom was a ruthless man who valued power over principle and power over people.

Absalom had no concern for casualties or carnage. His only concern was for a crown.

By contrast, David never sought a crown, he was a shepherd king who was concerned for the people. He didn’t want the city of Jerusalem to become a battleground, so he fled the city.

2 Sam 15:18 18…all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites

These men were David’s personal bodyguard.

and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath,

The Gittites had faithfully followed David from the time David lived among the Philistines. These men were faithful to David before he became king. Now they are faithful to him when his throne seemed to be lost. It is remarkable that in this defining moment foreigners rallied around David.

It is tragic that his own countrymen and his own family are nowhere to be found.

passed on before the king.

We can not begin to imagine the pain and grief as he watched this procession pass before him.

Psalm 3:1-6 A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. 1 O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;2 many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah 3 But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.4 I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

2 Sam 15:19 19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home.

CRUCIAL OBSERVATION:
David calls Absalom king! Is David being a coward here? One might call David a number of other things, but he would be hard pressed to find any grounds to think that David is surrendering because he was a coward.

What we see here is consistent throughout the life of David in regards to the throne. He never saw the throne and the crown as being his to take. He knew that Israel was the people of God and it was God’s to place men on the throne over Israel. It was God’s business to remove king Saul. As long as God permitted Saul to sit on the throne and wear the crown David respected Saul as king!

At this moment it seemed that Absalom would succeed, so David called him the king and left it to the LORD.

2 Sam 15:20-21 20You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” 21But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.”

This is great, David told Ittai, “Remain with the king.” Ittai answered back, “That’s exactly what I intend to do. I’m staying with the king, that would be you.”

2Sam 15:21 21…wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.

QUOTE: Blaikie — The Second Book of Samuel (Klock and Klock) p.232

BIG STUFF HERE:
Ittai was loyal to David when it looked to cost him something. True loyalty isn’t demonstrated until it looks like it will cost us to be loyal. Ittai was loyal to David when it looked to cost him something.

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION:
Regarding friendhsips — Loyalty is a lost commodity in our culture.

HERE’S THE BIG PICTURE:
I think David stands here as a foreshadowing of Christ, making this about much more than friendships. It’s about loyalty to Jesus.

QUOTE: Alexandar Maclaren

“Remember, the more rebels there are, the more need for us to be conspicuously loyal to our King.”

Today a huge amount of professing Christians are not loyal to the Jesus of Scripture. They have rejected their loyalties to Jesus because the world has mocked them, accused them of being narrow minded in their Biblical views of morality and sin, accused them of being ignorant for thinking that Jesus actually healed the sick and raised the dead, died for the sins of the world and three days later rose bodily from the grave, has ascended into heaven, that he saves sinners today, is coming again to judge the world and establish an everlasting Kingdom. They are no longer loyal to that Jesus. They have exchanged that Jesus for a make believe, personalized version of Jesus. They have exchanged the Jesus of the Bible for a Jesus that they can feel good about because the world is comfortable with their new Jesus.

As Ittai was to David we ought to be with Jesus. Ittai was loyal when David was down. Ittai acted decisively to stand with David. Ittai acted voluntarily. Ittai was loyal having only come to David days earlier. Ittai acted publicly in his loyalty to David. Ittai was loyal to David knowing that David’s fate would become his own fate.

QUOTE: Spurgeon

“If Ittai — so taken by with David’s person and character — felt that he could enlist beneath David’s banner for life — and declared that he would do so there and then — how much more may you and I, if we know what Christ has done for us, and who He is and what He deserves at our hands — at this good hour vow to Him, ‘As the Lord liveth, surely in whatsoever place my Lord and Savior shall be, whether in death or life, even there also shall His servant be.’ ”

We must determine that wherever Jesus is, we will be also.
He lives in the heavenlies, so will we be. He is with His church, so will we be. He is busy in His work, so will we be.

ONCE AGAIN — It’s ALL ABOUT JESUS!

2 Sam 15:22-23 22And David said to Ittai, “Go then, pass on.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. 23And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.

Several decades before this David left the safety of Saul’s palace to live as a fugitive. (1 Samuel 20) Those years in the wilderness prepared David to be king, but getting David on the throne was not the end of the work of God in and through David. God sends David out into the wilderness to continue the same work in his life.

QUOTE: Spurgeon

“Ah! We do not like going over Kedron. When it comes to the pinch, how we struggle against suffering, and especially against dishonor and slander! How many there were who would have gone on pilgrimage, but that Mr. Shame proved too much for them; they could not bear to go over the black brook Kedron, could not endure to be made nothing of for the sake of the Lord of glory, but they even turned back.”

We can’t determine His direction for our lives on the basis of — This is so exciting — this is going to be so gratifying. We need to learn to process God’s direction for our lives on HIS terms, in light of his purposes.

Rom. 8:29 those whom He did foreknow He did also predestine to be conformed to the image of His Son

Why is God’s anointed king on the run from treacherous traitorous son? On the human side we have seen the ingredients for this.

• Absalom
• Ahithophel
• Fickle and forgetful men and women.

But there is a divine side over ruling all. Because David had to enter into the fellowship of His sufferings and be rejected like the Son of David would later be rejected.

2 Sam 15:24-26 24And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. 25Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. 26But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”

Unlike Absalom, David would not use God or the things of God to his own ends or advantage.

QUOTE: Blaikie
The Second Book of Samuel (Klock and Klock) p.233

David submitted to God. His submission was an active submission, not a passive one. He actively submits by not using the Ark of God. He actively submits by seeking to hear from the Lord.

2 Sam 15:27-30 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there. 30But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.

Amazing, when Jesus went from the Last Supper to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, He essentially traced David’s steps.

CRUCIAL:
This wasn’t a pity-party or soreness merely over the consequences of sin.

QUOTE: G. Campbell-Morgan
“In light of all the facts it is almost certain that the tears David shed as he climbed Olivet, were rather those of humiliation and penitence, than those of self-centered regret. For Absalom there was no excuse, but David carried in his own heart ceaselessly the sense of his own past sin.”

There are many who do not understand how grace and mercy work in the heart of those redeemed by faith in Jesus. They look at a man like David and think that God let David off easy, that he deserved the death penalty for adultery and murder. They think that if God forgave and spared David that penalty, surely David would just do it again.

CRUCIAL:
That is not how the unmerited and undeserved love of God works. David’s sin was ever before him (Ps. 51:3)

A genuine and deep understanding of the horror of his sin was mingled with a profound sense of gratitude over God’s mercy and as a result David never sinned like that again!
God’s unmerited and undeserved love (grace) had taught David well!

Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

2 Sam 15:31 31And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

David knew that Ahithophel was a brilliant advisor, but he prayed that the counsel he gave to Absalom would be foolish.

This is a great O.T. illustration of the New testament truth found in 2 Cor. 10:3

2 Cor 10:3-4 3For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

QUOTE: John Trapp (English Anglican Bishop 1600’s)
“This was done accordingly: great is the power of faithful prayer. The queen-mother of Scotland was heard to say, that she more feared the prayers of John Knox than an army of fighting men.” (Trapp)

2 Sam 15:32-37 32While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. 34But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. 35Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” 37So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

David came into Jerusalem as a brave, noble conqueror (2 Samuel 5:6-7). Absalom now comes into Jerusalem as a treacherous, wicked rebel. Just over 1,000 years later Jesus will come into Jerusalem as a servant-king (Matthew 21:4-10) to lay down His life for the sins of the World.

19: 2Sam 15:21

2 Samuel 15:1-6

Related Topics: David; Absalom; Pride; Rebellion; Pride and Selfishness of Man

REVIEW

Chapter 14 dealt with Absalom returning to the palace of king David after murdering his half-brother Amnon and fleeing to Geshur for three years. Joab — the captain over David’s troops — thought it was in the best interests of David and in the best interests of the nation of Israel to get Absalom back to the palace by any means necessary. It made perfect sense in terms of political expediency. This is a perfect example of man’s ways being different from God’s ways.

Prov 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death

God does not see things merely in terms of political expedience. God is concerned with getting things right in a man’s heart. Joab’s appeal to David for “political” reconciliation was framed on mere emotional response to tragedy and injustice. David responded and rendered judgment on the basis of mere emotion.

NOTE:
David had legitimate cause to be EMOTIONAL in light of the moral mess in his household. A daughter raped — A son murdered — A murdering son in exile. He was a man primed to be moved by emotion. But we must always remember that we can not LIVE by emotions — nor base DECISIONS on what we feel. That part of our humanity is depraved.

Absalom was finally allowed to return to the palace — but David refused to see him for 2 years. The two years only served to harden Absalom’s heart. The heat of trial or adversity will harden or soften. The outcome depends on the substance exposed to it.

ILLUSTRATION: WAX or CLAY in sun.

2 Samuel 14:33 …So he came to the king and bowed
himself on his face to the ground before the king,

DON’T MISS THIS — Absalom pretends submission to David’s authority. But his heart was full of calculated designs to secure the throne for himself. We will see this in just a moment.

2 Samuel 14:33 …and the king kissed Absalom.

KEY OBSERVATION:
David offered Absalom forgiveness without any repentance or resolution of the wrong. As we will see tonight this only lead to a further outbreak of sin.

KEY POINT:
David was willing to have the kiss of PEACE without the TRUTH. He failed Absalom — and he failed Israel.

QUOTE: A.W. Pink —

only paved the way for Absalom’s open rebellion…. Deal tenderly with evil, and it will, assuredly, rise to a head and crush you in the end.

CHAPTER 15

2 Samuel 15:1 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

DON’T MISS THIS:

CHAPTER 14 ends with Absalom bowing before David in apparent humility. BUT — CHAPTER 15 begins with a display of SELF-EXALTATION. Absalom did not want the chariot for speed — He wanted to make a STATEMENT! This was all about projecting the IMAGE of being an extraordinary man — a man of power and influence. What a stark contrast between Absalom and his dad — who would be marked by God as the greatest king in Israel’s history.

2 Samuel 7:18-19 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my
house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was
a small thing…

CRUCIAL LESSON:
The world values self-promotion. The world looks for such men or women to hire and to lead them.
God values exactly the opposite — God places a premium on humility. All we need to do to prove this is to look at Jesus.

• Look at the divinely designed circumstances of His entrance into the world. No room for him in the Cataluma — born in a stable and laid in a stone trough used to feed animals.

• His upbringing – in the lowly town of Nazareth as the son of a carpenter.

• His entrance into public ministry — No big media blitz. No chariot with 50 men walking before Him. He stood in line with the rest of Israel to be baptized by his cousin John in the Judean wilderness — who happened to look like a wild man because he was living in the wilderness — wearing clothes made out of camel skin — and would lived on a diet of locusts and honey!!

• Look at His conduct as God among mere men –
  Matthew 20:28 I did not come to BE served — but to SERVE and to give My life as a ransom.

• Washing the feet of His disciples the night before His death on the cross.

• Look at the circumstances of His death —
  He didn’t summon legions of angels to defend him in the Garden of Gethsemene. He didn’t hire the dream team defense lawyers and make a public spectacle of the injustice being perpetrated against Him. He allowed men to spit in His face — even though He held together the very molecular structure of that spit. He allowed men to beat Him and drive nails through His hands and feet even though He held together the very molecular structure of those fists and those nails. He endured the most humiliating form of capital punishment known to man. And even in His death He was buried in a BORROWED tomb.

THIS is the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE — The KING OF GLORY!

The apostle Paul summarized Jesus like this —

Philippians 2:3-9 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but
also to the interests of others. 5Have this mind among
yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he
was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a
thing to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the
form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And
being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming
obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him
the name that is above every name,

SO — When God is looking for:

• A man or woman that He can use for HIS glory
• A leader who will exercise authority on some level in HIS Kingdom

He is looking for HUMILITY. We can MEASURE the degree to which the World has influenced the Church by looking at the degree to which the Church tolerates or even appreciates SELF-PROMOTION and SELF-EXALTATION.

We can MEASURE the degree to which the World has influenced us INDIVIDUALLY by looking at the degree to which we tolerate or even exercise SELF-PROMOTION and SELF-EXALTATION.

ONE LAST THOUGHT HERE —

There was no doubt there was a huge outlay of finances in Absalom’s procession. The extravagance of Absalom was spent on the exaltation of self and accomplishing self-serving plans.

BY CONTRAST —
The only time David was extravagant was in regards to the WORSHIP of God! He spared no expense in furnishing any and all resources that translated into the exaltation of God!

2 Samuel 15:2-6 2And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute
to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call
to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he
said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in
Israel,” 3Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are
good and right, but there is no man designated by the
king to hear you.” 4Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I
were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or
cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.”
5And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he
would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
6Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king
for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of
Israel.

DON’T MISS THIS

CHAPTER 14 ends with Absalom bowing before David in apparent submission. BUT — CHAPTER 15 begins with calculated acts of rebellion. There never was any genuine reconciliation between David and Absalom because there was never any genuine confession and repentance from Absalom.

LET’S WALK THROUGH THIS.

2 Samuel 15:2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate….

EARLY! — EVERY DAY!

People who are at the top – demonstrate that kind of dedication and commitment. But Absalom’s commitment and dedication were being directed to taking the throne from his dad and making himself king.

QUOTE: Joseph Parker “Preaching through the Bible” Volume IV p. 178

2 Samuel 15:2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate.

THE GATE was a very important social and political place in that day and culture.

• It was the War Room where strategies of war were set.
  Hence the words of Jesus — The gates of hell shall not prevail = the strategies of hell would not prevail….

• It was the Court House of a city — People came there to do legal business or to have legal cases tried. REMEMBER — Book of Ruth – Boaz went to the city gate to settle the issue of redeeming the field of Elimelech. This gate in particular was the Supreme Court of the land.

LOOK AT HIS CALCULATED STRATEGY and LEARN!

At EVERY STEP Absalom plots a successful overthrow by appealing to the lowest in man!

FIRST — Absalom appealed to the PRIDE of the people. By way of the chariot and 50 men Absalom very deliberately — and very subtly said —

• I’m the kind of king you WANT
• I’m the kind of king you NEED!
• You are WORTHY of a king who LOOKS kingly.

Even in today’s political world we hear the words – “Oh he LOOKS so presidential!” They saw this guy with his chariot and entourage and they’re thinking — We don’t want a humble king — we feel better about ourselves with a king who rides a chariot and has FIFTY men running before him.

FAST FORWARD to the Sunday before Passover 32 AD when the King of Glory entered Jerusalem. Zechariah predicted the scene hundreds of years earlier —

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! behold, your king is
coming to you; righteous and having salvation is
he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of
a donkey.

Within a week — CRUCIFY HIM! The world that lives by the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life is not drawn to a humble, crucified King. THAT is why it is foolish to try SELL a crucified King to the world. THAT is why the work of evangelism is totally dependent upon the POWER of the Gospel and the Person and Power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to
give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.

THAT is the only way a man or woman bows to the King on the Cross.

SECOND — Absalom appealed to the SELF-CENTEREDNESS and SELFISHISHNESS of man. THAT is why he made his way EVERY day and VERY EARLY to the courthouse. Because he knew that the man who had to go to court would be completely wrapped up in SELF-CONCERNS. That person is concerned with how much time it will cost him. It doesn’t matter who else has a valid case to be heard.

What matters is that HIS case is heard FIRST — That HIS is the FIRST case on the docket.
What matters is that HIS case is heard and that without ANY DELAY — He doesn’t want to be told that he is missing documents or that the other party has asked for the case to be delayed.

Absalom also understood that the person who has to go to court is concerned with how the outcome will EFFECT HIM — not the other guy. When you go to court the ONLY fair judgment is the one that rules in his own favor.

It was there at the Gate of the city that Absalom could present himself as the ONLY one who is interested in their case

It was there at the Gate of the city the Absalom could present himself as the ONLY one who could help them achieve their desired outcome.

2 samuel 15:4 …Oh that I were judge in the land!

CRUCIAL:
His listeners knew exactly what those words meant.

They understood that Absalom was essentially saying — Oh that I were KING! BECAUSE in that culture the king was seen as the highest judge in the land. THIS WAS NOT ONLY a blatant expression of his ambition — It was an attack upon his father, the king.

Essentially saying — He would be a better king than his father

• Essentially saying — His father had failed them as king in regards to their court cases.
  I can’t believe that my dad doesn’t care enough about you to come to the gate and isn’t here to hear your case!! BUT if I were king…..

• The implication is that if he were king — he would personally hear ALL of their cases and would give just outcomes.

• He is essentially saying that if he were king EVERYONE wins — because everyone who has to go to court wants to win.

QUOTE: W.G. Blaikie The Second Book of Samuel p.219-220

CRUCIAL:
How do the patently hollow and self serving plans of the narcissist succeed?

They succeed because they are predicated upon the reality that — apart from the grace of God — all men are hollow and self serving.

2 Samuel 15:6 ….So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

REALITY SAYS — That only ONE party in a court case wins -
But that reality is lost on two hollow, self-serving
people.

The ONLY thing they hear is that their personal ambitions and wants will be realized if they will make this man king — despite the reality someone is going to come up on the short end of the stick.

2 Samuel 15:6 ….So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

QUOTE: W.G. Blaikie The Second Book of Samuel p. 220

CHECK THIS OUT —

Absalom was able to steal the hearts of the people away from David and divide David’s kingdom without saying any specific thing that could condemn him. If someone objected Absalom could say — “Tell me one specific thing that I have said or done.” Absalom actually did all of this in such a way that he could say — “I’m helping David to deal with all this discontent”
While the reality was that Absalom was actually promoting discontent.

I’M SURE THAT FOR MOST PEOPLE the pride and the ploys of Absalom immediately resonate in regards to politics whether in the government or in the workplace. But the great tragedy is that Absalom was doing this in Israel — Who time and again are referred to BY God as HIS PEOPLE. He especially told those ruling over Israel that they were ruling HIS PEOPLE.

The tragedy of Absalom continues even to this day because the PRIDE and PLOYS of Absalom are still alive and well in the Church. It is tragic and embarrassing because as bad as Absalom looks to us — that is how bad we look to the unbelieving world that watches and waits to find a reason to discount the claims of Jesus.

In churches there are people who, Like Absalom —
Present a carefully cultivated image — Of how spiritual they are — the special revelation they have from God — how early or how much they pray — their past missions or sacrifices in the service of God.

RESPONSE — “Wow — we need a guy like this — this is the kind of guy that makes us look good.

• Like Absalom — They are committed to their agenda and work hard at achieving their agenda.
• Like Absalom — They know where to position themselves in a congregation
• Like Absalom — They look for troubled people
  People who have a case they want to state. People who feel that their gift and ministry is neglected in the church.
• Like Absalom — They reach out to troubled people.

REMEMBER — Absalom would call out to them. Once they identify them they make sure they have all the appropriate contact information (e-mail /cell phone / facebook / my space). They take a personal interest in the troubled person. Tell me your story (What city are you from?). Then they sympathize with the person.

Wow — Sounds like you’re the real deal — the ministry sounds really legit (your case is good and right). They leave the troubled person more troubled.

Absalom — “There’s no deputy of the king to hear you.” In church-speak that translates as:

What are you gonna do?

The way things exist in this place there’s just no structure in the church here to get behind you and your ministry. Without directly attacking the pastor or leadership they promise that they would do better.

Bro — if I had a say I’d get behind you and what you want
to do in a heartbeat.

Then they pretend humility and love.

QUOTE: Joseph Parker “Preaching through the Bible” Volume IV p. 180

CLOSING

So here is David —

• The greatest king in the history of Israel
• A soldier of incredible skill and courage
• A brilliant poet and musician
• A prophet as well as king
• And the deliverer of his country,

How is it that THIS MAN ends up driven from his throne by his own son and abandoned by the people he had delivered and defended?

1.) David’s sins had diminished his standing in a very real way

2.) Because people are forgetful and fickle (Jesus “followers” went from Hosanna to Crucify Him)

3.) Because Absalom was a master of manipulation and was driven to employ his every skill to achieve his ends.

QUOTE: Adam Clarke — Absalom

seemed to stand nearest to the throne; but his sin was,
that he sought it during his father’s life, and
endeavoured to dethrone him in order to sit in his place.

How different from his father, David — who was ANOINTED and CALLED by God to be king over Israel. Yet he never expended a moment of time or energy trying to depose the man who had long been rejected by God and sat on the throne as a usurper.

4.) Because David had to enter into the fellowship of His sufferings, and be rejected like the Son of David would later be rejected.

THANK GOD FOR THE CROSS OF JESUS!

Copyrights:

• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
  Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
  a division of Good News Publishers
  All rights reserved.

2 Samuel 14

Related Topics: David; Absalom; Joab; Absalom’s return and reconciliation to David

REVIEW
In the previous chapter we witnessed the beginning of the trouble in the household of David that was prophesied by Nathan following David’s sins of adultery and murder. The players in that tragedy were Absalom, Amnon and Tamar. Absalom and Tamar were the children of David through David’s wife named Maacah, who was the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. (2 Samuel 3:3).

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart went out to Absalom. Amnon was David’s eldest son. He was David’s first born son, born from his wife Ahinoam the Jezreelitess (2 Samuel 3:2). He was the half brother to both Absalom and Tamar.

Amnon lusted after his half-sister. He was so sexually obsessed with his sister Tamar that he becomes physically ill.

Amnon had a cousin named Jonadab. He was a very gifted and bright young man who used his intellectual skills for wicked things. He advised Amnon how to gratify his lust for her and that began a disastrous chain of events.

We noted that Jonadab was an ungoldy friend, who was in reality a spiritual enemy who advised Amnon how to gratify his lusts and ruin his soul.

Amnon finally got Tamar alone. 2 Samuel 13:14 She pleaded with Amnon to not opress or humble and abuse her by forcing her to have sex with him. Then Amnon, in order to satisfy his lusts, opressed, humbled and abused her by forcing her to have sex with him.

Having gratified the lust that had made him sick at the beginning,he was now made sick by the object he so desired!! He had Tamar thrown out and bolted the door behind her. When David heard what Amnon had done he was angry, but did nothing. Remember last night’s Credo study, Adam did nothing when Eve was being tempted.

When Absalom found out what Amnon had done to his Tamar he was very cold and calculating. He waited two years and then planned and carried out the execution of Amnon, like a mob hit carried out by hit men.

CHAPTER 13 ended with

37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. Absalom’s grandfather was the king of Geshur 39And the spirit of the king longed to go out to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.

CHAPTER 14

1Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart went out to Absalom.

KEY INSIGHT:
Literally, “the heart of the king on Absalom”. The preposition does not usually mean “toward,” but “against”. ver. 13. This same phrase occurs again only in Dan. 11:28, and certainly there implies hostility.

Dan 11:28 …but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant.

Some translate the passage as “the king’s heart was still set against Absalom.” Others translate it “the king could not forget Absalom.”
In a negative sense. Others say it can be read in a more neutral way indicating that David was simply thinking constantly about him.

2 Samuel 14:2…And Joab sent to Tekoa

This town is famous as the birthplace of the Prophet Amos. Also the birhplace of Joab, 5 miles to the south of Bethlehem and right on the borders of the great Judean wilderness that was south and east of Jerusalem.

and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. 3Go to the king and speak thus to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

This plan would make no sense if Joab had perceived in David an attitude of kindness and compassion for Absalom. We know that Joab was fiercely loyal to David. It would appear that Joab did this to protect David. Figuring that it was dangerous to have Absalom stewing away in a distant country, And that the safest thing to do was to bring about reconciliation between father and son.

Joab decides to soften David’s heart towards Absalom by bringing before David a hardship case that involved a widow and her estrangement from her son. Every detail was planned to insure that David would let Absalom return. She was a widow, which would invite sympathy. She lived at some distance from Jerusalem which made it difficult to easily know or inquire of the facts of her case. She was old which gave more dignity to her story. She wore the clothes of mourning to heighten the effect. She brought a case of family estrangement to David to tug on David’s heart regarding David’s estrangement from Absalom. He made sure that her story was not too similar lest it arouse David’s suspicions.

4When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, “Save me, O king.” 5And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. 7And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.’ And so they would destroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

The story of the woman of Tekoa involves the custom of the avenger of blood. The avenger of blood had the responsibility of avenging the death of a member of the family. The cities of refuge mentioned in Numbers 35:9-34 were meant to protect someone guilty of manslaughter from being killed by an avenger of blood before the case could be heard properly.

8Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” 9And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.” 10The king said, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.” 11Then she said, “Please let the king invoke the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed.” He said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

The plan worked. Her circumstances, a story worthy of being featured on Oprah. Her widow’s needs. Her age. Her impressive ability to play the part. All worked together to emotionally move the king to the desired ruling.

“As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

This is what Joab hoped to hear. David, moved by emotion, ignores the cause of justice for the sake of sympathy. David had a responsibility as the king and chief judge of Israel.

QUOTE:
Alan Redpath — “He guaranteed safety at the expense of justice, and immediately the farsighted woman captured him in her trap.”
12Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.” 13And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again.

Literally: and by the king’s speaking this word he is as one guilty, unless he fetch home again his banished one. Wow, this is just like when Nathan confronted David in regards to Bathsheba and Uriah. David has once again pronounced sentence on himself without realizing it.

KEY OBSERVATION:
“Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God?” She starts talking about the national interests of Israel. A couple of thoughts here. At the request of a widow, the king of Israel was willing to pardon the lowest of his subjects for the crime of murdering his brother, but he is not willing to pardon his son Absalom, whose restoration to the palace was desired by the whole nation. Failing to reconcile with Absalom was a threat against Israel. Every day that passed without genuine reconciliation caused Absalom to growing more and more bitter. This made Absalom a threat to Israel, and David was allowing it to happen.

14We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.

The woman of Tekoa is wisely speaking to David about the urgency of reconciliation. “David, we all die and then the opportunity for reconciliation is over. Do it now.” But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. The woman is challenging David: “Find a way to do it, David. God finds a way to bring us back to Himself.”

CRUCIAL
Up to this point, Joab and the woman having been framing everything on mere emotional response to tragedy and injustice. And David has been responding and rendering judgment on the basis of mere emotion. It is true that God finds a way, but not at the expense of justice. God reconciles us not on the basis that He feels bad about our estrangement from Him. God reconciles us by satisfying justice not by ignoring justice. Many people are confused about this. Ask them why they can be forgiven and they will respond because God loves them. Wrong. God does love them, but they can never be forgiven merely because God loves them! They can only be forgiven because of the death of Jesus in our place on the cross. The Father sent the Son because He loves us. The Son gladly went because He loves us. But it is only by way of the death of Jesus on the cross that we are delivered from the wrath that is to come. God’s love sent and gave. Christ’s death reconciles!

2 Cor 5:20-21
20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

This is so awesome. God has devised a way to bring the banished back to Himself. A way that they might not ever be expelled from Him again. The way is through the person and work of Jesus. The way was made when He stood in the place of guilty sinners as He hung on the cross and received the punishment that we deserved. That is why Jesus said “I am the Way”.

The woman is going to return to the story of her own affairs. To make the king believe that nothing or no one had led her to tell the story other than her own need.

15Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. 16For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the heritage of God.’ 17And your servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will set me at rest,’ for my lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!”18Then the king answered the woman,
“Do not hide from me anything I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” 19The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? The woman answered and said, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. 20In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this.

Joab knew exactly what strings to pull in David. Joab was loyal to David, but in time we will see that it was not a selfless loyalty.

20 ….. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.”
21Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage and blessed the king. And Joab said,
“Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.” 23So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24And the king said, “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence.” So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king’s presence.

DON’T MISS THIS
Joab got what he wanted. Joab got what he thought was best for the nation of Israel. In his own wisdom he concluded that Absalom’s reconciliation with David would prevent a rebellion. Tragically, what he did was provide an opportunity for an unrepentant, coldhearted, narcissist to come back to the palace and eventually overthrow the throne of David.

25Now in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it),
he weighed the hair of his head (who does that but someone enthralled with his own hair), two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.

Five pounds of hair. The hair he was so proud of would cost him his life!

27There were born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman. 28So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king’s presence.

Absalom was back, but without genuine repentance, restoration and reconciliation.

CRUCIAL
David permitted Absalom to return without one word of confession, one symptom of repentance. That is a breeding ground for trouble.

QUOTE:
F.B. Meyer — The king was overmastered by the father; and the result was disastrous. It shook the respect of his people, undermined the foundations of just government, slackened the bands of every family in the land, and confirmed Absalom in his willful and obstinate career. “What!” said he to himself, “does my father bid me come back without conditions? Does he demand no confession or reparation? Then he condones my sin.”

During these two years we Absalom grew more and more bitter against David.

29Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab would not come. 30Then he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

We might say that in a sense Absalom is David’s prodigal son. What a huge contrast between Absalom and the Prodigal Son of Jesus’ parable. The Prodigal Son came back humble and repentant. Absalom came back burning Joab’s fields. Having said that, sometimes God gets our attention by setting our “barley field” on fire.

31Then Joab arose and went to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?” 32Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.’”

CRUCIAL:
This statement reflects Absalom’s sense that he was fully justified in what he did in killing Absalom, in his bitterness towards David.

33Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king,

Don’t miss this. Absalom pretends submission to David’s authority, but his heart was full of calculated designs to secure the throne for himself. Note well that some people fault David for not stepping actively towards restoration.

QUOTE:
Jamieson, Fausset, Brown —
Whatever error David committed in authorizing the recall of Absalom, he displayed great prudence and command over his feelings afterwards–for his son was not admitted into his father’s presence but was confined to his own house and the society of his own family. This slight severity was designed to bring him to sincere repentance, on perceiving that his father had not fully pardoned him, as well as to convince the people of David’s abhorrence of his crime.

The two years only served to harden Absalom’s heart. The heat of trial or adversity will harden or soften. The outcome depends on the substance exposed to it.
Illustration: Wax or clay in the sun. David’s caution proved that Absalom was an unrepentant murderer. And the king kissed Absalom. Don’t miss this. David offered Absalom forgiveness without any repentance or resolution of the wrong.

QUOTE:
Alan Redpath — “David’s forgiveness of Absalom was completely inadequate, leading to a further outbreak of sin. God’s forgiveness of a man’s soul is completely adequate, and a great deterrent to continued sin.”

QUOTE:
Alan Redpath — “May God write it on your soul: if the pardon you want is that God should wink at your sin, He will not do it.”

Don’t miss this! David was willing to have the kiss of peace without the truth. He failed Absalom and he failed Israel. What a warning for parents and for those in leadership in the local church.

QUOTE:
A.W. Pink — His better judgment blinded by intemperate affection for his son, David invited Absalom to the palace. “David’s inordinate tenderness only paved the way for Absalom’s open rebellion. Terrible warning! Deal tenderly with evil, and it will, assuredly, rise to a head and crush you in the end. On the other hand, meet evil with a face of flint, and victory is sure. Sport not with the serpent, but at once crush it beneath your feet.”

2 Samuel 12:26-13:39

Related Topics: Consequences of Forgiven Sin; Sowing and Reaping; Lust; Amnon; Tamar; Absalom; Sin of Ommission; Sin of Commission

26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 27And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.” 29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. 30And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

There are those who view this victory as having it’s beginnings BEFORE David’s repentance.

Matthew Henry takes the position that this happened a good while before, and soon after the death of Uriah, perhaps during the days of Bath-sheba’s mourning for him.

One evidence that this is BEFORE David’s confession and repentance is seen in the way David behaves in this victory.

There is no sign of humility and brokenness.

QUOTE: “He was too haughty and too severe upon this occasion, and neither so humble nor so tender as he should have been if this had transpired BEFORE his repentance.” – Matthew Henry

He seems to have been too fond of the crown of the king of Ammon.

The heart that is truly humbled following sin is dead to worldly glory and looks upon it with a holy contempt.

He seems to have been too harsh with his prisoners of war, v. 31.

This is a sign that he had not yet found mercy, because when one has OBTAINED great mercy they want to GIVE mercy.

REGARDLESS of WHERE this fits in the chronology of David’s life we don’t want to miss the AMAZING demonstration of God’s sovereign grace!

God simply choosing to grace David, the repentant sinner, with victory

CRUCIAL: There are many a servant of God who have looked at this awesome display of God’s grace as their FIRE INSURANCE or CATOSTROPHIC INSURANCE policy before stepping into sin.

I know I shouldn’t have this affair, I know that people are going to get hurt, but God restored David to the throne and gave him victories after his sin, so He will fix it all in the end.

REALITY:

The Holy Spirit says nothing about David entering into his sin with such presumptions

REALITY:

We have the luxury of hindsight in the Scriptures

We can see that God restored David to the throne because God had a work YET to be done through David in

Preparing and providing for the building of the Temple

Preparing his son Solomon to rule and build

Preparing the people for Solomon’s reign.

You and I must NEVER PRESUME upon the grace of God.

Psalm 19:13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Jesus died for our sins so that we might die to sin.

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

As for being restored to a previous place of service, God does not OWE us anything when it comes to wife and family. God does not OWE us anything when it comes to serving in His kingdom.

Wife, family, and privilege of serving are ALL owing to the sovereign grace of God.

How do you and I know that God might not say, “You’re finished. Someone else will stand in your place IN YOUR MARRIAGE AND HOME.”?

In Proverbs 5:1-17 we are given the picture of a man who destroyed his life for an adulterous relationship. Another man now has all of his wealth, his wife, and his children.

How do you and I know that God might not say “You’re finished. Someone else will stand in your place IN YOUR MINISTRY.”?

Proverbs 6:32-33 He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.33 Wounds and dishonor will he get, and his disgrace (KJV – reproach) will not be wiped away.

1 Tim. 3:2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife…

LET’S ALSO NOT FORGET the DARK and FOREBODING things that God told David by way of Nathan concerning the state of affairs in his house and kingdom as a result of his sin.

As we will see in just a few moments, His throne and family will never match his life before his sin.

CHAPTER 13

The various Bible translations give different titles to this chapter

“The Crime of Amnon”

“Conflict in David’s Family.”

“The rape of princess Tamar.”

The chapter is an account of both rape and incest. The brother-sister relationship between Tamar and Amnon is referred to a dozen times. This rape was an outrageous thing that was not done in Israel.

v. 12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing.”

Since it occurred in the royal family, it had implications for the whole nation.

1 Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her.

Now, this transition “After a time” suggests that some time has passed since the end of CHAPTER 12.

Here are the players in this drama

Absalom and Tamar

This brother and sister were the children of David through David’s wife named Maacah, who was the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur (2 Samuel 3:3).

Tamar was the half sister of Amnon, who was David’s eldest son.

Amnon was David’s first born son, born from his wife Ahinoam the Jezreelitess (2 Samuel 3:2).

Being the first born, Amnon was the crown prince, first in line for the throne of Israel.

NOTE:

God NEVER CONDONES polygamy, and He ALWAYS shows the destructive nature of it.

2 And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.

The Hebrew literally is, it was narrow to Ammon, even to becoming sick.

In that time and culture the term narrowness was used to communicate a sense of distress, while joy was expressed with the terms largeness and expansion.

CRUCIAL:

What is in Amnon’s heart for Tamar has NOTHING to do with love and EVERYTHING to do with LUST

Love NEVER TORNMENTS

Amnon is so sexually obsessed with his sister Tamar that he becomes physically ill

3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother.

Amnon’s friend was his a cousin, and Jonadab was a very crafty man.

The word “Crafty” is used a number of times in the Old Testament to refer to extraordinary talent or skill.

Used of the artisans employed in the making of the tabernacle and temple and it’s furniture Ex 28:3; 31:6; 35:10; 36:1, 2, 4, 8

Being wise in the administration of affairs: Joseph in Egypt Gn 41:33, 39

INTERESTING:

Also used in relation to the prince of Tyre (behind who is the working and power of Satan) Ez 28:3

Jonadab was a very gifted and bright young man who used his intellectual skills for WICKED things. His wicked advice to Amnon begins a disastrous chain of events. Jonadab was an ungoldy friend, who was in reality a spiritual enemy, who advised Amnon how to gratify his lusts and ruin his soul.

QUOTE:

BLAIKIE p.195-196

4And he said to him, “O son of the king,
why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

AGAIN, what is in Amnon’s heart for Tamar has NOTHING to do with love and EVERYTHING to do with LUST.

You can be love sick

The Song of Solomon speaks of being “sick with love (2:5 and 5:8)

PERSONAL:

Me with Valerie (didn’t feel like eating)

BUT, love NEVER TORNMENTS. LUST torments you, causes you to obsess until you gratify it.

5Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”

In that culture, the wives and daughters lived in separated accommodations from the men.

It would also appear that David’s sons had separate apartments assigned them in the palace. David went regularly to visit his sons, but Jonadab abused the king’s affection.

THAT is one of the things sin does, it PERVERTS good things.

He used David’s affection for Amnon as the very means by which a way could be made for Amnon to rape David’s daughter.

6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” 8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. 9And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had madeand brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

This is what Amnon wanted.

NOTE WELL:

Amnon is alone with Tamar because David commanded it. David is guilty of a sin of OMISSION, he failed to do what was right. He didn’t take the time to recognize what Jonadab plainly observed in Amnon.

By David’s sin of OMISSION he made it possible for Amnon’s sin of COMMISSION, doing what was wrong!

11But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing.

Tamar could easily see how evil and disgraceful this was. Amnon could not see what was so crystal clear to Tamar because he was blinded by lust.

13As for me, where could I carry my shame?

Amnon had ZERO concern for any shame that Tamar would endure! His only concern was to HAVE what he LUSTED after, to have sex with Tamar.

And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel.

AMAZINGLY, Tamar has concern for Amnon! She cares enough for Amnon to challenge him to consider the result of his desire

QUOTE:

“There is something exceedingly tender and persuasive in this speech of Tamar; but Amnon was a mere brute, and it was all lost on him.”- Adam Clarke

Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

The Law of Moses forbade any marriage between a half-brother and sister (Leviticus 18:11).

I wonder if Tamar perceived in David a tendency to indulge his sons beyond what was acceptable before the Lord, or if she was just throwing this out hoping against hope that it would stop Amnon.

14But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

“Violated”: The verb used here is repeated FOUR times in this story (verses 12, 14, 22, and 32).

It means “to oppress,” “to humble,” “to abuse” and “to rape.”

She PLEADED with Amnon to not OPPRESS, HUMBLE, and ABUSE her by forcing her to have sex with him. And then Amnon OPPRESSED, HUMBLED, and ABUSED her by forcing her to have sex with him.

Here in Amnon we can see how the iniquity of the fathers can be carried on by the children to the third and fourth generations

It is not uncommon for a child to model a parent’s sinful behavior, and even go further in the direction of sin the parent ever went.

David was never this dominated by lust, but his life was pointed in that direction.

i.e. David’s multiple wives (2 Samuel 3:2-5) and David’s adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:2-4).

Here we see Amnon building upon the example of his father David.

15Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!”

There is a HUGE difference between LUST and LOVE. Love is patient and kind and does not insist on it’s own way. By contrast, lust is IMPATIENT and UNKIND and DEMANDING!

REMEMBER yesterday morning

INSIST = to seek after to find

The SEEKING is driven by a CRAVING. That CRAVING leads to DEMANDING your way as the means to satisfying your craving. DEMANDING to have your own way even if it means that the source of your gratification MUST and WILL be

OPPRESSED, HUMBLED, ABUSED, and RAPED

THIS IS HUGE! Having demanded his own way in order to gratify the LUST that had made him sick at the beginning, he is now made sick by the OBJECT he so desired!!

NOTE IT WELL:

LUST breeds DISGUST

16But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her. 17He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” 18Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. 19And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went. 20And her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house. 21When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

David’s REACTION:

David was right to be angry, BUT his reaction was followed by INACTION. He didn’t do anything to either protect Tamar or to correct Amnon. He did NOTHING to PROTECT Tamar. He could have PROTECTED TAMAR by pointing Amnon to the Word of God

In Exodus 22:16-17 and Deut. 22:28-29 God had provided PROTECTION for the woman who had her virginity stolen in what was called the bride price. It was a payment meant to compensate for the fact that Tamar was now less likely to be married since she had lost her virginity and had been so dishonored.

He did nothing to CORRECT AMNON. It may be that David felt that he lacked the moral authority to correct Amnon.

QUOTE:

“They say a man never hears his own voice till it comes back to him from the phonograph. Certainly a man never sees the worst of himself until it reappears in his child.”- F.B. Meyer

CRUCIAL:

The enemy loves to tell us (as individuals / families / churches) that we have no right to speak to an issue because of our own past failures.

LISTEN. We do have the RIGHT and the RESPONSIBILITY to speak with authority on the BASIS of TRUTH.

David could have, should have, said to Amnon, “I know first-hand the wreckage that results when we don’t restrain our lusts. It is not going to get any better until you deal with this before the Lord and conquer in God’s strength.”

22But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

Absalom played it cool.

We are going to discover that Absalom is a DEVIOUS and DELIBERATE man. He is going to DEVISE a plan and then be very DELIBERATE and PATIENT in WAITING for the perfect moment to EXECUTE it.

QUOTE:

“Nothing is more unsafe to be trusted, than the fair looks of a festered heart.”- John Trapp

23After two full years

Two full years of seething and plotting revenge

23After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

Sheep shearing was a festive time. It was natural that Absalom would have a great feast and invite Amnon and all the king’s sons.

24And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” 29So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

God had promised that the sword would never depart from David’s house (2 Samuel 12:10).

This is definitely a partial fulfillment of that promise.

30While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” 31Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32But Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. 33Now therefore let not my lord the king so take it to heart as to suppose that all the king’s sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead.” 34But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain. 35And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.

NOTE:

David is rightly grieved at learning of the death of his eldest son, the Crown Prince Amnon. But again, a sin of OMISSION is behind another tragedy in David’s house. David had failed to administer Biblical correction according to Exodus 22:16-17 and Deuteronomy 22:28-29

As a result, Absalom felt free to administer his own brutal correction.

QUOTE:

“Absalom’s fratricide would never have taken place if David had taken instant measures to punish Amnon.”- F.B. Meyer

37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

REMEMBER, Absalom’s grandfather was the king of Geshur (2 Samuel 3:3)

39And the spirit of the king longed to go out to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.

After three years, the sting of Amnon’s murder was not as sharp.

BUT AGAIN, the sin of OMISSION will be manifested in David. AMAZINGLY, David’s indulgence towards Amnon and his failure to correct Amnon is repeated towards Absalom, and Absalom will meet a similar end as Amnon.

2 Samuel 12:13-25

Nathan Rebukes David – Part 3

Related Topics: David; Bathsheba; Uriah; Joab; Weak Heroes; Consequences of Forgiven Sin; Sowing and Reaping; Steps to a Fall; Covering Up Sin; Nathan; Sin Is Against God; Confession of Sin; Restoration; Solomon

After his great moral failures of Chapter 11 David would spend the next year refusing to confess his sin. During that time God dealt radically with David over his sins. Day and night for a year God’s hand was heavy upon David (Psalm 32:3-4). The conviction was so heavy that David described it as if his bones were broken and he was drained of any and all joy (Psalm 51:8;12). That is what makes the opening words of 2 Samuel 12 so mind-blowing:

2 Samuel 12:1 1And the Lord sent Nathan to David.

In His incredibly longsuffering Love, God sent a particular man to David – Nathan.

• A man who LOVED the Lord.
• A man who LOVED truth.
• A man who LOVED David enough to tell him the truth.

By way of a story, Nathan describes David’s sin of adultery as stealing. At the end of the story, we see David’s response:

2 Samuel 12:5 5Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man……

We saw in David’s response how:

1. We can go to chapter and verse to judge someone else when we ourselves are in sin. We can know the words of the Bible but be distant from the Author.
2. We often try to excuse or minimize or deflect attention from our own sin by passing judgment on others
3. Our own sin always looks worse on someone else.

David was so self-assured and self-righteous in pronouncing sentence on this man. Sentencing that was so immediate. Sentencing that far exceeded the crime. That he even called God to witness the rightness of his judgment, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die.” Then with 4 simple words Nathan shocks David into realizing his own guilt before God.

2 Samuel 12:7 7Nathan said to David, “You are the man!

In verses 7-8, David’s sin is framed against the background of God’s amazing blessings upon his life. God explains to David that his sin was ultimately an expression of ingratitude. After God had given all of this to David, and had so much more to give him, David stole another man’s wife.

By way of application, we saidthat every sin, all the way back to the first sin, is an act of treachery against an infinitely kind God. Think of the backdrop of the very first sin!

Paradise — SINLESS and PERFECT environment, crowned with glory and honor

In verse 9, God sets forth David’s sin in specific detail.

QUOTE: Alexander Maclaren

“God accuses us and condemns us one by one that He may save us one by one.”

A personal salvation requires a personal conviction of sin. It wasn’t enough for David to confess that he was a sinner in a general sense. He had to own the specific sin he had committed.

2 Samuel 12:13 13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

As we pick up our study, I don’t want any of us to miss the powerful nature of what transpired in just a few moments. First, there was the suddenness and incredible heart rending force of those four words that left David naked and guilty before God! The Lord had been cutting away at David for nearly a year. And then in a moment, there was a final thrust of the Word of God — sharper than any two-edged sword — and David is undone!

Then there was David’s response. He had made such profoundly sinful choices over a protracted period of time. But in this moment with two possible choices to make, David makes the only right choice. God had named David’s specific sins. David does not parse the divine indictments against him, didn’t plead not guilty on some of the charges and guilty on the rest.

In a moment, after a year of rationalizing and covering his sins, with striking brevity, David totally agrees with God on the very nature of his crime. He had SINNED AGAINST GOD! Now, in that moment, the darkest moment of David’s life, a moment in which David is swallowed by the blackness and the enormity of his guilt, there comes another proclamation, just as sudden, unexpected, and powerful as the four words that had slain him.

2 Samuel 12:13 And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

The same hand of God that had in a moment so mightily and utterly slain David, just moments later pulls him out of the grave! David has gone from hopelessly guilty — guilty before the Holy God of heaven — to totally forgiven.

How can that be? Why should God let him of the hook? How can God let him off the hook?

Romans 5:20 but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Okay, but if God was going to forgive him, shouldn’t He have left David hanging in the wind for at least the same length of time David had been covering his sin, resisting the convicting work of the Holy Spirit?

Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

1 John 1:8-9 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Upon genuine repentance and faith there is no jail time to be served, no house arrest, no probation.

CRUCIAL:

You see, in the course of these few radical and powerful moments, there was an amazing thing that transpired in the heart of David. Yes, it took a year of the longsuffering of God’s love at work on him. Yes, God had to slay David with the weight and reality of his sin, leave him in a hopeless heap, but it in the course of those earth shattering, heart crushing moments, this is what was transpiring in the heart and mind of David.

Psalm 51:1 1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;

David threw himself on the mercy of God that flowed from a the love of God that was steadfast

Now he knew just how steadfast the love of God is

1 ….according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

David realized that sin is so great it needs not a little mercy — but abundant mercy

Psalms 51:2-6

2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

5Behold,(K) I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

David’s confession was the result of God’s teaching David about the reality of his sin. Not just a head knowledge, but a heart knowledge. God had reached places in David’s heart that were beyond David’s capacity to know.

Jer. 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Rev. 2:23 I am he who searches mind and heart

Psalm 51:7-9

7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

9Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

David knows that his sin has stained him before God, but he knows that God can cleanse him and comes to God trusting God to do that.

I shall be

Psalm 51:10

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

David now knows that his successes and triumphs were not the measure of his spiritual strength. He humbly looks to God to spiritually strengthen and sustain him

Psalm 51:11-12

11Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit

David wants more, than forgiveness, he wants restoration to fellowship with God. Fellowship with God that he knew as a shepherd in the fields.

Psalm 23:4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me

Fellowship with God that he knew when he was a refugee in the Judean wilderness.

Psalm 63:1-5 ….my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

Psalm 51:13

13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

The forgiven sinner has much to say about the One who has so graciously forgiven him.

QUOTE: Joseph Parker p.168

Psalm 51:14-16

14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

No religious gauntlet to run, no religious rituals to perform, just genuine brokeness before the Holy God whom you have offended! In a moment, the true and living God, the creator of heaven and earth, responded to this broken man with, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.”

What a sound that must have been in the ears of David, to the soul of David!

Psalm 32:1-2 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.2 Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,

2 Samuel 12:14 14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.”

The KJV reads it as — 14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

What David did was not unusual among the unbelieving kings and rulers of the world, but it should be unusual among God’s people. The pagan cultures that opposed the God of Abraham, Isaac and David and the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and David would now be able to malign God and malign God’s law because the man who professed such a zeal for God and God’s law had so greatly dishonored both. They would say, “This is the man who Slew Goliath in the name of the LORD, God of Israel! Prays and writes songs of praise to the name of the Lord, God of Israel! And now he steals another mans wife and then murders that man!”

POINT:

Such sin gives the unbeliever the hypocrite they so desperately want to hide behind because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

This is tough stuff! What are we to think of it?

CRUCIAL INSIGHT:

There are consequences to forgiven sin. We must never think of them as divine retribution — a settling of accounts

QUOTE: Redpath p. 202

FIRST

The consequences of forgiven sin are intended by God to, first, show God’s hatred of sin.

QUOTE: Matthew Henry

God will therefore vindicate his honour by showing his displeasure against David for this sin, and letting the world see that though he loves David he hates his sin; and he chooses to do it by the death of the child

SECOND

We need to see that God didn’t only want to heal David of the guilt of his sin; He also wanted to heal David of the presence of this sin.

QUOTE: Spurgeon

That sin only threw out upon the surface the evil that was always within him; and now God….. begins to use the knife to cut it out of him.”

Hebrews 12:7-11 7It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

We never read of David committing adultery again.

2 Samuel 12:15 15Then Nathan went to his house.

Nathan, the Prophet of God and the Friend of David, had faithfully delivered his message and now he walks off the stage so-to-speak, and returns to his home.

Imagine the sense of relief and the sense of rejoicing. Relief that he had obeyed God and spoken the truth in love to David. Rejoicing that he saw the king of Israel, his personal friend, restored to fellowship with God. It is radical to see how God blessed and honored Nathan’s obedience.

David would name one of his sons after this Prophet who honored God, and this Friend who loved him enough to speak the truth to him. (1 Chron. 3:5). And the Messiah of Israel, the Savior of the world, would be a descendant of David’s Nathan (Luke 3:31).

2 Samuel 12:15 15…..And the Lord afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick.

SIN IS NOT TO BE TRIFLED WITH!

We cannot number the times since Genesis 3 that the innocent are made to suffer because of the sin of the guilty.

QUOTE: Blaikie p.187

NOTE:

Without diminishing the very real suffering of this child, this was far more tragic for David and Bathsheba than it was for the child himself. Their young son suffered for several days and surely we can rightly trust that God’s comfort was extended to the child in the midst of suffering. At the end of his suffering the child went to eternal glory. Though the child died, the chastisement was really upon David and Bathsheba and not upon the child. They would look at that child knowing that his suffering was linked to their sin!

QUOTE: F.B. Meyer

“God’s mercy to his erring and repentant children will be shown in converting the results of their sin into the fires of their purification.”

2 Samuel 12:16-18 16David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18On the seventh day the child died.

CRUCIAL INSIGHT:

Prayer and fasting do not change God’s mind. They are not tools to get whatever we want from God. They are demonstrations of radical submission and surrender to God’s power and will.

2 Samuel 12:18-20 18…And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” 20Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped.

This is tells us that David had truly been broken and repentant before the Lord over his sin.

Worship is bowing the knee to God! There is not even a sniff of resentment or arguing with God. Here David is much like Job. When Job heard of the death of his children Job acknowledged the hand of God, and humbled himself under it and submitted to God’s holy will in it.

QUOTE: Matthew Henry

Weeping must never hinder worshipping.

2 Samuel 12:20-23 20…He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” 22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

David was confident that his son would meet him in heaven. On this side of heaven death brings an indescribable sense of loss, but if the one who has died is a believer — or is a child who has not yet reached the place of accountability for his sin, they are not lost.

QUOTE: Vance Havner

“When you know where something is, you haven’t lost it.”

We know where they are – 2 Cor 5:6-8 To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That is why Paul would write:

1 Thes. 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

2 Samuel 12:24-25 24Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the Lord loved him 25and sent a message by Nathan the prophet. So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord.

THIS IS SO AWESOME

SOLOMON = Peace

JEDIDIAH = Beloved of God.

HERE’S THE PICTURE — People may not forgive, we may refuse to really believe that we are forgiven, but God forgives repentant sinners. Remarkably it is this son, the son born out of a marriage that began in adultery, that will be heir to David’s throne, the ancestor of the Messiah. God does this to demonstrate the truth that God forgives repentant sinners.

QUOTE: John Trapp

“David’s best sons came of Bath-sheba; because they were the fruit of their humiliation.”

Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Copyrights:

• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
  Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
  a division of Good News Publishers
  All rights reserved.

2 Samuel 12:6-13

Nathan Rebukes David – Part 2

Related Topics: David; Bathsheba; Uriah; Joab; Weak Heroes; Consequences of Forgiven Sin; Sowing and Reaping; Steps to a Fall; Covering Up Sin; Nathan; Sin Is Against God; Confession of Sin; Restoration; Solomon

After his great moral failures of Chapter 11, David spent the next year refusing to confess his sin. In light of that, the opening words of 2 Samuel 12 were mind-blowing

1And the Lord sent Nathan to David.

Even after a year of dealing with David God was still so kind as to continue speaking to David. In His longsuffering love God sent a particular man to David, Nathan. A man who LOVED the Lord. A man who LOVED truth. A man who LOVED David enough to tell him the truth.

We saw that God, the Holy Spirit, revealed to Nathan the sins of David. We said that this was a manifestation of the Holy Spirit referred to in Scripture as a “word of knowledge,” 1 Cor 12:7-8. That is, God giving to man information concerning that which was unkown to him and unkowable by him.

CRUCIAL:
David’s restoration to the Lord was accomplished by way of this manifestation of the Holy Spirit. By way of a story Nathan describes David’s sin of adultery as stealing. David had stolen from Uriah the privilege and pleasure of sex with Bathsheba. Adultery and sexual immorality are theft, taking something that does not belong to us.

2 Sam 12:5-6 5Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

So there was David, who was at that very moment covering up gross sin. He was not asked to pass judgment, but does anyway and then presumes to know better than God as to what punishment the guy deserves, pronouncing the death penalty on a sin that God said only required a four-fold restitution.

THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALS TO US BY WAY OF DAVID’S RESPONSE

1. By way of David’s judgment, the Holy Spirit reveals to us how we can go to chapter and verse to judge someone else when we ourselves are in sin. We, when we’re in sin, can know the words of the Bible,but be distant from the Author.
2. By way of David’s judgment, the Holy Spirit, reveals to us how we often try to deal with our own guilty conscience by passing judgment on someone else. Reveals to us how we often try to excuse or minimize or deflect attention from our own sin by passing judgment on others, rather than simply condemning the sin in our own life.
3. By way of David’s ANGER, the Holy Spirit reveals to us how our own sin always looks worse on someone else. David’s own sin looked so much worse on the man of Nathan’s story that David says, “As the Lord lives.” He actually calls God to witness the righteousness of his death sentence upon Nathan’s hypothetical rich man.

2 Sam 12:7 7Nathan said to David, “You are the man!

Nathan applied the parable with alarming simplicity. Imagine the shock this 4 word sentence was to David! David was so self-assured and self-righteous in pronouncing sentence on this man. Sentencing that was so IMMEDIATE.
Sentencing that far exceeded the crime. Even calling God to witness the rightness of his judgment. Then with 4 simple words Nathan shocks David into realizing his own guilt before God. SHOCK not fear.

QUOTE:
Alexander Maclaren – “You cannot frighten men into repentance, you may frighten them into remorse; and the remorse may or may not lead on to repentance.”

2 Sam 12:7-9 Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. 8And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. (Nathan then asks) 9Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.

NOTICE HOW GOD FRAMES DAVID’S SIN:
SIN IS FRAMED against the background of God’s amazing blessings upon his life. God explains to David that his sin was ultimately an expression of ingratitude. After God had given all of this to David and had so much more to give him, David stole another man’s wife.

Every sin all the way back to the first sin is an act of treachery against an infinitely kind God. Think of the backdrop of the very first sin; paradise, SINLESS and PERFECT environment, crowned with glory and honor, clothed in the glory of God.

GOD SETS FORTH DAVID’S SIN IN SPECIFIC DETAIL.

QUOTE:
Alexander Maclaren – “God accuses us and condemns us one by one that He may save us one by one.”

A personal salvation requires a personal conviction of sin. It wasn’t enough for David to confess that he was a sinner in a general sense. He had to own the specific sin he had committed. Interesting how man always seems to have a low view of the limitless grace and love of God while thinking so highly of his own righteousness.

Interesting how many always seems to knit-pick the specific instances when he wrongly feels slighted by God, but when it comes to our own guilt and moral responsibilities, we never see them in knit-picking detail. We always seem to paint them in undefined and vague and understated terms. It costs nothing to say, “I’m not everything I should be” or “I ought to be a better Christian.”

By contrast, it costs us dearly to say, “I have been bitter towards you.”

PERSONAL:
I have to tell you that the greatest hurts in my Christian life have come from people who have never owned their sin of bitterness, and all the while pretending to be friends. There would be different relationships today had they owed and confessed their bitterness.

2 Sam 12:10 10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.

God promised that from this day forward David would know violence and bloodshed among his own family members. David’s son Amnon would rape one of his David’s daughters. David’s son Absalom would have Amnon murdered.

2 Sam 12:11 11Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house.

God warns David that because he troubled another man’s house, He will allow trouble to come upon David’s house from within his own house. That would be Absalom trying to take the throne from his father, David and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor. As David violated another man’s wife, so another will violate his wives. We will see this fulfilled in 2 Samuel 16:

2 Sam 16:20 20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?” 21Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house, and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.”

Ahithophel was none other than one of David’s trusted counselors and the grandfather of Bathsheba. This is not punishment, this is SOWING and REAPING.

2 Sam 12:11-12 and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.”

In these judgments, David will reap what he has sown with interest.

2 Samuel 16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Which by the way, is the lesson we learned in the Book of Judges in regards to sowing and reaping. You always reap the same thing you have sown. You don’t reap it right away and you always get more.

DAVID CONFESSES HIS SIN:

2 Sam 12:13 13David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY – I have sinned

It isn’t “we,” though it was true that he was not the only sinner. He gives his action the name that it deserves, “I Have SINNED.” It wasn’t a mistake, an error, a mess-up, an indiscretion, or a problem. He agrees with the Lord on the NATURE and ENORMITY of his sin.

In the N.T., the word for confess is homologeo = to say the same thing. I call my action what You call it, Lord. Here David agrees with God on the nature of his sin.

Back in verse 10 God said, “…you have despised me…” David says, “I agree, I have sinned against God.” That is the very nature of sin, it is against God.

• Joseph in Genesis 39:9 says, “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?”
• Peter to Ananias in Acts 5:4 “You have not lied to men but to God.”

CRUCIAL:
On the human level, his sin against Bathsheba, Uriah, Ahithophel, his wives and children, and the nation were great, but his sin against the LORD was greatest of all. There are no small sins against a great God, and great sins are even greater. Notice teh brevity of his confession. God had named David’s specific sins. David does not parse the divine indictments against him. He didn’t plead not guilty on some of the charges and guilty on the rest. Instead, he totally agrees with striking brevity.

INSIGHT:
In the original Hebrew, David’s confession amounts to only two words in Hebrew hata al-Yahweh. Confession doesn’t need to be long to be real.

QUOTE: Keil and Delittzsch

“The words are very few, but that is a good sign of a thoroughly broken spirit. There is no excuse, no hiding, no concealment of the sin. There is no searching for a loophole, no pretext put forward, no human weakness pleaded. He acknowledged his guilt openly, candidly and without any denial of truth.”

QUOTE: G. Campbell-Morgan

“In all this David was pre-eminently revealed as a man after God’s own heart. Other men who had been guilty of such failure might have defended their actions, might have slain the prophet. Not so with this man. He knew God, and he knew the wrong of his action, and he confessed his sin.”

This takes us back to the beginning of our study. This brief but complete and genuine admission is the result of the longsuffering of God in dealing with David. God was working on his heart all along. Nathan’s confrontation was just the last piece of that work.

The PROOF that David’s confession was REAL is found in 2 Samuel 12:13.

2 Sam 12:13 13And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin;

Prov. 28:13 13Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

CRUCIAL: God’s forgiveness was immediate.

QUOTE: Alexander Maclaren

“The original language of my text might be rendered, ‘The Lord hath caused thy sin to pass away’; the thought being substantially that of some impediment or veil between man and Him which, with a touch of His hand, He dissolves as it were into vapour, and so leaves all the sky clear for His warmth and sunshine to pour down upon the heart. We do not need to enter upon theological language in talking about this great gift of forgiveness. It means substantially that howsoever you and I have piled up mountain upon mountain, Alp upon Alp, of our evils and transgressions, all pass away and become non-existent.”

If you need to make confession of your sin tonight, if the joy of your salvation is dried up because of your sin, if you are aching over your sin, tonight can be your moment of reconciliation.

On what basis can and will God forgive? On the basis of the Cross of Christ.

I John 1:9 9If you confess your sins He is faithful and just to forgive your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

You shall not die. God is more merciful than David was towards the man of Nathan’s story. David would be spared the penalty for adultery commanded under the Law of Moses.

CRUCIAL:
Had David not believed and responded to the words, “You are the man!” David would have never heard the words, “You shall not die.”

CRUCIAL APPLICATION:
You will never hear the words, “You shall not die,” unless you believe and respond to the words of God that say, “All have sinned!”

2 Sam 12:14 14Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the Lord, the child who is born to you shall die.”

The KJV reads it as:

2 Sam 12:14 KJV 14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

What David did was not unusual among the unbelieving kings and rulers of the world, but it should be unusual among God’s people. The pagan cultures that opposed the God of Abraham, Isaac and David, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and David, would now be able to malign God and God’s law because the man who professed such a zeal for God and God’s law had so greatly dishonored both. They would say, “This is the man who slew Goliath in the name of the LORD, God of Israel, and prays and writes songs of praise! What good can there be in such a life, if it can’t restrain a man from adultery and murder?”

POINT:
Such sin gives the unbeliever the hypocrite they so desperately want to hide behind because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

This is tough stuff! What are we to think of it?

CRUCIAL INSIGHT:
There are consequences to forgiven sin and they are not Divine retribution, a settling of accounts. The consequences of forgiven sin are intended by God to:

FIRST – Show God’s hatred of sin.

QUOTE: Matthew Henry
“God will therefore vindicate his honour by showing his displeasure against David for this sin, and letting the world see that though he loves David he hates his sin; and he chooses to do it by the death of the child.”

SECOND- We need to see that God didn’t only want to heal David of the guilt of his sin; He also wanted to heal David of the presence of this sin.

QUOTE: Spurgeon
“That sin only threw out upon the surface the evil that was always within him; and now God….. begins to use the knife to cut it out of him.”

Hebrews 12:7-11 7It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

We never read of David committing adultery again.

• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
  Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
  a division of Good News Publishers
  All rights reserved.
• Scripture quotations marked “NKJV™” are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

2 Samuel 12:1-6

Nathan Rebukes David Part 1

Related Topics: David; Bathsheba; Uriah; Joab; Weak Heroes; Consequences of Forgiven Sin; Steps to a Fall; Covering Up Sin; Nathan; Sin Is Against God; Confession of Sin; Restoration; Solomon

In Chapter 11 the Word of God records for us the GREAT FAILURE of a GREAT MAN. In our last 2 weeks together we have seen King David deliberately place his desires over and against the expressed will of God. He broke the tenth commandment (Ex. 20:17) in coveting Uriah’s wife
He then broke then the seventh (Ex. 20:14) in his adultery with Bathsheba. Finally, in his attempt to cover his sins he broke the sixth (Ex. 20:13) by murdering Uriah.

The Chapter closed with the words, “But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.” THAT was the first mention of God in the chapter that recorded David’s moral collapse. But that doesn’t mean that God was absent or disinterested. Though He is not mentioned God had witnessed every event, read the intent of every heart. David had NOT gotten away with anything.

CRUCIAL:

David would discover the stress and agony of living a double, false life. David EXPERIENCED the displeasure of God over the next year!

Psalm 51:8 8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

Psalm 51:12 12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

Psalm 32:3-4 3For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up .

He was under such intense conviction during this time and that all the joy in his life evaporated away.

CRUCIAL OBSERVATION:

For about 1 year the Lord was radically dealing with David, the Holy Spirit was lovingly CONVICTING David of his sins. But David would NOT confess his sins before God.

If I am trying to get through to someone and they won’t have any part of it, I quit after a few tries. I just write them off, and sometimes I am quite glad to do it, and even hoping to see them face the music that is awaiting them. SOMETIMES we think that God is just like us in the matter of Our sin, us hiding our sin, refusing to respond to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, failure to confess our sin.

THIS IS MINDBLOWING — After David had refused for almost a year to confess his sin, we read these words in the opening verse of 2 Samuel 12:1 1And the Lord sent Nathan to David.

God is SO patient with us. The KJV uses the word LONGSUFFERING. 1 Cor 13 NKJ says that LOVE, God’s kind of love, SUFFERS LONG.

NONE of us like to SUFFER at all, let alone SUFFER LONG! 1 Cor 13 NKJ says that LOVE, God’s kind of love, SUFFERS LONG and THEN is KIND. If I’m SUFFERING I’m not usually found to be KIND. If I’m SUFFERING LONG! Well then…..

God LOVES David! He loves David with a love that SUFFERED David’s rejection for almost a year. And even after a year, He was still so KIND as to CONTINUE speaking to David. God says, all right then, I’ve been chipping away and chipping away, NOW I’ll SEND Nathan to David.

CRUCIAL APPLICATION:

Guys, THAT is how God loves you and me! God SUFFERS LONG with us. THAT is how God deals with you and me. THAT is how He wants us to deal with each other!

HAVING SAID THAT, I MUST ADD THAT God knows that we are made of the kind of stuff that after hearing such an amazing truth we will think, WHAT’S THE HURRY to repent of my sin? God will SUFFER LONG with me. God said in Genesis 6:3 NKJ — “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.”

We must NEVER presume upon the grace and longsuffering of God because given enough time we WON’T WANT to repent! When we hear or sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit we must respond to it immediately because we might wake up one day and NOT hear his voice, NOT have a Nathan.

Hebrews 3:15 “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

1And the Lord sent Nathan to David.

IN HIS LONGSUFFERING LOVE God sent a PARTICUALR man to David. Back in 2 Samuel 7, David told Nathan that he wanted to build a place to house the Ark of the covenant. Out of good intentions, but without inquiring of the Lord, Nathan told David to go for it. That same night the Lord corrected Nathan and told Nathan that he had to go back to David and set things straight. Nathan did that very thing. Nathan was an HONEST man, Nathan was a man of INTEGRITY. Nathan, also, had ACCESS to the heart of David. David had seen the HUMILITY of Nathan in admitting his error concerning wrongly speaking about David’s plan to build a temple. David had seen the COURAGE of Nathan in telling David that God had rejected David’s plans to build the temple. Besides being a PROPHET OF GOD, Nathan was a GENUINE FRIEND OF DAVID.

A COUPLE OF THINGS FROM THIS:

1.) God has His “Nathans.” Men and women who HEAR the voice of the Lord. David’s Nathan had NO WAY of knowing about this sin apart from having it revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. THAT is a gift of the Holy Spirit

1 Cor 12:7-8 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge (KJV Word of knowledge) according to the same Spirit,

It is God the Holy Spirit revealing to an individual something that is UNKNOWN to him or UNKNOWABLE by him.

CRUCIAL: David’s restoration to the Lord was accomplished by way of this manifestation of the Holy Spirit. David’s sin of adultery was known only to 2 people, David and Bathsheba. His sin of murder was known only to 2 people, David and Joab. But God the Holy Spirit knew about both sins and the Holy Spirit sovereignly chose to REVEAL it to Nathan. A man who LOVED the Lord. A man who LOVED truth. A man who LOVED David enough to tell him the truth.

2.) More than being concerned with what a Nathan DOES, we should be concerned with who a Nathan IS. We don’t want to go around saying, “Yep — I’m a Nathan — My job is pointing out people’s sins.” We want to become, by the grace of God, the kind of person that God can use to speak a Word of Knowledge to a “David.” The kind of person who HEARS from the Lord. The kind of person who is YIELDED to the person and power of the Holy Spirit.

THINK ABOUT THIS:

David’s restoration was accomplished by the POWER of the Holy Spirit MANIFESTED through a human vessel! I do not want to discount such things as “home groups” or “life groups“ or “care groups” or whatever catchy title they use. Relationships are IMPORTANT to the accomplishing of God’s plan. It is NOT good for man to be alone. Nathan obviously had a relationship with David, they were friends! But we must not fall into the error of thinking that those things alone can accomplish the work of God. The WORK of God is NEVER accomplished in the realm of the flesh. It can ONLY be accomplished by the POWER of the Holy Spirit through the various manifestations of the Spirit.

Romans 12:6-8 Having gifts (not natural abilities or talents) that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

We must NEVER merely desire to be a vessel through whom the Holy Spirit might MANIFERST HIMSELF. The Corinthians were ABOUNDING in the operation of spiritual gifts, but Paul HAD to write to them to EXPLAIN the NATURE of the gifts and the OPERATION of the gifts. And then he says this:

1 Cor 12:31-13:3 31But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way….. 1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

We can only imagine the SHOCK it was to Nathan when the Holy Spirit revealed the sin of David to him. But when he came to David, He came NOT as CRITIC, but as FRIEND. Not wanting to see David DESTROYED, but to see David RESTORED. He came to him and said to him,

2 Samuel 12:1-3 “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him.

It was common in those days to keep a lamb as a pet, and Nathan used this story of the pet lamb to speak to his friend David.

2 Samuel 12:4 4Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

NOTICE:

The sin Nathan describes is that of theft. In reality David stole from Uriah. He stole from Uriah the privilege and pleasure of sex with Bathsheba. The privilege and pleasure of having sex with Bathsheba belonged to no other man than Uriah. Adultery and sexual immorality are theft, taking something that does not belong to us.

This principle is also true regarding pornography and lust. Leviticus 18 describes the sin of uncovering the nakedness of those other than our spouse. The idea is that the nakedness of other doesn’t belong to us and it is theft if we take it.

METRO — We do not want to miss the fact that the Lord has been speaking to us NON-STOP about the issue of sexual sin from both 2 Samuel and 1 Thes 4. He NEVER wastes His Word, it ALWAYS goes forth to accomplish a SPECIFIC thing. I am PRAYING and TRUSTING GOD that WE not miss out on His gracious warnings and loving correction.

2 Samuel 12:5-6 5Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, 6and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”

INTERESTING:

Nathan never actually asked David for a judicial decision. David naturally assumed the story was true, and David immediately jumps in and passes sentence on the guilty man of Nathan’s story. It is quite amazing that he does this because he has ZERO moral high ground from which to act.

PERSONAL: I must tell you that I am trying to LEARN to NOT jump in with my opinion because it just wreaks of having a high estimation of your own opinion. Having said that, part of his pronouncement is within the guidelines of Scripture.

Ex. 22:1 1If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

Amazingly, he states the Biblical limits for sentencing on the crime AFTER saying the guy must die for this crime! David’s sentencing is WAY BEYOND what God, who is perfectly just, set forth in the Law of Moses.

So here is David, who is at that very moment covering up GROSS sin, he is NOT asked to pass judgment, but does anyway, and then presumes to know better than God as to what punishment the guy deserves.

2 Samuel 11:6-27

2 Samuel 11 is the Divinely inspired record of a Great Man’s Great Fall.

His “FALL” was not like some sudden trip, in reality David WALKED into this sin one step at a time

BY WAY OF ILLUSTRATION we made reference to Stone Mountain in Georgia. There is a curvature to it that is almost imperceptible UNTIL you take one step too far and you are inescapably caught in the grip of gravity.

Sin is much the same, it’s downward pull is almost imperceptible. But there comes a MOMENT when you take ONE more step and suddenly you are beyond the point of escaping it’s downward pull.

VERSE 1 set the backdrop for the Great Fall of this Great Man.

Israel was still engaged in the conflict with the Ammonites that had it’s beginnings back in Chapter 10. Chapter 11 begins about 1 year later, and David is still FLUSH with victory over the Syrians!

Throughout the Scriptures there is a constant that we find —
We are MOST susceptible to a fall following a great victory.

NOTE:

To the casual observer everything about David probably looked great. In fact, in light of Israel’s military victory over Syria, and the expansion of David’s rule into that region, things might have looked better than ever on the OUTSIDE!

But David remained at Jerusalem.

There had to be something wrong in David’s heart for the Holy Spirit to record that the kings go out to battle, but this king does not. All Israel went out to battle, but Israel’s leader did not.

QUOTE:

Redpath — “As I think of what happened, of this I am sure, that it did not happen all at once. This matter of Bathsheba was simply the climax of something that had been going on in his life for twenty years.”

FIRST STEP to a Fall

When he SHOULD have been battling he was kicking back. There is nothing that tells us that David was LOOKING for sin! But when we are someplace where we should not be we are NOT doing things that we OUGHT to be doing, sin HAPPENS! That’s why Verse 2 begins with — IT HAPPENED.

THE SECOND STEP to a Fall

David was in the WRONG place looking at the WRONG thing.

2It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.

THIRD STEP to a Fall

Rather than FLEEING youthful lust, He FOLLOWED his lust.

3And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

David could have ended the temptation by leaving the roof top and hanging out with the ugliest male servant in in the palace, but he didn’t!

CRUCIAL:

David committed adultery in his heart up on the roof, and now he knows that he has an opportunity to physically commit adultery.

4So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her.

We closed by noting that the GREAT Failure of this GREAT Man had a beginning.

Nothing has changed since the time of David. Moral failure begins with thinking that somehow YOU can play with fire and NOT get burned! That you can flirt with the idea of flirting and not get burned. Or you can take the second look and not get burned.

Proverbs 6:27-29:
Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.

Now Back to 2 Samuel:

5And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

NOTICE:

David commits adultery with Bathsheba, resulting in her pregnancy.

Then we read:

6So (in light of the news) David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David.

How different the flow of this story would be if it said:

“So, in light of the news, David was BROKEN over his sin and went before the Lord and CONFESSED and REPENTED.”

When David heard the disastrous news of Bathsheba’s pregnancy he should have used it as a prompting to repent. Instead, David did what most unrepentant sinners do: hide his sin. He wanted to draw Uriah back home to have relations with Bathsheba to give a reason for her pregnancy.

As we look at the sin of David circa 1,000 BC, we see that things had not changed with man since the FIRST sin. The NATURE of sin is still the same. In the very first sin man placed his own desires over and above the desires of God. Mans RESPONSE to his sin is still the same. Following the very first sin man attempted to COVER his sin and HIDE from God.

When David heard the disastrous news of Bathsheba’s pregnancy he could have and should have seen it as the reason to repent. INSTEAD, David did what every son of Adam has done, he attempted COVER up the CONSEQUENCE of his sin in order to make it appear that he had never sinned in the first place.

He asked Joab to pull Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, away from the battle and to send him home. It was not so David could humbly confess to Uriah that he had so slept with his wife. Rather, it was in hopes that Uriah would come home and have sex with his wife and thus give the impression that Bathsheba was pregnant by Uriah and thus COVER David’s sin.

CRUCIAL INSIGHT:

The whole concept of hiding our sin is deceptive on a number of levels.

1. Our sin is never hidden before God

Hebrews 4:13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

a. Hinders your fellowship with God

It doesn’t destroy RELATIONSHIP with God, you are still, and forever will be, His child. But, it hinders FELLOWSHIP with Him because things are WRONG between you and your savior.

Where you used to open the Bible to enjoy fellowship with Him, to learn of Him, and to hear Him speak to you, you now begin to avoid times in the Word because from the pages of Scripture you sense His eyes gazing into your soul with the light of His truth.

Quote:

“This book will keep you from sin … Sin will keep you from this book.” Unknown

b. Hinders your fellowship with others

You avoid people that are on fire for Jesus and walking with Jesus because they CONVICT you. They can’t keep quiet about their relationship with Jesus while you have nothing to share because you are no where with Him. You begin to hang out with the lukewarm and the carnal

c. Is a barrier to spiritual life and power.

The entire Christian life is Trinitarian in nature.

It is BY the Spirit, THROUGH the Son, TO the Father. Your un-confessed sin GRIEVES the Holy Spirit who is THE source of power in the Christian life.

HERE is the ULTIMATE deception in the matter of attempting to cover sin:
Jesus PAID for that sin. It is finished! God is QUICK to forgive.

Exodus 34:6 “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin”

He never runs out of mercy

Lamentations 3:22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;23 they are new every morning

The Child of God must realize that CONDEMNATION is the tool of the enemy to DRIVE you away from the Cross of Jesus, which is God’s provision for our sin. You adversary the Devil WANTS you to think that you can HIDE sin from God. But ULTIMATELY, the only way he can get you to even move in that direction is by causing you to think that you stand before God on the basis of your MERIT, and that having failed God you are beyond forgiveness and therefore stand condemned.

HERE’S THE TRUTH:

Romans 5:1-2 1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

On WHAT BASIS are you standing before God?

IF you are attempting to stand before God on the basis of your own merit, you will be bludgeoned with condemnation. You will irrationally try to hide what in reality can not be hidden from God.

But, IF you are standing before God on the basis of GRACE, IF you KNOW that you don’t DESERVE any right standing before God, you only deserve judgment but in that undeserving state God has given to you in Jesus what you don’t deserve and could never merit, the GIFT of eternal life, THEN you will respond to the work of the Holy Spirit CONVICTING you of sin.

CONDEMNATION drives you AWAY FROM the cross. CONVICTION of the Holy Spirit drives you TO the cross of Jesus

CONVICTION of sin, however, is NOT painless! We will see that in Psalm 51. But it results in the BLESSEDNESS of forgiveness and restoration to fellowship with God.

7When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab was doing and how the people were doing and how the war was going.

Here is the Giant of Israel, the man who had slain Goliath, now making this LAME attempt at a conversation with Uriah

9But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths,…”

Uriah was not a Jew by birth, he was a Hittite. But he had a passion for the glory of God

“…and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”

WOW!

Uriah proved to be the man David wasn’t! Uriah was man of integrity, a man whose first loyalty was to the king’s interests rather than to his own pleasure, while at this time in David’s first loyalty himself — gratifying his own lusts at the expense of Uriah.

12Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.”

David is lying through his teeth. David knows that Uriah wanted to get back to the battle front as soon as possible. He hopes that Uriah will treat the coming evening as his last before returning to battle and be with Bathsheba.

…So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk…

David makes one last attempt, hoping to get Uriah drunk enough to want to go sleep with his wife while his fellow soldiers were in pitched battle.

…But he did not go down to his house.

…And in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

Some commentators believe that Uriah avoided Bathsheba because he suspected infidelity

QUOTE:

“It is like he smelt something.” – John Trapp

14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15In the letter he wrote, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die.”

Having failed to cover his sin, David wanted Uriah dead. David understands that Uriah can’t disown this child if he’s dead!

Then there is the reality that David WANTED Bathsheba for himself!

Many adulterers secretly wish death would free them to marry the object of their adultery.

CRUCIAL:

Even if the deed is not done, David is a murdered in his heart! But the deed would be done because David had the power to act on his wish. And sent it by the hand of Uriah. THAT is what is pictured in the painting by Rembrandt used for the cover art of this Book of the Bible.

WOW!

David trusted the integrity of Uriah so much that he made him the unwitting messenger of his own death sentence. David KNEW that Uriah would never dream of opening a letter from his king, and that he would faithfully get the letter to Joab.

QUOTE:

“This was the sum of treachery and villany. He made this most noble man the carrier of letters which prescribed the mode in which he was to be murdered.” – Adam Clarke

16And as Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17And the men of the city came out and fought with Joab, and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite also died.

Here the man described by the Holy Spirit as the man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14)

He not ONLY commits adultery, but he also commits MURDER to cover it up. Though it was hidden by the raging battle, Uriah was murdered just as surely as if David killed him in his own home.

WE DO NOT WANT TO MISS THE INCREMENTAL NATURE OF DAVID’S COLLAPSE

• It BEGAN with some underlying deficiency in his spiritual life that had been festering since coming to the throne 20 years in the making, coupled with the pride that follows victory. Both of which led him to NEGLECT going to battle.
• He was NOT where he should have been. He was in the WRONG PLACE looking at a WRONG THING.
• Rather than FLEEING that lust he FOLLOWED it
• When the consequences of his adultery threatened to expose his sin, he tried to cover it at first with deception
• Finally he is so DESPERATE to cover his sin that he is willing to commit murder

THAT is a life out of control! THAT is the way it is with sin!

It COMPOUNDS itself, until before you know it, you are deeper in sin than you could ever imagine. There was a time when you said, “I could NEVER do THAT!” THEN you do THAT. “I did THAT, but I could NEVER do THAT!” THEN you do THAT other thing.

HERE’S THE POINT:

Satan could never tempt David with the entire package at once, but he could deceive him piece by piece.

18Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting. 19And he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling all the news about the fighting to the king, 20then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? 21Who killed Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? Did not a woman cast an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’” 22So the messenger went and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. 24Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall. Some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” 25David said to the messenger, “Thus shall you say to Joab, Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another.

This was a proverb regarding fortunes of war. It was a way of saying, “These things happen.” No doubt David said it to ease his own guilty conscience as much as he said it to Joab.

Strengthen your attack against the city and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.” 26When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. 27And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son.

We have no reason to believe that Bathsheba knew that David arranged the death of her husband. It is likely that David concealed all this from Bathsheba. At the same time, she had to in some measure be relieved to hear of her husband’s death.

QUOTE:

“There is little doubt to be made but that she was inwardly glad, considering her danger of being punished an adulteress, and her hopes of being now made a queen.” – John Trapp

THINK of how this looked to everyone but David and Joab! David isn’t seen as the adulterer / murderer, but rather as a hero, taking the widow of one of his fallen captains to be his wife. The people see him not as a king who would murder a noble, faithful soldier. Instead, they see him as standing behind his men, taking care of their widows when they are killed in battle. “My what a marvelous king!”

FOR SURE David thought he had pulled it off and covered his tracks. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord.

DON’T MISS THIS:

This is the first mention of God in the chapter. But that doesn’t mean that He was absent or disinterested. Though He is not mentioned God had witnessed every event and read the intent of every heart. David had NOT gotten away with anything.

ILLUSTRATION:

One winter night, in Pehlham, New Hampshire, a house was burglarized. The thieves sped away and thought they had gotten away undetected. But in their hasty getaway, they backed into a snow bank and unbeknownst to them they had left a perfect imprint of their license plate in the snow!

Numbers 32:23 ….. behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.

Gal. 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.

David EXPERIENCED the displeasure of God over the next year!

Psalm 32:3-4 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up .

He was under such intense conviction during this time and that all the joy in his life evaporated away.

CRUCIAL:

David would discover the stress and agony of living a double, false life. He found no relief until he repented and got right with God again.

QUOTE:

“The better the man the dearer the price he pays for a short season of sinful pleasure.”- F.B. Meyer

David was in that terrible place where he had too much sin in him to be happy in God, but he had too much of God in him to be happy in sin.

BUT, David was a man after God’s heart, God will draw David to repentance and restoration.

NEXT WEEK — Sin Confessed and Sin Forgiven

2 Samuel 11:1-6

A Great Man’s Great Sin

INTRODUCTION:

One of the great proofs that the Bible is indeed the very Word of God is that the many accounts of it’s heroes are in absolute keeping with the Nature of God. The Bible says that God is HOLY. Holy means more than moral perfection. It means that God is separate from His creation. He is other than His creation.

Other supposedly Holy Writings always paint their religious heroes as flawless. THAT is the dead give away that such writings are were undertaken by men moved by demons BECAUSE it is the nature of man to COVER his flaws. We see that all the way back to the original sin. The first man and woman COVER their nakedness and then the man blames the woman! Even when man might not outright LIE about his failure, he will at the least withhold any part of the truth that puts him in a bad light. But the Bible say Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie. God, who is other than His creation, other than mankind, will not cover up or gloss over the sins of His servants, even the greatest of His servants.

• Noah’s drunkeness
• Abraham’s lying
• Aaron’s jealousy
• Moses’ anger
• Elijah’s cowardice
• Jeremiah’s depression

Though they are men of God, they are still men. Men that are vulnerable to every human weakness. James 5:17 says that Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are. It is in their human frailty that the GRACE and the POWER of God are MAGNIFIED! It is interesting to note how in the O.T. there is SO much said about the failures of these men, while in the N.T. there is NO mention of their failures! THAT is because the O.T. deals with the REALITY of their lives while the N.T. deals with their POSITION in Christ in eternity. In the Old Testament, before the Cross of Jesus, God NEVER covered up their FAILURES and TRAGEDIES. But when they are mentioned in the New Testament, God records their FAITH and their TRIUMPHS, because they now stand on THIS SIDE of the cross. Having said that, we do not want to respond foolishly to the GRACE and MERCY of God because the Old Testament shows to us the CONSEQUENCES of FORGIVEN sin.

We come tonight to 2 Samuel 11

QUOTE:

G. Campbell-Morgan “In the whole of the Old Testament literature there is no chapter more tragic or full of solemn and searching warning than this.”

I must say that I have never been so, and I hope you don’t misunderstand me, TERRIFIED by the way God sets forth the reality of even the GREATEST HERO of faith GREATLY SINNING. Here in 2 Samuel 11 we see David FALL in a BIG way!

There is a way in which the term “FALL” almost diminishes the gravity of what David did because we can think of FALL in terms of a sudden trip over a curb. In reality David WALKED into this sin one step at a time.

ILLUSTRATION:

In Georgia — there is a huge boulder called Stone Mountain. Some years ago a young man walked across it. As he walked, the massive boulder was so large that it’s curvature was almost imperceptible. He went further and further until suddenly he felt the pull of gravity overcoming him. He thought he could back up but it was too late and some 40-50 people heard him scream as he fell to his death. THAT is the way sin is the downward pull is almost imperceptible. But there comes a MOMENT when you take ONE more step and suddenly you are beyond the point of escaping it’s downward pull.

CHAPTER 11

2 Sam 11:1 1In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel.

WE REMEMBER from our study last week that the war with Ammon is the backdrop to this moment in David’s life. Our study closed last week with David defeating the Syrians (who joined the Ammonites as mercenaries against Israel). The Chapter begins about 1 year later, while David is still FLUSH with victory! If there is a Biblical constant it is that we are MOST susceptible to a fall following a great victory.

the time when kings go out to battle. . . .

We can not think of Old Testament military practices in modern day terms. In that ERA and in that PART OF THE WORLD wars were not normally fought during the winter months. Rains and cold weather made travel and campaigning difficult, so military campaigns resumed in the spring.

2 sam 11:1 1And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem*.

NOTE:

The connection of these two phrases

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle…. David remained at Jerusalem

The opening and closing of the verse tell us that something is wrong. It is not observable to the human eye up to this moment. To the casual observer everything about David probably looked great. In fact, in light of Israel’s military victory over Syria and the expansion of David’s rule into that region, things might have looked better than ever on the OUTSIDE! But there had to be something wrong in David’s heart for the Holy Spirit to record, the kings go out to battle, but this king does not. Also, all Israel went out to battle, but Israel’s leader did not.

QUOTE:

Redpath — “As I think of what happened, of this I am sure, that it did not happen all at once. This matter of Bathsheba was simply the climax of something that had been going on in his life for twenty years.”

WOULD YOU NOTE THIS WITH ME:

What a man or woman does is NOT the measure of that person! HERE in the opening verse is the FIRST STEP to a Fall. When he SHOULD have been battling he was kicking back. I’m sure David felt justified. He’s been ruling in Israel for 20 years. He has spent his life in war, or fighting for his life. I’ve survived Goliath. I’ve survived Saul. I’ve led Israel to a greatness It’s never known. I DESERVE a break!

2 Sam 11:2 2It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.

There is nothing that tells us that David was LOOKING for sin! But when we are someplace where we should not be, we are NOT doing things that we OUGHT to be doing Sin HAPPENS!

2 Sam 11:2 when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house,

The roof top in the Middle East is not like the pitched roof-tops of our culture. They are FLAT. In the day of David they would rise at daybreak, and always took a nap during the heat of the day. Afterwards they lounged in the cool of the evening on their flat-roofed terraces. Even to this day you see Arabs and Jews on their roof tops. When in Jerusalem we go to the site of the House of Caiaphas (where Jesus stood trial the night before He died). There we actually go on to the roof top and look down into the Himnon valley and see all kinds of activity on the roof tops bellow us.

2 Sam 11:2 that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.

THERE is the SECOND STEP to a Fall. David was in the WRONG place looking at the WRONG thing, a woman bathing. Verse 4 tells us that she was “purifying herself from her uncleanness” after her menstrual period. We find this prescribed in (Lev. 15:19–24). For all of you Law and Order / CSI: New York types, this tells us clearly that the child who would be conceived in (2 Sam. 11:5) could not be the child of Uriah. She had a menstrual period WHILE Uriah was on the battle field. He saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. For a woman to make herself ceremonially pure after her menstrual cycle was perfectly normal and perfectly acceptable, but the PLACE in which Bathsheba did an acceptable thing was UNACCEPTABLE.

Many commentators believe that she was very deliberate in choosing WHEN and WHERE to bathe. We just saw this past week in our Bible Bus reading for Saturday that Bathsheba was a very BRIGHT and PERCEPTIVE woman. She was PERCEPTIVE enough to see the plans of Adonijah to take the throne of Israel from Solomon. Based on what we know of her it is not a stretch to think that Bathsheba knew WHERE the king was in his palace instead of on the battle field, WHEN the king would be on his roof, WHAT the king could SEE from his roof, and thus decided to purify herself WHEN he would be on his roof and WHERE he could see her.

Was Bathsheba stupid or was she seductive? We can’t know for sure. It is SAD when you see women on the hunt, out to get a man, but it is also sad to see women without discretion

Proverbs 11:22 Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman without discretion.

Ladies, keep this in mind, especially now that warm weather is rolling around, don’t be like a ring in a pig’s snout. DON’T think, well, the brothers shouldn’t be looking at me like that, after all, God looks on the heart! YES, but the Holy Spirit also said that MAN looks on the outward appearance! BE CAREFUL that you do NOT stumble your brother in Christ!

HAVING SAID THAT BROTHERS, DON’T make the same mistake that David made! David’s sin was not in merely seeing Bathsheba. It was unlikely that he expected or planned to see her. David’s sin was in choosing to keep his eyes on an alluring image after the sight came before his eyes. LISTEN UP MEN, We have got to learn to NEVER let our eyes (or our mind) REST on any alluring image apart from for what “belongs” to us in marriage. Those of you that are married would hopefully say, “Hey, I’m in love with my wife, I’m quite content with my wife.” But the problem is not that you don’t love your wife, the problem is that the FLESH and it’s lusts are NEVER satisfied.

CRUCIAL:

The flesh is essentially the assertions of self.

QUOTE:

F.B. Meyer, “FLESH — drop the H and spell flesh backward, SELF”

It wasn’t so much that David wanted Bathsheba; it was that he could not be satisfied with what God gave him. This is a reality that will be proven in an exaggerated way in the life of his son, Solomon. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines and 1000 women weren’t enough for him.

CRUCIAL INSIGHT:

Bathsheba’s great beauty made the sight tempting, but the real strength of temptation often does not lie in the quality of the tempting object. It lies in the state of heart and mind of the one being tempted. No matter how beautiful Bathsheba was this was not an inescapable temptation. Joseph was more severely tempted to commit sexual sin immorality than David was here, but he fled that temptation.

CRUCIAL:

Joseph’s decision in the moment of temptation was the result of seeing the situation with a right heart.

He was a young guy in the peak of his masculinity. He would have been attracted to beauty in the same way any young man in here would, BUT MORE than the allurement of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph saw the great wickedness of giving into the temptation.

Gen. 39:9 How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?

Sin ALWAYS appeals to lust of the eyes; possessions in this case, getting the guy, securing the relationship. Sin ALWAYS appeals to the pride of life, in this case, sexual conquest. It is the pleasures of sin (Heb 11:25) that deceive us like the bait hides the hook. We must call it what God calls it, sin. We want to say, “affair” but God says “adultery.” We want to say, “love” but God says “lust.” We want to say, “romantic” but God says “ruin.” We want to say, “destiny” but God says “destruction.”

2 Sam 11:3 3And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

KEY INSIGHT:

Bathsheba came from a family of notable men and was married to a notable man. Her father was Eliam — one of David’s Mighty Men (2 Samuel 23:34).

KEY:

Her grandfather was Ahithophel, one of David’s chief counselors (2 Samuel 23:34, 2 Samuel 15:12). We find this man involved in the treacherous attempt by David’s son Absalom to overthrow king David. He will actually counsel Absalom to have sex with David’s concubine on the roof top in order to publically humiliate David. Her husband, Uriah, was another of David’s Mighty Men (2 Samuel 23:8, 39).

Now we come to the THIRD STEP to a Fall. Rather than FLEEING youthful lust, he FOLLOWED his lust. David could have ended the temptation by leaving the roof top and hanging out with the ugliest male servant in in the palace

EXAMPLE: El Modena H.S. P.E. class. Just newly married! Hot weather, very attractive young woman dressed very immodestly. I am a newlywed and I said, “Lord, I love my wife. I don’t want to lust after this young girl.” The Holy Spirit reminded me of 2 Tim. 2:22 “Flee youthful lusts!” At the court farthest away from the girl were two really over weight, acne faced guys. I walked down there, NO lust issues there! VICTORY!

2 Sam 11:4 4So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her.

CRUCIAL:

David committed adultery in his heart up on the roof. Now he knows that he has an opportunity to physically commit adultery. Adultery in the heart and mind is bad; adultery in practice is far worse. David should have received the news of the woman’s identity as a warning. He learned that this woman was related to men who were very CLOSE and very IMPORTANT to himself. By having sex with Bathsheba David sinned against men close to him and important to him.

(Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 2 Sam 11:5 5And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”

QUOTE:

Keil and Delitzsch — Her message “involved an appeal to him to take the necessary steps to avert the evil consequences of the sin, inasmuch as the law required that both the adulterer and adulteress should be put to death” (Leviticus 20:10).

THINK ABOUT THIS! David knew this was wrong, yet he did it. Have you ever seen or heard of someone doing something wrong and asked, WHAT WAS HE THINKING? REALITY, He did what he did because he wasn’t thinking!

QUOTE:

Ricky Ryan — Get out while you can think because there will come a point when you STOP thinking!

WOULD David have gone after this pleasure that was clearly outside of the the revealed will of God (Thou shalt not commit adultery / covet your neighbor’s wife) if he knew that it would directly or indirectly result in an unwanted pregnancy, the murder of a trusted friend (Uriah), a dead baby, his daughter raped by his son (Tamar by Amnon), one son murdered by another son (Amnon by Absalom), a civil war led by one of his sons (Absalom) who was counseled by Ahithophel (the Grandfather of Bathsheba).

REALITY — The same kind of ruin comes of adultery today.

It is HORRIBLE to think about all the children who go to bed without a daddy at home because of the terrible attack on our country on September 11, 2001. , but far more children go to bed every night without their daddy because of adultery.

Proverbs 5:7-11 And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth.8 Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house,9 lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless, 10 lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner,11 and at the end of your life you groan….

THAT is the description of a man who has destroyed his family and his own life for the pleasures of sin for a season in an adulterous relationship. Another man has gotten all of his wealth. Another man now has his wife and his children. NOT ONE MAN OR WOMAN HERE, single or married, can afford to think of such a tragedy as only happening to OTHER men and women. If you have seen it happen to someone else, and without a doubt many of you here this evening are the collateral damage of sexual sin, you have got to KNOW that you are not above or beyond such failure.

That moral failure has a BEGINNING, it begins with thinking that somehow YOU can play with fire and NOT get burned! Can flirt with the idea of flirting and not get burned. Can take the second look and not get burned.

Proverbs 6:27-29 Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife; none who touches her will go unpunished.

It starts with a look. It starts with a thought. And from our text in 2 Samuel we can see it also deals with the woman’s response to the looks of the man. Those exchanges of looks. But Richard, I’m already singed, I already have 3rd degree burns, what now?

Isaiah 53:4-6 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

2 Samuel 10

Related Topics: Shame; Ambassadors of Christ; Joab; Courage in Battle; Transformed by Jesus; Being Men

REMEMBER, we noted at the beginning of our study of 2 Samuel that the book falls into TWO main divisions. Those divisions flow around the themes of FAITH and TRIUMPH, and FAILURE and TRAGEDY

David’s infamous sin of adultery with Bathsheba, recorded in Chapter 11, marks the sad divide of David’s reign. This event happens right in the middle of the book, right in the middle of his 40 year reign.

In Chapter 10 we find the origins of a war against the Ammonites that would also involve the Syrians.

KEY INSIGHT:

This war against the Ammonites is the backdrop of the next three chapters. This conflict would lead to Israel’s domination of the Syrian kingdoms under David’s rule. MOST IMPORTANTLY, this conflict is the backdrop for 2 Samuel 11:1,

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

which is the PRELUDE to the TRAGEDY and FAILURE of David’s live which involved his adulterous affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah.

CHAPTER 10

2 Samuel 10:1-2 1After this the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2And David said, “I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.”

Last week we saw David’s amazing kindness towards Mephibosheth. THAT kindness was born out of loyalty to Jonathan.

2 Samuel 9:1 …that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?

This “kindness” was based in loyalty and diplomatic concerns.

LOYALTY:
The text says it was because of Hanun’s father, Nahash

QUOTE: – Adam Clarke

“It is likely that the Nahash here mentioned was the same who had attacked Jabesh-gilead, and whom Saul defeated: as David had taken refuge with the Moabites, (1 Samuel 22:3) and this was contiguous to the king of the Ammonites, his hatred to Saul might induce him to show particular kindness to David.”

DIPLOMACY:
David wants to keep the Ammonites as peaceful neighbors. So David sent by his servants to console him concerning his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the Ammonites. 3But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father?

Things haven’t changed over the past 3,000 years. Aspirations to power, the need to be a part of the power of rulers makes men insincere and attracts insincere men (seats of power are magnets for sycophants.) Such men, when they gain power and position, are always insecure in their positions. Their desperation to maintain their place of power, advance their place of power, leaves them not only constantly insecure, but that insecurity makes them suspicious of everyone around. Everyone’s motives and actions are under suspicion.

Has not David sent his servants to you to search the city and to spy it out and to overthrow it?”

2 Samuel 10:4-5
4So Hanun took David’s servants and shaved off half the beard of each and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away. 5When it was told David, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed.

These 2 actions broke diplomatic ties and started a war! When we think of breaking off diplomatic ties and declarations of war we think of Pearl Harbor or Nuclear brinkmanship (N. Korea/Iran). In this case, this seems almost comical to us, but it was a double disgrace. The disgrace was wrapped up in the importance of the beard and the contempt that gentiles had for circumcision.

THE BEARD

QUOTE: Adam Clarke

The beard is held in high respect in the East: the possessor considers it his greatest ornament; often swears by it; and, in matters of great importance, pledges it. Nothing can be more secure than a pledge of this kind; its owner will redeem it at the hazard of his life. The beard was never cut off but in mourning, or as a sign of slavery. Cutting off half of the beard and the clothes rendered the men ridiculous, and made them look like slaves: what was done to these men was an accumulation of insult.

The Gentiles contempt of CIRCUMCISION

2 Samuel 10:4 4…cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips…

QUOTE: John Trapp

To cut off their garments in the middle was also an obvious insult and humiliation. “That the shame of their nakedness might appear, and especially that of their circumcision, so derided by the heathen.”

WE DON’T WANT TO MISS THIS:
To insult the ambassador is to insult the king. The point of these actions was not to merely heap shame on the men sent by David, it was just as if they had done this to David himself.

THERE IS A VERY RELEVANT PICTURE IN THIS:
In 2 Corinthian, Paul says that we are ambassadors of the King of kings, sent with the message of reconciliation through the sacrifice of the Cross.

2 Cor 5:20-21 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

The unbelieving world is hostile towards the ambassador. trying to cut off beards so-to-speak. Trying to ridicule anything in the Christian that stands for consecration to Christ. Jesus reminded His disciples: If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. (John 15:18)

2 Samuel 10:5 5And the king said, “Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown and then return.”

David cared about these guys. He didn’t use these men as political tools to whip up anger against the Ammonites. He cared more for their own dignity and honor, and allowed them to wait before returning to Jerusalem.

LESSON:
All of us will at one time or another suffer put downs and humiliation, some self-inflicted, some inflicted by others. When we incur them we feel as though we will never survive them, never heal,never be restored, but in keeping with the picture, the beard will grow back. Time has a way of healing rebukes and embarrassments.

2 Samuel 10:6 When the Ammonites saw that they had become a stench to David,

NOTE:
David didn’t reject the Ammonites. They had made themselves repulsive to Israel.

The Ammonites sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob, and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers. This was a common practice in the ancient world.

1 Chronicles 19:6-7 The Ammonites sent 1,000 talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah, and from Zobah. 7They hired 32,000 chariots and the king of Maacah with his army

David was incensed that the messengers of his grace and kindness were disgraced.

1 Chronicles 19:8 8When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.

Sound familiar? God sends His servants to the lost world to SHOW KINDNESS, but the world cuts off their beards and cuts up their robes. One Day, the judgment of God will be meted out on the world for it’s rejection of Jesus and His Bride.

Revelation 19:1-2 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

JOAB is a complicated figure. In a moment, he is going to speak some of the most inspiring words ever recorded. Later he will act in the best interests of David by challenging a course of action David had decided to take.

2 Samuel 24:3 4But Joab said to the king, “May the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see it, but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?”

But he also possessed a chilling ruthlessness, in preserving David’s throne and in preserving his own position (e.g., 2 Samuel 18:14–15; 20:9–10, 20–22).

It was that ruthless sense of self preservation that David saw in Jnoab that would in the end cause David to have zero confidence that Joab will treat Solomon well.

If you haven’t noticed, the Kingdom of God is filled with COMPLICATED people! Some of the most, amazingly talented, amazingly gifted, amazingly courageous individuals are also amazingly tweeked.

1 Chronicles 19:8 8When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men.

KEY INSIGHT:
This is the first mention of David’s mighty men. Remember, this group of men were far from mighty when we first met them. When we first meet them they are coming to David at the Cave of Adullam in 1 Samuel 22:1-12. The Holy Spirit described them as the distressed, indebted, and discontent.

The big lesson for us when we studied that event was that they would BECOME mighty men over TIME because of their NEARNESS to God’s anointed king. One of these mighty men was Adino the Eznite, famous for killing 800 men at one time (2 Samuel 23:8). Another was Jashobeam who killed 300 men at one time (1 Chronicles 11:11). Another was Benaiah who killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day and took on a huge Egyptian warrior and killed the Egyptian with his own spear (1 Chronicles 11:22-23). Apart from David, they were distressed, indebted, and discontent. Under the RULE of David, the leadership of David, and in the COMPANY of David they were TRANSFORMED into such as these!

GREAT PICTURE of you and me. We come to Jesus distressed, indebted, and discontent. AMAZINGLY, Jesus receives us and OVER TIME, because of our NEARNESS to the King of kings, we become MIGHTY men and women. As we allow Jesus to RULE our hearts and minds, as we FOLLOW Jesus, as we stay NEAR to Jesus, WE are TRANSFORMED into victorious Christians!

2 Samuel 10:8-9 8And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate, and the Syrians of Zobah and of Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were by themselves in the open country.9When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear,

In front of them were the Ammonites in battle array at the entrance of the gate. Behind them were the Syrians in the field. Things are looking bad for the army of Israel.

2 Samuel 10:9-11 9…he chose some of the best men of Israel and arrayed them against the Syrians. 10The rest of his men he put in the charge of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. 11And he said, “If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you.

TWO THINGS FOR US HERE:

1.) There are 2 companies, Joab and Abishai. Joab vs. Syrians and Abishai vs. the Ammonites. They are two very different individuals, yet they are working together and pledged to help one another.

Ps. 133:1 Behold how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity,

POINT: We NEED each other. We might be fighting on different fronts, but we are fighting for the same cause and against the same enemy. We need to be ready to assist and stand by one another. Even if we are DIFFERENT; Outgoing or Introvert, Optimist or Pessimist.

• The OPTIMIST invented the airplane
• The PESSIMIST invented the parachute!

BOTH are needed!

2.) Joab had only one strategy in battle, attack. Many generals, when surrounded on both sides by the enemy, would consider surrender, but not Joab. He called the army to courage and faith and told them to press on.

QUOTE: G. Campbell-Morgan

“It is interesting to observe that in his arrangements he made no allowance for the possibility of ultimate defeat in his conflict with Ammon . . . it does not seem to have occurred to him that the combination might have been too much for both of them.”

That is the kind of man and woman I want to stand with.

Then Joab speaks these amazing words to the men.

2 Samuel 10:12 12Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”

THREE THINGS FOR US HERE

FIRST:

2 Samuel 10:12 KJV 12Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.

• The need of the hour (at home – in the church – in the community) is for men to stand up and BE MEN!
• Courage and strength are not matters of feeling and circumstance. They are matters of choice, especially when God makes His strength available to us.
• We can be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10)

SECOND:

“Let us be courageous/strong for our people and for the cities of our God”:
Joab reminded them of the STAKES if they FAILED to BE COURAGEOUS, FAILED to BE MEN. If they lost this battle they would lose both their people and their cities.

BIG POINT:
This was a battle bigger than themselves and the army of the mighty men had to remember that that is what mighty men do!

THIRD:

“and may the Lord do what seems good to him”:
Joab was willing to face the enemy, venture his life for his king and his people, prepare for the battle to the best of his ability, and fight hard for the victory. At the same time, he knew that the outcome was ultimately in God’s hands.

QUOTE: Pastor Chuck Smith

“Do your best and commit the rest!”

2 Samuel 10:13-19 13So Joab and the people who were with him drew near to battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 14And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem. 15But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. 16And Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphrates. They came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. 17And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together and crossed the Jordan and came to Helam. The Syrians arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. 18And the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed of the Syrians the men of 700 chariots, and 40,000 horsemen, and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. 19And when all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became subject to them. So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.

CLOSING:
Reflect on the difference between the two men we have met in Chapter 9 and Chapter 10, Mephibosheth and Hanun. The difference in character is what made them respond differently to the KINDNESS of king David. The man who was not broken and humble did not respond to the kindness of the king.

REALITY — There are two kinds of people. Those who know that they are dead dogs, fallen and lame, coming to the King of kings with a sense of unworthiness, amazed to be invited to dine at the King’s table.

Copyrights:

• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
  Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
  a division of Good News Publishers
  All rights reserved.

2 Samuel 9

David & Mephibosheth

As we come to 2 Samuel 9 we want to REMEMBER that the Holy Spirit uses the very REAL and very HISTORICAL events of Old Testament history to ILLUSTRATE New Testament truth. In 2 Samuel 9 we come to one of the most MEANINGFUL and MOVING accounts of the entire Old Testament — one that paints for us a RADICAL PICTURE of the grace and kindness of God given to us in Jesus Christ.

Years earlier — David had made a covenant with his friend Jonathan.

1 Samuel 18:1-4 (ESV) As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. 3Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.

Jonathan was the son of Saul — crown prince of Israel — heir apparent to the throne. But God had rejected Saul as king over Israel and had chosen David. Jonathan realized that the anointing of God was upon David. Rather than become jealous of David, Jonathan affirmed the call of God on David’s life. He supported David — even when it exposed him to the violent anger and jealousy of his father, Saul. His only request was that David would treat his family with kindness after the Lord gave the throne to him:

1 Samuel 20:15-17 (ESV) and do not cut off your steadfast love from my house forever, when the LORD cuts off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.” 16And Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the LORD take vengeance on David’s enemies.” 17And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

Later they renewed that covenant of love:

1 Samuel 23:17-18 (ESV) And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul. 18Then Jonathan said to him, “Tomorrow is the new moon, and you will be missed, because your seat will be empty.

As we come to 2 Samuel 9 David is secure on the throne of Israel. It was during this time that David remembered the covenant that he had made to his best friend, Jonathan.

2 Samuel 9:1-3a (ESV) And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?…”

This phrase is key to understanding David’s motivation in this chapter. In 1 Samuel 7 David asked — “What can I do for God?” —he proposed to build a temple for the Lord. Now David asks another question — a question that those who have come to know the love of God should ask — “What can I do for others?” David wanted to show someone else the same kindness God showed to him.

But it is also an AMAZING declaration of the nature of God — which will be powerfully pictured in this chapter.

2 Samuel 9:3-13 (ESV)…Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 4The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.” 5Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. 6And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”9Then the king called Ziba, Saul’s servant, and said to him, “All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. 10And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master’s grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master’s grandson shall always eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11Then Ziba said to the king, “According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do.” So Mephibosheth ate at David’s table, like one of the king’s sons. 12And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’s servants. 13So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.

Mephibosheth is a striking illustration of lost man

Verse 3 — “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.”

KJV — He was LAME

We are told HOW he came to be LAME in his feet.

Back in 2 Samuel 4 — after the death of Abner.

2 Samuel 4:4 (ESV) Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

She was AFRAID of the King and she took Mephibosheth to flee from the king.

Mephibosheth fell — perhaps injuring his spinal column.

KEY OBSERVATION:
He could not walk because of a fall. WE ARE MEPHIBOSHETH. We can NOT walk because of a fall. The fall of our original parents in the Garden of Eden. I DO NOT mean to pop anyone’s bubble this evening, but we need to see ourselves in the light of Scripture. Mankind is LAME.

There is no such thing as TABLA RASA. From the Latin meaning — smoothed or erased tablet.It is a supposition that all of us come into the world like a BLANK PAGE (Tabla Rasa) and we are then shaped for better or worse by our environment. The Bible declares that we are all born sinners. That might come as a shock to you. But it is the truth. You and I can NOT walk in righteousness because of the fall.

Romans 5:12 (ESV) Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned .

There is no such thing as someone being born good and perfect only to be brought down by environment. Any parent in their right mind KNOWS that their children are NOT innately good. From the moment they are born you hold them and care for them and provide for them.
You never once give them a reason to do anything bad towards you or their siblings. Despite such tender and loving upbringing, their beginning vocabulary is peculiar – “NO” — “MINE”.

There is NOT a mother that I have ever met that has taught their children to lie or steal. But every mom here has listened to some amazing stories. Every parent KNOWS that they have to INGRAIN the concepts of honesty and generosity into their kids. Those things are noticeably absent from these supposedly blank slates.

We ARE Mephibosheth — LAME!
NOTICE WHERE this man, LAME from a FALL was.

2 Samuel 9:4 (ESV) The king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.”

• afraid of God’s anointed king — hiding in a place called LODEBAR
• LODEBAR = “not a pasture”
• Some read it as the place of nothingness. That is life for mankind outside of Christ.

LAME because of a fall

AFRAID of Jesus

HIDING from Jesus

Residing in the place of NOTHINGNESS.

CRUCIAL OBSERVATION:
In our text — we see David seeking Mephibosheth. This is an AWESOME illustration of God the Father seeking the lost.

In (Luke 19) we find Jesus in the city of Jericho. There was a very little man who lived there named Zacheus (picture Danny DeVito). He was very curious about Jesus. But there were always so many people around Jesus. He was so short that he could not see over the crowd. He would NEVER dare to enter in amongst a crowd of Jews because he was the most hated man in town…

He was a tax-collector — Never a popular guy/job. Who do you work for. Oh, I work for the IRS! Buh-bye.

WORSE than that — He was a Jewish man working for the pagan Roman government taking taxes from Jews that would prop up the pagan armies that occupied the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

WORSE than that — Anything he could extort from the Jews above and beyond the taxes expected by Rome was his to keep!

SO to avoid the crowd and at the same time be able to see Jesus — he climbed a sycamore tree. To his amazement — Jesus went right to that tree and said — “Hey Zaccheus — come down from there because I want to go to your house for dinner.”

I love that — Jesus so loved to eat with people that he invited Himself to dinner. Jesus hasn’t changed a bit! The same holds true today —

Revelation 3:20 (ESV) “Behold, I stand at the door, at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

He desires the intimate fellowship of sitting around the table like family. When Jesus went to the house of Zaccheus, the Pharisees said — “Look at Jesus, keeping company with sinners.” Jesus responded to their remark:

Luke 19:10 (NASB) “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

“Don’t you understand? That is why I am here!”

On another occasion (Luke 15) Jesus gave a parable (using a familiar earthly thing to communicate a heavenly truth) about a man who had 100 sheep but lost 1 of them. He said — “Shall not that shepherd leave the 99 that are safe and go out and search until he finds that 1 lost sheep? And when he finds him carries him on his shoulders and when he finds his friends he says — ‘Rejoice with me because my sheep that was lost is found’.”

He said — “So too, your heavenly Father rejoices when one that was lost is found.”

THIS IS WHAT makes Christianity different from religion. In religion, you have man seeking God. In Christianity you have God seeking lost man. Here we have in the life of David and Mephibosheth a PICTURE of the truth so clearly and frequently declared in the New Testament. God is seeking lost man.

NOTICE —

2 Samuel 9:6-7 (ESV) And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, “Mephibosheth!” And he answered, “Behold, I am your servant.” 7And David said to him, “Do not fear,…

Mephibosheth was FRIGHTENED — And with good cause! It was the practice in that time for a new king to seek out any survivors of the previous dynasty for the purpose of WIPING OUT anyone who might have a claim to the throne. All potential rivals were put to death. History records that in some of the neighboring cultures the new rulers would seek out the surviving rivals and have them skinned alive! They would take the skins of those people and make couches or chairs out of them. When people sat on those couches they would realize that the NEW king was not the kind of man to trifle with. In that political culture — I am sure that when Mephibosheth was sent for that he must have thought that it was all over.

NOTICE THE WORDS OF DAVID:

2 Samuel 9:7 (ESV) And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan,…

Mephibosheth had GREATLY misunderstood David!
Again — He is a great picture of fallen man!

We are quick to think think of God as being finished with us – Wanting to be RID of us. NO doubt — many so-called ministers share the blame for perpetuating that concept God. Many people walk out of church feeling like one little boy — who after church on Sunday turned to his mom and said — “Well, it looks like God is mad at us again.” We imagine that God is seeking us to BLAST us rather than seeking us to BLESS us. Jesus addressed this straight on.

John 3:17 (ESV) For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Man was ALREADY condemned! If God was FINISHED with us; Bent on wiping us out – He would have NEVER sent His only begotten Son to SAVE us from our already condemned state! Jesus came to SAVE from that eternal condemnation. THAT is exactly the picture set before us in 2 Samuel 9. David did NOT send for Mephibosheth to BLAST him — He sent for Mephibosheth to BLESS him.

LIKE MEPHIBOSHETH — That misunderstanding of God causes men and women to HIDE FROM God rather than TURN TO God. Like Adam in the Garden – HIDING from God – Covering his nakedness with fig leaves

BY THE WAY — Ever felt a fig leaf? They are incredibly itchy!! People think that if God gets a hold of them that all hell is going to break loose. THAT is a lie from the pit of hell! In reality — when God gets a hold of you, all HEAVEN breaks loose!

NOTICE THE MERCY AND KINDNESS OF David towards Mephibosheth.

2 Samuel 9:7 (ESV) …“Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.”

1.) David wanted to:

• Restore to Mephibosheth his lost inheritance
• Give back to him EVERYTHING his family had lost

Here we see a picture of how God wants to restore to us all that was lost to us as a result of our father Adam’s failure. God had given to Adam the world. He gave to Adam dominion over the world and told him to enjoy it. But Adam — through his disobedience to God — forfeited the world to Satan – whom Jesus said was a thief who desires to steal, kill and destroy. God desires to restore that which was lost through the fall. THAT is what the Cross of Jesus is all about!

AMAZING —

The Bible BEGINS with:

• God creating the heaven and the earth
• Man kind enjoying fellowship with God in a sinless world
• God saying it was VERY GOD.

The Bible ENDS with

• God creating a NEW heaven and a NEW earth
• The dwelling place of God is with man
• There will enter in NOTHING that defiles

INDIVIDUALLY — The PURPOSE of God in seeking you is to restore to you that which was forfeited by sin — fellowship with God!

2.) Mephibosheth was invited to dine at the king’s table

What a contrast — From the land of no pasture to the king’s table. The king’s table was a place of spectacular abundance. AGAIN — THIS is the GRACE of God for us! We too were residents of Lodebar — the land of no pasture. We were like the prodigal son who walked away from his father’s table and ended up eating pig slop that wasn’t fit for human consumption. BUT — Jesus calls us to HIS table

John 10:9 (ESV) I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

John 6:35 (ESV) Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

WE dine upon His love and His life. When you are living at and living from the table of the King of kings — going back to the world is unthinkable! Peter likened it to a dog returning to it’s vomit.

CRUCIAL OBSERVATION:
DAVID did all of this for Mephibosheth — FOR JONATHAN’S SAKE! It had NOTHING to do with what Mephibosheth had done. It was strictly for Jonathan’s sake that David did this. It was for the sake of that covenant and for the sake of Jonathan that David invited Mephibosheth to the king’s table.

SO IT IS WITH US
God has sought us out, to restore us, to invite us to His table – NOT because of what we have done; But for the sake of His Word and for the sake of Jesus.

Ephesians 4:32 (KJV) “…even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

CRUCIAL POINT:
The Lord calls you — just as you are — to come to His table and to dine with Him. Satan — the enemy of your soul — loves to tell you that you are NOT worthy to come to the table of Jesus. Jesus says — COME AND DINE AT MY TABLE. The enemy says — Right! You’re so LAME — God would never want the likes of you!” Many buy into that lie.

BUT — That is NOT why Mephibosheth got invited to dine at the King’s table. He got invited because:

• It was in the heart of the King to invite him
• It PLEASED the king to have mercy and extend grace!

WOULD YOU NOTE with me that invitation to David’s table did NOT produce a sense of pride. INSTEAD — It awoke a sense of unworthiness.

2 Samuel 9:8 (ESV) And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?”

The ONLY thing he he could do was HUMBLY receive.

HERE’S THE PICTURE —
When Jesus invites you to dine at His table:

1.) There should be a sense of unworthiness.

• Like Jacob who said:

Genesis 32:10 (KJV) “I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies…”

• Like Peter:

Luke 5:8 (KJV) But when Simon Peter saw (the great catch of fish) …

He did NOT say — Well — it is MY boat, and I did agree with your instructions, and — I think you knew all along that I would be a great asset to your kingdom! NO — he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

KEY POINT:
This genuine sense of unworthiness is coupled with worship.

WORSHIP is BOWING before God.

2.) There is a sense of acceptance.

“I’m lame Lord — I am shameful — I’ve been HIDING from you in the land of no pasture

But you’ve accepted me just as I am!

Ephesians 1:6 (KJV) …wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

CLOSING:
This account is especially sweet to me — Mephibosheth was between 22-23 years old when he was invited to the king’s table. I was just over 22 years old when the King of kings invited ME to dine at HIS table. Do YOU know that God has SOUGHT YOU out and has invited YOU to the table of the King of Kings? Like Mephibosheth — We are lame and shameful and hungry. But for the sake of Jesus — we have been are invited to the table of the King.

You can RUN or you can RECEIVE. Where are you today? Lame and in Lodebar — Or Loved and Fed at the King’s table?

• The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®
  Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles,
  a division of Good News Publishers
  All rights reserved.
• Scripture quotations marked “NKJV™” are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
• Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
• Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission.” (www.Lockman.org)

2 Samuel 8

REVIEW

In Chapter 7 David declared that he wanted to build a house for the Ark of God, but God said, “David, you can’t build a house for Me, but I will build a house for you and through you David will come the Messiah of Israel.”

He was utterly blown out by the GRACE of God!

2 Samuel 7:18-21 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! 21Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22Therefore you are great, O Lord God.

The GRACE of God!

Eph. 2:7 NLT So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

AMAZING GRACE is not cliché! It is so AMAZING that for eternity to come the angels and everyone else in heaven will look at you and me and say WOW! Isn’t the Lord gracious! Herein lies the SECRET of the Christian life. Do NOT try to bargain with the Lord on the basis of works. Instead be like David

2 Samuel 7:21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.

Just RECEIVE and RESPOND with WORSHIP!

CHAPTER 8 — gives us the catalog of David’s victories

2 Samuel 8:1 After this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them,

SEVERAL thoughts here:

Chapter 7 began with 1Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,

We noted that some take the position that Chapter 8 takes place BEFORE Chapter 7 chronologically. There are those who see Chapter 8 as chronologically in order, following the events of Chapter 7. That being the case, they see these victories as the OVERFLOW of the grace of God.

AFTER receiving the PROMISE, recognizing GRACE, and responding in WORSHIP, David goes on the offensive. Great PICTURE and APPLICATION for our lives today. We serve and battle FROM Grace!

There comes a time in your Christian walk when you recognize HOW GOOD the Lord has been to you and you begin to move out to ACTIVELY and AGGRESIVELY serve Him.

Those who have served the Lord most notably have done so BECAUSE they have discovered the matchless grace of God and as such the are quick to say, “Here am I, send me!”

REGARDLESS of which chronological position we take, we don’t want to miss the significance of these victories.

1. The Philistines had troubled Israel for centuries, and often dominated Israel. NOW God’s anointed king is on the throne of Israel. Under the reign of David, he both attacked and subdued the perennial nemesis of Israel.
2. The fact that the Philistines had CONSISTANTLY and PERSISTANTLY defeated the armies of Israel did NOT cause David to avoid fighting against them.QUOTE: Redpath — “The thing that fascinates me about this complete victory is the utter contempt with which David treated the great power of his adversaries.” and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

Several views on this Metheg-ammah

1. Adam Clarke — The Vulgate (translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Latin) reads it as David removed the bondage of the tribute, which the Israelities paid to the Philistines…… no such place as Metheg-ammah is known.
2. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown — Gath and her suburban towns

One thing is for sure, when David became king the Philistines were oppressing God’s people and taking territory from God’s people. Under the leadership of God’s anointed king, God’s people began to take territory from the enemy. THAT is the Christian life under the rule of Jesus.

In Hebrews 2:10 Jesus is called the captain of our salvation and under Christ the Father is leading His people to glory!

2And he defeated Moab and he measured them with a line,
making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured
to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And
the Moabites became servants to David and brought
tribute.3David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob,
king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the
river Euphrates. 4And David took from him 1,700 horsemen,
and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David hamstrung all the
chariot horses but left enough for a hundred chariots.

NOTE:

1 Chron. 18:4 says that he “took from him 1,000 chariots” and “7,000 horsemen.”

The Septuagint version of 2 Samuel 8:4 agrees with Chronicles.

One possible explanation is that someone miscopied the text of Samuel and the Septuagint (along with Chronicles) retains the true reading.

NOTE WITH ME:

1. Syria was divided into two groups with capitals at Zobah and Damascus. They united against David, but they could not stand against God’s anointed king. In our spiritual warfare, the combined efforts of the enemy is NO MATCH for our King! He has triumphed over them on the cross!
2. By way of this victory the promise made by God to Abraham in Genesis 15:18 is fulfilled—

On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,

It is our King, Jesus, who leads us to possess the promises of God (all spiritual blessings in heavenly places — abundant life)

5And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.9When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

2 KEY OBSERVATIONS:

1. ALL that David wins he DEDICATES to the Lord
2. He is gathering it for the Temple that he is NOT going to build! This is such an important example for us!

MANY TIMES when the Lord tells us that we CAN’T do something we respond with the attitude of
“If I can’t do THIS — I WON’T do anything at all.” or, “If I can’t sing or play in the adult worship team I won’t sing or play anywhere.” or, “If I can’t teach a big Bible study I won’t teach anywhere

David did NOT, sit and pout , nor did he go to his room and shut the door.

INSTEAD , David said, “I can’t build the Temple, but I can lead God’s people to victory. I can gather materials for my son to build to the Temple.”

David got ALL of the supplies, plans, and contractors together, and when Solomon was old enough David said, “Solomon, everything is ready, now YOU build the house for the worship of God.”

13And David made a name for himself when he returned from striking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants.

CRUCIAL OBSERVATION:

David was not content with momentary victory.

He FORTIFIED those places to SECURE what was won.

HERE’S THE PICTURE :

We can come to church, have an awesome time in the presence of the Lord and in His Word, have the Holy Spirit touch our lives in an area that has been defeated, leave so blessed, and be good for a few days.

THEN be a wreck again.

BECAUSE we fail to put garrisons there, so-to-speak.

Garrison = nets-eeb’, nets-eeb

something stationary; a military post, a statue:—garrison, officer, pillar.

To secure our victories we need to establish something stationary

Something stationary would be a fixed or set time of devotion, study, prayer, and fellowship

And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.

CRUCIAL OBSERVATION:

The Holy Spirit makes it clear by repetition (said the same thing in v.6)
that it was the BLESSING of God, not the skill of David, that brought about David’s victories.

15So David reigned over all Israel.

Sadly, this is what God wanted to do through Saul,
but Saul resisted the Lord and rejected His Spirit.
By contrast, David allowed God to subdue him.
The result of that was that nations were subdued before David.

And David administered justice and equity to all his people.

By the way, The Bible defines THIS as the fundamental duty of human government.

To administer judgment and justice (Romans 13:1-7).

The BEST forms of human government are flawed and have failed BECAUSE they ultimately are directed by fallen and flawed humans.

TRUE judgment and justice will not be found UNTIL
the son of David, Jesus the PRINCE OF PEACE, returns and is seated upon the throne of His father David.

Isaiah 9:6-7 6For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Now back to 2 Samuel:

16Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17and Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary, 18and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.

SOME IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS HERE:

David ORGANIZES his government.

We do not want to take the position that any and all organization within the local church is carnal.

Organization is carnal when it is the result of man’s wisdom and/or when God’s people are depending upon or trusting in “organization” and “structure” to accomplish the work of the the ministry.

The Church is NOT and organization like some corporation that is organized into upper management, marketing, sales, production/manufacturing, etc.

The Church is an ORGANISM. EVERY living, healthy, reproducing organism is organized. There is “organization” even in a single cell organism! From the moment of conception, human life is based upon the ORGANIZATION of cells.

Nothing is accomplished in God’s kingdom without order and organization.

The Scriptures call us THE BODY of Christ. The Body of Christ must be organized and arranged by God in order to be HEALTHY and FRUITFUL and capable of reproducing faith.

When it is man doing the ordering the result is much like cells in the human body doing their own thing, and THAT is never healthy, it’s called cancer. We ALWAYS want to see God moving with the utmost order and organization.

Here’s how one guy put it,

“There is a limit to what we can be and what we can do for the LORD without order and organization. It isn’t that order and organization are requirements for progress in the Christian life; they are progress in the Christian life, becoming more like the LORD.”

HERE is where ministers and ministries run into trouble:

They see God working and they see potential for further growth,
but they also see that the CAN’T grow further because
they do not have the people, resources, or financial resources
to grow beyond where they are and in their desperation to grow, they resort to the energy of the flesh to accomplish the work of the Spirit.

CRUCIAL:

1. We MUST learn to wait on the Lord for HIM to ADD the necessary organization that is necessary to promote and sustain growth in Metro.
2. No leader succeeds by himself. Only the smallest organizations can be governed well without a gifted and committed team.
3. The Lord GAVE David victory

Part of God’s provision for those victories was the gifted and loyal men that surrounded David!

Part of David’s success as a ruler was his ability to recognize, assemble, empower, and LEAD the men God had provided.