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The Life of David (#7): Troubles Follow

CCEA School of Discipleship

February 23, 2025

In class

Break into small groups of three or so, share one thing you learned from McGee, chapter 7 “A Man After God’s Own Heart”

My McGee Notes: Chapter 7 – A Man After God’s Own Heart

David suffered great consequences for his sin.

His child with Bathsheba died

Amnon rapes Tamar

Absalom kills Amnon

Absalom steals the hearts of the nation, rebellion

David flees Jerusalem

The death of Absalom

God will not keep his children from difficulty or suffering if they need to be chastised. Through his difficulty, David continued to trust God.

Let’s stand and recite together Psalm 23:1-6

:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

:2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

:3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.

:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

Remember that McGee suggested that David wrote this in his old age. I wonder if David might have written this after the trouble he will have with Absalom (“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…”)

By the way – regarding the little clipart thing I sent this week – It was drawn by … Greg Laurie in 1973. It was part of the “Rejoice in Jesus Always” songbook and can be found at the bottom of the song “Surely Goodness …”

Troubles Follow (2Samuel 13-20)

David has sinned.

He committed adultery with Bathsheba and then killed her husband Uriah in order to cover it up. But God knew. God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David, and David quit trying to cover his sin and instead turned to God to confess his sin.

God forgave David, but there would still be consequences to David’s sin. Troubles

That’s what we’ll see this week.

13:1-14 Tamar’s Rape

:1 After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

:1 Absalom … Tamar … Amnon

All three are children of David.

Two are full siblings with the same mother, one is a half-sibling from a different mother.

:1 Absalom the son of David

Absalom is the third son of David.

His mother was Maacah, who was a princess, a daughter of the king of Geshur, Talmai.

Maacah and David had another child, Tamar.

Tamar – Tamar – “palm tree”

:1 Amnon the son of David

He is the oldest son of David. We might call him the “crown prince”. He is the logical first son to succeed David on the throne of Israel.

His name means “faithful”.

Sometimes Bible names aren’t quite up to describing what we know of a person – so be careful about making too much of them.

His mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel, in northern Israel.

:1 loved – ‘ahab – to love; human love, family; for things; love for God; God’s love toward man

It’s very much like our English word for “love”. It can mean lots of kinds of “love”.

:2 Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her.

:2 he became sick

Lesson

Confronting Lust

We’re going to see that Amnon’s “love” for Tamar is probably better described by us as “lust”.

“Lust” is a strong desire that causes lots of trouble and heartache.

It was not right for Amnon to “do anything” to her for a couple of reasons:

1. He really just wants sex, and he is not married to this girl.

The Bible says that sex outside of the blessing of marriage is just wrong.

(1 Corinthians 6:18 NKJV) Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

2. He is the girl’s half-brother.

(Leviticus 18:9 NKJV) The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or elsewhere, their nakedness you shall not uncover.

That seems to cover the relationship of “half-sister”

So what do you do with thoughts that are “just wrong”?

Amnon is going to let these thoughts harbor in his mind until they have made him sick. He is eventually going to act out on them.

If possible, we need to learn the discipline of not being at the mercy of our thoughts, but learning to take charge of our thoughts.

(2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV) We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Sometimes, all you can do is just get up and move.

(2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV) Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Did you notice we don’t just “flee”, but we learn to pursue healthy things instead.

Do you recognize that some of your “desires” are wrong?

Nip it in the bud. It’s easier on you if you learn to deal with those desires early on, than let them cook and stew inside of your mind.

Learn to change your thinking.

:3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man.

:3 Jonadab – “Yahweh is willing”

He is a nephew to David and a cousin to Amnon. (and you thought your family was messed up!)

Jonadab is not the kind of friend you want to have.

(1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV) Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

:3 crafty – chakam – wise, wise (man); skilful (in technical work); shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle

Lesson

Good friends

In the end, we have to face the consequences of our own decisions and actions, but having good friends can help us make the right decisions and take the right actions.

Jonadab is trouble.

He is a smart cookie, but “smart” isn’t always “right”.

His personal philosophy is:

Expediency, not morality

What kind of influence do your friends have on you?

Do they encourage us to follow the Lord, or do they encourage us to follow the flesh?

(1 Corinthians 15:33 NKJV) Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

Ideally, our friendships with ungodly people ought to be about us influencing them – be we need to be realistic and recognize when the influence is going the wrong way.

:4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

:5 So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ”

:5 …let my sister Tamar come…

This is not good advice.

Illustration

Good Advice:

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

On the other hand, the French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

Conclusion:

Eat and drink what you like. It’s speaking English that kills you

:6-13 Summarize

Amnon will follow Jonadab’s advice.

When Tamar realizes what Amnon has in mind, she tries to talk him out of raping her.

:6 Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

Cakes – think pancakes or tortillas

:7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”

:8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

:9 And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him.

:10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom.

:11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

:12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!

:12 no such thing should be done in Israel

She might be talking about the law against a brother and sister having sex.

It’s more likely that she’s talking about the subject of rape or pre-marital sex (Deut. 22:28-29)

(Deuteronomy 22:28–29 NKJV) —28 “If a man finds a young woman who is a virgin, who is not betrothed, and he seizes her and lies with her, and they are found out, 29 then the man who lay with her shall give to the young woman’s father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife because he has humbled her; he shall not be permitted to divorce her all his days.

He is disgraceful by forcing sex on her.

:13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.”

:13 he will not withhold me from you

Perhaps Tamar is saying that she thinks David might be willing to go against the Law of Moses and give Tamar to Amnon as a wife.

It could be that she is saying this only to try and talk Amnon out of raping her.

:14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.

:14 he forced her

Lesson

NOT True Love

This is not the right kind of “love”.

(1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NLT) —4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Amnon does not “love” Tamar, he “lusts” for her.

If a person claims to be in “love” with you, yet they are pushing you to do something you know is wrong, then we have a problem.

The right kind of love is focused on what is right.

The right kind of love is willing to wait.

13:15-22 Response to rape

:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, 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, “Arise, be gone!”

:16 So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her.

She’s thinking that he shouldn’t just have sex with her and not marry her, even if it was against the Law of Moses. Yet he was only interested in sex.

:17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.”

:15 Amnon hated her

Lesson

True Lust

Today the world wants your relationships built on “looks”, on “attraction”, on “lust”.

Play Video: Flirting – New Yorker – Dress for the moment

https://youtu.be/ZPghhokaZdA?si=YVJ5XyWSR4Ty4HYL

Lust just leads to trouble.

Amnon hated her after sex. This is very typical of a relationship built on lust. His attraction to her was purely physical, and after he was satisfied, his real feelings about her surface.

A guy who is pressuring a girl into a physical relationship doesn’t love her. He is only thinking of himself.

Even when a girl gives in, and afterwards the guy says he still loves her, that doesn’t make it a healthy love.

Love waits until the time is right.

That’s the basis of “fidelity” or “trust”

I know that I can trust you after we get married to say “no” to other temptations (like sex with other people) because you were able to make right choices before we got married.

:18 Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.

:19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.

:19 tore her robe

I find it interesting that instead of trying to hide what has happened, she openly displays that bad things have happened to her.

She is no longer a virgin daughter of the king.

Lesson

Purity’s treasure

Our society doesn’t even get it.

God is the creator of sex, and He created it to be enjoyed within the boundaries of marriage. He designed it to function at it’s best when it is between two people who truly love each other. And God’s idea of love in marriage is a lifelong commitment and trust.

Because of this, maintaining virginity until marriage is a great, great blessing to that marriage.

Illustration

Years ago I heard Dr. Dobson explain it as if a person’s sexual nature was worth a million bucks. Every time you have sex with another person, you are taking half of your treasure and giving it to them. When you are married to that person, the treasure stays within the family. But when you are not married to that person, you’ve just lost half of your fortune, and the value of your sexual nature is now worth half a million. When you have sex with another person, it’s now worth a quarter of a million dollars. And when it goes on and on, sex becomes something cheap and filthy, instead of priceless and beautiful.

Virginity is a treasure. Faithfulness to your marriage is priceless.

I can see a new Master Card commercial: Cost of the wedding chapel: $500. Cost of the Bridal Gown: $1500. Cost of the reception: $10,000. Cost of purity and faithfulness: Priceless.

:20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

Absalom had apparently heard of Amnon’s request. He now sees Tamar’s ashes, torn robe, and her tears. He puts two and two together.

:20 Tamar remained desolate

Tamar never married.

:21 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

:22 And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

:21 David heard of all these things

David knew what had happened. This had not been hidden from him. Yet all he apparently does is just get mad.

Quiz Alert!!!

Lesson

Incomplete Response

There’s a people skill that I know I don’t too well with.

It’s called Conflict Resolution.

How do you deal with conflict? How do you deal with problems around you?

Both David and Absalom both respond by not responding.

David gets angry but does nothing about it.

Absalom hates Amnon but doesn’t talk about it.

I can certainly understand David’s place.

Sometimes you just don’t know how to respond to a situation, and sometimes it is better not to respond than to respond in the wrong way.

It could be that David can’t stand to think of what he should be doing. As king, he’s the one that should be enforcing the Law:

(Leviticus 20:17 NKJV) ‘If a man takes his sister, his father’s daughter or his mother’s daughter, and sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a wicked thing. And they shall be cut off in the sight of their people. He has uncovered his sister’s nakedness. He shall bear his guilt.

Being “cut off” could be taken to mean banishment or it could mean death. I imagine that neither of those seem acceptable to David.

It could be that David is thinking of his own life. He might feel he was to blame.

We don’t know that he actually “forced” himself on Bathsheba, but he did commit adultery and tried to cover it up with murder. And God spared his life. How could he turn around and have his own son put to death?

Perhaps David doesn’t think he has the moral ground to do what’s right because he himself had failed.

The problem is that David’s inaction will bring about a simmering bitterness in Absalom, one that will result in murder.

13:23-39 Absalom’s Revenge

:23 And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

:23 two full years

Absalom is going to eventually do something about his sister being raped.

Lesson

Long Grudges

Sometimes when you are having a conflict with another person, it’s okay to let things cool down.

Sometimes things can be more easily resolved if you let the emotions cool off.

But if you wait too long, bitterness grows.

Illustration

Holding A Grudge

One day a visitor leaned on the old fence around a farm, while he watched an old farmer silently plowing with a mule. After a while, the visitor said, “I don’t like to tell you how to run your business, but you would not have to work so hard if you would just say, “gee” and “haw” to that mule instead of just tugging on those lines. The old farmer stopped and pulled a big handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face. Then he said, “Reckon you’re right, but this animal kicked me five years ago and I ain’t spoke to him since.”

Paul wrote,

(Ephesians 4:26–27 NKJV) —26 “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

I don’t think this means you need to resolve every problem before midnight.

I’ve known people who took this so literally that they would stay up late into the night arguing in order to do this.

Yet the longer you wait to resolve things, the creepier things get.

People’s recollections change.

We tend to only remember certain things, and we mistakenly remember other things.

We remember things that make us feel justified in our position.

The other person does the same thing.

The longer you wait, the stranger things will become and the harder it will be to resolve things.

And Satan has a foothold.

:23 sheepshearers in Baal Hazor

The time for shearing sheep was normally a time of celebration and partying.

When David had heard the Nabal was shearing his sheep, he had sent messengers hoping to get some doggy bags of extra food for David’s men (1Sam. 25:7).

Show Baal Hazor map

Baal Hazor is about fifteen miles north of Jerusalem. It’s a good day’s journey from home.

13:24-36 Summarize

So Absalom will invite David, all his sons and all his servants to come to his “sheep shearing” party.

David doesn’t go, but he does allow Amnon to go.

Absalom has Amnon killed after he’s drunk.

Everyone at the party flees.

At first there’s a rumor that all of David’s sons were killed, but finally they find out that only Amnon was killed.

:24 Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

:25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.

It sounds like an innocent and generous invitation. David declines. I wonder if Absalom expects David to decline, and this is part of the plan.

:26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”

I wonder if David suspects something. Why would Absalom make a point of inviting Amnon, with whom everyone knows he’s angry with.

:27 But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.”

Amnon will be less of a problem when he’s drunk.

Absalom is saying that he will take all the blame for this.

:29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on his mule and fled.

Illustration

A panda walks into a diner, sits down, and orders a sandwich. He eats the sandwich, pulls out a gun, and shoots out the restaurant’s windows. As the panda stands up to go, the owner shouts, “Hey! Where are you going? You just shot out my windows and you didn’t pay for your sandwich!” The panda yells back at the owner, “Hey man, I’m a PANDA! Look it up!” The owner opens his dictionary and sees the following definition for “panda”: “A tree dwelling marsupial of Asian origin, characterized by distinct black and white coloring… …Eats shoots and leaves.”

I guess Absalom is acting a bit like a Panda…

:30 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!”

:30 Absalom has killed all the king’s sons

Lesson

Wrong information

Sometimes the news isn’t always correct, fair, or balanced.

Whenever there is a big news event, you can bet that the first hour worth of reports is not going to be very accurate. We all get that.

Yet sometimes when “news” comes from some other source, we just assume it’s accurate. Not true.

Sometimes people don’t know the whole truth. Some people even lie about what has happened.

(Proverbs 18:13 NKJV) He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.

When you hear “bad” news, it’s a good idea to make sure that you are actually hearing real accurate news.

What would you do if you heard that “Pastor Rich was arrested last week for drunk driving”?

There’s something inside of us that likes to hear bad news like that. There’s something inside of us that even wants to be the first one to tell others about the bad news we just heard. Sometimes we hear things and just get angry. Be careful about those kinds of reactions.

Slow down. Catch your breath. Try to find out if it’s really true. (oh, and the news about me was not true J)

This can be a helpful lesson in marriage.

Sometimes when we are communicating with each other, we don’t do a good job expressing all that we intend to express.

Don’t get mad if you don’t like what your spouse said.

First find out if you understood correctly.

:31 So the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

:32 Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

:33 Now therefore, let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”

:32 only Amnon is dead

Jonadab somehow knows that his friend Amnon was the only one killed. I wonder how he knew?

Somehow, I get the feeling that Jonadab isn’t a nice person to be around.

The real news was bad enough, but the story got stretched.

:34 Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind him.

Absalom knows he’s in trouble and leaves the country.

:35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.”

:36 So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.

:37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

:38 So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

:3 went to Geshur

Talmai is Absalom’s grandfather, the father of his mother Maacah (2Sam. 3:3).

When Absalom is in trouble, he flees to a place he considers safe – grandpa’s house.

Show Geshur map

Geshur overlooks the Sea of Galilee, about 80 miles from Jerusalem.

It was a pagan city in David’s day.

The picture is from 2017. We’ve stopped by the gates of the city of Geshur.

In Jesus’ day, it was known as the city of Bethsaida, the home of Peter.

:39 And King David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.

Eventually David got over Amnon’s death, but David begins to regret not having lost one son, but two.

We are seeing more of the consequences of David’s sins.

David’s sons have learned from their father.

David committed adultery. Amnon raped his sister.

David killed Uriah. Absalom killed Amnon.

I think some of us might be afraid of our children copying our sins.

When they’re old enough, we need to be open about our failings, even with our kids.

We need to be open about the pain of sin.

We need to also be open about God’s forgiveness. We need to be open about God’s restoration.

Chapter 14 – The Woman from Tekoa

We’re gonna skip chapter 14 – let me just sum it up by saying that after some help from cousin Joab, Absalom is brought back to Jerusalem after three years.

For awhile he isn’t allowed to see the king, but after two more years he finally is able to see his dad, King David.

There’s an entire study in my notes…

14:1-20 The Woman from Tekoa

:1 So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom.

Joab is David’s nephew, and the commander of David’s army. He himself is also a murderer, having been the one who murdered Abner in revenge for his brother Asahel’s death (2Sam. 3:27). He is Absalom’s cousin.

Joab seems to really want to help David. He sees that David is miserable and thinks he has a solution.

:2 And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead.

:2 Tekoa (play Tekoa map video)

Tekoa is a city of Judah, about 10 miles south of Jerusalem. The birthplace of the prophet Amos.

:2 wise – chakam – wise, wise (man); skilful (in technical work); shrewd, crafty, cunning, wily, subtle.

This is the same word used to describe Jonadab (2Sam. 13:3).

:3 Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

As the king, David was the final judge of things in Israel. He regularly had to listen to peoples’ stories and make decisions. We saw back in 2Sam. 12:1-4, when Nathan came to David and told him a story, that Nathan used this to get David to use his own wisdom against himself.

Joab is going to use the same tactic as Nathan.

:4 And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, “Help, O king!”

:5 Then the king said to her, “What troubles you?” And she answered, “Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead.

:6 Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him.

This is the situation – one brother killed another brother.

:7 And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.’ So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.”

The problem is that some of the family wants the murderer to be put to death, but that would leave the woman without any sons.

:8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”

“Go home and I’ll let you know what I decide …”

:9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.”

:10 So the king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.”

:11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the Lord your God, and do not permit the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.” And he said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

:11 the avenger of blood

Not like these Avengers (show movie pic)

This is about the blood feuds, like the old Hatfields and McCoys.

If a family member is killed, the family was duty bound to take revenge.

:11 not one hair

David grants the son a full pardon.

:12 Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Say on.”

:13 So the woman said: “Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again.

:14 For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him.

:14 His banished ones

David ought to show his own son the same compassion that he has shown towards this woman’s son (if she has one).

:14 like water spilled on the ground

Lesson

Make things right before it’s too late

We are all going to die, and then it will be too late to be reconciled to people.

Don’t let it your pride stand in the way of making things right.

When people are dead and gone (like water spilled), you will regret not making the effort to reconcile. Even if you don’t succeed in reconciling, you will know you tried.

:15 Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his maidservant.

:16 For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.’

:17 Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’ ”

:18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide from me anything that I ask you.” And the woman said, “Please, let my lord the king speak.”

:19 So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant.

:20 To bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.”

:19 the hand of Joab

David knows he’s been had. He figures it must be Joab. I think Joab must be standing in the room with David and the woman.

:21 And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”

Joab has been in the room while the lady has presented her case.

:22 Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and thanked the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.”

:23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

:24 And the king said, “Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king’s face.

:24 do not let him see my face

David has allowed Absalom to return, but he will not allow Absalom to see David.

We were told earlier that “the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom …” (2Sam. 13:39), so we know David misses Absalom.

But David must not think that it would be proper to fully restore him.

It is possible that David is unsure of restoring Absalom. He had his arm twisted into letting Absalom come back. You could probably make a case the Absalom had only carried out the Law in having Amnon put to death, but you could also probably make a case that Absalom was a murderer.

Either way, David decides that though Absalom can come back, he isn’t restored fully to the king.

14:25-33 Absalom is back

:25 Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

Absalom was a good looking guy. He is a strong, forceful person. He’s popular with the people.

:26 And when he cut the hair of his head—at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him—when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king’s standard.

:26 two hundred shekels

About five pounds of hair. A lot of hair. Absalom was a good-looking and hairy guy (like a cross between Fabio and Brian Wilson’s beard). His hair will get him into trouble later.

:27 To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.

It seems that Absalom names his daughter after his beautiful sister.

It would seem that Absalom’s sons died before he did –

(2 Sa 18:18 NKJV) —18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which 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 to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

:28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king’s face.

It’s now been a total five years since Absalom has seen David.

:29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

:29 he would not come

Joab is Absalom’s cousin. Joab never returned Absalom’s calls. It’s possible that he has begun to feel like David, that he needs to distance himself from Absalom. Or perhaps he feels like he’s already overstepped himself by helping Absalom out.

Lesson

Speak up

Sometimes we can get into trouble by not speaking up or by not answering when we should.

Illustration

Holding A Grudge

One day a visitor leaned on the old fence around a farm, while he watched an old farmer plowing with a mule. After a while, the visitor said, “I don’t like to tell you how to run your business, but you would not have to work so hard if you would just say, “gee” and “haw” to that mule instead of just tugging on those lines. The old farmer stopped and pulled a big handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his face. Then he said, “Reckon you’re right, but this animal kicked me five years ago and I ain’t spoke to him since.”

:30 So he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

This is one way to get somebody to answer your call.

:31 Then Joab arose and came to Absalom’s house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

:32 And Absalom answered Joab, “Look, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” ’ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; but if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me.”

Absalom doesn’t see what good it has been in coming to Jerusalem. He wishes he’d stayed in Geshur. If David doesn’t like Absalom, then he should kill Absalom.

:33 So Joab went to the king and told him. And when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Absalom.

:33 the king kissed Absalom

Absalom is restored to David.

It’s all good now … but the worst is just around the corner …

It’s now five years after Absalom killed Amnon, and Absalom is backing living in Jerusalem.

15:1-12 Absalom’s Treason

:1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

:1 Absalom provided himself with …

As far as we can tell (2Sam. 3:2-5), Absalom may be the next in line for the throne, according to the old standard rules of the oldest inheriting the throne.

Now that Absalom has apparently been restored to David’s good graces, he begins to act like a crown prince. He’s now got his own limousine and his own hefty contingent of secret service men.

He feels like he deserves to be king.

Unlike his father, he isn’t willing to wait until God puts him on the throne.

Lesson

I deserve it

You could make a very convincing case for the fact that Absalom deserves to be king. He is after all, the next in line for the throne.

He wants there to be a parade wherever he goes.

What is wrong with Absalom actively going after the throne when it’s his in the first place?

The problem lies in how Absalom is going about it.

We aren’t told when David made up his mind who would succeed him on the throne, but later David will tell Bathsheba that he had earlier sworn to her that her son Solomon would be on the throne (1Ki. 1:17,30). We don’t know if that has happened yet within the story of Absalom.

Absalom doesn’t have any respect for authority.

It’s not Absalom’s place to choose the next king. It’s David’s place.

Even though David was anointed king as a young man, he waited until his time came. He never raised a hand against Saul to overthrow him.

:2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.”

:3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.”

:2 the way to the gate

The gate of a city was where business was carried out in the city. It was where the courts were located.

If you had a matter that needed settled in court, this is where you would go.

Absalom got up early in the morning in order to hang out on the road before people got to the gate, and that’s where he would say his little spiel … which was not true.

It sounds as if he’s running for office. There is nothing new.

:4 Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”

:5 And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him.

:6 In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

:6 Absalom stole the hearts

Lesson

The sweet talker

There is a danger when someone tells you all the things you want to hear. Sometimes they are right, but sometimes they are going to be the next Absalom. They get your “friendship” or “vote” by telling you what you want to hear, only to gain power.

Watch out for the Absalom around you.

He’s the one who criticizes the boss.

He’s the one pushing his own agenda.

He’s the flatterer.

He’s wrong.

:7 Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the Lord.

:7 after forty years

Some manuscripts say “four years” and many modern Bibles translate it this way.

Absalom wants to go to Hebron.

Probably meaning during David’s last year of reigning.

This cannot mean that Absalom has been kissing up to people for forty years.

1. It could be that this is a “typo” that has crept into the text. The Syriac and Arabic translations, along with Josephus’ account all say “four” years here. David only reigned in Jerusalem for 33 years (2Sam. 5:5), but added to the seven years in Hebron, he ruled for forty years.

2. It could be that this is happening at the end of David’s reign, which was forty years in total.

:8 For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the Lord indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord.’ ”

:9 And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.

;8 your servant took a vow

Lesson

Pseudo spiritual

There are two possibilities here:

1. Absalom did vow to the Lord.

It’s possible that Absalom is deceived into thinking that God is on his side.

The problem is that this is not God’s way.

God’s way is to support those in authority over you, not destroy them.

God’s way is to let Him handle the things you don’t agree with.

These are the things that David did when Saul was king. David tried his best to support Saul, until he finally ended up running for his life. David didn’t take things into his own hands and kill Saul, even when the opportunity presented itself to him.

2. Absalom is lying.

I tend to think that this is probably the case.

There are people who will use religious talk to try and persuade you.

How do I know the real truth?

Jesus said to look at the fruit. He said, “You’ll know them by their fruits” (Mat. 7:15-17)

(Matthew 7:15–17 NKJV) —15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

You’ll see Absalom’s fruit real soon…

:9 went to Hebron

Absalom is going to hatch a plot to overthrow his father and become king.

See Hebron map

Hebron is about eighteen miles south of Jerusalem.

He is going to get a little distance from his father so he can get his plans together and not worry about David finding out.

Hebron was where Absalom was born and David first became king over the tribe of Judah.

It was a City of Refuge. It was the place where the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were buried.

:10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’ ”

This isn’t something that takes place over a few days. This plot must have taken quite a bit of time to put together.

:11 And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything.

Possibly leaders from Jerusalem, these men are brought into the plot without even knowing it.

It’s possible that Absalom wants to create in the minds of the people initially that this is legitimate, that David actually supports his son becoming king.

:12 Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

:12 Ahithophel the Gilonite

Show Giloh map

Ahithophel is from Giloh, a town in the hills between Jerusalem and Hebron.

Ahithophel is known as the “uber” counselor, almost like getting advice from God…

(2 Samuel 16:23 NKJV) Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

When he speaks, people listen.

Grandfather to Bathsheba

It’s very possible that he was greatly offended when David committed adultery with his granddaughter and killed her husband Uriah.

When Absalom invites him into the plot, he accepts.

It is fascinating that he takes sides with Absalom, when his own grandson, Solomon, has been promised the kingdom by David.

David would write two songs about Ahithophel’s betrayal – Psalm 55 & 41.

These songs are a prophetic picture of another “betrayer”, Judas Iscariot (John 13:18; Ps. 41:9)

(Psalm 41:9 NKJV) Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.

(John 13:18 NKJV) “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’

15:13-37 David flees Jerusalem

:13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

:14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

One of the reasons David is fleeing is to make sure that any battle that takes place, takes place outside the city.

He doesn’t want his family or his city in harm’s way.

:14 let us flee

Lesson

Resolving Conflict

When you are at odds with someone, there are lots of ways to resolve conflict, the main two are…

Most often, we resort to one of two ways, things that are probably influenced by the way we were raised, or what we’ve grown accustomed to.

Attack

Some of us feel that if a conflict is going to get resolved, we better face it head on and deal with it.

We may tend to be good at arguing, quick on our feet, and may even feel like we have a Scriptural reason to “attack” because the Scripture says,

(Romans 14:19 NKJV) Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

And so when we come up with conflict, we go into it head on, feeling that we have to push to make “peace”.

Retreat

Some of us would prefer to retreat. When there is someone who has expressed something difficult towards us, we do whatever we can to avoid them.

We too may feel like we have Scriptural authority and may quote things like:

(Matthew 5:39 NKJV) But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

When two “attack” people are married to each other, expect sparks to fly.

When two “retreat” people are married to each other, expect that things don’t get resolved and for resentments to grow.

When an “attack” person is married to a “retreat” person, the “retreat” person is always on the run.

What is Absalom about to do? Attack.

What does it look like David is doing? Retreat.

But be careful here. David may be backing off for now for the sake of the city, but he will catch his breath and deal with this situation.

Kenny Rogers used to have a song that had the line in it…

“Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em”

Resolving conflict is a tricky, difficult thing. I’m not sure there’s a pat answer to it. I think sometimes it’s good to back off enough to let emotions calm down. But you can’t retreat forever. It’s good to learn how to go head to head and resolve things peacefully until the problem is fixed.

If you only resolve conflict by running from the problem, you may not really be resolving anything.

15:15-37

So David will leave Jerusalem for now.

Some people will join him for the fight ahead.

Some people (like Hushai) will be asked to stay behind and give David intelligence updates.

:15 And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.”

:16 Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.

Ten of David’s “concubines” are left behind to feed the pets and dust the house. Perhaps David is expecting to come back.

:17 And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts.

:18 Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

:18 followed him from Gath

Show Gath map

Gath is that Philistine city about 24 miles west of Jerusalem.

It was the home of Goliath, as well as the city that David fled to for protection from Saul several times.

Gittite – people from “Gath”

Cherethites … Pelethites – these are Philistines who followed after David. They served almost like the “secret service”, as David’s chief bodyguards.

I know many of us pastors talk about David’s lack of faith by originally fleeing to Gath (1Sam. 21, 27), but I can’t help but see some “fruit” of his time in Gath when I see that key people from Gath became David followers.

Some of them had apparently only recently made the move from Gath to Jerusalem…

:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place.

:19 Ittai the Gittite – had recently joined David in Jerusalem from Gath. David will soon put part of his army in his charge.

:20 In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

:21 But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

:21 even there also your servant will be

Lesson

Loyalty

Ittai knows the importance of loyalty.

He’s not about to “jump ship” to join the latest, newest leader on the horizon (like Absalom).

Illustration

An English publication offered a prize for the best definition of a friend. Among the thousands of entries received were the following: “One who multiplies joys, divides grief”; “One who understands our silence”; “A volume of sympathy bound in cloth”; and “A watch which beats true for all time and never runs down.” But the entry which won the prize said, “A friend—the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.”

Illustration

As the Lone Ranger and Tonto were riding along towards the north, they spotted a war party of about 50 Apaches coming at them. They turned south, but another war party appeared. They turned east and met another party of 100 braves. They turned west as their last remaining hope and saw a party of 500. The Lone Ranger turned to his friend and said, “Well, faithful friend, this is the end, there’s not much we can do.” Tonto looked back at the Lone Ranger. “What you mean WE, white man?”

Are you loyal to the people who deserve your trust?

This is very similar to how we ought to feel about our “Lord”.

At one point in His ministry, Jesus was saying some things that some people didn’t like. Some of the many people who had begun to follow Him stopped following Him. Jesus asked the disciples if they were going to leave as well…

(John 6:68–69 NKJV) —68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

:22 So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over.

:23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.

:23 toward the way of the wilderness

Play “David Flees” Map video.

As David is leaving Jerusalem, he will head east across the Kidron Valley, then up the Mount of Olives, over to the place of weeping (“Bahurim”), then down toward the Jordan River, cross then go up to Mahanaim (35 miles east as the crow flies)

:24 There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city.

The priests show up with the other evacuees, carrying the famous Ark of the Covenant. They intend to go with David.

:25 Then 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 show me both it and His dwelling place.

:26 But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

:26 let Him do to me as seems good

I think there’s a hint at the struggle going on inside of David.

There is a sense that he has brought all this upon himself.

When he sinned with Bathsheba, there were some ramifications, terrible ones.

(2 Samuel 12:10 NKJV) Now 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.’

Even though David was forgiven by God over his sin, he would still see and experience the consequences of his sin.

If you rob a liquor store, you may confess your sin and find forgiveness from God, but that doesn’t mean you won’t and shouldn’t pay the earthly consequences for your sin.

Lesson

Trusting God’s decision

David is not quitting on life. He’s not going away to die.

But he’s also not assuming that he’s blameless in the difficulty.

David wrote a Psalm during this time. It shows us where his heart is at. Here’s a snippet:

(Psalm 3:3–6 NKJV) —3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. 4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around.

(Psalm 3 NKJV) — A Psalm of David When He Fled from Absalom His Son. 1 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. 2 Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” Selah 3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. 4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah

David is putting his life in God’s hands.

15:27-30 Summarize

David will send the priests back to Jerusalem where they can send him updates on what Absalom is doing.

:27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

:28 See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

David is going to use Zadok and his sons for guidance.

If Zadok hears things from the Lord regarding David, then he is supposed to let David know what God wants of him.

The two sons will also be used as messengers for other messages as well.

:29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

:30 So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.

:31 weeping as they went up

I’m not sure this is just weeping from defeat.

Some of it may be weeping at the end of David’s kingdom.

Some of it may be weeping of repentance – David seeing the end result of his sins.

:31 Then someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

:31 I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel

Everyone considers Ahithophel a powerful, smart, man.

David prays that God will take care of the very shrewd, smart things that Ahithophel will advise Absalom with.

I think it also speaks to the fact that David is aware that Ahithophel has a problem with him.

Even though he was once David’s closest counselor, he is no more.

The New Testament authors saw Ahithophel as a picture of Judas betraying Jesus.

I like the fact that David can’t do much else but pray. So he prays.

Psalm 41 is quoted as a prophecy about Judas betraying Jesus, but we believe that David wrote is originally about his friend Ahithophel turning on him:

(Psalm 41:9 NKJV) Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.

:32 Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.

:32 Hushai the Archite

This is another of David’s chief counselors/friends.

Solomon wrote,

(Proverbs 11:14 NKJV) Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.

We see that David didn’t just rely on one counselor, Ahithophel.

David had several men who were his counselors.

David meets him when he gets to the top of the Mount of Olives.

I think it’s interesting that he shows up as David is worshipping God.

:33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me.

:34 But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

:35 And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

Hushai won’t be the only one in town sympathetic to David. Zadok and Abiathar will be there too.

:36 Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.”

:37 So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

:34 defeat the counsel of Ahithophel

Lesson

Answered prayer

David had just asked God to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, and then Hushai shows up.

I wonder if David was thinking when Hushai showed up, “I was just praying about God defeating the counsel of Ahithophel…”

Sometimes God’s answer to prayer is a person.

16:1-14 Departure Encounters

You can read later about Saul’s servant Ziba telling David that Mephibosheth is glad David is leaving (this is questionable)

You can read about a relative of Saul’s named Shimei who is cursing David as he leaves, but David is merciful in the face of these cruel words. (there are all in my notes)

16:1-4 Ziba’s story

We are going to hop and skip through chapter 16.

One of the people to see David as he’s on his way out of the city was Ziba, Saul’s servant who was put in charge of taking care of Mephibosheth.

Ziba will spin a story about Mephibosheth thinking that he was now going to be crowned king, and David then decrees that all of Saul’s property will now be Ziba’s.

I’m not convinced that Ziba was telling the truth.

:1 When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

:1 Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth

Back in 2Sam. 9, David had been thinking about his promise to his friend Jonathan, the promise to honor Jonathan’s family.

David found one of Saul’s servants, Ziba, and asked if anyone from Jonathan’s family was still alive.

He ended up finding out about Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, and taking him under his wing, giving him all of Saul’s property, and having Ziba take care of him.

Mephibosheth was a grown man, but a cripple.

Now Ziba shows up as David is making his exit.

:2 And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean to do with these?” So Ziba said, “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 are faint in the wilderness to drink.”

:3 Then the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’ ”

:4 So the king said to Ziba, “Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king!”

:3 the kingdom of my father to me

Supposedly Mephibosheth responded to the news of David’s departure by thinking that he was now going to become king and take over.

David responds to this report by giving it all to Ziba the servant.

Lesson

The real story

The problem with this whole story is that we really don’t know if it’s true or not. This is just what Ziba reports to David.

When David returns after the coming civil war, he will be met by Mephibosheth, who is all disheveled and who claims that Ziba had deceived David and left Mephibosheth behind.

Sometimes people don’t tell you the truth. But which one was a liar? We don’t know.

Solomon wrote,

(Pr 18:17 ESV) The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

I think it’s a very dangerous thing to try and attempt marriage counseling when you are only hearing one side of the story. I’ve had the nicest people sitting in front of me telling me this horrendous story about their spouse and tend to believe every word I hear. But when I hear the spouse’s side, I often feel like I’ve been made a fool.

Illustration

Betty, the town gossip and self-appointed supervisor of the town’s morals, kept sticking her nose into other people’s business.

Several local residents were unappreciative of her activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence. However, she made a mistake when she recently accused Ted, a local man, of being an alcoholic after she saw his pickup truck parked outside the town’s only bar one afternoon.

Ted, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just walked away without saying a word. Later that evening, he parked his pickup truck in front of her house and left it there all night.

Things aren’t always what they seem.

Sometimes people are going to lie to our face. With Ziba and Mephibosheth, both stories can’t be true. One of them must be lying. But which one?

I’m not really sure.

In a way, I don’t blame David. He doesn’t have time to check out Ziba’s story. He’s running for his life. Sometimes we’re going to make mistakes.

16:5-14 Shimei’s Curses

The next person we see is a man named Shimei, a relative of Saul’s.

He will yell curses at David and pronounce that God was getting even with David because David was such a “bloodthirsty” man.

David’s nephew Abishai wants to kill Shimei, but David tells him to just let him be.

I wonder if David is struggling with how much of this is all connected to his sin with Bathsheba.

:5 Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came.

:5 Shimei

Like Mephibosheth, this man has some sort of family tie with old king Saul.

It seems that he would have a descendant who would be famous one day.

(Es 2:5 NKJV) In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite.

Shimei is not as nice as Mordecai will be.

He has heard that David is leaving, and he’s not sorry to see it happen.

:6 And 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.

:7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!

:8 The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”

:8 you are a bloodthirsty man

It could be that Shimei is blaming David for Saul’s death. It could be that he is blaming David for the death of Ishbosheth, who ruled briefly after Saul. But David wasn’t responsible for any of these things.

It’s possible that he’s thinking of Uriah’s death, which David WAS responsible for.

:6 he threw stones at David

Lesson

Kicked when you’re down

Shimei apparently never had the guts to say these things to David while David was the reigning king.

Yet now that David looks like he’s on the way out, Shimei has the courage to vent all his anger at David.

Solomon wrote,

(Pr 24:17–18 NKJV) —17 Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; 18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.

:9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”

:9 Abishai the son of Zeruiah

Another one of David’s nephews.

:10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”

:11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him.

:12 It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.”

:13 And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust.

:11 Let him alone, and let him curse

Lesson

Accepting what comes

I think I hear the self-condemnation in David’s answer. He knows that he is a guilty man and in some sense deserves all of this.

Some people think he should have taken Abishai’s offer because he has been forgiven and shouldn’t take the insults.

But David remembers his sin. He remembers what God said would happen as a result of his sin. And he’s willing to accept it.

At this point in David’s life, he isn’t sure what God is doing. If God wants to punish David, he doesn’t want to reject it.

Later on, when David has been through this tough season, and he has a better handle on what had happened, he will give instruction to his son Solomon:

(1 Ki 2:9 NKJV) Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

:14 Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.

David and his people apparently stop on the western side of the Jordan River without crossing it.

16:15-23 Ahithophel’s Advice

When Absalom arrives in Jerusalem, Ahithophel is with him.

David’s true friend and counselor Hushai greets Absalom and pledges to be loyal to Absalom.

Absalom now has David’s top two advisors at his side, and it’s time to ask them what to do next.

:15 Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him.

:16 And so it was, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

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

I wonder why we don’t have a record of this conversation happening between Absalom and Ahithophel?

Actually, it happened a little differently with Ahithophel. Absalom had called for Ahithophel. He apparently had this idea that he would be able to count on Ahithophel to join his rebellion.

(2 Sa 15:12 NKJV) —12 Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

Hushai is questioned because he came to Absalom instead of Absalom asking for him.

:18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain.

:19 “Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

Hushai gives an excellent answer to Absalom.

His loyalty is to the nation of Israel.

You could even make a point that he’s simply telling the truth.

It seems to satisfy Absalom.

:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give advice as to what we should do.”

:21 And Ahithophel 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 are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”

:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

:23 Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

:22 went in to his father’s concubines

Lesson

Sin’s harvest

David had sown the seeds of sin with Bathsheba, and now the full crop is being reaped.

Nathan prophesied when David had sinned:

(2 Samuel 12:11 NKJV) Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from 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.

Could it be that Ahithophel knew of this prophecy? Perhaps, but it still happened just like Nathan said.

The Bible says,

(Galatians 6:7–8 NKJV) —7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

We are seeing David “reaping” what he’s sowed.

I wonder if sometimes we could peek into the future to see where our sin was leading, if we would still do it.

:23 Ahithophel…the oracle of God

Lesson

Good advice vs. God’s advice

I’ve had a few Ahithophel’s in my life. I’ve had people whose counsel was considered “prophetic”.

Be careful about taking a person’s advice without question. Even mine. Be careful about making a person’s advice to be at the same place as if God has spoken.

And sometimes the advice might be good, but we might misunderstand it!

Illustration

When Pigs Fly

One sunny day, a man was walking down the street when a truck came flying by and hit a bump in the road. As the truck sped away a crate fell off. Excitedly the man ran over to see what was in the crate. The man open the crate and was stunned to see a pig. The man didn’t know what to do so he asked a police officer for some advice. The officer suggested that the man take the pig to the local zoo. A few days later while the police officer was directing traffic, he noticed this same man driving by in a car. The officer motioned to the man so he could find out if everything went well with his advice. The officer walked up to the car and was stunned to see sitting next to the man... the pig! The pig was sitting upright, with his seat belt on, holding a pinwill, and sqealing “wheeeee”. In between them sat a six pack of soda and some popcorn. “Good afternoon officer!” the man said. The pig looked over and gave a couple polite snorts. The stunned officer asked the man, “I thought I told you to bring that pig to the zoo!” The man replied, “Oh, I did, and we had so much fun today we’re going to the ballgame!!”

We need to always test the things we listen to.

The Bereans listened to what Paul had to say, and then checked it with the Scriptures.

(Acts 17:11 NKJV) These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

There are very real political reasons why Absalom is having sex with his father’s concubines. It’s a statement to the nation that he’s taking his father’s place. It’s also making him abhorrent to his father.

But does political expediency make it right?

17:1-29 Heading to War

The nation is heading into a civil war.

Ahithophel will give advice on attacking David, but Absalom will decide to go with Hushai’s advice…

At this point Ahithophel asks Absalom for some troops and promises to wipe David out immediately.

Hushai is also asked for advice, and he encourages Absalom a little patience, suggests he gather the entire nation together for a giant army, and that Absalom himself leads the attack on David.

Absalom likes Hushai’s idea because it played to his ego.

(2 Samuel 17:14 NKJV) So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom.

In the meantime, Hushai sends a message to David that he better get to the other side of the Jordan river because an attack is coming.

Ahithophel is bummed because his idea wasn’t used.

(2 Samuel 17:23 NKJV) Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.

David will make it across the Jordan and settle in Mahanaim, the city that years ago Ishbosheth was ruling from after Saul had died (2Samuel 2:8)

(2 Samuel 2:8 NKJV) But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim;

David is met by some friends in Mahanaim (I’ve got some interesting stuff in my notes but we don’t have time for it here)

17:1-4 Ahithophel’s end game

:1 Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight.

:2 I will come upon him while he is weary and weak, and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike only the king.

:3 Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace.”

(2 Sa 17:3 NLT) and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband…

:4 And the saying pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

:2 I will strike only the king

Ahithophel knows that the momentum is on Absalom’s side.

If they strike and take out David now, then it will all be over.

Actually, this is excellent advice for Absalom, because David is vulnerable right now and could be more easily defeated.

I am amazed that this “pleases” all the elders of Israel.

People are quite fickle.

17:5-15 Hushai’s advice

:5 Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says too.”

:6 Hushai the Archite

This fellow was David’s secret “plant” in Absalom’s new government.

When David was evacuating the city, he initially heard about Ahithophel joining up with Absalom and had prayed that God would somehow thwart any advice that Ahithophel would give.

The next thing that happened was Hushai coming up to David to offer to accompany David.

David asked Hushai to stay behind and help counter any dangerous advice that Ahithophel might give.

Hushai convinced Absalom that he was just a loyal Israeli, and would willingly work in for the government, no matter who was in charge.

Note that Ahithophel seems to be hanging out with Absalom, but Hushai has to be called.

I wonder why Hushai wasn’t asked in regards to the concubine thing. Perhaps he was asked, but decided that it wasn’t time for him to contradict Ahithophel.

:6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken in this manner. Shall we do as he says? If not, speak up.”

Absalom tells Hushai of Ahithophel’s advice to attack David now.

:7 So Hushai said to Absalom: “The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time.

:8 For,” said Hushai, “you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are enraged in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field; and your father is a man of war, and will not camp with the people.

:8 a bear robbed of her cubs

You don’t mess with a mama bear’s cubs.

Play Mama Bear video clip

:9 Surely by now he is hidden in some pit, or in some other place. And it will be, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’

:10 And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.

:10 your father is a mighty man

The people who first hear of spotting David will be the same ones to report that Absalom’s people have been slaughtered.

David and his men are the toughest of warriors, even if they are getting up in years.

It would be a little like trying to take on a bunch of old warriors like Stallone, Willis, Schwarzenegger, and Chuck Norris all at once …

Play Expendables trailer.

:11 Therefore I advise that all Israel be fully gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, like the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person.

:12 So we will come upon him in some place where he may be found, and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and all the men who are with him there shall not be left so much as one.

:11 all Israel

Hushai doesn’t recommend a smaller force of 12,000. He wants Absalom to use huge overwhelming force.

He doesn’t recommend that they only kill David, but that they kill all those who are with David as well.

He doesn’t recommend that Ahithophel lead the force, but that Absalom himself should be leading the troops.

He’s appealing to Absalom’s pride. That’s the right approach with a man like Abasalom.

This also exposes Abaslom to a little more danger.

:13 Moreover, if he has withdrawn into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city; and we will pull it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there.”

:14 So Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than the advice of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom.

:14 the advice … is better

Absalom and the others with him like Hushai’s advice better.

Perhaps because it sounds so macho with Absalom leading, and the idea of a huge victory over David’s people.

Lesson

Answered prayer

This was part of the answer to David’s prayer.

(2 Sa 15:31 NKJV) Then someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

The first thing that God did to answer David’s prayer was to bring Hushai to David (2Sam. 15:32).

The next thing that God does to answer David’s prayer is to use Hushai’s counsel and stop Ahithophel.

Don’t underestimate the power of prayer.

It may be that God would use a “non-supernatural” means like Hushai’s counsel, but God is still at work.

Pray.

17:15-29 Hushai’s warning

:15 Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so I have advised.

:16 Now therefore, send quickly and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up.’ ”

:15 Hushai said to Zadok

Hushai and Zadok the high priests were the other fellows friendly to David that had been left behind.

They are informed of the two plans and are charged with getting word to David to get across the Jordan to safety in case Absalom changes his mind and decides to attack immediately.

The plan in place was to use Zadok and Abiathar’s two sons, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, as messengers to relay information back to David.

:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed at En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David.

:17 En Rogel – “fount of the fuller”

A place near Jerusalem on the border between Judah and Benjamin and from which the permanent source of the pool of Siloam comes. Just outside of Jerusalem.

Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying just outside of town to avoid being detained by Absalom’s people.

:18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom. But both of them went away quickly and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, who had a well in his court; and they went down into it.

:18 Bahurim

Play Bahurim to Jericho map clip.

If the land back then was anything like today, Bahurim is probably the last chance to get gas before you make the trip down the hill to Jericho out in the wilderness before the Jordan River.

:19 Then the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground grain on it; and the thing was not known.

:20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?” So the woman said to them, “They have gone over the water brook.” And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

:21 Now it came to pass, after they had departed, that they came up out of the well and went and told King David, and said to David, “Arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus has Ahithophel advised against you.”

:22 So David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed over the Jordan. By morning light not one of them was left who had not gone over the Jordan.

David knows better than to ignore good advice.

He gets the people to safety.

:23 Now when Ahithophel saw that his advice was not followed, he saddled a donkey, and arose and went home to his house, to his city. Then he put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died; and he was buried in his father’s tomb.

:23 hanged himself

This sounds a little like a spoiled-brat who doesn’t get his way. It doesn’t sound too wise. But there may be more to it than we first think.

Josephus (Antiquities, 7:9:8) gives us a little different slant on things:

But Ahithophel, on rejection of his advice, got upon his ass and rode away to his own country, Gilon; and, calling his family together, he told them distinctly what advice he had given Absalom; and since he had not been persuaded by it, he said he would evidently perish, and this in no long time, and that David would overcome him, and return to his kingdom again; so he said it was better that he should take his own life away with freedom and magnanimity, than expose himself to be punished by David, in opposition to whom he had acted entirely for Absalom. When he had discoursed thus to them, he went into the inmost room of his house, and hanged himself; and thus was the death of Ahithophel, who was self-condemned;

The idea is that Ahithophel knew that Absalom would be defeated by following Hushai’s advice, and so he thought it would be better to take his own life than to face David after he defeats Absalom.

Lesson

Suicide

Suicide is the ultimate expression of selfishness.

All you think about is your own pain.

Some people even think they are being selfless by taking themselves out of the picture.

Yet if they were truly selfless, they wouldn’t put the burden of a suicide on the hands of those they leave behind.

You ignore the incredible pain that you will be putting on those you leave behind.

You leave behind people who will feel overwhelmed with grief and guilt, wondering, “If I had only said this or done that …”

Lesson

Lack of trust

Sometimes we take desperate steps when we probably shouldn’t take any steps at all.

We are afraid of the outcome, so we take things into our own hands.

We ignore the fact that God can work things out.

(Ps 37:3 NKJV) Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

The ultimate irony of Ahithophel’s life – he may have had some sort of bitterness or anger at David for having committed adultery with his granddaughter Bathsheba, but because he took his own life, he never gets to see his grandson Solomon become crowned king.

Let God work things out. Let Him take care of it.

:24 Then David went to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

:24 Mahanaim

Play Mahanaim clip.

Mahanaim was one of the places where old Jacob stopped on his way back home with his family and flocks (Gen. 32:1-2). It was there he was met by angels, and so he named the place “two camps” (one for his family, one for the angels).

(Ge 32:1–2 NKJV) —1 So Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him. 2 When Jacob saw them, he said, “This is God’s camp.” And he called the name of that place Mahanaim.

We are not totally sure of where this city is located, but we think it’s located up in the hills of what is now Jordan.

Mahanaim will become David’s headquarters while he is in exile. He will run the war from here.

:25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Jithra, an Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother.

:25 Amasa

The short of it – Amasa is another nephew of David, making him a cousin to Absalom.

Joab, the old head of the army, is with David.

:26 So Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

:26 Gilead

See map. The general term used to describe the area in the northern part of Israel, on the eastern side of the Jordan.

:27 Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,

:28 brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds,

:29 honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

:27 Shobi the son of Nahash

Shobi was the new ruler of the Ammonites.

After David had defeated the Ammonites, he set up another “son of Nahash” in place of Hanun to rule.

Shobi shows up to help.

Nahash was the Ammonite king who challenged the city of Jabesh Gilead and brought about Saul’s first opportunity to prove himself as king (1Sam. 11).

Hanun was also a son of Nahash (2Sam. 10), and when he first became king of Ammon, he humiliated David’s servants and caused a war between Israel and Ammon.

Rabbah was the capitol city of the Ammonites, whom David defeated at the time of the affair with Bathsheba. (see map)

Apparently when David had defeated the Ammonites, he had set up the other son (Shobi) to be their king.

:27 Machir

Machir was the man who had originally been taking care of Jonathan’s lame son, Mephibosheth. When David had wanted to show kindness to Jonathan’s children, he found out that Mephibosheth was being taken care of by Machir. (2Sam. 9:3-4)

(2 Sa 9:3–4 NKJV) —3 Then the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet.” 4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar.”

Now Machir offers to take care of David.

:27 Barzillai

He is a very old man, 80 years old (2Sam. 19:32), probably one of the leaders of Gilead.

If you recall, back in 2Samuel 2 we talked about how Mahanaim was the center of the iron ore industry – a pretty strategic place.

Barzillai’s name means “man of iron”. Perhaps he’s an important man in the iron ore industry.

Lesson

Helping in trouble

You could make a point that David deserves what happened to him.

Shimei threw stones and yelled curses.

These guys brought help.

18:1-18 Absalom’s Defeat

This is the war chapter.

Before the big civil war begins, David calls all the troops together and begs them to “deal gently” with Absalom.(2 Samuel 18:5 NKJV) Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

Joab finds Absalom and kills him, and the war is over.

When messengers reach David, they tell him about the victory as well as Absalom’s death

(2 Samuel 18:33 NKJV) Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!”

:1 And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

:1 numbered the people

It sounds like more and more people are coming to join David. When he left Jerusalem, it seemed that perhaps six hundred or more were with him. But don’t get too excited. Josephus tells us that David had about 4,000 followers at this time (Antiquities, 7:10:1)

As an experienced warrior, David knows he needs to get a little organized.

:2 Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, “I also will surely go out with you myself.”

:3 But the people answered, “You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city.”

:2 one third of the people …

David organizes the army he has and puts it under the control of these three faithful men.

Joab and Abishai are David’s nephews.

Ittai is David’s friend from Gath, the warrior (2Sam. 15:19)

:3 You shall not go out!

At this point, David is the whole game. If they lose David, they’ve lost everything. When you play “capture the flag”, you don’t carry the flag with you as you try to capture your opponent’s flag, you protect your flag.

And David is probably getting up a bit in years as well…

:4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

:5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

:5 Deal gently … with …Absalom

David gives a public order to his three captains. They are not to harm Absalom. The entire army is aware of this order. Even though David’s own life is being threatened by Absalom, he can’t get over the fact that Absalom is his son.

:6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim.

:6 the woods of Ephraim

This is a wooded area north of the river Jabbok. See map

It seems that Absalom’s army was trying to cut off David’s army by attacking them from the north of Mahanaim.

Josephus records that the main battle took place on a plain and that as Joab began winning the battle, Absalom’s men fled into the forest in retreat.

:7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day.

:7 slaughter of twenty thousand

Very interesting if Josephus is correct and David only had four thousand men. Yet David’s men were the old grizzled veterans who knew how to fight. Expendables…

:8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

When Absalom’s men fled, they were at a disadvantage for fleeing into the forest.

:9 Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.

:9 his head caught in the terebinth

See picture of Terebinth…

Absalom was fleeing with the rest of his army.

Remember Absalom’s great head of hair? He cut his hair once a year (2Sam. 14:6), and it weighed six pounds. It seems that it became a liability to him.

Josephus records (Antiquities 7:10:2):

He was himself also afraid lest his enemies should seize on him, so he got upon the king’s mule and fled; but as he was carried with violence, and noise, and a great motion, as being himself light, he entangled his hair greatly in the large boughs of a knotty tree that spread a great way, and there he hung, after a surprising manner; and as for the beast it went on farther, and that swiftly, as if his master had been still upon his back; but he hanging in the air upon the boughs, was taken by his enemies.

Lesson

Get haircut before fighting

There’s something smart about those Marines and their haircuts

There’s also another lesson about pride – Absalom’s hair was a source of his pride.

You will do better in battle if you enter it with humility, not pride.

Play “Dancing Fighter” video

The Bible says,

(Pr 16:18 NKJV) Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

:10 Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”

:11 So Joab said to the man who told him, “You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.”

:12 But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’

:13 Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”

The man knows his king. He knows that if he killed Absalom, he’d probably be killed by David.

If David killed the man who claimed to kill Saul, and then the men who claimed to kill Saul’s son Ishbosheth, what do you think he would do to the man who kills his own son?

:14 Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.

:15 And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him.

I wonder if they think that if ten men kill Absalom, that David might not kill them?

:16 So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people.

:16 Joab blew the trumpet

Joab stops his army from pursuing the remainder of the army of Israel, the real battle is over. Joab doesn’t want any further complications. He doesn’t want to cause the nation to resent David.

Lesson

Know when to stop

It’s not always appropriate to keep fighting.

Illustration

It's Been A Long Day!

A knight and his men return to their castle after a long hard day of fighting. “How are we faring?” asks the king. “Sire,” replies the knight, “I have been robbing and pillaging on your behalf all day, burning the towns of your enemies in the west.” “What?!?” shrieks the king. “I don’t have any enemies to the west!” “Oh,” says the knight. “Well, you do now.”

There are times when we can find ourselves in “battle-like” confrontations.

Sometimes as we’re sharing our faith, we can find ourselves in an argument rather than a discussion.

It’s not always worth “winning” the argument if you’re going to “lose” the person.

There is wisdom in knowing when to stop fighting.

Don’t forget what you’re really trying to accomplish. It’s not about wiping the person out, it’s about leading them to Jesus.

:17 And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.

:18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which 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 to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

:18 Absalom’s Monument

We read earlier that Absalom had three sons and a daughter (2Sa. 14:27).

(2 Sa 14:27 NKJV) To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.

What happened? Perhaps his sons had all died.

But apparently he set up this monument just in case all his kids died.

Josephus records (Antiquities 7:10:3),

Now Absalom had erected for himself a marble pillar in the king’s dale, two furlongs distant from Jerusalem, which he named Absalom’s Hand, saying, that if his children were killed, his name would remain by that pillar;

In other words, he made the pillar just in case his kids died.

We know that at least one of his children must have survived.

Solomon’s son Rehoboam would marry a granddaughter of Absalom:

(2 Ch 11:21 NKJV) Now Rehoboam loved Maachah the granddaughter of Absalom more than all his wives and his concubines; for he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and begot twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Lesson

Ambition

He made a monument to himself. He was concerned about leaving his mark on the world.

I think that Absalom’s ambition was part of what drove him to overthrow his father and make himself king.

Ambition for self is deadly.

(1 Jn 2:16 NKJV) For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

I think of how a few professional athletes are willing to cheat in their quest for ambition – to be great. Steroids, etc…

Ambition for the right things can be good.

William Carey, the father of the Christian Missions movement wrote in 1792,

“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God”

18:19-32 David hears about Absalom

:19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the Lord has avenged him of his enemies.”

Ahimaaz: This is the same young man who had relayed the message to David from Hushai earlier (2Sam. 17:17)

:20 And Joab said to him, “You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

:20 you shall not take the news

I wonder if Joab is thinking about all the times in the past when someone has given David bad news, and David has had the person killed.

When the Amalekite told David of Saul’s death, he had him killed for claiming to have slain Saul. (2Sam. 1:15)

When Baanah and Rechab came to tell David that they had killed Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, David had them put to death (2Sam. 4:9-12)

Perhaps Joab doesn’t want to take this chance with Ahimaaz.

:21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.

:21 Cushite – a man from Ethiopia

:22 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” So Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?”

Ahimaaz doesn’t really know the whole story. Joab doesn’t want him running.

:23 “But whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.

Ahimaaz apparently knew a shortcut across the plain and he out runs the Cushite.

:24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone.

:25 Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came rapidly and drew near.

A man running by himself would be a messenger.

:26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, running alone!” And the king said, “He also brings news.”

:27 So the watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

David and Joab might have an agreement. If Joab sends certain messengers, it means good news. It could be that David simply understands the way Joab thinks, that Joab isn’t going to risk sending a good man to tell David bad news. David might kill the messenger.

:28 So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!”

All Ahimaaz knows is that the battle is over and that David’s men have won.

:29 The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.”

:29 I did not know what it was about

If we take this at face value, Ahimaaz simply didn’t know the whole story.

Lesson

Messenger without a message

Ahimaaz just wants to run. But he’s not just a “runner”. He’s a “messenger”.

Whether he knows what the message is supposed to be or not, it really doesn’t matter. The fact is, he’s a messenger without the right message.

A messenger is of no value without a message. Listen to what Paul says, and see if you can’t figure out what our “message” is:

(Ro 10:8–15 NKJV) —8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

We are messengers too. We have a message.

What message are we giving people?

:30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

:31 Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.”

:32 And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” So the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!”

Translation: The kid is dead.

:33 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!”

:33 O my son Absalom

This is going to greatly disturb Joab when he hears how David is reacting. Joab and all the army will feel frustrated that they have defended David’s life, and he is unappreciative.

But David is also a father. It doesn’t matter what Absalom was doing, David loved his son.

19:1-8 David Mourns Absalom

Joab hears how David is making such a public show of mourning over Absalom that David’s friends aren’t sure if they should be happy that they won. Joab confronts David…:1 And Joab was told, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”

:2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.”

:3 And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

:4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

:5 Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines,

:6 in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well.

:6 hate your friends

Lesson

Love your friends too

Some people might think that Joab shouldn’t be so hard on David. After all, Jesus said to “love your enemies” (Mat. 4:44)

(Mt 5:43–44 NKJV) —43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

But Joab’s point isn’t so much that David loved his enemies, but that he wasn’t loving his friends.

I think we need to be careful in balancing all this, that we don’t act in a neglectful way to our friends just because we’re out there “loving our enemies”. I think we need to be careful that we don’t neglect our families because we’re involved in ministry.

Sometimes we can get so involved in helping others with our ministry, that we neglect people who ought to be at the top of our caring list.

Sometimes we neglect our families because we are too busy at church.

:7 Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

:8 Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king. For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent.

:7 speak comfort to your servants

Lesson

Leadership burdens

David would rather go off and mourn his son, but he needs to wipe away his tears and encourage his people.

As a leader, you don’t always have the same kinds of rights that others have.

Others could have the luxury of grieving over the loss of their son, but David won’t have that luxury.

The priests had similar restrictions placed on them.

When other people lost loved ones, they went through their grieving, touching the dead body, preparing it for burial, things that would make a person “unclean”.

Not so with the priests. The high priest couldn’t even do this for his own mother and father. (Lev. 21:10-12)

(Le 21:10–12 NKJV) —10 ‘He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes; 11 nor shall he go near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother; 12 nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the Lord.

There are times in ministry when you want to just run away and hide.

It might be personal struggles that you are facing, perhaps struggling with things like depression.

It might be about difficulties in your family.

It might be difficulties with people in the church.

Don’t get me wrong – there are times to take a break, but when you are in a leadership role, there are also times when you need to learn to suck it up and serve.

Illustration

Go To Church

A husband and his wife arose one Sunday morning and the wife dressed for church. It was just about time for the service when she noticed her husband hadn’t moved a finger toward getting dressed. Perplexed, she asked, “Why aren’t you getting dressed for church?” He said, “Cause I don’t want to go.” She asked, “Do you have a good reason?” He said, “Yes, I have three good reasons. First, the people there are cold. Second, no one likes me. And third, I just don’t want to go.” The wife replied, wisely, “Well, honey, I have three reasons why you should go. First, the people are actually quite warm. Second, there are a few people there who like you. And third, you’re the pastor! Get dressed!”

Illustration

OTHERS MAY, BUT YOU CANNOT

- G.D. Watson (1845-1924)

If God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do. Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent. Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works. Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury. The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious He may let others get credit for the work which you have done, and thus make YOUR REWARD TEN TIMES GREATER WHEN JESUS COMES. The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time, which other Christians never feel distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an Infinitely Sovereign Being, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in Jealous Love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle. Settle it forever, then that you are to DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this PECULIAR, PERSONAL, PRIVATE, JEALOUS GUARDIANSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OVER YOUR LIFE, then you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.

:8 There is the king, sitting in the gate

Lesson

The End of Mourning

I think there also comes a time when we need to learn to put an end to mourning and move forward.

Excessive mourning will eventually affect those around you in the wrong way.

David is warned that the people are all leaving him because of his excessive mourning.

It might be our mourning for a loved one like David, or our mourning over a sin we committed a long time ago.

Please don’t misunderstand me. Mourning is very appropriate in its place and in its time.

Jesus said,

(Matthew 5:4 NKJV) Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

I think there are going to be some situations where we will always carry a small taste of mourning as a reminder of what we’ve lost.

But at some point the mourning becomes more about me than about the thing I’m mourning over.

A super ministry called “Grief Share” can help you get through those times of mourning, but you need to put in the work.

David wrote,

(Psalm 30:5 NKJV) For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.

(Psalm 30:11–12 NKJV) —11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

19:9-43 David Returns

The rest of the chapter is about David and his people being brought back to Jerusalem.

On his way back Shimei the relative of Saul who cursed David will beg for mercy.

Mephibosheth will meet David and claim he was abandoned by Ziba, and it’s unclear who is telling the truth so David will split all of Saul’s properties between Mephibosheth and Ziba.

19:9-18 The King Returns

:9 Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.

:10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?”

The common people were wondering how David could win the battle, but not be invited back to be the king over Israel.

:11 So King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house?

:12 You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’

Zadok and Abiathar had been loyal to David and had only stayed back in Jerusalem at David’s request, so act as spies for David.

David now encourages the priests to talk to the leaders of David’s own tribe of Judah and suggest they bring David back as the king.

Keep in mind, the tribe of Judah had been unfaithful to David. They had chosen Absalom to be their king. Absalom had started his plot of rebellion at Hebron, the “capital” city of Judah.

:13 And 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 the army before me continually in place of Joab.’ ”

:14 So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”

Amasa had been appointed the head of the armies of Israel by Absalom.

In trying to unify the nation after this civil war, David offers to keep Amasa on as head of the army. Amasa was one of David’s nephews.

It may be that David is a bit angry at his former chief general, Joab, for killing Absalom.

:15 Then the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan.

:15 Gilgal

Play Gilgal map clip.

David is coming from Mahanaim.

The people of Judah are coming from Jerusalem.

They meet at Gilgal, down in the Jordan River valley.

This was the place where Joshua first set up camp in the Promised Land after they crossed the river Jordan.

Through the history of Israel, you will see significant things take place at Gilgal.

It’s kind of like getting back to your “roots”.

:16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

:17 There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over the Jordan before the king.

We are going to look at Shimei and Ziba a little more closely. We’ve seen these fellows back when David was evacuating Jerusalem.

Keep in mind that Josephus had told us that when David’s army fought Absalom, David’s army was only four thousand strong.

19:18-23 Mercy for Shimei

:18 Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan.

:18 Shimei

Shimei was a relative of King Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin.

He didn’t like David, and as David was fleeing from Absalom, Shimei was one of those people who rubbed it in David’s face. He followed David’s entourage shouting curses and throwing stones.

(2 Sa 16:7–8 NKJV) —7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 8 The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”

When David’s nephew Abishai offered to relieve Shimei of his head for his disrespect, David told him to leave Shimei alone.

(2 Sa 16:11–12 NKJV) —11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.”

And now this same Shimei is the first to greet David on the other side of the Jordan, with his hat in his hand.

:19 Then he said to the king, “Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.

:20 For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

:20 the house of Joseph

But isn’t Shimei from Benjamin?

Since Joseph is the largest of all the other tribes, he’s using “Joseph” to refer to all the other tribes, he’s the first among all those welcoming David back.

:21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?”

:22 And David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?”

:23 Therefore the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.

:22 Shall any man be put to death today

Lesson

Patience

I’m not sure this is an example of “loving our enemies”. I don’t think that’s the principle we’re seeing demonstrated here.

What David is saying is that this is not the time to be rough on dangerous enemies.

Shimei is not a safe person. He’s only kissing up to David because he made such a fool of himself in kissing up to Absalom earlier and cursing David.

He is a man who has his own agenda and has no real loyalty to David.

But this is not the time to be dealing harshly with all those who were against David.

It also probably doesn’t hurt that Shimei has 1,000 men with him either.

There will be a day.

When David gives his dying instructions to his son Solomon, he mentions Shimei, warning Solomon to keep his eye on him. (1Ki. 2:8-9)

(1 Ki 2:8–9 NKJV) —8 “And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

What Solomon will do is to test Shimei.

He will put him on a sort of “house arrest” and not do anything to Shimei unless Shimei doesn’t follow Solomon’s rules.

And there will be a day when Shimei won’t follow Solomon’s rules.

Shimei is a self-willed man who does only what he thinks he wants to do.

And the day will come when Solomon will have Shimei executed.

(1 Ki 2:36–46 NKJV) —36 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere. 37 For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head.” 38 And Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days. 39 Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to Achish the son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Look, your slaves are in Gath!” 40 So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath. 41 And Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back. 42 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’ 43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?” 44 The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will return your wickedness on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

But David is wise enough to know that at this particular time, it would be counterproductive to take action against Shimei.

Patience isn’t just about waiting for the right time to “kill” someone or get revenge.

Sometimes if we are patient and show mercy, it can change people and you don’t need to “kill” anyone.

Play “Neighbors” clip

19:24-30 Mephibosheth’s story

:24 Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace.

:25 So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

:24 Mephibosheth

Mephibosheth was the son of David’s friend Jonathan (2Sam. 9).

David had given Mephibosheth all of the properties of King Saul.

We first met Mephibosheth back in 2Sam. 9, when David was working to keep a promise to his best friend Jonathan.

David had promised to love on the descendants of Jonathan, and Mephibosheth was that person.

He was also crippled.

David had given all of King Saul’s lands and wealth to Mephibosheth and treated him like his own son.

Yet when David was fleeing from Absalom, Mephibosheth didn’t flee with David. Instead, David was met by Ziba, the servant who had been in given the responsibility of managing all of Mephibosheth’s property.

Ziba had shown up with food and donkey’s to help David on his journey, and told David a story about Mephibosheth being glad David was leaving, and hoping that the nation would now make him king. (2Sam. 16:3)

(2 Sa 16:3 NKJV) —3 Then the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’ ”

We kind of got the picture that Mephibosheth was laughing at David and expecting that he would become king.

Yet now we see that Mephibosheth hasn’t taken care of himself and has apparently been mourning the loss of David.

:26 And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame.

:27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.

:28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore to the king?”

:26 my servant deceived me

Now we hear a completely different story.

Mephibosheth claims that he wanted to go with David, but Ziba tricked him, left him at home, and told David a monstrous lie about Mephibosheth.

Lesson

Truth?

A week or so we saw on TV the movie, “Catch Me If You Can”, about Frank Abagnale Jr., who as a teenager deceived many people.

Play “To Tell The Truth” clip

Solomon wrote,

(Pr 18:17 ESV) The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.

At first we thought Ziba was telling the truth. Some of you might now believe Mephibosheth. I’m not so sure.

Mephibosheth’s lack of care for himself might indicate that he was sad over David leaving, or it could be that Ziba just stopped all care for Mephibosheth.

I’m not sure we are any closer to the truth.

And I think that David thinks the same thing.

Truth is so important if we really want to grow as believers.

(Eph 4:15 NKJV) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—

The movies have glamorized Frank Abagnale’s life, but it really wasn’t as glamorous as we think. After getting out of prison, he turned his life around, works for the FBI, and says the most important thing in his life is his wife and kids.

:29 So the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land.’ ”

:30 Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.”

:29 You and Ziba divide the land

I think this means that David can’t tell which one is telling the truth. So he splits the estate between Ziba and Mephibosheth. (like Solomon splitting the baby)

There are other things that make this decision a complicated one.

Ziba had shown David kindness by providing donkeys and food when David fled Jerusalem.

Ziba has been among the first to welcome David back.

Don’t forget the 1,000 men of Benjamin standing with Ziba and Shimei. This is the tribe of Ziba and Mephibosheth. Who knows what side they’re on?

Lesson

Making decisions is tough

I’ve read lots of commentaries that discuss whether David did this thing right or that thing wrong. Frankly, if we don’t have a clear word that David does something right or wrong, perhaps we just don’t know all that went into David’s decision.

19:31-40 Barzillai’s reward

:31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan.

Play Rogelim map clip.

Rogelim is somewhere about 40 miles north of Mahanaim, where David has made his headquarters. Barzillai was one of the fellows who helped David while he was down and out.

:32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man.

:33 And the king said to Barzillai, “Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

:34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?

:35 I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king?

:36 Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with such a reward?

:37 Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you.”

:38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you.”

:39 Then all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.

:40 Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. And all the people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the people of Israel.

:40 Chimham

We think this is the son of Barzillai. It has been suggested that David must have given Chimham a piece of property near Bethlehem which eventually became an inn. This inn was still around in Jeremiah’s day, it was on the road from Israel to Egypt. It was the last place to stop before crossing the desert to Egypt.

(Je 41:17 NKJV) And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem, as they went on their way to Egypt,

Some have suggested that Joseph and Mary may have even stopped there as they fled from King Herod with the baby Jesus.

On his deathbed, David would also leave instructions to Solomon regarding Barzillai:

(1 Ki 2:7 NKJV) “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

Lesson

Don’t forget to say “thanks”

David wants to honor his friend. He follows through.

(Lk 17:12–19 NKJV) —12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

thanks – eucharisteo (“well” + “grace”) – to be grateful, feel thankful; give thanks

Have you been shown “grace” by someone? Then show that you have been “well-graced” by saying “thank you”.

Play “Biker” clip

19:41-43 Quarrelling over David

:41 Just then all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David’s men with him across the Jordan?”

:42 So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”

:43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us—were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

:41 all the men of Israel came to the king

An argument breaks out among the people of who should have claim to David. The rest of Israel seems jealous that the tribe of Judah got to David first.

It seems that everyone likes a winner. Yet just a short time ago, they were all out to kill David and follow Absalom.

Lesson

Don’t read your press clippings

It’s easy to fall in love with having people like you. But watch out, people can change real quick.

Every major league baseball pitcher knows that the fans will cheer as long as you throw strikes. But as soon as you start walking people, the “boos” will come.

Illustration

Winston Churchill knew that public favor was no proof of real success. Once, after he gave a speech for which 10,000 people came out, a friend asked, “Winston, aren’t you impressed that 10,000 people came to hear you speak?”

Churchill replied, “Not really. 100,000 would come to see me hang.”

Illustration

In 1996, at 68, Walter F. Mondale retired to his home state to teach and practice law. After his mauling in the lopsided ‘84 presidential election, Mondale dropped off the national scene for several years. James Johnson, Mondale’s old campaign manager and chief aide, remembers Mondale calling him one day in 1986 from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport to say that he’d “hit bottom.” He said a woman had stopped him in the airport and told him she’d wanted to meet him all her life. She asked him to wait while she got her two children so they could meet him, too. Mondale waited, making sure his hair was combed and his tie was straight. When the woman returned with her kids, she said, “Children, let me present to you senator (George) Mc Govern.”

“They can’t even remember which of the defeated candidates I am!” Mondale joked to Johnson on the phone.

-- Fort Wayne Gazette, 11-17-96, p. 4A.

20:1-26 Sheba

After David is back to Jerusalem, there will be another short rebellion by a man named Sheba from the tribe of Benjamin.

Joab will lead the army and put down the rebellion.

There’s lots more in those chapters but it will all be in my notes.

20:1-22 Sheba’s Rebellion

:1 And there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said: “We have no share in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!”

:1 Sheba

This man is also from Benjamin, the tribe of Saul.

Josephus records that Sheba was at this contentious meeting of the nation as they argued about David. He stands up in the middle of the meeting and leads a group in rebellion.

Blowing a trumpet is like gathering your troops together, a call to action.

He wants everyone to go home and stop following David.

:2 So every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal to their king.

:2 deserted David

It seems that all of this takes place while David is making his way back to Jerusalem.

Not everyone is in love with the idea of David being king.

:3 Now David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

:3 his concubines

When David had left Jerusalem fleeing from Absalom, he had left these ten gals back in Jerusalem to keep the palace neat and clean.

But when Absalom came to Jerusalem, Ahithophel advised Absalom to have sex with these women. This would be a symbol to the nation that Absalom was taking his father’s place, and it would also make David hate Absalom.

These women will now be secluded for the rest of their lives. David won’t be intimate with them, though he will support them financially.

:4 And the king said to Amasa, “Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.”

:5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him.

:5 But he delayed

Amasa is now in charge of the army. But he doesn’t seem to want to respond to David’s orders too quickly. Perhaps he is not wanting to show David too much respect too quickly.

:6 And 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 find for himself fortified cities, and escape us.”

:6 will do us more harm

David feels that Amasa’s delay shows that he can’t trust him. He asks Abishai to take care of Bichri.

David isn’t treating the situation with Sheba like he did with Absalom. With Absalom, David seemed to wonder if his time of being king wasn’t over. But now David is secure in his calling as king, and he knows that he needs to deal with this rebellion.

:7 So Joab’s men, with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

These are the same six hundred men that stayed loyal to David when Absalom had revolted (2Sam. 15:18). These are the elite troops, David’s personal body guards.

:8 When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out.

:9 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Are you in health, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.

:10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

:8 Gibeon

Play Gibeon map clip.

Gibeon is an important city of Benjamin six miles northwest of Jerusalem.

:10 Amasa did not notice

Joab is quite good at this. He’s an old warrior who knows how to kill people.

He’s killed Abner in revenge for killing his brother Abishai.

He’s killed Absalom against David’s wishes.

If I were to meet Joab today, I would keep my distance.

What is Joab’s motive?

It could be loyalty for his king.

As much trouble as Joab was at times, up to this time he has stayed loyal to his uncle David. It could be that he perceives that Amasa is going to cause David trouble.

It could be to get his job back.

Amasa has taken Joab’s job. Abner might have also taken Joab’s job.

:11 Meanwhile one of Joab’s men stood near Amasa, and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David—follow Joab!”

:12 But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted.

:13 When he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

Seeing the dead body of their new commander, the army came to a halt. When the body is moved out of the way, the march continues.

:14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maachah and all the Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after Sheba.

:14 Abel … Beth Maachah

Play Abel Beth Maachah map clip.

A little town up in the north, about 100 miles north of Jerusalem.

:15 Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.

:16 Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’ ”

:17 When he had come near to her, the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your maidservant.” And he answered, “I am listening.”

:18 So she spoke, saying, “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes.

Abel is a place known for people who are wise.

It’s an interesting thing that it’s a woman who steps up to negotiate with Joab.

:19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?”

She wants to know why Joab has come to apparently seek to destroy their city, though they are fellow Israelis.

:20 And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy!

:21 That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.” So the woman said to Joab, “Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.”

:22 Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

Apparently the people saw the wisdom in removing Sheba’s head.

A wise woman saved her city by dealing with the rebel.

20:23-26 David’s Government

:23 And Joab was over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites;

Joab gets his old job back.

Benaiah will eventually become the head of the army under Solomon.

:24 Adoram was in charge of revenue; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

:25 Sheva was scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;

:26 and Ira the Jairite was a chief minister under David.

:6 Take your lord’s servants and pursue him

Lesson

Time for strength

When Absalom rebelled against David, David seemed filled with doubts.

I can’t help but wonder if he was struggling with his own guilt over his sin with Bathsheba, especially when so much ties to that sin – Bathsheba’s grandfather Ahithophel helping Absalom, Absalom fulfilling the prophecy about sex with David’s wives…

I understand what it is to be weak and unsure of yourself when it comes to handling difficulties and conflict.

Yet at this point in David’s life, he seems to have gotten a second wind, and he realizes the extent of the danger of another civil war.

It’s time to deal with the problem. He can’t take the chance of waiting or moping or being depressed.

There are times when we are faced with difficult times, and we just need to be strong.

(1 Co 16:13–14 ESV) —13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.

How can we be strong when we feel so weak?

(Is 40:30–31 NKJV) —30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

You have to go back to the source of real inner strength – God.

Absalom’s rebellion might make us ask this question about our own trials…

Lesson

Is this my fault?

One of the things I’m concerned about today is that you will get the idea that all the troubles you might be going through are only a result of your sin.

As if you’re just reaping what you’ve sowed.

Though we could do an entire study on this issue, let me just give you three of the most likely answers to this question.

1. It is my fault

Sometimes this is the hard cold fact. It was my fault.

But be careful that you aren’t stopped from following God because of shame.

Brene Brown is a researcher who talks on subjects related to counseling. I’m not sure she’s a Christian, but she often has some good insights that are very parallel to Scripture.

Play Brene Brown – Shame

Of course we know that Satan, the accuser of the brethren, will often do what he can to stop us through shame.

Confess your sin. Don’t get crushed by shame. Do as David did.

(Psalm 32:5 NKJV) I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

Trust God.

David wrote Psalm 3 when he fled from Absalom.

(Psalm 3:3–6 NKJV) —3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. 4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around.

Learn your lessons.

Move forward.

2. It is the world

Sometimes the problems we face come from the fact that we live in a fallen, sinful world that opposes God.

People all around us are making stupid decisions and sometimes we may be part of the collateral damage.

(1 Peter 4:12–13 NLT) —12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

Sometimes the pain we experience is because we are followers of Jesus, and we live in a fallen world.

3. God is growing us

No matter what the reason is, trials help me mature.

(James 1:2–4 NKJV) —2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Our struggles grow our “patience” muscles.

The Greek word used here (hupomone – “remain under”) speaks of a person who will not be sidetracked from God’s purpose no matter what comes.

Patience produces maturity, “perfect and complete”.

It’s about learning to “grow up” as a believer.

Quiz

From the lecture (7pts):

1. ___________ Response

From Memorization (fill in the blank, 3pts)

2. Surely goodness and _________ shall follow me

Homework

Read McGee chapter 9 – “David’s Greatest Sin”

https://youtu.be/xvocMWhWqJ8?si=hcR_C9-hfFlQ1iFr

(might not be the right sermon)

Review Psalm 23:1-6

Try reciting it to a friend out loud.

Be prepared to answer this question: “What encourages you the most in Psalm 23 right now?”

Blessing