2 Samuel Series - Week 17: Unthwartable Plans

 By the mid 1500s, the Spanish Empire was set to be a world power. They had discovered the New World by way of Columbus, and riches were pouring in. Other European powers moved quickly to get their foot into the New World. This brought Spain and England into direct conflict, and scrimmages began to break out. Finally, Spain had enough and chose to invade England. The Spanish mobilized a massive armada of around 130 ships. They set sail for England, carrying tens of thousands of soldiers. On their way, they were met by a very small English fleet. Yet, the smaller long rang vessels of the English were able to destroy six ships and caused the Armed to rethink their attack. Then a storm rose up. Out of the 130 ships, upwards of sixty-four were lost or destroyed in the tempest. This defeat broke the Spanish’s maritime power and led to the rise of England as the global power.

The Spanish crown believed their plan was a sure thing, yet one storm led to their downfall. This idea that our plans can fail so quickly and massively, is what brings us back to our summer series, where we’ll be picking it back up in Second Samuel Chapter 16, verse 15. As we open up to Second Samuel 16:15, let’s look back on how we got here.

David’s sin with Bathsheba led to a series of rampant sin. People have died, a daughter has been violated, justice has not been served, and now David’s kingdom is starring down another civil war. Sin has compounded upon sin. We have noted that, the festering of sin is what has caused these issues, and that God calls us away from allowing sin to fester in our lives. The antidote to festering sin is confession, repentance and seeking the cleansing work of the Spirit in our lives. Because even when we want good things like reconciliation, if we’re not in a place where we are waiting on God to move, we will just exasperate the problems.

This is God’s calling in our lives, that we would be people who are not stagnant in our faith, but rather we are always growing in our trust and obedience. One way we can grow is in our contentment. As we saw in David’s life, we are to be content in the good and bad circumstances we find ourselves in, because our satisfaction needs to be found in God alone. 

And its in the circumstance of David’s son poised to attack, that we return to Second Samuel 16:15. Where we’re going to look at two chapters. However, we’re not going to read Chapter 17, verses 15-29, so I encourage you to read those verses this week. Now, let’s read together.

16:15 Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, for whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you.”

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel. What shall we do?” 21 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 have made yourself a stench to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.

17:1 Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “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 discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5 Then Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “Thus has Ahithophel spoken; shall we do as he says? If not, you speak.” 7 Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai said, “You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people. 9 Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men. 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and all the men with him not one will be left. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there.” 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.

v.16:15-17:4

David was on his way to the Jordan river to rest and prepare for the enviable clash with his son. This is where we ended last week. Now we get what happened when Absalom entered Jerusalem. 

First, Absalom seeks the counsel of Ahithophel. This is actually a really good idea. Because Ahithophel’s counsel was so wise, and always seemed to turn out so good, that he was seen as if someone was talking to God (v.16:23).

Ahithophel gives Absalom two points of counsel: First, he encourages the son to sleep with his father’s concubines. We might think this is a weird thing to do, except this was a common practice in the Ancient Near East. When a new king came to power, after either defeating the previous king, or the previous king’s natural death, they would sleep with the previous king’s concubines as a sign that he had replaced the old king. We actually saw this brought up earlier in Second Samuel, Chapter 3. Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son and crowned king of Israel, had accused Abner, the king’s general, of going into Saul’s concubines. Ish-bosheth was accusing Abner of practicing this as a way to seize power. Now, Ahithophel is counseling Absalom to make this type of power move.

The second counsel is for Absalom to give Ahithophel an army of 12,000 men to pursue David while he was “… weary and discouraged … (v.17:2)” This would have been a really good idea. David was in a vulnerable situation. He had taken with him women and children, which made him slow. And we have already seen the discouraging state he was in, though he himself wasn’t discourage. David had left behind the stronghold of his kingdom, he had been told that “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom (.v15:13)” In other words, all of Israel had turned against him. And we saw how there were other usurpers, specifically Saul’s grandson Mephibosheth, who had been outwardly supportive of David, but inwardly lay in wait to take the kingdom for themselves. Everything seemed against David. So, from a human perspective, Ahithophel’s counsel was really good.

Absalom takes Ahithophel’s first counsel, and sleeps with concubines; showing that he really is his father’s son. They both easily succumb to their lustfulness. But Absalom isn’t too quick to follow the second part of Ahithophel’s counsel. 

v.17:5-14

Instead, Absalom decides to ask counsel from Hushai, and Hushai gives a counter approach: Hushai’s counsel is: don’t move too fast because David is a skilled warrior, and he has many skilled warriors with him. Hushai reminds Absalom that David’s men are battled hard and ready. Their reputation would be enough to make other men quiver. So if they attack and then are routed by David, Absalom’s reign with end before it begins. Hushai’s counsel then is, not to go out right away, like Ahithophel suggests, but rather, gather a force that Absalom himself leads. 

Hushai is playing into Absalom’s high view of himself. Remember, Absalom believes himself to be a better king that David, even though he has done nothing to prove it. 

In the end, Absalom and the other men, go with Hushai’s advice. Notice that it’s here that the Lord is mentioned for the first time since his word of peace was sent concerning David’s second son with Bathsheba. God has seemingly been inactive as his judgment has unfolded, yet, this shows that he is working behind the scenes. The Lord will not have Absalom on the throne of Israel, and so has worked to route the counsel of Athithophel. Even the wise counselor cannot overcome the plans of the Lord himself. 

But since Ahithophel’s counsel wasn’t followed, we’re told in verse 23 of Chapter 17, that he takes his own life. This is most likely because he foresaw Absalom’s defeat and knew he would be executed for his role in the conspiracy to overthrow David. 

v.17:15-29 (Not reading this part)

The last verses of Chapter 17, play out how David finds out about Absalom’s next move. This is done through the spy network that was set up on his way out of Jerusalem.

The story plays out reminiscently like the spies at Jericho: two spies are looked for, they’re concealed by a woman, and succeed in their relaying the information to their superior. 

The chapter ends with war on the horizon, as Absalom marches out to face his father in battle.

The main theme of this passage of Scripture is the plans of humans. There are two rival counsels being give. Athithophel’s and Hushai’s. In reality, if Absalom would have followed Athithophel’s advice, there’s a good chance he would have overcame his father. However, it is the plans of God that win the day. Though God’s intention wasn’t to have David sin and be in this very predicament, God carries out his plan in spite of human desire.

Proverbs 19:21 state, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”

Through the prophet Isaiah, God said, “Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose …’ (v.46:8-10)”

Job realized this and declared, “I know that you can do all things,
    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted (v.42:2).”

As believers we must hold to the reality that, even though it may seem at times that God is inactive in our lives, he is actually working things out behind the scenes to bring about his purposes. That’s another reason why we can be content, because God is working, even when we don’t hear him, or see him. 

This is why Romans 8:28 is so key in our waiting upon the Lord to move. Paul states, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” When we are seeking God’s purposes, then everything that is happening will work for the good. We might have to face down an army while we’re in a discouraging situation, but we can hold to God’s working out his goodness, because we are seeking his purpose.

Last week I asked you to write down those areas that you’re suffering in. This week I want you to add at the very top these words, “God’s Purpose Cannot Be Thwarted.” Every circumstance we come into, every moment of suffering, every plan of people and demons, can not overcome the purposes of the Lord. So we, as his people, must seek those purposes. Because in God’s purposes, will we find contentment through the plans set against us. So every time you face something that comes against you, seek the Lord, that you would be in his purposes, and content in them.

Let us be a people of God’s plans, not our own, nor of other peoples. Because its only his plans and purposes that will never be thwarted. Amen.

2 Samuel Series - Week 16: Suffering Contently

  In the Refreshment room of in our church building, we have magazines from Voice of the Martyrs. In them you can read stories of what is happening all over the world to the Church of Christ. One of the stories that comes out of the Voice of the Martyrs is about Tanmay, a Christian in India. He is a prominent Christen in his village, who would gather with another family to pray at their house. One night, while they were having their prayer meeting, a Hindu extremist group set fire to Tanmay’s house and shop. The families escaped with only the clothes on their backs, but everything else was destroyed. Due to this, Tanmay and his family had to move in with his brother’s family. With the help of believers from around the world, they are in the process of rebuilding Tanmay’s house and shop. When interviewed about the situation, Tanmay expressed his desire to start up, not just a prayer meeting, but a fellowship of believers in his new home. 

It’s this type of attitude in the midst of suffering, that brings us back to our series, where we’ll pick it back up in Chapter 16 of Second Samuel. And as we open up to Second Samuel 16:1-14, let’s remind ourselves where we are so far. 

The section we’ve termed, the Dark Days of David, began when David let his eyes wander, which led to his adultery with Bathsheba, the death of Uriah, the death one of David’s sons, then the violation of one if his daughters by a different son, then the death of that son by another son, and eventually that son rebelling against him. Through all of this we understood that, God calls us to not allow sin to fester, because it will grow and destroy as much as it can, yet we cannot reconcile relationships ahead of God’s direction. The antidote to sin festering in our lives, is through the blood of Jesus, we can confession, repent and seek his cleansing. This type of attitude keeps us from allowing sin to take back control and continue to destroy our lives.

Yet, as we saw last week, David was growing as a follower of God. Though he isn’t perfect, and has done immense damage to his family, we see that he still seeks to be faithful. His act in sending the ark of the covenant back shows that growth. Its that action where we understood that, God is calling us to a faith that doesn’t stay stagnant, but grows in trust and obedience. Even when we falter in our faith, God is calling us to continue to grow, because growth in trusting and obeying him, proves that the work of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection power has been and is doing work in us.

With that in mind, let’s read together, Second Samuel 16:1-14.

1 When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, bearing two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink.” 3 And the king said, “And where is your master's son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father.’” 4 Then the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” And Ziba said, “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

5 When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, and as he came he cursed continually. 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 And Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! 8 The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood.”

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing 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 to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12 It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” 13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. 14 And the king, and all the people who were with him, arrived weary at the Jordan. And there he refreshed himself.

David encounters two people as he is leaving Jerusalem: Ziba, and Shimei; the blesser and the curser.

v.1-4

Ziba is a servant of Mephibosheth, who is the grandson of Saul and the one whom David took into his house and provided for back in chapter 9. Here, we find out that Ziba is doing this out of his own desire to support David, because Mephibosheth believes that, with David leaving the city, the people of Israel will make him king and restate his family as rulers. 

Back in Chapter 3 we talked about how, even when we try to live righteously, wicked people will do wicked things, and there are times, when the righteous will be hurt by it. It’s a wonder how Mephibosheth, who, in any other kingdom would have been killed, because he was both crippled and the grandson of a previous dynasty. Yet, David showed mercy upon him, and now it’s revealed that Mephibosheth didn’t honor David as David had honored him. 

So in response to Ziba’s loyalty, David decides that he will give all that he had given to Mephibosheth, to this servant, because of the honor one had, where the other didn’t.

This also shows us that not everyone was out to get David. He still had loyal people in the land.

v.5-14

But the honor quickly goes away as David encounters Shimei, a family member of Saul. Shimei believes that David usurped Saul’s throne, and that God was now punishing David for his treachery. However, we know the behind the scenes reality. We know that God took the kingdom from Saul because of his pride. We know that God gave Saul many chances to repent, but he didn’t and acted as if he were the true king of Israel, when in reality he was an underling to the true King. We know how David avoided killing Saul, though he had at least two situations where he could have. And we know how David honored Saul and his family, even after his death. 

In addition to this, we know why David is in the plight he’s in. David caused his own problems through his own sin. It is divine judgment that David’s experiencing, but it’s not like Saul’s judgment. Though David has sinned, he, unlike Saul, is repentant, and so his kingdom will not be taken away, but will continue. 

But Shimei doesn’t know any of this. Shimei only sees David as a threat to his own family, and begins cursing the king.

In response, we see again, the growth of David. We’re told that David’s men are on all side of Shimei. The king could easily had the man killed. But David doesn’t go that route. Instead, when given the option to silence the curser, David says, “Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today. (v.11-12)”

David understood that this could be from God, so he allows it, because if the curse is from God, then God is right to have sent it. However, if this is a wrongful curse, then David trusts that the Lord will repay him for the evil. That’s an immense amount of growth by David. 

It incapsulates Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:38-39, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

This is why God chose David when others wouldn’t, because David, though he was a sinner just like his predecessor, he would grow in his faith. And one of the hardest areas for the follower of Jesus to grow in, is the area of suffering. Repaying evil for evil is one of the easiest things we can do. It’s so natural in our fallen state to respond to the evil people throw on us, that once we enter into the new life of Christ, its one of the hardest areas of our old self to leave in the grave.

We talk about our rights, but our rights are nothing compared to the obedience Christ calls us to. And so we must learn this lesson, as followers of Christ, we are the best people to suffer, because we follow the suffering Jesus.

Peter is a great example of a man who didn’t get this lesson, until he did. He was the one who stood between Jesus and the cross (see Matt. 16:23; Mk. 8:33), and it was Peter, who cut the ear off the guard who came to arrest Jesus (Jn. 18:10). Peter knows what it means to fight against suffering, but then, after years of following the risen Jesus in his suffering, Peter wrote this in his first letter, “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For ‘Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.’ Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. (1 Pet. 3:8-17)”

Suffering is one of those issues that none of us wants to experience, yet what both David and Peter understood is the lesson God has for us: God is calling us to be content in our circumstance, good or bad, finding our satisfaction in him alone.

 

Our Lord suffered to bring the gift of salvation to humanity. The King of the universe descended to the muck and mire of our world, so that we could be raised to his glorious life. We have all eternity a head in his blessed new perfect creation. So all the suffering on our part now is a drop in the bucket compared to his, and what is to come.

So my challenge this week is to write down the areas where you are suffering. It could be financially, physically, relationally, emotional, mentally, or another area. Write it down, and then write next to it, “Lord let me see the blessing through this.” The Lord doesn’t allow his people to suffer willy-nelly, he has purpose in it. Sometimes the purpose is to teach or correct us, and sometimes its to teach others. Either way, his purposes and glory will be seen in his children who suffer with their eyes on him.

Let us be a people who suffer, and count that suffering as our Lord did, as joy. Amen.

2 Samuel Series - Week 15: Stumbling Into the Lord

  It was October of 1986, the Red Sox had finally made it back to the World Series after a decade of being knocked out of the running. It was game six, and the Red Sox were up 3-2, one more win, and they would have ended a World Series drought that had lasted since 1920.  The game went into extra innings. The Sox retired two batters, and were one out away from the  championship. But they gave up three hits in a row, which brought the opposing team up to just two points from victory. 

What happened next shaped Red Sox fans for a generation. Mookie Wilson came up to bat for the Mets, and dinged off six foul balls, then this is happened next: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18caPNisP2U.

Bill Buckner, the first baseman, later said, “I can’t remember the last time I missed a ball like that, but I’ll remember this one.”

His stumble over that routine ground ball is considered one of the greatest blunders in Major League Baseball history.

And it’s this idea of stumbling that brings us back into our Second Samuel series, where we’ll be picking it back up in Second Samuel Chapter 15, starting in verse 13. And as we jump back into Second Samuel 15:13-37, let’s remind ourselves where we are in the life of David.

The situation we’re currently working through started with David’s sin with Bathsheba, which led to the death of Bathsheba’s husband Uriah, which led to the death of David’s first son with Bathsheba, which led to the breakdown of the spiritual covering in the family, which led to Amnon violating his sister Tamar, which led Tamar’s brother Absalom to kill Amnon, which led to Absalom being prematurely reconciled back to David, and finally led to Absalom seeking to overthrow his father David and install himself as king. From these weeks we have walked away with the idea that, God calls us to not allow sin to fester, because it will grow and destroy as much as it can. However, we cannot jump ahead of God in the reconciliation of relationships or it might end just as badly.

And now we’ll see how David responds to the threat of Absalom as we read Second Samuel 15:13-37.

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

18 And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king. 19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. 20 You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you.” 21 But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.” 22 And David said to Ittai, “Go then, pass on.” So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. 23 And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the king crossed the brook Kidron, and all the people passed on toward the wilderness.

24 And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. 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 let me see both it and his dwelling place. 26 But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 31 And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

32 While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be 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 have been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son, and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

v.13-17

The passage transitions from Absalom calling on the people of Israel to join him, to David receiving a message that, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom. (v.13)” Now it may seem like that, but we know it’s not the case. Absalom is creating a conspiracy that actually has very few supporting it. But it was done in such a way that it seemed like everyone had turned against David.

So David does something that, at first, doesn’t seem like a good idea, he leaves the protection of the city. The reason this doesn’t seem like a good idea is because a city is a good place to fortify against an attacking army. Siege weapons, like the trebuchet, won’t be invented for thousands of years, so sieging a city is a hard task. You need a large army, and a willingness to spend months choking the resources of the city. Earlier in Second Samuel, we saw that Joab besieged the city of Rabbah (12:26-27), which took a while to overcome.

So, why doesn’t David wait for Absalom to beside the city and fight it out there? Well for a few reasons: First, unless you can outlast your opponent, or have allies outside the city who will fight for you, being stuck in a city isn’t such a good idea. There’s no retreat once you’re in the city. Second, David doesn’t know the strength of Absalom’s military. True we know there’s only about fifty people that will actually fight for Absalom, but David doesn’t know that. He knows that there were two hundred that went with Absalom to Hebron, and now he’s hearing that all of Israel is with his rebellious son. So It appears to David that he won’t have reinforcements coming to help him in a siege situation. 

So instead, David decided to leave the city and take his chances out in the wilderness. This actually plays to David’s strengths. He has won his greatest victories out in the wilderness. He spent years roaming all over Israel as he escaped from Saul. So out of the city is actually a better strategy for him, than would be staying in it.

v.18-23

But as he leaves Jerusalem, he stops at the last house and watches everyone who is coming with him march out of the city. It’s here that we’re told of three groups of foreigners that are marching with David. These are most likely foreign mercenaries who have come to fight for David in other capacities. Except they’re more than just mercenaries. Through Ittai we’re shown that these foreigners are actually faithful to David. His response to David questioning him about just starting, reveals that he believes David is the rightful king appointed by God. 

These foreigners may be there because they don’t have anywhere else to go back to, but even given the chance to change sides, they still choose David, even if it’s a loosing cause. So, even if all of Israel is against David, which it’s not, David’s actions still develop loyalty in the men who fight for him. This also shows us how militarily powerful David actually was. He had many battle harden men compared to Absalom’s “drafted” men.

v.24-31

It is then that the priests bring out the ark of the covenant, however David sends it away. This is something that David wouldn’t have done a few years earlier. By sending it back David shows that he learned his lesson about placing his trust in the ark rather than in God (2 Sam. 6).

In fact, his focus on God in this moment leads to the creation of Psalm 3. That Psalm reads,  “O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! (Ps. 3:1-8)”

David once believed that it was the ark that housed God’s power, but he had learned to revere God as holy, and not trust in artifacts, but in the Living God himself. David doesn’t need the ark, he only needs the Lord.

v.32-37

The passage ends with David setting up his own spy network to gain intel on his son. He doesn’t trust his advisor Ahithophel, so he leaves behind a trust advisor to relay information through the priests to the outside. Through David’s actions he sets up the best possible situation as to cause the least amount of blood shed. Many people would have died at the besieging of Jerusalem, but David allowed his son to conquer it with no bloodshed. But there’s still a war on the horizon, and we’ll see the battle in a few chapters. 

Coming out of this passage we can see that, though David has his deficiencies in some areas of faith, he was still strong in others. Yes, he was weak in his sexual desires, and weak when dealing with his family, but he was still beloved by those who served under him. He was still a good military tactician. He still cared for the non-military personnel that lived under his rule, and he still trusted God above all else. 

This should give us encouragement. Just because we fail in some areas, doesn’t mean we can’t still be faithful. David had failed, and failed miserably. His situation was his own doing. If he didn’t follow his lingering eyes, Uriah would most likely be alive, and there would be no child that would have died. If David hadn’t failed, he might have seen his son’s sexual desire for Tamar and stopped it before it happened. And if it did happened he might have brought justice upon his son, so that it would have not led to his other son eventually rebelling.

Yes, David’s situation is because of his sin, but that’s the beauty of God’s grace. Though we are unfaithful, God never is. John, writing in his first letter to the Church, tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jn. 1:9)” God is always faithful, all he requires is a recognition of the sin we commit, because when we recognize our sin and confess it to God, we’re taking ownership of what we have done wrong. Only when that happens can true restoration occur.

David has accepted that he has sinned, he has even confessed it, now he holds only to God to save him. David has done something that shows that inner work of God which God saw when he first called him to be king, that though he may fail, he returns to God and accepts whatever God decides is right.

That’s the kind of faith God is calling us to, a faith that doesn’t stay stagnant, but grows in trust and obedience. We’re going falter in our faith like we’re Buckner in the 10th inning of the world series, there’s not question in that, but how we respond in turning towards God or away, shows whether we fail in our faith. 

I have always had the mindset that I only fail something if I don’t learn from it. I was told once that it was a cocky attitude, but I don’t think it is. Failure to me is if I keep doing the same thing again and again and never grow out of it. Growth is stumbling on something and learning to not step in the same spot.

God is calling us to growth, and that means when we stumble in our faith, we turn to him to cleanse us and grow us so that we don’t stumble in the same place twice. Its the turning to God for all things that will grow us out of stumbling, not just trying to be better. 

My challenge for you this week is pray these words daily, and especially when you stumble and falter because of sin, “Lord I confess that I faltered in sin, and I thank you for the forgiveness you gave me through Jesus’ work on the cross. Lord help me to rely on you that I may grow from this more trusting of you. Amen.”

Let us be a people who, when we stumble, we fall on to the Lord and nothing else. Amen.

2 Samuel Series - Week 14: Reconciliation in God’s Timing

  The acclaimed director, Christopher Nolan, released a new take on Homer’s Odyssey. The Odyssey is the second part of a greater epic about the Trojan and Greek wars. The Odyssey focuses on Odysseus, his men, and their adventure returning home. 

One of the most iconic scenes of Homer’s great epic is the Trojan horse. For ten years the Greeks have tried to break through the walls of the great Trojan city of Troy. But the walls are too heavily fortified. It is then that the Greeks get an idea, they will pretend to leave, but they’ll also leave behind a wooden horse with soldiers inside. The hope is, the Trojans will bring the horse into the city and from within, their destruction can finally come. 

Everything works out, Troy falls to the Greeks, and Odyssey’s adventure home begins.

The story has become one of the most well known examples of betrayal in history. Believing you are bringing something good into your home, and yet within it, destruction follows.

It’s this idea of hoping for good, but experiencing evil from that good that brings us back to our series in Second Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in Second Samuel Chapter 14, starting in verse 1. And as we are opening up to Second Samuel 14:1, let’s remind ourselves how we got here.

The Dark Days of David began when David allowed his eyes to linger on Bathsheba as she bathed. This led to adultery, conspiracy, and the murder of her husband Uriah. The judgement of God came to David and the child born through that adultery died. Then, because of David’s sin, the spiritual covering over his family was shattered. His oldest son, Amnon, violated his sister, Tamar. When David found out, he compounded the sin of his son by not bringing justice to his daughter. This let the sin fester, and Tamar’s brother Absalom took vengeance two years later, killing Amnon.

Through these series of events, we can walk away with the understanding that, God calls us to not allow sin to fester, because it will grow and destroy as much as it can. David allowed his sin to fester and it led to the destruction of his entire family. God is calling us to confession, repentance, and godly judgment which are the antidote to sin’s festering. But as we’ll see today, David’s festering sin still hasn’t been dealt with.

Let’s read together Second Samuel 14:1-15:12.

14:1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart went out to Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, “Pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning garments. Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. 3 Go to the king and speak thus to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, “Save me, O king.” 5 And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 And your servant had two sons, and they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. 7 And now the whole clan has risen against your servant, and they say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.’ And so they would destroy the heir also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” 9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father's house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.” 10 The king said, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.” 11 Then she said, “Please let the king invoke the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed.” He said, “As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Speak.” 13 And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again. 14 We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. 15 Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. 16 For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the heritage of God.’ 17 And your servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will set me at rest,’ for my lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!”

18 Then the king answered the woman, “Do not hide from me anything I ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king speak.” 19 The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered and said, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant. 20 In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.”

21 Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22 And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage and blessed the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence.” So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king's presence.

25 Now in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king's weight. 27 There were born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.

28 So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king's presence. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab would not come. 30 Then he said to his servants, “See, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom's servants set the field on fire. 31 Then Joab arose and went to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?” 32 Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent word to you, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now therefore let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death.’” 33 Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.

15:1 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” 3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” 4 Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. 8 For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.’” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” 11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

v.14:1-28

The passage begins on a hopeful note. Joab sees that David is having a hard time because he wants to bring his son, Absalom, home, but he can’t because he feels like that wouldn’t look good. Absalom is still seen as a murder.

So Joab takes a book out of God’s playbook, and gets someone to present a situation where David is given a way to bring his son back to Jerusalem. Except, instead of God being the author, it’s Joab. Notice that God hasn’t spoken. God hasn’t called for Absalom to return, so Joab’s taking this upon himself. We’re told at the end of verse 3, “So Joab put the words in her mouth.” In a sense, Joab is playing the part of God. It is his word, not God’s, that’s being carried out here. 

But Joab might not only be wanting Absalom back because David was distressed about his son. Remember, Joab’s a military leader. In verse 25 we get a description of Absalom for the first time. We’re told that he’s handsome, and there’s a sense that this is what Joab is looking at; to the outside of Absalom rather than inside. Like Saul, Absalom looks the part of a king. In fact he comes from royalty on his mother’s side. So Joab might have a dual purpose here. He wants to help David with restoring the relationship, but he also might see Absalom as the potential best bet to be the next king.

But because it’s not God that is calling on David to restore this relationship, Joab inadvertently caused more issues.

v.29-33

Another two years pass, and Joab’s decision comes to bite him. Absalom seeks to find out from Joab when he will see his father, but Joab doesn’t respond. So after a few attempts, Absalom gets frustrated and he turns to violence once again, burning Joab’s field.

That gets Joab’s attention, and from there Joab gets Absalom an audience with the king.

The chapter ends with the hope of its beginning being fulfilled. Reconciliation between father and son occurs. And by embracing Absalom, David shows that he forgives his son’s sin in killing Amnon. Everything is good, right?

v.15:1-12

No, because soon after Absalom shows his true colors. He begins to sow seeds of discontent with everyone who comes to bring their issues before David. Remember, Absalom has seen that David didn’t give his sister Tamar justice, and with Amnon dead, Absalom focuses his anger towards the king. He begins to tell people, “… there is no man designated by the king to hear you … Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice. (v.15:3-4)”

But there is a man to bring justice, that’s the king, but Absalom doesn’t believe that. He doesn’t believe that David is just, but he could bring justice to people if only he were the judge in the land.

It’s through these seeds of injustice, that Absalom shows he is seeking to overthrown his father. Except Absalom doesn’t have the military might just yet, but he has deception. Like he did before, he goes to his father and makes a request. This time it’s to worship the Lord. This is a good thing, and David grants it. 

So Absalom takes 200 men. These guys don’t know Absalom’s plan. They’re being used to make it look like Absalom has 200 young warriors coming to his side. It’s a ploy to scare his father. Absalom even called for one of David’s counselors to come with him, to bolster the idea that the son was stronger than he actually was.

The chapter ends, not on a hopeful note, but with civil war on the horizon. What was supposed to be a reconciliation turns out to be a fracturing of the nation. David’s sin is working itself out as the festering continues.

And here’s the take away: too often we try to play the part of God and force things that shouldn’t happen. Last week we talked about how vengeance is God’s domain and we must allow him to work out justice in his time. This situation of Absalom sowing seeds of discontent and rallying people around him to overthrow his father is a direct result of one man trying to fix a situation that God had not called to fix. 

Should there be reconciliation between David and Absalom? Yes, that’s the hope. But that reconciliation needs to be moved by God, not by man. We should desire that relationships be restored, that’s one of the big themes of First Samuel. However, sometimes time needs to pass for that reconciliation to actually be good. 

David was ready for reconciliation, but Absalom wasn’t. He still held deep anger for the injustices that his father allowed his sister to experience. Absalom wasn’t ready to reconcile. Instead, he was ready to destroy. Absalom was hurt by his father, and he wanted his father to fall because of it. 

Our intentions for reconciliation may be good, but good intentions are not what we are called to. God’s people are called to have godly intentions. That’s good intentions directed by God. God’s desire is that all people would be reconciled to himself and each other, but the reality is, not everyone is ready or wants reconciliation. And if given the opportunity, they will destroy more lives because they have been given unfettered access to do so.

Instead of trying to fix everything, we should begin in prayer, seeking the Lord for reconciliation. Allowing him to work in our hearts and the hearts of those we seek reconciliation with. Then, in the Lord’s timing, that reconciliation happens through mutual repentance and forgiveness. 

A heart that’s ready to be reconciled has a humbleness about it. We don’t see that in Absalom. When he didn’t get an answer from Joab, instead of waiting for God to move, he burned a field. That tells us where his heart was. He wasn’t ready for reconciliation, but Joab sought to force it. 

David would write in Psalm 37, “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him … (v.37:3-7a)”

Maybe David thought that he had waited upon the Lord and that God was bringing about righteous reconciliation. I think that as soon as he realized that Joab was the one behind the words in the woman’s mouth (v.19-20), David should have remember that Joab was a wicked man, and that this wasn’t from the Lord, but from man. But David’s desire was reconciliation, and he went forward, most likely because of his own remorse over his sin. And that ungodly reconciliation, led to disaster.

It’s a hard place to be, desiring reconciliation, yet waiting on God to bring about godly restoration. But it’s what God calls us to. To seek reconciliation in his timing. 

My challenge for you this week is to pray for reconciliation. It might be for you and a relationship that has been broken. It could be for someone else’s relationship that you know their hurting because it was broken. It could be for our nation that needs reconciliation between neighbors. Whatever reconciliation you see that needs to happen, pray for it daily this week, asking God to move in his time, and to help you recognize when godly reconciliation is happening. One of the ways you know, is that people are humbly asking forgiveness without being forced to do so. 

God is calling us to seek him in reconciliation. We are to be a people who want our Father’s desire in his timing. Amen.