2 Samuel Series - Week 21: Belief in Motion

  Years ago, most of those who led music in our congregation were only down during the winter months. We might not realize how much of a blessing it is to have so many participants in leading worship that we have today. 

In the past, it really fell to Laura Moore, with had canned music to back her up. When I learned guitar, I started to help out, and eventually began leading the music for our summer worship time. I believe that all eras of worship music should be played in the Church. Whether that’s hymns, choruses, or contemporary songs. The reason I believe this is because God gives every generation songs to sing back to him. But not everyone agrees with me. We had one lady, who has long since moved on from this congregation, who disagreed. She once told me, “I don’t understand why people need to keep writing new worship songs, when we have really good ones already.”

The problem with that line of thinking is, if the people of the past didn’t write new songs, we wouldn’t have the old ones to sing. There were songs before David, but through David God created the Psalter. We had hymns from the early Church, but through the work of God in the 1700 and 1800s, we have hymns such as Amazing Grace. Just think if we had the mindset of, no new songs, how many songs we sing today that wouldn’t have been written. 

In Ephesians 5:19 Paul writes, “addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart …” Psalms are the songs found in Scripture, hymns are songs that champion the faith, and spiritual songs are new songs that the Spirit inspires in the believer. 

It’s a new song that David sung that brings us back into our series on Second Samuel where we’ll be picking it up in Chapter 22, as we look at the entire chapter this morning. As we open to Second Samuel 22:1, let’s remind ourselves where we are in the series.

Last week we began to third and final section of Second Samuel, that we are calling David’s Descent to Death. We looked at three points of conflict that David had to deal with as he moved beyond his darkest days. We talked about the rebels he had within his nation, about the sins of his predecessors that he had to deal with, and the enemies that were on his borders. Through it all we walked away with the understanding that, God calls us into his refuge, not just for conflicts we cause, but for the conflicts brought on by others, as well. No matter the conflict we should be resting in the Lord, and leaning on his strength to endure the situation.

With that refreshed in our minds we can now read through Second Samuel 22:1-51. And what I like to do with Psalms in the Bible is to read the entire thing and then break it down. For this I want to challenge you to close your eyes, and listen to the descriptions that David is giving, and picture them in your mind. Let’s read.

1 And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, 3 my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. 4 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 5 “For the waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; 6 the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. 7 “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears. 8 “Then the earth reeled and rocked; the foundations of the heavens trembled and quaked, because he was angry. 9 Smoke went up from his nostrils, and devouring fire from his mouth; glowing coals flamed forth from him. 10 He bowed the heavens and came down; thick darkness was under his feet. 11 He rode on a cherub and flew; he was seen on the wings of the wind. 12 He made darkness around him his canopy, thick clouds, a gathering of water. 13 

Out of the brightness before him coals of fire flamed forth. 14 The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice. 15 And he sent out arrows and scattered them; lightning, and routed them. 16 Then the channels of the sea were seen; the foundations of the world were laid bare, at the rebuke of the Lord, at the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. 18 He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. 20 He brought me out into a broad place;  he rescued me, because he delighted in me. 21 “The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me. 22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his rules were before me, and from his statutes I did not turn aside. 24 I was blameless before him, and I kept myself from guilt. 25 And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight. 26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful; with the blameless man you show yourself blameless; 27 with the purified you deal purely, and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous. 28 You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down. 29 For you are my lamp, O Lord, and my God lightens my darkness. 30 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. 31 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 32 “For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? 33 This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless. 34 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. 35 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your gentleness made me great. 37 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip; 38 I pursued my enemies and destroyed them, and did not turn back until they were consumed. 39 I consumed them; I thrust them through, so that they did not rise; they fell under my feet. 40 For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me. 41 You made my enemies turn their backs to me, those who hated me, and I destroyed them. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; they cried to the Lord, but he did not answer them. 43 I beat them fine as the dust of the earth; I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets. 44 “You delivered me from strife with my people; you kept me as the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. 45 Foreigners came cringing to me; as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me. 46 Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses. 47 “The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation, 48 the God who gave me vengeance and brought down peoples under me, 49 who brought me out from my enemies; you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from men of violence. 50 “For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to your name. 51 Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever.”

As the Psalm begins, we’re told that this is a song David sings to the Lord when all of his enemies were delivered to him by the Lord. That just means that God had conquered all of  David’s enemies and at this point in his life, he no longer had to fight. 

The Psalm itself is almost identical to Psalm 18. The difference are: how they start. Psalm 18 begins with “I love you, O Lord, my strength. (v.1)” Whereas this Psalm begins with “The Lord is my rock …(v.2)” Which is the beginning of verse 2 in Psalm 18. This changes the verse numbers between the two Psalms. Then there are slight word or phrases changes, such as in verse 4 of Psalm 18 where is states, “The cords of death encompassed me …” and its parallel in verse 5 of Second Samuel, where it says, “For the waves of death encompassed me …” Apart from these slight variations, the Psalms seem to be the same. It’s possible that David wrote the one in Second Samuel as a first draft, and it was used by the author of the books of Samuel, but later David later revised it and that’s the copy of Psalm 18. 

But this isn’t a look at the difference between Psalm 18 and Second Samuel 22, so let’s breakdown what David is communicating through his song to God.

v.1-6 - The Psalm is constructed into 9 mini-sections. Verses 1-6 talk about who God is. He is the rock, fortress, stronghold, refuge (v.2-3). He is worthy to be praised, and he is the savior from the waves of death, the torrents of destruction, the chords of Sheol, and the snares of death (v.4-6). This is who God is to David, the Lord is David’s salvation and rest.

v.7 - Because God is David’s Savior, verse 7 tells us what David does, “In my distress I called upon the Lord …” David turns to God, why? Because God desires to listen, in fact the Lord hears David from his temple, a better translation would be sanctuary. David’s cries are heard by God. 

v.8-16 - Then we get a description of God in judgment. The earth is rocked at its foundations, and the heavens quake (v.8). Smoke comes from his nostrils and devouring fire from his mouth (v.9). This is all judgment language. God is moving to bring justice upon David’s foes. Then God comes down (v.10). He rides a cherub and thunders from heaven (v.11). Arrows and lightening scatter people and he lays bare everything so that no one will escape the judgment of the Lord (v.15-16).

v.17-20 - Next David sings of the rescue of God. The Lord saves David from enemies too strong for him to defeat on his own, and comforts David in the day of calamity where David receives God’s support (v.18-19). God brings him to a secure place, and the reason David gives for all of this, is because God delights in David (v.20).

v.21-25 - In verses 21-25, David begins to unpack God’s delight in him. David talks about his own righteousness and the cleanness of his hands, and we might think, “Wait, didn’t David do all those bad things before?” And it’s true, but the reveal comes when David states, “I … have not wickedly departed … (v.22)” That’s the key to God’s delight. David, for all his sins, failings, and foibles, does not depart from God. He accepts God’s judgments and corrections and keeps coming back. That’s how David keeps himself blameless and from guilt, that’s how he is clean.

v.26-28 - Then in the next two verses, David goes deeper into this. Because David seeks to show mercy, he is shown mercy (v.26), he is being purified by the Lord (v.27), and through it all David walks in humility (v.28). This is how David receives the delight of the Lord, because he recognizes his own failings, and walks before God humbly receiving correction. Through this, God graces him with righteousness and David enters the delight of the Lord.

v.29-46 - In verses 29-35, David returns to a description of who God is in relationship with him. He is the lamp of David (v.29), he helps David leap tall walls (v.30), he is a shield (v.31), and again, he is a rock and refuge for David (31-33). David then recognizes God’s work in him. David’s safe and secure, because God did it (v.34). He is good at war, because God did it. God is the source and sustainer of David. For this king of Israel, only the Lord is the one where all his victory and position came from.

It’s the military victories that David now begins to focus on. David recognizes that only God has secured every battle he has ever fought in. David was basically along for the ride. And just like it was God who won every battle, David recognizes that it was the Lord who made him king and brought other nations under his rule. David didn’t accomplish these things, it has always been God.

v.47-49 - Because of this, in verses 47-49, David bursts out in a summary praise of who God is and what he has done. David takes everything he just sung about and sums it all up to show what God has done.

v.50-51 - In the final two verses, David points back and declares, “For this I will praise you …(v.50)” David gives one more exclamation of praise to the Lord for the salvation God has brought to him, ending the song on a triumphant view of God and his work.

This Psalm reflects the whole of God’s work in David’s life. David recognizes that everything he has, whether it be his own personal abilities, or the victories that brought him to become king, have all been given to him by the Lord. 

Even the righteousness he has, comes by way of walking where God has called him to. David is a delight to God because he follows where God leads, even when that means correction. No matter if its a hard time or a good time; no matter if David caused the problems or others did, David recognizes that through it all, God has done and is doing great things.

Last week we talked about resting in God as our refuge to deal with the conflicts of this life. David shows us what that action of making God our refuge looks like. 

We must always recognize the Lord’s work in our lives, and see that as we interact with God, he will deal with us in our actions, this is what faith is. Faith is belief in motion. God will work for his purposes, but how those purposes come to pass in our lives and how we are used is done based on our obedience to him.

We take refuge, we find strength in him, by looking back and seeing what God has done, and trusting in what he will do.

So my challenge for you this week, is to write a song to God. It doesn’t have to rhyme, or be poetic, but it does have to recognize the work that God has done, and it does have to praise him. Re-read David’s psalm here in Second Samuel, to get some ideas, but make it your own. God hasn’t made you a king, but by his hand he has made you other things. Your enemies might not have been scattered by arrows, but they have been dealt with in other ways. Seek the Lord through the Holy Spirit this week to praise him for what he’s done. In doing so, you will see your spot of refuge in the Lord.

Let us be a people who’s praise of God is on our lips, and who rest in him as our refuge from the things of this world. Amen.

2 Samuel Series - Week 20: Unshaken by Conflict

  I want to share with you a timeline of conflicts that have been almost ongoing for about six years. In the Winter season of 2019-2020, the church made its first attempt to hire a youth pastor after me, to help with the ministry load. The hire lasted about eight months before he told us that he was going to resign. I asked him to stay on through the summer, as that’s the busiest time for our youth ministry, and it would give us an opportunity to find someone else. That same year, 2021, Pastor Jeff passed away, which was a hard time for the church. By the end of summer, we ended up finding someone else, and as the first guy went out, the second guy came in. The new guy had everything we wanted in a youth person, but after a past accusation from several years earlier was brought to light, after just one month here, we eventually let him go. That was during the fall of 2021. 

For the next year and a half I took on the responsibility of both Lead and Youth Pastor. There were a lot of issues with the youth group during the first guy’s time that were allowed to fester. In fact, what we had worked for, over the course of thirteen years of ministry, was completely undone in those eight months. Then came the 2022-2023 season, and it felt like there was a mounting burden that grew everyday. We had many spiritual issues that sprang up within both the adult and youth ministries. I’m not even mentioning the personal issues my family was going through that whole time, which added to the whole situation. And by the end of the winter season of 2023, I was completely drained. The Elder board gave me a two month sabbatical, and on the day I was supposed to leave, we had one more conflict, where a man who had been a part of the ministry for the last year, had to be told he couldn’t come to the church, because we had a concern of violence from him.

Thankfully, we were able to hire another pastor to lift a lot of burdens, but now, we are seeing an uptick in conflicts as the ministry begins to return to its pre-2021 stability.

I share that timeline of conflicts, because it brings us back to our summer series in the book of Second Samuel, where we’ll be picking it back up in Chapter 20. This begins our third and final section of Samuel. We called the first section of Second Samuel the Good Days of David, where everything was going well. David was anointed king, his enemies were subdued, and the kingdom was thriving. We summed up this section with the idea that, God raised David to be the undisputed king over Israel, yet there were seeds of sin that began flowering. 

Then came David’s sin with Bathsheba, and we entered the second section, which we called the Dark Days of David. There, everything that had been going good fell apart. David’s sin led to multiple problems and multiple points of growth for him. We could sum up the second section with the idea that, David allowed his sin to fester, which led to the destruction of the people around him. Yet through it, he grew in his faith.. 

Some of those problems persist, but in this third section, David is on the Descent to his Death. And we’ll see how some of the issues he hadn’t dealt with continued even after his death.

Today, we’re going to look at three conflicts David had to deal with as in last days. Now, we’re goin to look at Chapters 20 and 21, but we’re not going to read all of these two chapters. So take time and read those this week. Let’s begin with the first of the three conflicts, by reading the first ten verses in chapter 20

20:1 Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!”

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

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

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. 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 get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.” 7 And there went out after him Joab's men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier's garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. 9 And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab's hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.

v.20:1-26 - The first conflict comes relatively soon after the rebellion of Absalom. The man’s name is Sheba, and it’s been a while since we’ve gotten this description, but he’s a worthless man. Remember, that concept of worthless means he has nothing to do with the purposes of the Lord, and instead, has more to do with the plans of Satan.

But here’s the thing, it’s not just Sheba that is in conflict with David, it’s also Joab. David tired to make peace with the rebellious people who followed Absalom, so he made Amasa his general. Joab, obviously didn’t like this and so killed Amasa. 

So David had two worthless rebellious men; one from outside his tribe, and one from within. In the end, we’re told that the people of the town where Sheba runs to eventually turn on him and thrown his head out to Joab. So one of the rebels is dealt with, but David still has one more who’s a problem and David knows it.

Let’s drop down to Chapter 21, verse 1, and read the second conflict.

21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year. And David sought the face of the Lord. And the Lord said, “There is bloodguilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel but of the remnant of the Amorites. Although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had sought to strike them down in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah. 3 And David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And how shall I make atonement, that you may bless the heritage of the Lord?” 4 The Gibeonites said to him, “It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel.” And he said, “What do you say that I shall do for you?” 5 They said to the king, “The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel, 6 let seven of his sons be given to us, so that we may hang them before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the Lord.” And the king said, “I will give them.”

v.21:1-14 - The next conflict moves out from the tribes of Israel to a people group within the borders of the twelve tribes. This time around, the conflict is a spiritual issue left over from Saul’s reign. A famine is has been in the land of Israel for three years, and David realizes this is more than just an environmental issue. So he seeks the Lord to understand what’s going on. The Lord reveals that the cause comes from Saul’s sin upon the Gibeonites.

Now, back in the book of Joshua, the Gibeonites were the one’s who deceived the people of Israel by acting as if they were from a far off land and wanted to make a peace treaty with the people (ch.9). Israel did make a peace agreement, without consulting God, and then it was discovered these people were actually from the land that God told the Israelites to conquer. Because of the peace treaty, the Israelites did not run the Gibeonites out of the land, but from then on, this people were a second class group within Israelite society.

Now, we’re not told when Saul slew the Gibeonites to cause this issue, but he did so against the covenant the Israelites had made. God takes covenants very seriously, even those that were done deceitfully. Because of his predecessor, David now has to deal with the situation. The recourse for this is that Saul’s relatives have to pay the price. So David chooses seven and gives them over to the Gibeonites to be hung. Once the deed is done, David collects their bodies, plus Saul’s, and Jonathan’s and has them buried with their family. Conflict 2 delt with.

Let’s drop down to verse 15 of Chapter 21 for the third conflict.

15 There was war again between the Philistines and Israel, and David went down together with his servants, and they fought against the Philistines. And David grew weary. 16 And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was armed with a new sword, thought to kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David's men swore to him, “You shall no longer go out with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

18 After this there was again war with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbecai the Hushathite struck down Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giants. 19 And there was again war with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, struck down Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. 20 And there was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number, and he also was descended from the giants. 21 And when he taunted Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David's brother, struck him down. 22 These four were descended from the giants in Gath, and they fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

v.21:15-22 - This final conflict moves outward again, and has to do with those pesky Philistines, on the borders of Israel. This time Israel and the Philistines have three wars that break out. Each one we’re told are led by a Raphim, a giant. Israel wins these battles pretty handily. 

There’s not much to be said, except that David is getting older and his body is becoming weary. Meaning he doesn’t have the strength in his body to fight on the battlefield anymore, so his men tell him to stay home.

The other thing to mention is that we’re told in verse 19, that “… Elhanan … struck down Goliath the Gittite …” People have pointed out that this means that David was not the one who killed Goliath, but in reality it was actually another person named Elhanan. But to get the answer to the discrepancy, we can look to a parallel passage in 2 Chronicles 20:5. This passage tells us that Elhanan killed the brother of Goliath. So what has probably happened is that the words, “brother of” were lost along the way through translation. This is one of those moments we praise God for giving us an abundance of information, as he kept the meaning by having parallel books fill in the gaps.

As we step out from these conflicts, we can see that, as David comes to the end of his life, though he has been restored as king, he has not moved into a state of perpetual peace. He has rebels in his ranks and among his people. He has to atone for the past sins of his predecessor. And he as enemies in other nations ready and willing to attack.

Though David has grown in his faith, he will not experience a lasting peace because of his sin. God’s judgment of “… I will raise up evil against you out of your own house … (v.11)” from chapter 12, continues. He’ll continue, and others will also, feel those repercussions after he dies. 

Here’s the reality, we deal with the sins we have created in our own lives. We also have to deal with the sins of other people. And we have to deal with those issues, as we face down threats from the outside. 

This is why God calls us to find our refuge only in him. David wrote about finding one’s refuge in the Lord alone, when he write this in Psalm 16, “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’ 3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. 5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

God is calling us to find our refuge in him. In this life we will deal with the sin we cause in our own lives, and the sin that others will put onto us. That’s just the reality. However, we have two choices in how we respond: We can get mad and fight battles that will sap our strength and cause more sin, or realize that we need to rest in the Lord. In his refuge we find strength to deal, not just with our own inner conflicts, but the conflicts that come against us from the actions of other people. 

We’re going to explore this more next week, when we look at David’s song of deliverance, but for now my challenge is to prepare for that song, by praying a simple prayer when your sin comes back to bite you, or another person’s sin comes against you. That prayer is this, “Lord, remind me to take refuge in you, because in you, I’m secure from all these conflicts.”

Let us be a people, who, when conflict comes, we sit back into the Lord so that we are not shaken. Amen.

2 Samuel Series - Week 19: Unmerited Compassion

  In the early decades of the 1800s, the French experienced a revolution, where the old monarchy was overthrown. Emerging from this revolution was Napoleon Bonaparte I who took the title Emperor and began his march over Europe. Though he was liked by the French people and his army, the other nations did not, and so they stood against him. Napoleon was known for his fierce requirement of loyalty from the people he commanded. Any desertion was quickly punished. And, for the most part, he had their loyalty. One great example of this was after he returned from exile and made his way towards Paris. The military was sent out to stop him, but joined him instead.

That is why the story of a mother seeking mercy for her son has become a part of the mythos of Napoleon. The story goes that a mother came to the Emperor to plead for her son, who had deserted Napoleon’s army twice. He responded to the mother’s plea by telling her, “Your son does not deserve mercy.” To which she replied, “If he deserved mercy, he would not be in need of it.” This moved the Emperor, and he pardoned her son.

It’s the idea of compassion and mercy that brings us back to our summer series in Second Samuel, where we’ll be picking up in Chapter 19, and the second part of verse 8. And as we’re opening up to Second Samuel 19:8, let’s look back on what got us here.

David’s sin festered into adultery, conspiracy, and murder. It broke the spiritual covering over his family, and so God judged him, first by allowing David’s son through adultery to die, and then removing his protection over David’s family. With God’s protection gone, Amon and Absalom both followed their father’s example. The first allowed his lust to overtake him and so defiled his sister. While the second took justice into his own hands and murdered his brother. This eventually led to rebellion, bloodshed, and the death of Absalom. Through it all, we have learned that, sin that is allowed to fester will always bring more destruction, and so God calls us to confess, repent and seek the cleansing of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

Yet through David’s Dark Days, he has learned to be content, to seek the purposes of God, and that every person stands in judgment before God for their own sin. And today, we’re going to see another lesson David has learned through this whole ordeal.

Let’s begin reading at Second Samuel 19:8. 

8b Now Israel had fled every man to his own home. 9 And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

11 And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? 12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 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 my army from now on in place of Joab.’” 14 And he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, so that they sent word to the king, “Return, both you and all your servants.” 15 So the king came back to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring the king over the Jordan.

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

24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25 And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame. 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. 28 For all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?” 29 And the king said to him, “Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.” 30 And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home.”

31 Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, and he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. 33 And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you with me in Jerusalem.” 34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant return, that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do for him whatever seems good to you.” 38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you, and all that you desire of me I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. 40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. All the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

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

There’s several moments that happen in rapid succession, so let’s slow down and look at each one. 

v.8b-15 & 41-43 - The whole scene is bookended with eleven tribes being represented with the term Israel on one side, and the tribe of Judah on the other. Here we begin to see the rift that will eventually become a chasm under David’s grandson. Israel is wanting to bring back David and have him as king, however, possibly because they had backed David’s son, the tribe of Judah was slow to reach out to David. It’s only after David reaches out to them, that they decide to come out and meet him before Israel. This causes a problem at the end where the other eleven tribes feel as if they have been betrayed, and made less than the tribe of Judah. We’ll actually spend more time on this issue next week, so for now, we’ll leave it there.

v.13 - In between these bookends, we have three acts of compassion, and one act of honor. David reaches out with an olive branch of peace to Amasa. Amasa was Absalom’s general and so was on the chopping block of people who David had the right to execute for their rebellion. However, David grants him clemency and even offers him the position of general over all his armies; a position that Joab was currently in. David probably offers him this position, because Joab is such a wicked person, and David has probably heard by now who actually killed his son.

v.16-23 - Dropping down to verse 16 and Shimei, the one who cursed and threw rocks at David as he left Jerusalem, has come and is requesting mercy. Why? Because he’s afraid. David’s back and now he has the right to kill any that opposed him. Shimei cursed David as if it were from the Lord, and he did it on false accusations that the Lord was giving the kingdom to David’s son, because of Saul. We know that’s not true because we have seen the behind the scenes, and now, Shimei has been proven wrong. Yet, instead of killing him, like others want to, David let’s the vitriol go and gives mercy to someone who didn’t deserve it.

v.24-30 - The final act of compassion comes to Mephibosheth. His servant had brought supplies to David, and told the king that Mephibosheth was hoping that he could now take, what he believed, was his rightful place as ruler. However, Mephibosheth disputes these allegations, with his ragged look echoing his case that he was loyal to David. So who’s telling the truth? David deals with them, like a parent deals with two kids that are telling two opposite stories, and not knowing which was telling the truth. David dismiss the whole thing, and divides the land he had given to Mephibosheth between the master and the servant. 

v. 31-40 - The final scene comes, not with people seeking him, like the other scenes had, but David himself seeking out someone. In this case David seeks out Barzillai, an older man who came to David and provided for him while he was in self-exile. Where the others are given compassion they didn’t earn, Barzillai is given honored that came from humble service. Yet, the older man does not seek the riches of the king, but rather did it because it was the right and godly thing to do, and just wished to return home to die. Instead, David bestows the honor of Barzillai on to one his sons, Chimham (1 Kgs. 2:7).

Through this we can see the growth of David. David could have taken his right of war and kill those who opposed him, but instead, he chose compassion. He was no longer the quick to fight boy he had been in his youth. David had become a wise and compassionate king. That growth came by way of personal and self inflicted pain. David had learned the lesson of how our personal sin can affect the people around us, and so took a merciful route that sought to curb bloodshed, rather than feeding the desire of the flesh to get revenge. 

Now we may say that David had already acquired compassion, because of how he dealt with Mephibosheth before. But this time it’s different. David was on top of the world the first time he showed compassion. No one was left to challenged his reign at that point. But this time, David has enemies that could quickly turn on him. We’ll actually see this next week. So giving compassion at this point could be a sign of weakness, yet David takes the merciful route, rather than the vengeful path.

This very point of growth is where the Lord desires to take his people. In describing the new life that believers in Chris have, Paul writes this in Ephesians 4:31-32, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

We are called to this kind of compassion and mercy, and that calling is in light of what Christ has done for us. We are not merely people who are to say we are to have compassion and mercy. When someone seeks forgiveness, or repents of their evil, we are supposed to overlook the evils done to us, and respond with forgiveness. We don’t have the right to hold someone’s repented evils over their head who outwardly seeks reconciliation. Since we have been bought by Christ, we no longer have the right to respond in retaliation, or to deny forgiveness. God has forgiven us in Christ, and so we must extend that mercy and compassion to those who seek it.

How is this accomplished? Through the power of the Holy Spirit as we seek his work in our inner lives, and by self-reflection. We are to be always growing in our understanding of how much God has forgiven us, that we may extend that to others. When we understand how far God has brought us by extending to us compassion and mercy, we can see how far we must extend it to the people who have wronged us. 

So my challenge for you this week, is to first seek God to help you better understand the mercy and compassion you have received from him. Then ask him to bring one person back into your life who is seeking forgiveness, so that you can extend compassion and mercy to them. 

Let us be a people who understand what God has done for us, so that we can be in a position to extend it to others, as point back to him as the one who is working through us. Amen.

2 Samuel Series - Week 18: Owing Up

  As a child, did you ever do something that warranted your parents to correct you. Like steal a piece of candy from a store, just to have your parents haul you back inside to confess? The reason why parents do this is because, the old saying is true, “Honestly is the best policy.” 

That was true of a civil engineer names Othmar Ammann. In the early 1900s, Othmar was a leading bridge designer on the east coast of the US. He oversaw the construction of eight bridges and several other transit corridors. He was sought after mainly because he was able to bring projects in under budget and before the deadline. This was especially important because some of his first projects were during the Depression Era. 

But what is even more impressive about Othmar, is that he was able to own up to his own mistakes. Othmar designed, and began to build the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge in the late 1930s. In order to save costs, reduce the bridge’s weight, and to make the project look sleek, he removed the deep steel girders that he original designed for the bridge. Then, in 1940, the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapsed due to high wind vibrations. Othmar, who was a student of bridge collapses, realized that his own bridge, which had opened a year prior, had the same problem, and could collapse as well. 

When Othmar realized the issue, he contacted the Triborough Bridge Authority and reported the danger. Over the next five years, steel cables, and trusses were added to strengthen the bridge. Later on, triangular shaped lightweight fiberglass aerodynamic fairings were added to mitigate the wind issue. 

Othmar, owned up to a mistake, that could have cost him his reputation, and future projects. But because he owned this mistake, and thereby corrected it, he went on to build four more major bridge projects. He has been honored many times with awards, statues, and plaques.

It’s this idea of owning our mistakes that brings us back to our summer series, where we’ll be picking it back up in Second Samuel Chapter 18, verse 1. And as we open up to Second Samuel 18:1, let’s look back on how we got here.

David’s personal sin of lustful eyes, led to adultery, conspiracy, and murder. Out of it, divine judgment was passed. His child from the adultery died, then his first born son violated his sister, then another son killed that son, then the son who killed the other, conspired against his father and tried to take the throne for himself. From all of this we talked about how unconfessed and unrepented sin festers and brings about more destruction, and so we are to confess, repent and seek the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit as an antidote to festering sin.

We also saw that through this whole ordeal, David had grown in his faith. Which is one of the reasons, God called him a man after his own heart (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts13:22). Form David’s growth we understood that, God calls us to a faith that is always growing; a growing faith is one that is content in Jesus and seeks his purposes.

With that fresh in our minds, we can turn our attention to Second Samuel 18, where we’ll be reading through Chapter 19 verse 8. However, we won’t be reading everything, so, again, your homework is to read the rest of the passage. Let’s read together. 

18:1 Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” 3 But the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.” 4 The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.

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

9 And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’ 13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14 Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.

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

18:1-18

The chapter begins with David organizing his men for battle outside the city of Mahanaim. He separates them into three groups, each under one of his generals. David knows the battle plan of his son, and so prepares for the attack. One of the important details here, is that he has decided to go out to fight with his men. Hopefully this is because he learned his lesson from the last time he stayed behind. 

However, his men convinced him to stay behind, because he’s too valuable to be lost. If David is killed, then the fight is over and Absalom wins. So he stays behind. But notice where he stays. He doesn’t go up on a roof, where he had sinned before. No, this time he goes down to the gates, and waits for word of the battle. The gates are the first place you could hear news; so David foregoes the cushy waiting place, so that he could be as close to the battle as possible.

Yet he had one request of his army. In verse 5 he tells them, "Deal gently … with the young man Absalom.” What he’s requesting is that they not kill his son. This is heard by all the soldiers. 

Then the battle ensues. David’s men overcome Absalom’s, and 20,000 people die in this fight for the throne. Then, as Absalom tries to escape, he gets caught in a tree.  It is possible that one of the reasons we were told back in Chapter 14 about Absalom’s thick hair, was because it got caught in the tree here, and that has been the popular view. However, it doesn’t tell us that directly in the text if this is the case. However he was stuck, and unable to get out. He now posed no threat, because he couldn’t defend himself.

It’s here that a man of David sees this and reports back to Joab about Absalom’s situation. When Joab asks why the man hadn’t killed Absalom, the man tells him that David didn’t not want that. This enrages Joab, who takes javelins and strikes Absalom himself. Then Joab’s armor bears join in to finish the job.

The battle ends with Absalom’s men fleeing, and the would be king, being buried in the forest, instead of with the monument he made for himself.

Summarize - 18:19-33

Then comes verses 19-33. One man, Ahimaaz, wants to go tell David the good news, but Joab knows that there’s a possibility that whoever brings the news of Absalom’s death to the king, might die. This has happened twice: once when David was told about Saul (Ch 1) and the other when he was told about Ish-bosheth (Ch 4). In those cases the one’s who did the killing, also died. So Joab sends another man in Ahimaaz’s place. However, eventually Joab relents and allows the first man to go.

Even though the first man leaves second he reaches David first, but doesn’t disclose what happened to Absalom, instead he deflects the question when asked. This actually blunts the death of Absalom, because David was given the good news of the victory, before the bad news. Then the second man arrives and tells David that Absalom had been killed.

And this what we read in verse 33, “And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’”

David mourns the death of his son. Even though Absalom was his enemy, this is not how he wanted things to end. Yet, this is just another reminder that the consequences of our sin can have effects that destroy the people around us.

While David is mourning his son, we read Joab’s response starting in Chapter 19, verse 1.

19:1 It was told Joab, “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 that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried 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, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, 6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8 Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.

19:1-8a

We see that Joab confronts David about mourning for Absalom. Telling David that its as if he cares more for his enemies than for the people around him. If that’s the case, then Joab will see to it that the people will leave him. Now, this may seem mean, but there is some truth to Joab’s confrontation.

There is two sides to this. David, as a father, should mourn for his son. This situation might have been avoided if David had been faithful to God. However, David is also the king. The people love him and have sacrificed to keep him in power. Absalom was an enemy, even if he was also a son. David cannot mourn like a father, when he also has to lead as a king. That is the burden of leadership. Sometimes our personal issues get pushed to the back, as we deal with issues that go beyond ourselves.

Here’s the reality, David should have never been in put in this situation to have to mourn his son’s death because of a civil war. David’s sin led to this moment, and he knows it. From his words in verse 33, “Would I had died instead of you …,” there is a hint that David wishes that he would have died in place of his sin. But the reality is, Absalom died because of his own sin. It is true that David was a catalyst, but Absalom had his own hand in it. He didn’t have to kill Amnon, he didn’t have to conspire against his father, he didn’t have to rebel against his king. In the end, David is not at fault for his child’s choices, even if he was a bad role model.

Each of us will stand before God and give an account of what we have done, not what has been modeled for us. 

Paul writes in Romans 14:10-12, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

In Second Corinthians 5:10, Paul writes, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

There is a sense where we should mourn over our sin which has been a bad example to those around us. I have been a bad example many times, and I have to live with that understanding that I have failed many people. However, it cannot be an excuse for us to point to others and blame them for our sin. We will stand before God and give an account on what we have done, not what has been done to us. Others will given an account for their own lives.

Absalom will not stand before God and point to David and say, “David should have done better!” Because if he did, God will respond with, “No, you should have done better in spite of David.”

This is why God calls each of us to a personal faithful walk. God never calls us to walk the same walk as another, but a unique walk that’s all our own. We might have overlap, we might have influences, but at the end of our lives, it will not be by other people’s sin that we will be judged by, it will only be by what we have done.

So praise God, that anyone who puts their trust into Jesus, will not be condemned for their sin. It is the one and only instance, where God looks to another at our judgment. If we have placed our trust into Jesus as our Savior, we can accept that we have fallen short of his righteous standard, and yet stand tall in the righteousness bought by the blood of Jesus, that covers us.

My challenge for you this week is this: First are you holding grudges against people who have sinned against you? Are you using them as an excuse for what has happened to you, and so live in state where they still have sway in your life? I’m not downplaying the pain and suffering they have inflicted on you, and they will give an account to God because of it. But you are not them, Jesus wants to free you of that bondage. So take this week to seek forgiveness for that person, giving them over to God, and for you to walk more faithful.

Second, repent of the bad example you have been. Maybe you have hurt others, and showed them what it’s not like to follow Christ. Repent of that before the Lord, and if possible, reach out to that person and repent. That is a great example of humility and could be a catalyst for healing and forgiveness in their lives. 

Each of us has fallen short of the standard of God, we are no greater than anyone. But God has called us into his greatness by keeping the standard for us. Let us therefore be a people who stand in his righteousness work and not our own unrighteousness. Amen.