Bitter Consequences

Transcript

GRS 2-83
10/7/2007
Bitter Consequences
2 Samuel 15-18
Gil Rugh

We are at Second Samuel Chapter 15 in your Bibles, Second Samuel on the 15th Chapter studying something of the history of the reign of King David, and as we have noted it is of interest to see what the spirit of God has directed to be recorded about David and his reign without question. The most significant and most well-known of all the kings of Israel both during the United Kingdom brief as it was and then the divided kingdom of northern and southern tribes. If you are going to say name one king of Israel mostly everyone could name David, then maybe Saul after that it gets a little more difficult. They are the only ones who ruled over United Israel. Solomon, yes we could name Solomon too. He is the third one to rule over under Solomon’s son, Rehoboam the kingdom will divide, and his reign over United Kingdom is brief to say the least.

You would think out of the 40-year reign of David, there would be a lot of interesting details about his life, what went on, but as we’ve noted much of the material has to do with God preparing the way for him and then beginning with Chapter 11 you talk about the major fall in David’s life and his sin with Bathsheba and events related to that will continue to through Chapter 20, so a large block of time related to his sin and the consequences of that sin. Now lest we get discouraged and we’ll see David’s final words when we get towards the end of Second Samuel. It’s not all negative when you realize the consequences are overwhelming, but you do see in all of this that David’s responsibility is to move forward and accept what the Lord brings into his life and function as a godly man in these difficult circumstances and so there are lessons for us to be learnt.

As I mentioned Chapter 11 recorded David’s sin with Bathsheba. Chapter 12 recorded the events of Nathan the Prophet coming to confront him about adultery with Bathsheba and the subsequent murder of her husband. If you want to back up to Chapter 12, several things Nathan told David would come about as a result of his sin. We want to note Nathan did tell David his sin had been forgiven by the Lord, the end of verse 13 of Chapter 12, “The Lord has also taken away your sin you shall not die.” It has been forgiven but there are certain consequences that you will have to endure. And of those consequences verse 10, “The sword shall never depart from your house.” Verse 14, “The child born of this adulterous relationship is going to die.” A third consequence the beginning of verse 11 “I will raise up evil against you from your own household.” The end of verse 11 “I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.”

Serious consequences and that’s what’s unfolding in Chapters 13 to 20. We saw at the end of Chapter 12, the death of the child that was born to Bathsheba but as we noted that does not mean that God would never use David and Bathsheba again because the next king of Israel will be the child of David and Bathsheba. The first one shall die, subsequent child is Solomon. The man destined to have such a glorious reign over Israel.

In Chapter 13 you have the terrible situation where David’s son rapes David’s daughter, it’s a half-brother, half-sister relationship you remember. The son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar. In revenge David’s son Absalom who was the full brother of Tamar kills his half-brother Amnon in revenge. So you can see that the sword is taking hold in David’s house. Now here you have one of his sons murdering another of his son and the ugliness of sin as it unfolds in his household. The result of all of this Absalom flees to his grandfather’s house in Geshur outside of Israel proper, up on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. And he is there for a time and then through a series of situations he is permitted to come back into the land and that was recorded in Chapter 14.

He’s back in the land, but David refuses to see him. And so for two years while he’s back in the land, he was in exile for three years and then for two more years he’s back in the land David won’t see him. Finally, Absalom does some things burning the field of Joab, David’s commander and that results in an audience being set up between David and Absalom and there is something of a reconciliation, that’s how Chapter 14 ended verse 33, Joab came to the king and told him. He called for Absalom then he came to the king prostrate himself on his face to the ground before the king, the king kissed Absalom. So the events of five years earlier have somewhat seem to have been taking care of. But it’s not a genuine reconciliation, it’s only superficial. Absalom has been plotting evidently for some time to overthrow his father and to assume the kingship of Israel for himself. And that’s the subject of Chapters 15 to 18. And the bitterness runs deeply. Absalom does not intent to overthrow his father and send him to exile. Absalom intents to see his father is executed, he dies, and he secures the throne for himself. And this will be part of the consequences. Remember in Chapter 12 verse 11, Nathan told David that members of his own household, his own family will turn against him. And so here it is the son that David loved Absalom.

So Chapter 15 records Absalom is very carefully laid out and carried out plan to turn the hearts of the people of Israel away from his father and develop their legions to himself. The first seven verses tell how he – first six verses tell how he stole the hearts of the people that came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners for himself. And really what he is doing is putting himself in a kingly role that people begin to look at him as a kingly kind of person. He not overtly now directly challenging his father but what he doing is causing people to look at him and see him in a kingly role. Look back in First Kings Chapter 8.

All the way back First Kings; this is before we have a king. Israel is demanding a king and so Samuel tells them what will take place when they do have a king. Verse 11 of First Samuel 8 he said, “This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots.” And this became then something of the mark of the king that he’s riding in a chariot and there are soldiers, men that are appointed to run before his chariot. Come over just after Second Samuel, the First Kings Chapter 1. And later challenged to David’s authority and he intended succession to the throne, another son of David does Adonijah some things he try to assume the role of king for himself. David is you know in his declining period.

Look at verse 5 of First Kings 1. And Adonijah, the son of Haggith exalted himself saying “I will be king.” So what did he do, he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen and 50 men to run before him. So when you read back in Second Samuel Chapter 15 verse 1, Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and 50 men runs for him, what he is doing is putting himself in the role that people would begin to look at him as king and begin to think of him and see him in that position. We talk about of today when people are, want to run for the officer of the President they trying to be presidential. You sometimes see in the news broadcasters little analyze something that they’ve done and they say well they wanted to put themselves in a situation where they would look Presidential. While here you wanted to look kingly you do what Absalom is doing here.

He used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate, that’s where people would come to the gate and seek resolution of meager matters and so on, personal problems when any man had assumed to come to the king for judgment. It still happens in some places in the Middle East where common people can come before the king; at least it has been till recently places like Saudi Arabia that common people had an audience for the king to present their matter. Well, this is what went on at the gate and they have opportunity to come to the king and seek his resolution and judgment. Absalom look out of them before, so on the way to the gate before they could get to present their matter to David, Absalom’s there. And he’d say, “From what city you are from?” They’d say “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” Absalom would say to him, “See your claims are good and right, but no man listens to you on the part of the king.” It is too hard for you to get the audience you need, too hard to get the result. Oh boy, you know I agree you really deserve justice but it’s hard to get it from my father David.

Verse 4 Absalom would say, “O that one would appoint me judge in the land! Then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I’d give him justice.” You know you wouldn’t be waiting now here, you wouldn’t be put off, if I was king it will get resolved. So you see what he’s doing, he’s sowing the seed they go away they are unhappy, they’ve not gotten what they’re looking for and on it goes. They’re going away saying boy, you know that Absalom, he’s the man who understands; he’s the man who sees things from my perspective. If Absalom would have been king this would have been resolved today and I would have gotten justice. When a man who will come near to prostrate himself before him, verse 5 he’d put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. What’s Absalom doing, is saying no, don’t prostrate down before me you’re a friend. And who wouldn’t like to think oh, the king’s my personal friend. You know he bow down before me like that and take hold of me and kiss me in a submission. No, stand up you can’t, let me give you a hug I mean, I am your friend, well who wouldn’t want the king to be my friend. So you see what he’s doing. In this manner Absalom dealt with all Israel that came to the king for judgment so Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel. It just not in the normal flow of events people were attracted to Absalom, Absalom has a definite plan here to be seen as a man who could and should be king. And the kind of man and the man I would love to be king. So that when he makes his move, he’ll have a following ready to go with him. So beginning verse 7, Absalom usurps the throne. It came about at the end of 40 years probably should be four years rather than 40 because this would be four years since he was back, two years he didn’t see his father David up in Chapter 14 verse 28.

Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem and did not see the kings face. So after two years he had the reconciliation with David in verse 33, now two more years have gone by. So four years since Absalom is returned is probably what is in view here, not 40. He spent two years laying this ground work. He may have been doing it in his planning before he return from exile but then he spent this two years winning over the hears of the people. He asked his father basically I want to go to Hebron and pay a vow that I vowed to the Lord. Now I made this vow when I was living in exile in Geshur. Remember when he was in exile he was in grandfather’s place in Geshur. And I told the Lord, “Lord if you will bring me back to Jerusalem I will serve the Lord.” And with that vow he declared, that he would make a sacrifice fulfill his vow and the requirements of the vow at Hebron. And David the king said “Go in peace.” So he rose and went to Hebron. Why Hebron, well, he’s going back home. This is where Absalom was born. He was born in Hebron. Secondly, where did David begin his reign as king, for the first seven years of his reign in Israel he was where, he was in Hebron.

Second Samuel Chapter 3 verses 2 and 3 tell you that, that while David was in Hebron that’s when were Absalom was born and that’s were David began his reign as king. So it’s a logical place to make your play. It’s where you were born is sort of a home area for you and it’s where David started his reign so people can identify you again with that starting out in that way. And at the same point, you don’t want to make an over act. In Jerusalem it’s the king centre you want to get your forces Marshaled and come to Jerusalem in power. So Absalom sent spies in verse 10 to all the tribes of Israel saying, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets you shall say, “Absalom is king in Hebron.” So he sends his followers out throughout the nation and at the appointed time they’re going to blow the trumpet and make an announcement Absalom is king in Hebron. The idea now all of Israel will come out and support him and it’s going to be an effective plan, it works. And David comes to the brink of being overthrown as we look at from the human perspective. 200 men went with Absalom from Jerusalem verse11 who were invited who went innocently, they didn’t know anything. And this may have been 200 men from the prominent families in Jerusalem and they’re not aware of Absalom’s plan. But having these men in Hebron with him, when the declaration is made it will be assumed throughout Israel that he has the support of all the prominent families in Israel and particularly Jerusalem, the capital. So you see how his plan, it’s put together well. And the perception is as important as the reality, these men don’t even what the plan is but when the declaration is made, they can also say you know who is with him, and you can name 200, the most prominent men in Israel, well they say looks like it’s a done deal so to speak.

So Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from the city in Giloh, where he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong for the people can increase continue with Absalom. Here key advisor to the king, Ahithophel has turned and now he’s aligned with Absalom in his conspiracy with this you have large of numbers of people throughout the land.
Very interesting note, Ahithophel may have been the grandfather of Bathsheba. If you compare, I don’t want to take the time to go but you can look at Chapter 11 verse 3 and Chapter 23 verse 34 and you look at the names there, sometimes it’s hard to tell because you have same names for different individuals but if the names there stand and they’re not naming different people, the names there could indicate that Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba which would be an interesting connection. We are not told why Ahithophel who has been faithful to David through trials up to this time swung over to Absalom an there’s no explanation given. But it would have been devastating lose to David, you know what it as the nation looks and think will one of David’s most trusted counselor’s and advisors has aligned himself with Absalom. I mean that gives strength to Absalom’s case. Things are so bad; David has to flee the city of Jerusalem. He can’t stay and then take a fight, too much chance of losing this battle. Messenger came to David saying the hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom. David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem arise, let us flee, otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go in haste or he will overtake us quickly bring down calamity on us; strike the city with the edge of the sword. David perceives that the rebellion is of such magnitude that if we don’t get out of Jerusalem, we don’t have a chance to win. What we’re going to do is flee to the wilderness like he did with Saul where he don’t have a chance to avoid conflict until he can assemble himself. At this point the strength is with Absalom remarkable. This stage in David’s life in dream that this could be pulled off but it’s part of the consequence of his sin.

The servant say they’re ready to follow him, David leaves ten concubines which are secondary wives, they are referred to as wives in other parallel passages particularly the Judgment of Nathan pronounced on David, I’ll give your wives to another in the full light of Israel. And he’s talking about these concubines they are bound to David even though they don’t have the same stature as the primary wife as we would say. These ten are left to take care of the house, the palace. And that becomes significant as you are aware in the unfolding of future events.

David has some loyal supporters who are willing to do whatever it takes to stand with him. In verse 19, Ittai the Gittite, David says and you don’t have to go with us, you don’t have to endure this. He has 600 men who have been with David since the days that David stayed in the land of the Philistines when he was running from Saul. David tells Ittai you don’t have to go with me again in this. Ittai makes clear that he’s loyal to David verse 21 wherever you go we’re going, wherever you live we’ll live and what do you say if we die, we die. You lose we lose. Whether for death or life we’ll go. So he goes with David and verse 23 all the country was weeping with a loud voice. All the people passed over. They passed over the brook Kidron. The people passed over towards the way of the wilderness. See they’re leaving Jerusalem; they’re going out to the wilderness region where there will be hiding places. They don’t want to get trapped in the city with an army, Absalom’s army which would be able to overwhelm them there. I think that were they can hide and run and reassemble themselves.

Verses 24 to 29 we’re told that the priest remained loyal to David. Zadok and Abiathar, they come to David with the ark in verse 24 and following they’re ready to bring the ark and go with David. Interestingly, David told the priest to take the ark back. In verse 25 "If I find favor in the sight of the Lord then he will bring me back again show me both it and his habitation. But if he should say thus, "I have no delight him, behold here I am let him do to me as seems good to him." Where David says I don’t know how this will come out. The ark has to stay here in Jerusalem. If it’s God’s will he’ll bring me back to the ark and to this city. If God says I’m done with David, then that’s his choice the ark shouldn’t be with me at any rate. So you see David is willing to entrust himself into the hands of the Lord here. Now he’s not fatalistic here because the immediate following verses David lays a plan, he’s not going out to the wilderness giving up. He’s going out to the wilderness to get a chance to pool things together, reassemble a fighting force, and develop a strategy. So committing yourself to the hands of the Lord doesn’t mean now I just sit back and do nothing.

David said my fate is in the hands of the Lord. Now here’s what you do. You two priest you don’t come with me you go back to the city in peace and your two sons with you. I am going to wait at the fords in the wilderness till I hear from you. And so David goes out and do you see what he’s doing now, I want to leave people if you will as spy’s back in Jerusalem who will be able to inform me what’s going on so I can adjust and plan accordingly. My fate is in the hands of the Lord verse 26 “Let him do to me as he seems good to him.” But that doesn’t absolve him of responsibility. And he mourns I’m in Jerusalem if the Lord wants to protect me he’ll have to protect me in Jerusalem, I am not going to do anything. If the Lord wants Absalom to win he win, if he doesn’t he won’t. That’s not that kind of fatalism. Responsibility is removed from David.

So now you have the priests, two priests and their sons back in the city. And these priests will become eyes and ears for David and their sons will become messengers to David, so David can plan accordingly. David went out the ascent of the Mount of Olives and he’s in mourning, the people with him are in mourning for this tragedy. Someone told David in verse 31 “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said “O Lord, I pray make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.” They know David is not mired down in the puddle over his past sin. His past sin he’s brought him to grief and we looked at Psalm 51, Psalm 32 but that’s not where David is parked. He’s not saying Lord I brought this all on me and I deserve it all and whatever comes, comes and you know Lord frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel, bring it to foolishness and the Lord went into that prayer.

He comes to a certain spot and there Hushai the Arkite met him with is coat torn and dust on his head and he’s ready to go with David, he’s, all these are the signs of mourning you know you tear your cloths, you throw dust you still dust you still see this going on in the east, Middle East area. David said to me if you come with me you are going to be a burden. You know it’s interesting how the Lord works. To hear that Ahithophel had turned against David and joined the conspirators have to be blow to David. His trusted advisor for so many years now has gone over to the one who’s opposing. Then in God’s grace, here come Hushai and he is completely loyal to David and joining David in the mourning and plans to follow David. But David wants him to stay behind too like the priest did. If you come with me you’ll be a burden, I mean you’re not a fighting man, you’re too old to be a soldier you just slow me down but you can stay back here and you can ford the counsel of Ahithophel.

In verse 34 if you return to the city say to Absalom I will be your servant O king as I have been your father’s servant in the time past and I’ll now be your servant then you can ford the counsel of Ahithophel for me. And the priest Zadok and Abiathar are there, so you can report to them and they can go tell their sons and they can, their sons can come and bring me word. So you see in all of this David is strategizing. He’s not just him going out on his own because he’s prayed about Lord frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel, that doesn’t mean I just leave it to the Lord he also works and does what he can do as would be wise in a conflict in military commander and so on, you try to move your men in to key places. And so now you have Hushai here to become a key player.

Down through the conclusion of the Chapter, Chapter 16, the bulk of this chapter is about the humiliation of David at the hands of Shimei and also Absalom with his action. You have Ziba in verse one the servant of Mephibosheth. The member of the Mephibosheth was the son of the Jonathan Saul’s son Jonathan who had such a bond with David and was killed in the battle with the Philistines with his father Saul have that son Mephibosheth who was crippled in his feet and David has honored him by bestowing on him a portion of the kings provisions and so on. His servant was Ziba, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys on them were 200 loaves of bread a 100 clusters of raisins, a 100 summer fruits, a jug of wine.
The King said to Ziba “Why you do have these.” Ziba said “The donkeys are for the King’s household to ride, the bread and the summer fruits for the young men to eat." So what he is done is that hey I brought you donkeys, I know you have left you don’t have animals to ride. So I brought this for the King to ride on and I brought provisions for the people because they had to leave quickly, they got to get out of the City before Absalom, and his forces prevent that Exodus. The King said to Ziba “Where is your master". Ziba said "Behold he’s staying in Jerusalem, for he said today the house in Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me." The King said to Ziba "Behold all that belong to Bathsheba is yours." And Ziba perhaps waited himself. Now we never get the resolution to this.

We’ll wait but when we get to Chapter 19 verses 24 to28 Mephibosheth has a total different take on this. And David never resolves it. He just said "I don’t want to hear any more about it. We’ll just divide it." Ziba gets half of what you have and you get half, that’s it. So we don’t really do find out who’s telling the truth in this account. Whether Ziba is here and Mephibosheth is really thought there might be a chance for him to be restored to the Kingship that came from his father’s line although there is some question about that whole line especially with his physical limitations whether he could see, be ever think of himself as being placed in the King, a key part will be the ability to lead militarily and to support Absalom unless you really did think well out of this whole conflict they may resort to a descendant of Saul. Anyway, that’s just something that comes up here we’ll talk about it more when we get to Chapter 19 and then we’ll get Mephibosheth’s side of it that Ziba didn’t tell the truth and so on.

Anyway, you have this and you do have the Lord making provisions. And what Ziba does here is an act of kindness because Ziba could have thought that Absalom going to win but he does do what would be an act of kindness to David. Then you have this Shimei who comes along cursing David and he curses David and say this is all coming on you David because of your bloodshed, because what you did to the house of Saul he’s throwing dust at him, throwing stones at him and verse 7 Shimei said when he curse “Get out, Get out, you man of bloodshed, worthless fellow! The Lord has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom.

Behold you are taken in your own evil. You are a man of bloodshed.” He’s got nothing to say about Bathsheba he don’t even have a clue what’s really going on spiritually. He’s saying it because you took over Saul’s kingship and Abishai, one of David’s military man thinks we can put an end to this just give the word I’ll go cut his head off. David says, may be the Lord is sent him to curse me. David has a sense of a certain guilt and he just opened what the Lord has. You see the balance that goes on, David is willing to take this kind of abuse from man like Shimei, who ultimately will pay with his life under Solomon’s reign but that doesn’t mean he gives up. So here he is planning he’s made arrangements for finding out what’s going on so he can plan accordingly and yet he’s willing to accept the humiliation at the hands of the man like Shimei.

Verse 11 David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Behold my son who came out of me seeks my life, how much more now this Benjamite! Leave him alone let him curse for the Lord is told him. Perhaps the Lord will look at my affliction and return good to me instead of his cursing this day.” Now David’s men keep going and it’s bad enough you know you are going on, you’ve had to leave at a moment’s notice so to speak. It’s hard, it’s hard trip and now you got this guy who throwing stones and dust at you all the time. But David said if the Lord sent him to do it and to humiliate me, we accept it. They come to a place to be refreshed.

Absalom in the meantime now arrives at Jerusalem so you see David just gotten out. You can appreciate what Ziba did in bringing provisions because when David left, he left quickly; he didn’t have a couple of weeks to pack up. When he hears Absalom’s been declared king the whole nation’s at him he knows Absalom will get here in how quickly as he can to try to complete his plan. So Absalom and all the people, men of Israel entered in Jerusalem and Ahithophel with him. Now Hushai comes in. Remember David sent him back, and he came to Absalom and said long live the king, long live the king and Absalom says “Why didn’t you go with your friend David?” And Hushai said “No,” verse 18 “For whom the Lord this people and all the men of Israel have chosen his will I be and I will be with him. Besides whom shall I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served your fathers presence I will be in your presence.”

Now he didn’t see anything of the trick? Well, who’s his key advisor now, Ahithophel? What was Ahithophel, he was a close friend and advisor of David so just look like well another close friend, and advisor of David’s come over to my side as well. This he doesn’t knew nothing but strengthened my position now I’ve got these two well-seasoned advisors to give me input and what should be done. Ahithophel’s advise in this occasion adds further fulfillment of Nathans prophesy of God’s judgment on David. Ahithophel said to Absalom verse 21. "Go into your father’s concubines whom he has left to keep the house then all Israel will hear what you have made, that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened." People know that there was falling out between David and Absalom earlier. The father and son were reconciled.

Ahithophel says you know you’ve got to do something so the people will know they won’t be in trouble because they’ll be reluctant to follow you with a full commitment if they think you might give restore to your father because you are the son. Your father may give reconciled to you where will that leave your followers. But if you do something that will make reconciliation with your father an impossibility people know that they can commit themselves to you knowing you will never be reconciled to your father. So his solution is you take your father concubines and you set up a tent on the roof where everybody can see what’s going to happen and then you have the concubines brought into you in that tent and you will be having sexual relations with them and that will make impossible a reconciliation such an act, an odious act. They pitched the tent for Absalom on the roof.

Absalom went into his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. Remember what Nathans said you did this in private, but this will happen to you in the sight of the nation and so here it does. Words spread throughout the nation. You know what happened Absalom has taken David’s wife’s his concubines for himself and no doubt about this it happened on the roof you could see concubine going into the tent with Absalom. I mean this is public so there will no reconciliation here one of these men going to die before this is done. So the advice of Ahithophel which he gave in those days was if one inquired of the word of the Lord verse 23 so was all his advice.

Chapter 17 Hushai’s counsel. So this is going on Hushai is not there to oppose everything that Ahithophel said. He’s there to be sure that he protects David if the occasion presents itself. Furthermore Ahithophel said to Absalom "Please let me choose 12,000 men that may arise and pursue David tonight. I will take him while he’s weary, exhausted, and terrify him all the people that are with him they will run.” Because there are no organizations there yet, then I’ll strike down the King alone. I‘ll bring the people back to you. Then we’ll have peace. Note verse 4 the plan pleased Absalom. You see Absalom bent on David’s death. Ahithophel’s counsel is David’s ran out of here, he has no real army with him get tired and the 600 men and others but no match for 12,000 soldiers that I’ll take. Then disarray they’ve had to leave at a moment’s notice. They’re not prepared to fight, they will be weary and worn out. They’ve got their families with him and we’ll catch up to them and when people see us coming they’ll be running to the hills I’ll kill David and the people will come back and support you.

Absalom said that’s a beautiful plan. You see here that he had no idea his father is going to just be dethroned go into exile his father has to die for him to be truly King. Absalom said it’s a beautiful plan but let’s hear what Hushai has to say. Now here is Hushai’s chance to frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel to protect David because what Ahithophel said is true and if that plan is carried out David probably won’t survive. So Hushai said in verse 7 “This time the advice that Ahithophel is not good. You know your father and his men; they’re mighty men they are fierce they are like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is an expert in warfare he won’t spend the night with the people in a camp.

He’s already hidden himself in one of the caves or in another place. And so when you sloop down on the camp his men that have hidden with him will sloop down on you and then the word will get out Absalom’s armies been defeated and then Absalom will be in trouble.” So it’s not a good plan. You know the analogy is great like a bear robbed of her cubs. I mean David is a military man. You know your father he’s fought many battles. You are not going catch him in the camp at night. You are not going to catch him off guard. So think about it what you really need to do is take some time and plan this. I counsel verse 11 “That you take the time to gather all the army of Israel together to you, so that they’ll be like the sand of the sea not 12,000 men that’s not enough.” In the right situation a man like David with key soldiers could surprise them and cause the kind of defeat that would be devastating.

But you’ll come to him then with this army like the sand of the sea, we’ll find him in some place where he’s hidden verse 12 and we’ll fall on him like the dew falls on the ground. There will be so many of us we’ll just overwhelm him. There won’t be anybody left and then if he tries to hide in a city, we have enough men we’ll just go down and pull down the walls of the city. Absalom and all the men of Israel said the counsel of Hushai is better than the counsel of Ahithophel, you know that makes more sense. We don’t want to leave anything to chance here. You know what the hand of the Lord is in all of this.

This is not the cleverness of Hushai; you know it’s going on the last statement of verse 14 “For the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel so that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom. That’s why he can’t try to sort this out. David can’t sort it all out. All he can do is what he will be responsible to do as a man of God and as the King of Israel. And he’s asked God to thwart the good counsel; the counsel of Ahithophel would give God’s done it. He’s moved on the heart of Absalom and Absalom accepts the council. Then Hushai sends to the priest Zadok and Abiathar who get word to their sons and they sent word out to David. Don’t stay in the camp; don’t stay by the fords of the wilderness. You’ve got to get out further get into the wilderness. You’ve got to get where you can’t be surprised so to speak and that’s what happens. There’s some details you could read the details some of the messengers get seen but they get hidden and little bit of the suspense.

Verse 21 they departed, they came out of well where they were hiding these messengers. They tell David to rise cross the water quickly Ahithophel has counseled against you. David and then crossed the Jordon were getting out of the land now could be more difficult for Absalom to come snooping down on them. Well now Absalom has a chance to get his forces marshaled, fine and so does David. And so when there is going to be a battle David will be prepared. David doesn’t have an army prepared as yet. So they all crossed the Jordon. So now we have a barrier between us and Absalom the Jordon River. We have the wilderness region, Ahithophel’s interesting response. He knows his counsel is being good he knows the battle is lost before it’s fought.

He goes home arrange his affairs and hangs himself commits suicide because he knows there’s no future. They’ve rejected the counsel now you’ve left David escape you won’t win. And when Absalom is defeated Ahithophel will pay the price of a traitor. So he just takes the chance to get his affairs in order commits suicide. God bring encouragement to David at the end of the chapter from three key men verses 27 to 29 he bring him all kinds of provisions. And again you see the Lord’s graciousness and even though many have abandoned David the Lord provides key faithful people who will stand with David and encourage him and support him.

Chapter 18, we come quickly to the battle but you know how many chapters are taken up with this. You think one of you writing this and you had a man of David’s stature who reigned over Israel for 40 years. You think where you could have summarize some of this in few verses said look David’s son Absalom rebelled against him and in ensuing battle Absalom was killed. And then go on to talk about nice things about David with the good things going on in his family what their kids that were, he had a lot of kids he got number of wives what else is going on. And then tells about David sitting and writing some of the Psalms and some of the things that went on his family that well, we pick up some of this in the Psalm but the history accounts chapter after chapter what’s going on here. You are just, something is happening here a periods of days if you will.

A forty year reign and we take up so much because of spirit of God wants us to understand and see the consequences of sinning yet his hand at work in at all. David numbered the people who were with him and he sets commanders now you see what is happening. David is stepping up, he’s the King, he is the military commander, he has been in conflict after conflict after conflict. Now he has time to order his forces. This is what Hushai’s council has done given David time to get his forces in order to be prepared to battle. And thus have a chance humanly speaking. And he divides them into three groups and you have the commanders of each one Joab under was one third Abishai and Joab’s brother Ittai. Now these are the three commanders of the army as he is divided into three and David says “I will go out with you also” at the end of verse 2 but the people say no because they are only be concerned about killing you. No matter if 10,000 of us die on the battlefield their only concern is going to be with you. So when David’s out there gets killed what does that do.

Now there is turmoil and Absalom will have won the day. So David stays behind and the people go out. So you know there’s no avoiding the battle. It’s just that it has to be at the appropriate time. The King charged Joab, Abishai, and Ittai saying “Deal gently with my sake for the young man Absalom.” Absalom is intent on David’s death. David is not intent on Absalom’s death. But in the plan of God Absalom has to die, so all the people heard this so this command becomes important. Later in the history Joab will die for these kinds of actions when he disobeys the King’s command. Everybody is aware you have not to kill Absalom. So they go out and they pick the battlefield. And when they pick for a battlefield is not a big open area where we have to engage because of Absalom has the larger force. They pick a heavily forested region which will break up the armies and the massive army of Israel will get broken up in the forest.

You have to find your way through the thick forest and brush now it’s not like you just have this massive armies in an open field coming up one another. Now you have the armies of Israel all broken up and you lose some of the order. The people went out into the field against Israel; the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. The people of Israel were defeated there before the servants of David. They slaughter there that day was great 20,000 men. The battle was spread over the whole country side the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devour. You have soldier get lost all over in the forest and so on. So it’s a tremendous victory for David and tremendous defeat for Absalom.

20,000 people die here. You see these consequences all they keep multiplying here in David’s family. When David tried to cover his sin with Bathsheba he killed Uriah but remember another number of faithful servants had to die with Uriah in the covering of that. And you have this turmoil in David’s family that is spread out but you realize 20,000 men in Israel die in this war that is being fought why, because Absalom is rebelled against his father why, because for one short evening David committed adultery with Bathsheba. You know it seems like it multiplies out 20,000 men behind in the battle here and you compile it all back to one evening of pleasure. What a tragedy, we tend to minimize sin and how horrible it is. It can’t be undone and there’s nothing David can do here. He’s got to fight he can’t say I’m not going to fight this is all a result of my sin I’m just going to sit and take whatever comes. He can’t stop doing what is right, what is Biblical. David has responsibility here. He doesn’t try to play God and determine what the consequence will be for him. He put himself in Gods hand, if God intends that he’ll come to no good end here he said that’s in the Lords hand but that doesn’t change he has responsibility to do everything he can do as the present king of Israel and a man of God.

Absalom is out here with his soldiers and you’re aware remember we were told earlier Absalom had a nice thick head of hair and Josephus, the New Testament Jewish’s story and says it was that thick head of hair they got caught in the trees. Whatever we’re told here, that when Absalom was riding on his mule, the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, his head got caught up in the branches. It may be that thick head of hair got ensnared in these thick branches and the mule keeps going and he’s left hanging there. Someone comes and tells Joab says you know I saw Absalom hanging in a tree. Joab says “Why didn’t you kill him.” I mean I be given you ten pieces of silver and above verse 11. Man said Joab I know you if I should receive a thousand pieces of silver I wouldn’t put out my hand against the king’s son for I hear the king charge you and Abishai and Ittai saying protect for me the young man Absalom. Otherwise if I dealt treacherously against his life, there’s nothing hidden from the king then you yourself was there aloof. And what happened this man says If I killed him you know what, when he’s got back to the king, you wouldn’t have stood with me, you know who would have this guy Joab wouldn’t done it. Joab says I don’t want to hear any more about this. So he takes three spears, goes out himself, and finishes off Absalom.

So Absalom is killed verse 16, Joab blew the trumpet, the people return from pursuing his Israel for Joab restrained the people. The intention is not to destroy Israel like you would. The Philistines have another army because these are the people, your own people it was like the civil war. The intent is to bring the people back to David with the Absalom. There is no opposing king. We’re back to only one king for Israel. And the army of Israel has been sufficiently chastened with its losses. So Joab calls off the battle and of course the armies of Israel are running for home, Absalom’s dead what we be fighting for, to make a dead man king? So soldiers are all want to run to home where we’re not going to run them down and kill them, I mean these are the people over which David rules. So the battle’s over. They took Absalom, caste him into a deep pit and put a pile of stones over him and all Israel went to their tent.

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar which is in the king’s valley for he said I have not son to preserve my name. So he named the pillar after his own name and it’s called Absalom’s Monument to this day. Now remember earlier we’re told Absalom had three sons and one daughter. And we noted then evidently those sons died in infancy, they’ve never adulthood. They may have died very early as would have been not unusual in those days because early on Absalom realized he had no sons and evidently realized he wasn’t going to have any and so you want to be remembered in this Biblical framework. The son was who wanted to carried on your name the wife married and became part of the father’s or husbands line and his father and so I don’t know who’s going to remember me, I don’t have a son to carry on. So he built a pillar and it’s called Absalom’s Monument to the time when this was written.

David’s response is overwhelming grief to the death of Absalom. Beginning in verse 19, they have runners that come and tell David you can read the detail of the account and when he asked to one runner who comes, there were two runners the second one comes verse 29, the king says “Is it well with the young men Absalom?” And him he asked the messengers who come said when I – when Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant I saw a turmoil I didn’t know he was the first messenger there. The second one messenger arrives when David ask what about Absalom, the first one comes and says you know I’m not sure what happened. I saw there was confusion I couldn’t tell you for sure whether Absalom was dead and the second runner comes and says yes he’s dead verse 32, let the enemies of my Lord the kind and all who rise up against you for evil be it’s that young man, in other words may all your enemies die like he died.

The king was deeply moved went up to the chamber over the gate and wept thus he said as he walked “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you O Absalom my son, my son” and the overwhelming grief of David perhaps intensified by the awareness, all that is transpired. That’s a great loss, the pain of David experiencing this. Tragedy now this is the second son. Daughter been raped by one of the sons who was murdered by Absalom, now Absalom’s dead what a family? What a tragedy?

We’re not done, we have what is going to take place in, here we’ll have some of the unfolding events of, follow-up of this conflict then we have some other revolt go on and we’re coming to a close really of David’s reign. We have 24 Chapters in Second Samuel, we get to First Kings you’re ready for the transfer to the successor to David. So much of scripture given to this sad event of David’s life reminds us their consequence of the sin, but also reminds us we don’t stop. Never refuse to sit looking back as we’ve noted. We go on and whatever the Lord chooses to bring there may be a consequence of sin. Lord I trust your grace and that doesn’t mean the Lord doesn’t bring deliverance to David. So there’s chastening going on but it’s not God’s intention to destroy David nor is he done with David, so good reminders for us.

Let’s pray together. Thank you Lord for your word. Thank you for David. Lord, sin in the life of someone else is so clear. But the awfulness of the sin, the consequences of sin when we observe it in someone else’s life it seems to be so glaring and clear. Lord it’s easy for us to make excuses to think if sin as less than serious, may these things be impressed on our mind in Lord in at all we thank you for your grace. Thank you that David was forgiven. Thank you that you weren’t done with David, he was still your anointed appointed king, still the one in whom and through whom you were working to lead your people. The man you were still using even in the writing of portions of your word. Thank you Lord for his tenacity in continuing to do what needed to be done. And even in spite of the fact he had to endure great pain from within his own family and circle of friends. Encourage our hearts Lord that we might walk faithfully before you even the days of the week before us, so we pray in Christ’s name, amen.