If you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall

2 Samuel 19:1-18

The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines.

I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.”

So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,” they all came before him.

King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Ask the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?’

The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines

Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.

Why?

David forgot he is the King of Israel and Judah, and David remain called in the sad mode of his son Absalom dead. This would discourage his followers, so Jaob said the right word before David.

After Absalon was dead, Israelites thought David should be their king and the king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. So all of them return back to David.

How?

We have emotions but we should make clear what is more important around us. Don't be emotional to do jobs!

David Mourns

 2 Samuel 18:19-33

Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.”

“You are not the one to take the news today,” Joab told him. “You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”

Then Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.

 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

Ahimaaz answered, “I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was.”

The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.”

The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!

Why?

David loved his son Absalom but it was too late for his sins.

It shows the love of a father, David can show his love to Absalom before Absalom took the revolution.

All of these are under the arrangement of the Lord. David must pay for that lamb, Uriah, four times over because he did such things and had no pity. The sword will never depart from your house.

How?

How sad these events happened, the consequence usually comes from our sins. Be aware the target in our life is correct or not.

Joab killed Absalom and did not care the word of David

2 Samuel 18:1-18

But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”

The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.”

The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.

Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.

But the man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels[c] were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.

Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this for you.” So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. And ten of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.

During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

Why?

David's troops protect David more than their own life. they are the real soldiers and fighters.

Joab does it in his own way and doesn't care about the king's command, David.

Absalom took a pillar as his own memory, his beautiful hair caused him to die. The problem of Absalom did not depend on the Lord but depended on himself, so he failed.

How?

Any benefit is good to us or bad to us depending on the Lord's way. Trust in the Lord is our best talent and capability.

Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he put his house in order and then hanged himself.

 2 Samuel 17:15-29

Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. Now send a message at once and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.’”

When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.

When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, “The people have become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Why?

Ahithophel knew his advice had not been followed, David would return to Jerusalem, and he would be killed for he helped Ansalom, so he handed himself.

Barzillai did a great job when David's people were tired and hungry, he supported many food and roasted grain, honey, sheep and cheese, etc. It is important to those who escaped from Absalom the whole day.

How?

Help others at the needed point, pray at the right time, and say the key point during church service.

 

For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel and bring disaster on Absalom

 2 Samuel 17:1-14

But Absalom said, “Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say as well.” When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, “Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion.”

“So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left.”

Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

Why?

All of the words and what people said are on the way of the Lord, even though they did not know the way of the Lord.

Some words seem reasonable, but it do not work in that time and place.

We have to humble ourselves for many things we know only part of it and not the whole, so we make decisions in limited ways.

How?

Be humble and do our best to honor the Holy Name of the Lord!

In those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God

2 Samuel 16:15-23

Hushai said to Absalom, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel—his I will be, and I will remain with him. Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”

Ahithophel answered, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.

Why?
Hushai did a spy very well, Absalom did not sense his heart and mind. The sweet word may cheat anyone.

The strategy of Ahithophel is prophesied by the Lord through Nathan. Before your very eyes, I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’” Then David told Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Samuel 12:11-12)

How?

What we are doing is to honor the Holy Name of the Lord. May my heart and my mind go with the Lord. Don't trust the beautiful words and praise words from man's mouth. Be careful about this. We can say good words to encourage others.

It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today

 2 Samuel 16:1-14

When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.

Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.”

As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel! The Lord has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The Lord has given the kingdom into the hands of your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a murderer!

David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”

Why?

Ziba came to support David, and Shimei came to curse David. David met the most difficulty in his life of his sins against the Lord.

How?

David accepted what the Lord arranged for him, no matter what happened David put his hope in the Lord. This is the real faith in the Lord.