2 Samuel 15-16:14

A Treacherous Son and a Fleeing Father

Intro

Andrew Tate

Father hunger

In our text today we see a son use some of the oldest political tricks in the book to win (dupe) the hearts of Israel. By doing that he steals the kingdom that doesn’t rightfully belong to him. On the other side of the equation, we see a David whose faith starts to revive, but only after he suffers the consequences of His sin. Sin which often blinds to what’s right in front of you. In our text this evening, we see a son’s treachery and a father’s flight.

2 Samuel 15-16:14

A Son’s Treachery

Stage is Set (15:1-6)

Absalom uses classic political tricks to steal (literally dupe) the hearts of Israel.

Look the part (v. 1). (Chariot useless in Jerusalem’s hill country) this is all show. [trappings of royalty]

Disparage current administration while promising you would do better.

He finds every plaintiff's case agreeable.

He’s a man of the people.

Through lies and flattery he dupes a people. [idiom means to dupe the mind, not win the affections]

David seems oblivious to what’s going on right under his nose. (15:7-12)

v. 7 explain forty years and David’s timeline.

Leithart makes a compelling case this is the fortieth year of David’s reign and also Absalom is forty, born the first year of his reign in Hebron.

Hebron is significant since David was first crowned king there.

Irony: “go in peace” (9) since Absalom has treachery in mind.

Ahithophel could be Bathsheba’s grandfather, the Father of Eliam (2 Sam. 23:34) and perhaps had discovered David’s stealing of Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah and wanted to get even. (I think this is doubtful, since this may have moved him into a greater position then Uriah, especially if he knew that Solomon was the rightful heir to throne).

We need to balance this episode on two truths: this is consequence to David’s sin & Absalom is a treacherous son that God will judge. (Acts 2:23).

A Father’s Flight

David finally begins to act like a king, choosing to spare Jerusalem and flee rather than have it destroyed under siege.

David goes east of Eden. Going east in scripture is always away from God (into exile) in the wilderness.

But sometimes the wilderness is were your thinking clears, and it has in the past been where David was most faithful.

Five groups he meets on his way out into the wilderness.

Leaves ten concubines to keep the house in Jerusalem (who will be ravished by Absalom the promised consequence to David’s sin).

Ittai (15:18-23)

As David stops at the last house, his household passes on before him, including his gentile body guards (Cherethites, Pelethites, and Gittites)

Finds favor from gentiles in exile.

Meets Ittai (which in Hebrew sounds like the word for “with me”)

“But Ittai answered the king, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.”” (2 Sa 15:21).

reminds us of Ruth.

The favor a Son should show (or perhaps Ahithophel).

Recognizes David as the true king of Israel.

Just as Jesus came to his own and his own rejected him, so the Gospel goes to the Gentiles. Not all Israel is Israel.

The Priests (15:24-29)

Then the priests come with the ark

David Won’t have sign without thing signified. Rejects any attempt to manipulate God by using His furniture (1 Sam. 4:3).

Entrusts himself to God’s sovereignty, no matter the outcome.

But he still acts. He sends them back to report as a fifth column.

Hushai (15:30-37)

David ascends the mount of olives weeping, and then discovers Ahithophel is conspiring with Absalom against him.

He prays to the Lord something that has been absent from the narrative since his sin with Bathsheba.

He asks the Lord to frustrate the plans of Ahithophel.

Then he meets Hushai the Archite, an immediate answer to His prayer.

Described in Chronicles as “the king’s friend” (1 Chron. 27:33). His Consigliere.

Sends him back to befriend Absalom so that he can frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel and also send word back to David.

Ziba (16:1-4)

Then he meets two from Saul’s house.

First, the opportunist Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth.

Brings needed provisions to David and his house who fled in haste.

But it’s a disguises blessing meant to win David’s favor.

Claim’s Mephibosheth stayed behind to seize this opportunity to claim the throne (highly unlikely)

David is unsure, but gives all the land of Saul’s to Ziba.

Notice Ziba doesn’t stay in exile with David, after he wins David’s favor he returns to Jerusalem to see how things will go.

Shimei (16:5-14)

An aggrieved member of Saul’s house comes out last of all to curse David as he goes.

Bold since David is surrounded by his body guards, and he is only a stones throw away.

Calls David a man of bloodshed and son of Belilial.

He seems to believe David is being driven out by his son Absalom for taking the kingdom from Saul wrongly–think of the deaths of Abner and Ishbosheth, both which David was innoncent of.

Still David allows him to continue to curse, not because everything he says is true, but because he sees that the Lord is behind his flight from Jerusalem.

Although he hopes the Lord will repay him with kindness (12). Repay being a play on words from Shimei’s curse in v. 8 (avenged).

Finally after these five, David arrives at the Jordan. Remember to cross the Jordan is to leave Israel away from God.

So what…

God uses means to accomplish his purpose, but he doesn’t absolve them of their personal responsibility.

This is consequence for David’s Sin

But Absalom is a treacherous son, with no commendable characteristics save his shrewdness.

A warning to Father’s: don’t provoke your sons to anger. Absalom’s disaffection over David not restoring him to favor in the end leads to sedition.

What is it about the wilderness that makes us think clearer?

It takes this experience to really wake David up.

It turns out that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Gold, girls, and glory easily trip up men, and tempt them to forget their mission.

But he still has some lessons to learn.

A number of convincing parallel’s between David’s “exile” and Jesus’ exile into death.

“David, as has been emphasized, was departing from the land as the “true Israel,” foreshadowing of Israel’s later exile, and the fact that he also foreshadowed the movement of Jesus indicates that Jesus’ suffering and death was also an “exile.” Unlike David, however, who suffered exile for his own sins, Jesus, as true Israel and righteous son of David, suffered exile in place of His people, and His exile secured a return for Israel.” 1