Untitled Sermon (3)

1 Kings 2:1-12

2 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, :

3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 

4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

3 broad words of wisdom:

be thou strong therefore

2. and shew thyself a man

2. And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways

a) Much clarity is added, and emphasis adding importance.

2 Promises:

that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself

That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me

Getting down to business:

5 “Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.

 6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

Lets talk about Who Joab is:

Abner, Son of Ner (2 Samuel 3): Joab murdered Abner in Hebron to avenge the death of his brother, Asahel, whom Abner had killed in battle. Joab lured Abner back to the city under false pretenses and stabbed him in the stomach, breaking a truce and acting against David’s wishes.

While 2 Samuel 11:14-25 describes Joab facilitating the death of Uriah the Hittite by placing him in the front lines of battle, this was done under direct orders from King David, making it a murder ordered by the king rather than a personal murder initiated by Joab.

Absalom, Son of David (2 Samuel 18): During the rebellion of Absalom, Joab disobeyed King David’s direct orders to spare his son's life. When Absalom was caught in a tree, Joab stabbed him with three javelins and his armor-bearers finished him off.

Amasa, Son of Jether (2 Samuel 20): After Absalom’s rebellion, David replaced Joab as commander with Amasa. To regain his position, Joab murdered Amasa by pretending to greet him with a kiss, then stabbing him in the stomach, causing his intestines to spill out.

Sheba, Son of Bichri (2 Samuel 20): While not explicitly described in as much detail as the others, Joab pursued Sheba, who led a post-Absalom revolt, and was responsible for his death when the city of Abel Beth-maacah handed over Sheba's head to Joab to prevent destruction.

7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

2 Samuel 19:32: Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

Barzillai was a man with a great reputation for loyalty to God and to his king and kindness to those under his care. Despite being a man of wealth, he used his influence for the benefit of others and lived a simple life. He offers a powerful example of the legacy one person can have through loving God and serving others during difficult times.

8 “And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ 

9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

2 Samuel 16:5-11

5 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out.

6 He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left.

7 As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you murderer, you scoundrel!

8 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!”

9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”

10 But the king said, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’”

11 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. 12 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 19:16-23

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king 19 and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. 20 For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.”

21 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the Lord’s anointed.”

22 David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.

10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 

12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established