Lesson 17: David's Latter Kingdom-Part 4

We all want significance in life; we want to find our place and position. We as Christian people need to trust God and do our best in every area of life; and then we need not to stoop ourselves, to manipulate, abuse, and use others for our self-promotion. We should not be our way to grab all that we can and account our self-worth by what we have or who thinks we are great. The result of such a walk before God is ruinous.

We know that Absalom had entered the palace in Jerusalem had fled, but Hushai’s counsel was taken over Ahithophel’s, and he in his bitterness took his own life.

I’m not sure what length of time had transpired, but likely several days, when tatically, Absalom should have followed the advice of Ahithophel and gone right after David, he waited. David and his armies were able to in this time, fit themselves again to bring the kingdom back.

VIII. Absalom’s Ruin

2 Samuel 18:1-20:26

A. The Battle 18:1-18

1. The Division of David’s Armies vv.1-4

1/3 to Joab

1/3 to Abishai

1/3 to Ittai

(on a side note, Ittai means in the Hebrew – painful – Just wanted to see if any of our Japanese folks were awake tonight). His name really means “with me” and what a blessing for a leader to know that his people are with him especially in the midst of the battle.

David is made to stay in the rear v.3-4

He was no longer of an age where he could go out to war and not be an impediment to others.

He was about 64 years old at this time.

Now a few men can still handle themselves at that age, but they knew that David would be a snare because if they would use all of their forces to try to kill only David, because if he was dead, there would be no more reason to fight.

2. The Dealings toward Absalom v.5

2 Samuel 18:5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

They were plainly commanded not to be too hard on Absalom.

It says that all the people heard it; everyone knew what the king had commanded.

3. The devouring in the woods v.6-8

The men

The salty men of David easily defeated the new recruits of Absalom

Wisdom and experience beat out youth and speed every time.

More died in the woods because they were without proper preparations

Just a simple reminder to all of us, that in order to do our jobs effectively, we need to make proper preparations.

Without the proper preparations, we are doomed to failure.

We might do alright winging it for a little while, but ultimately we must develop the character to prepare.

Certainly when you go to war, you need weapons, ammunition, fuel, water, then some kind of food and a battle plan.

Spiritually we need our food, our water from the fountain of life, we need training or a plan as well if we want to see success.

4. The Murder of Absalom

a. The object of Absalom’s glory was also the object of his destruction v.9

That object was his hair. The Bible teaches that he had beautiful hair.

1 Corinthians 11:14 AV

Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

2 Samuel 14:25–26 AV

But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year’s end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king’s weight.

b. The report of Absalom’s predicament vv. 10-13

c. The slaying at Joab’s hand vv.14-16

d. The memorial of Absalom vv.17-18

Isn’t that like us, don’t we want to leave a memorial that we were here, a legacy, to know that we made a difference. He did it with a pile of rocks, wouldn’t be better if we left a legacy of souls and changed lives because we lived and did our best for God.

Someone was being critical of me again this week for caring about soulwinning and that is all I care about, and I’m working in the flesh, I told him that isn’t the flesh, that is obedience to God.

I told the man, show me your list of people you have one or disciple, name one of either, and you say I’m working in the flesh?

Hey, friend, you start doing right, you speak the truth of God, you will leave a true memorial, maybe not in your time, but history will reveal in heaven what you did.

That is a huge difference between President Bush and President Obama.

Now you can read through on your own how the word of Absalom’s death came to David from verse 19-32. But we will pick up our reading in verse 33-

5. The Mourning of David 18:33-19:8

a. His love is evident for his son

2 Samuel 18:33 AV

And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

True love for someone is not easily hidden, when there is a loss or they are injured.

Though Absalom had done wickedly toward his father, his bowels still yearned for his son.

b. The rebuke from Joab 19:1-7

This was well placed rebuke from Joab, people had fought for David and died, and he had lost sight of their sacrifice in the grief for his son.

May we be reminded that in our grieving or problems that we have, not to be clouded as to the big picture of what we are here.

We are here to glorify God, bring souls to Christ, and disciple those that we bring.

Why would David always put up with these son’s of Zeruiah, who was of course a woman. Thy are always mentioned that way, why would David put up with them,

Because they were his nephews. Likely the same age, but his older sister was Zeruiah.

1 Chronicles 2:15–16 AV

Ozem the sixth, David the seventh: Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three.

c. The leadership of David

2 Samuel 19:8 AV

Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

He was able to receive instruction and rebuke

He was able to be a leader outwardly while mourning inwardly

B. The Return

1. The promotion of Amasa

2 Samuel 19:13 AV

And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

2. Shimei’s death sentence is stayed for a while

vv.16, 18-22

3. Mephibosheth’s sincere welcome

vv.24-31

4. Barzillai’s graciousness vv.32-39

An old man of great substance came to see David over the Jordan.

It shows a lot when anyone of us will see someone off or accompany their arrival, or care for their travel, he humbled himself like that.

His significance was in his humility

5. Joab’s treachery continues vv.9-12

Joab was always wanting significance, really if he was always honorable, he would have been one of the great men of the Bible, but he wasn’t.

Joab should have lost his job many times, but now that he is being replaced by Amasa, he will have no part of it.

So he kills him, murders him in cold blood.

Joab has now murdered Abner, Absalom, and now Amasa. It would be good not to have your name begin with A it would seem if you had to spend a lot of time around Joab.

Why did he hate him additionally:

2 Samuel 17:25 AV

And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.

He was bitter over his cousin having been taken advantage of by Ithra, and the offspring was a reminder of that sin.

Joab was also replaced by Amasa as the General of the armies of Absalom.

6. Sheba’s rebellion

20:1-2, 13-22

Sheba was rebellious and was looking for significance in the wrong way as well.

The one point that I want to make out of this passage is that a wise woman saved her city when Joab and his army were besieging Abel in order to kill Sheba.

This wise woman said, hold on, I’ll cast his head over the wall.

We don’t know her name, but her significance for her wisdom and faithfulness will be far better than that of Joab’s or Absalom’s in eternity.

What is your significance going to be?