Good morning everyone. This morning we are in 2 Samuel chapter 18 and David has been on the run. Absalom has taken over Jerusalem and now David is organizing his military from outside of Jerusalem to take on the threat of Absalom.
So here we have in verse 1, then David numbered the people who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. And David sent the people out one third under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zoriah, Joab's brother, and one third under the hand of Itai, the Gittite.
And the king said to the people, I myself will surely go out with you also. So David was going to go out and battle with them. That was the kind of leader that he was. But the people said, you shall not go out for if we indeed flee, they will not set their heart on us. Even if half of us die, they will not set their heart on us. And but you are worth 10,000 of us. So now it is better that you be ready to help us from, excuse me, from the city. So
They did not want David to go. If they had to flee, they felt like the army would chase them down even stronger if they knew David was with them. So they don't want David also to be killed in battle because that's going to mean Absalom is going to take over.
for sure. So they're, they're, I think having wisdom here and even though David was willing to go, they want to protect him. Then the king said to them, whatever is good in your sight, I will do. So the king stood beside the gate and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. Then the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Itai, saying, deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.
and all the people heard when the king commanded all the commanders concerning Absalom. And this has been very much like David, but it's interesting to think about these commands. So you might recall that Saul, uh, King Saul wanted to take David's life and David could have killed King Saul several times and refrained from doing so. He never wanted to be the one.
take his life, but yet Saul's life was taken. I mean, you know, he was an evil man and the way this worked in those days, you know, the prior king needed to die in order for another king to take place. That's typically the way it worked because otherwise that other king might rise up, the people might
be at war, they may say, well, no, we think, you know, King Saul should be king. But if King Saul's dead, then people kind of like relinquish more easily. And then David can have the kingdom and not have as much division in the kingdom. So
He didn't want to take Saul's life, but God ended up having Saul's life be taken. And we're going to see a similar thing here with Absalom. It's, it's a little David, you know, this is his son, but his son has been a wicked son and his son has been against David, wanted, wanted to usurp David. And David still wants to protect him and I get it, you know, because it's his son. But the question I have, you know, as you take in this chapter,
We're gonna see Absalom get killed here, and we're gonna see his commanders, especially Joab, not follow David's instruction. But was Joab ultimately doing what God wanted, meaning does God want Absalom dead? And in this case, I think it's likely that he does because he does not want Absalom to take the kingdom. He wants David to be king. And Absalom says one thing,
like of pledge to David and the next thing wants to usurp him. So Absalom cannot be trusted. So David of course doesn't want his son killed, but God may God may be willing to have him be killed so that this does not happen again.
Then the people went out into the field to meet Israel and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim and the people were defeated there before the servants of David. So David's men are doing great against Absalom's men. David's men are more considered, you know, David was from the tribe of Judah, which Jesus was from the tribe.
And right now the kingdom has got some division to it. The 10 northern tribes are fighting with Benjamin and with Judah. David's with Benjamin and Judah and the 10 northern tribes are with Absalom right now and David's men. That's why it says they defeated Israel. That's mostly the 10 northern tribes for a season. Shortly they will be united under Solomon.
But there's just this ongoing division between the North and the South and that division will show its head again. People just aren't willing to all be united. So David and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men. So 20,000 men of Israel lost their lives. David's military did well. And the battle there was scattered over the whole countryside and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
Then Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Now Absalom, this is really interesting, was riding on his mule and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak and his head caught fast in the oak. So he was left hanging between heaven and earth while the mule that was under him passed onward. So he ends up getting stuck.
In a tree, think about that. Someone who wanted to be king, someone who, you know, for all practical purposes was handsome, was strong.
and used his, you know, quick wit and handsomeness to gain the kingdom. But when God wanted to take the kingdom from him, he gets caught up in a tree dangling in a tree. Think of that. Then a certain man saw it and he told Joab and said, behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.
Then Joab said to the man who had told him, now behold, you saw him? Why then do you not strike him there to the ground? So you can see Joab never wanted to listen to the king regarding having Absalom live. But the person who saw him up in that tree didn't want to take his life because he heard what David said.
And Joab said to this man, and I would have given you 10 pieces of silver and a belt. So the man said to Joab, even if I should receive 1,000 pieces of silver in my hand, I would not send forth my hand against the king's son for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Etai, saying keep for me the young man Absalom.
Otherwise, if I had dealt trustfully against his life and there is nothing hidden from the king, meaning he would have found out, then you yourself would have stood aloof. So he's like, no way, I'm not taking the king's life. David said not to then. Job said, I will not wait around here before you.
So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. And 10 young men who carried Joab's armor gathered around and struck Absalom and put him to death. So they, they kill Absalom. Then Joab blew the trumpet and the people returned from pursuing Israel for Joab restrained the people in
So they didn't want to kill any more Israelites. Maybe now the kingdom will be united under David. So they blow the trumpet to end the war and they took Absalom and cast him into a deep pit in the forest and set over him a very great heap of stones and all Israel fled each to his tent. Now, Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's valley for he had said, I have no son to preserve my name.
So he named the pillar after his own name. That sounds like Absalom. I'm going to make pillars and name them after myself. And it was called Absalom's Monument to this day. And I read a little note here that it's interesting that apparently there's a stone that commemorates this.
regarding Absalom and Jews who walk by that stone that even exist today spit on it as a, you know, as a way of disrespecting appropriately Absalom for his conspiracy to try to take over the kingdom. Then, you know, what's interesting about that is there are so many artifacts in Israel, you know, and throughout Turkey and Greece and everywhere else to where the Bible times were
you know, two historical events that took place in the Bible. There's so much evidence that people would just come to know it. Then Ahimaz, the son of Zadak said, please let me run and proclaim the good news to the king that what Yahweh has judged to save him from the hand of his enemies. You know, it's interesting. There's a passage in the Bible, how blessed are the feet that bring good news or something close to that effect because when a military battle is over, you know, people would run back to town
to bring news and especially if it was good news the person would come running and the people back in the hometown would be really looking forward to hearing good news so this man's asking to be that you know they couldn't email they couldn't call on the phone they couldn't you know I had to have a runner but Joe had said to him you are not the man for the good news this day but you shall proclaim the good news another day however you shall not proclaim the good news today because the king's son has died
So Joab knows that King David's not going to be real thrilled. Then Joab said to the Kushite, go tell the king what you have seen. So the Kushite bowed to Joab and ran. So he sends this other guy. Now Ehemaz, the son of Zadak said, once more to Joab, but whatever happens, please let me also run after the Kushite.
So apparently this guy really wanted to go to. A job said, why would you run my son since you will have no reward for going? He's like, it's not going to be a good news to the king. So, but whatever happens, he said, I will run. So he said to him, run, then ahemas ran by the way of the plane and passed the Kushites. This guy was a better runner. So there's two people running back to
Uh, tell David, now David was sitting between the two gates and the watchmen went up to the roof of the gate by the wall and raised his eyes and looked and behold a man running by himself. And the watchmen called and told the king and the king said, if he is by himself, there is good news in his mouth and he came near, near and the watchmen saw another man running.
And the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, behold, another man running by himself. And the king said, this one also is bringing good news. And the watchman said, I see that the running of the first one is like the running of a mass. You can tell someone's style of running, by the way, if you know them, the son of Zadak. And the king said, this is good. This is a good man and comes with good news.
And Ehemas called and said to the king peace. And he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up men who lifted their hands against my Lord the king. And it's pretty cool that they see, you know, this as God's victory, you know, that God is for David and he is and God is provided and has provided for David all these years. And he's provided for him now.
He has delivered up the man who lifted their hand against my Lord the king and the king said is there peace with the young man? Absalom I mean David right away I wanted to know about his son and Adam as said when Joab sent the king servant and Your servant I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was So then the king said turn aside and stand here so he turned aside and stood still so
Ehemas didn't want to bring that news about Absalom. Behold the Kushite arrived and the Kushite said let my lord the king receive good news for Yahweh has judged to save you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you. Then the king said to the Kushite is their peace with the young man Absalom. That's what he really wanted to know.
And the Kushite answered, let the enemies of my Lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be as that young man. And this was a way of sharing that Absalom had died. Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept.
And thus he sat as he walked. Oh, my son, Absalom, my son, my son, Absalom. Would I have died instead of you? Oh, Absalom, my son, my son. Wow.
David is really shook up regarding his son's death and what an amazing man and you know what loyalty he had to his son even though his son was so very disloyal to him.
You know, children bring tremendous joy and they can also bring tremendous hardship. And in this case, you know, Absalom turned against his father and now he's dead and David is weeping about it.
You know, our kids have a huge impact on our lives and our happiness, and we pray for them. We care about our children. We want them, if you're a Christian, to follow God. And we'd love for them to be in steadfast relationship, not only with God, but with us.
Um, you know, I was talking to my daughter who was here for Christmas and her husband and their newly married, you know, you're married. They don't have children yet. And, uh, it's just thinking about, you know, her having children and what a blessing it is. There's so much blessing.
and having children. But you know, you don't know what's going to happen. You're with your kids as they grow up. I mean, sometimes there's hardship too. There's challenges. There's drama. There's, you know, all of that. And look at David's life with Epsom, right? Look at all the drama and angst over this son. And
you know, that can be part of the lot of having children as well. It's not all, it's not all, you know, just fairy tale and good. Sometimes it can be challenging. And I think one of the things that we have to do in life is as, as a parents, you, you seek to honor God, you seek to help your kids, you seek to point them to Jesus and you hope and you long for them.
to live honorable and good lives and to follow Jesus.
And it is true that your happiness to a certain extent is going to be impacted by your children's decisions and how they live their lives. But I think that there also is an extent to that, that we have to just like leave to the Lord. And what I mean by that is, you know, there's a lot of us that have kids who are following Jesus and maybe you have kids
who are not. And we can't allow our lives to our happiness, our productivity, our fruitfulness, our service to God, our joy to be completely wrapped up in our children. Because no matter what decisions our children make, which, you know, they have to grow up and they have to make their own decisions.
we don't want to be thwarted in what God has called us to do. Our kids are incredibly important to us, but we have lives outside of our children as well, and we have things God wants us to do and how God wants us to serve them.
You know, I'm kind of speaking out of both sides of my mouth. I want to acknowledge the love for our children and how much that matters and how much we care about the decisions they make and how they live their lives. But don't get so caught up in it that if you have a child that
isn't doing what's right, that you, you know, are so discouraged that you don't do what's right. Like, you know, make sure that you realize you still have a calling in life. God still has a plan for your life too, and it's not always subject to what your kids do. It can be independent of what your kids do that you still have a life to live for the Lord Jesus Christ. So, you know what? Your life is more than your kids, and they're incredibly important, but your life is more than them. Your life is about God.
And, you know, in the Bible, not all the kids follow Jesus, you know, of even good kings. There would be really good kings and then they'd have, you know, their sons would take over as kings and they turned wicked. So it's not always up to you. You know what I mean? Pray for them.
But they're going to have to make their own decisions and following God and doing what's right. And you still got to do yours. So, you know, it's going to be interesting what we see that happens in the next chapter. You know, David here is getting military victory from an enemy happens to be a son who tried to usurp the kingdom. And David is solely focused on his son.
Well, his country just, you know, overcame a conspiracy. And there are people who fought for David in overcoming the conspiracy from his son. And he, there's going to be an importance that he acknowledges
the good in what just happened that his people who fought form one and have brought the kingdom back into his hands. And they understand the love of a son, but they also are going to want David to be pleased that they fought. And I'm sure many died in fighting for him and they're wanting him to acknowledge, you know, that, Hey, this is good news that we have one and that we get to come back to Jerusalem and
unite the country and that's going to be talked about in the next chapter so please take it in with us. Keep the faith no matter what others do around you you still have a responsibility before God and a calling from God to live your life and you know keep praying for your kids and hopefully one day they will come to the Lord you know just yesterday there was a young man in his 30s who
has had a life apart from God and has gotten himself in trouble and has had turned away from God and really didn't follow him and now has repented and has turned his life around and has turned his life towards Jesus.
And it's interesting because he did it in his 33rd year, which is how many years of ministry Jesus had. But my point is is, you know, keep faith because sometimes it may take a while, but your kids can come around and it'll be glorious when they do. So keep praying for them, keep hoping for them, and keep believing that God can radically change your kids' lives. And when it happens, it'll indeed be glorious. Keep the faith. God bless you all.
