Absalom Pursues David

2 Samuel 17-18

B) There is espionage – Absalom – son of King David has gathered followers in Israel – seeking to over throw his Dad

1) He has his Dad and those who were loyal to him on the run.

1) Ahithophel has teamed up with Absalom to help plan and lead this over throw.

1) But who at David’s request has stayed in the city to act as a spy – to give counsel that is opposite of Ahithophel's

1) Then you have the sons of Zadok – Ahimaaz and Jonathan who are the secret messengers for Zadok and Hushai –

E) Their job is to get word to King David on the movements of Absalom

A) But what is interesting to me is that the advisor is volunteering to lead the chase and to personally take down David –

B) that is how strong his bitterness toward David was

A) Ahithophel's plan was smart. It was bold and had a high probably of success

it would spare Israel a protracted civil war between the supporters of David and the supporters of Absalom.

B) But Absalom does an unusual thing here concerning the counsel of Ahithophel 1) See Ahithophel had the reputation for hearing the voice of God – THE WISE COUNSELOR

C) Everyone liked his counsel including Absalom – but then Absalom asked for a second opinion - Enter Spy #1 Hushai

A) He had to quickly think of a counter-plan so that he could defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, as David asked him to do in 2 Samuel 15:32-35.

C) Hushai refers to the David of the past, not the David of the present.

1) Hushai saw David with his own eyes and saw that he was not strong and mighty at this time but was heart broken and bewildered

D) Hushai knew David could barely keep himself together, but he effectively painted the picture that David and his men were dangerous and should not be attacked quickly.

E) He hoped that Absalom would vividly remember the David of the past.

A) We can imagine that he said all this praying that God would indeed answer David's prayer and defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

1) this advice would buy David some time to further escape as well as time to regroup and get organized with his men.

C) His counsel would take weeks to get such a force together- giving David time to escape and regroup

Result V.14

D) I think One reason Absalom liked Hushai's advice was because it appealed to his vanity. Big army – big forces –

1) But the real reason is the Lord was behind this

 "This is one of the great principles of life which every page of the Bible emphasizes and illustrates. Men cannot escape God. They go their own way, but that way never sets them free from the authority and the invincible power of God." (Morgan)

B) So Hushai sends word to the priest the other spies who get word to the messengers – to take the word to David.

B) Herein is a strange mixture of discretion and desperation, mind and madness.

C) Suicide is never a solution. I think that suicide is one of the cruelest things that a person can do. Because it creates such guilt feelings on all who are left.

1) Everybody blames themselves for a suicide. "Why didn’t I do this, if I’d only said that, maybe if I had done this...",

D) A person just beats himself to death mentally, because of a suicide of a friend or a member of the family.

1) They feel that somehow they could have prevented it.

Dobson’s Dad – He put his house in order and sacrificed being the top dog

A) NOTE: THREE men came and ministered to David and his men

They are interesting men

1) Back in 2 Sam. 10 we remember how David sent messengers to Hanum, the son of Nahash, that Hanum cut off 1/2 their beards and cut off their robes

C) When David heard how his messengers of condolence were treated he got his men together and warred against them

D) Well Shob is the brother of Hanum

1) He could have said: "ME help DAVID?" No way

E) He had every reason to take that attitude { But he was above that !

A) Problems in Corinth was strife and divisions which were signs of their Carnality and spiritual immaturity

B) Chambers said when do you know that you have grown in this area?

A) He is the man that was taking care of Mephibosheth while Mephibosheth was in hiding in Lodebar (2 Sam.9:4)

B) He could have said: "Me help David now - I’ve already given... I’ve been taking care of a lame guy for years.... Let somebody else carry the load"

C) He could have said I am tired but instead he saw an opportunity to serve and took it!

A) We will see this guy later on - He is 80 years old

B) He could have said: "I’m OLD" too old to get involved

C) See these are the SAME three reasons that you hear ALL of the time for NOT serving the Lord...

D) They don’t deserve my help because they didn’t treat me right last time

1) or I am always volunteering – I am going to sit this one out this time

2) Or I am too old – I will let the younger people tend to that.

E) These guys don’t do that – they are a great example to us.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

V.1-2 And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.2 Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.

A) Ittai had just showed up a few days before He was a former General of the philistines who had bonded with David – showing his allegiance

3 But the people answered, "You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city."

 C) I think they also understood that it would be hard for David to fight against his own son Absalom

4 Then the king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands 

David was not stubborn. He knew how to submit to the good advice of others. He did not give up leadership; he practiced good leadership by listening to the wise advice of the people around him.

Husbands wives –

Older women to the younger –

Young men older men

Kills me people seek advise and then don’t follow it

5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

A) David wanted it clearly known that Absalom was to be captured alive and not mistreated in any way.

RD V.6-8

RD V. 9-17 Joab kills Absalom.

B) Absalom was noted for his good looks and his luxurious hair (2 Samuel 14:25-26). What was his glory was now his curse – { So true

1) Absalom is literally caught by his own hair in the thick trees of the forest.

C) Now Joab didn't hesitate to strike Absalom, though he knew David commanded him not to.

D) Joab was convinced that it was in David best interest and in Israel's best interest to show Absalom justice, not mercy.

 1) We might say that Joab was correct but not right. He was correct in understanding that it was better for David and for Israel that Absalom was dead.

E) He was not right in disobeying King David, the God-appointed authority over him. Joab’s bad example { 10 young men beat Absalom to death

A) Joab wanted to make sure that Absalom's body was not memorialized as an inspiration to other followers or future rebels.

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom's Monument.

E) Joab made sure that Absalom did not have a memorial in death, but Absalom made himself a memorial in life.

Side note:

RD V.19-27

A) Ahimaaz wanted to take David the news of Israel's victory and Absalom's death. But Joab wanted to spare Ahimaaz the son of Zadok the burden of being the messenger of bad news.

 So David learns of Absalom’s death from the Cushite, who arrives after Ahimaaz.

B) He should have been more concerned for Israel as a nation than for his traitor son.. Natural to a parent - no matter how bad – concerned for their kids

1) Others might not love them – but you do – others might give up on them but you don’t

 C) NOTE: There are some interesting insights from these two messengers

1) Ahimaaz is the fastest the most energetic and the most zealous

D) Cushi is a slower runner that is overtaken in the race to get the news to David

1) But Ahimaaz couldn’t give the whole story

A) QUESTION: Are you an Ahimaaz (running fast but not fully equipped) or are you a Cushi?

B) There are many believers like Ahimaaz......

1) Ready to serve... Zealous.... Ready to get going.....

C) But they don’t know what to say – they don’t know what they are doing !

D) Cushi was SLOWER... Not as quick, not as fast....

1) But he had the whole message

Zeal without knowledge can cause a lot of problems

THAT is why Paul said to Timothy

In other words - Timothy, it’s important that you deliver the goods

THAT is why Paul went on to say to Timothy 2 Tim 3:16-17

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

A) The Cushi’s are the ones IN THE WORD

2 Sam 18:33

Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus:"O my son Absalom -- my son, my son Absalom -- if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!"

NKJV

B) David felt completely undone at hearing the news of Absalom's death.

D) David saw his sins, his weaknesses, his rebellion exaggerated in Absalom.

"Everything in the story leads up to, and culminates in, this wail of anguish over his dead boy . . . Five times he repeated the words, 'my son.' " (Morgan)

"So in the cry of David, we actually hear the cry of God, for His lost children. His desire to restore, His desire to forgive." (Smith)