Deposed II Samuel 15:10-16; 24-30 July 21-22, 2018 By Diana Severance I. Review of the story of II Samuel, the story of King David this is really a dramatic, messy story, but it shows God working in David s life and Israel s history through and in spite of rebellion and opposition as well as submissive obedience. God sovereignly and Providentially accomplishes His purposes, even working through sinful men for indeed that s the only kind of men He has to work with! A. II Samuel 1-10 David defeats Israel s enemies and establishes the Kingdom 1. Borders of Israel s lands reach those promised to Abraham from Egypt to the Euphrates. 2. Jerusalem established as the Capital and center of worship, with the Ark brought to Jerusalem. B. II Samuel 11-12 David s adultery, murder and deception 1. See dismal example and warning of the progression of sin, from lust of eyes, to adultery, to murder and deception 2. David repents and receives forgiveness from God, but will suffer the consequences of his sin for the rest of his life. As God told him, the sword would not depart from his house. C. II Samuel 13-19 and following, see problems with David s children and the rebellion of Absalom. After hearing the parable Nathan told him to convict him of his sin, David declared the man who stole the pet lamb and killed it for food should repay 4-fold. David is going to pay 4 fold for his sin the consequences of forgiven sin can still be painful: 1. Bathsheba s baby died. 2. Amnon, David s 1 st born son, raped his half sister Tamar, and Absalom (3 rd son) kills Amnon for the deed. Both Amnon and Absalom had seen how their father had sinned and seemed to escape punishment, so they could sin with impunity as well. In Amnon s sin and Absalom s murder of Amnon, David could see his own unbridled passion and bloodguiltiness. 3. Absalom later will be killed during battle at Mt. Ephraim 4. Adonijah (David s 4 th son) will be slain for trying to usurp the throne of Solomon (I Kings 2) 1
II. Absalom s rebellion A. Absalom s plan: 1. Avenge his sister Tamar, who had come to him for protection. In all the sordid affair between Amnon and Tamar, David did nothing. The memory of his own sin seemed to shut his mouth. 2. By killing Amnon, David s first born, Absalom could put himself in line for the throne 3. Absalom had Amnon killed at a sheep-shearing feast to which other sons had been invited. Other sons fled for their lives, thinking Absalom would kill the entire family. B. Absalom s festering hatred 1. Flees to Geshur, his and Tamar s mother s ancestral home. Is there 3 years before David calls him back to Jerusalem. 2. When Absalom comes back to Jerusalem, David doesn t see him and has him living in a house set apart. Finally, after two years (5 years total since murder of Amnon), Absalom was allowed into King David s presence. C. II Samuel 15:1-12 Absalom s conspiracy and proclaiming himself King. 1. Absalom was strikingly handsome, charming, and consumed with pride. He s also very patient in implementing his schemes. a. Murdered Amnon two years after had raped Tamar b. Four years in working towards the throne 2. Absalom manufactured an image of himself and became a celebrity in Jerusalem (David is a hero who actually protected Israel; Absalom is a celebrity just building up himself). He got himself a chariot and horses and fifty men to ride as an escort before him. (Moses had earlier warned the rulers against multiplying horses to themselves Deuteronomy 17:16, a symbol of personal power and not relying on the Lord for protection). David wrote in Psalm 20:7-8, Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. 3. Absalom goes to the gate of the city and takes side of those who might have a dispute. Boasted he could better handle problems in the kingdom if only he were King. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. (15:6) 2
Thomas Scott, He did not gain their hearts by earnest service, or by a wise and virtuous conduct. But he affected to look great, as heir to the crown, and yet to be very condescending and affable to his inferiors. 1 a. Absalom seduces the people of God from their rightful King. b. With beautiful chariots and horses, he appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes. 4. David must have heard of Absalom s actions, but did nothing a problem with other sons as well (I Kings 1:6.Concerning Adonijah: David never at any time displeased him or questioned his actions). Some have surmised that David was ill during this time, and Absalom took advantage of his physical weakness to usurp the Kingdom. The hints of this are in the psalms which were written during the Absalom revolt, many of which describe the physical weakness David was in (Psalms 41, 55) II Samuel 15:7-12 7 And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. 8 For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD. 9 The king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, Absalom is king at Hebron! 11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing. 5. Absalom lies to King David and says he has to pay a vow in Hebron he had made while in Gesher. a. Hebron was where Absalom was born and from where David had ruled over Judah. It s where David began to reign; Absalom tries to begin his reign there as well. b. Absalom invites 200 people to a feast at Hebron and sacrifices as if fulfilling a vow. c. Sends messengers throughout Israel that at a given signal the people would say Absalom is King at Hebron! 1 The Holy Bible, Old and New Testaments, with explanatory notes, practical observations, by Thomas Scott. Volume 2. Boson: Samuel T. Armstrong, 1835, 154. 3
6. Absalom gets David s counselor Ahithophel to join his coup. a. Ahithophel was grandfather of Bathsheeba; b. His grandson Eliam was a friend of Uriah s. c. In supporting Absalom, Ahithophel not only sins by rejecting the Lord s chosen King in David, but he rejects Bathsheeba s son Solomon as the next ruler. d. Ahithophel is like Judas he rejects the true king, and finally commits suicide. II Samuel 17:23 e. So, David writes in Psalm 41:9, Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread ; has lifted his heel against me. a passage Jesus quotes as referring to Judas - John 13:18 f. Psalm 55:12-13 For it is not an enemy who taunts me then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me then I could hide from him.. But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. III. David, Israel s true king, flees Jerusalem In his youth, David had to flee from Saul to save his life. Now he flees for second time. II Samuel 15:13-17 13 And a messenger came to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom. 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword. 15 And the king's servants said to the king, Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides. 16 So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. 17 And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house. A. David, his family, officials and body guard leave Jerusalem ahead of Absalom s forces, while still are able to escape and prevent destruction of the city. B. 15: 17-22 David mobilizes his forces and escapes to the northeast (opposite Hebron). His bodyguard is composed of Cherethites and Pellethites. Also, the 600 men from Gath, under Ittai, go with him. These are Gentiles who have pledged allegiance to King David and will not turn back from David, even when he urges them to. C. 15:23-30 David crosses the Kidron brook and leaves the city weeping, yet trusting the Lord 4
24 And Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. 26 But if he says, I have no pleasure in you, behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him. 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me. 29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there. 30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 1. David has much to weep for: Amnon killed; Tamar violated Absalom in revolt; Ahithophel a traitor; people abandon him 2. Yet, God s covenant promise assured David the throne for him and his descendants and that Israel would not be destroyed. Relying on this promise enables David to recognize all that happens to him are under the hands of the Lord. He will accomplish His purposes through David. Arthur Pink, Unspeakably solemn is this fact: God directs those actions which eventuate in evil as truly as He does those which terminate in god. Not only all evens, but all persons and their every action, are under the immediate control of the Most High. 2 Romans 11:36, For from him, and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Yet, God is not the author of sin, and man is responsible for his thoughts and actions. 3. Psalm 3 written during this time David recognizes God s hand of discipline upon him as well as that God is still working in his life; he is not forsaken. 15:32 says that David worshipped God. Psalm 3 could well be a part of this worship: 2 Arthur W. Pink. The Life of David, vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1989, 108. 5
O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; 2 many are saying of my soul, There is no salvation for him in God. Selah 3 But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. 4 I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. 8 Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! Selah 3. David sends the ark back into the city with the priests he doesn t want the ark treated like a good luck charm. He does have the priests be the spies who will keep him informed of developments in Jerusalem (Similarly, he had a spy system keeping him informed when Saul was pursuing him. I Sam. 18-28). 4. God brings comfort to David in the midst of his afflictions: a. Though Ahithophel defects, Hushai is loyal to David and goes to Absalom to give him counsel contrary to Ahithophel b. Shimei comes out cursing David, but Itai of Gath swears allegiance to him c. The priests with the ark demonstrate their loyalty and faithfulness d. Ziba brings food and provisions IV. David in many ways here prefigures Jesus before His crucifixion. Even the geography corresponds, as both David and Jesus leave Jerusalem, crossing the Kidron Brook and weeping on the Mt. of Olives. 6
A. David is rejected by his own people, yet Gentiles (the guard from Gath) follow his leadership - so Jewish nation rejected Jesus, yet He has growing followers among the Gentile nations. B. Both are betrayed by a friend. We ve seen that Jesus quotes psalms David wrote about Ahithophel and applies to Judas. C. Both gave up everything for their people D. David surrendered own life for rebellious son who deserved to die; Jesus surrendered his own life for rebellious men who deserved to die. E. Both are falsely accused and shamefully treated F. The crowds are divided some for Absalom, some for David; some hailed Jesus as Messiah others called for His crucifixion. G. Crossed Kidron R. to Mt. Olivet David weeping very close to where Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. H. Both submitted to God s sovereign will. 15:26 David says, let him do to me what seems good to Him. So Jesus prays in the Garden, Not my will, but thine be done. I. The magnanimity to those around him under this pressure, is magnified in the composure of Jesus: I Peter 2:23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. V. Applications for us today A. Even at our lowest point, God is not finished with us yet. God continued to work in David s life through these difficulties, and He is accomplishing a work in us through the trials placed in our path. B. We can expect afflictions in our earthly pilgrimage 1. Hebrews 13:14, For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 2. We must go through much tribulation before entering the Kingdom Acts 14:22 3. I Peter 4:12 We should not be surprised at the fiery trials that come upon us, but we can joyfully anticipate and rejoice when Jesus comes in glory to establish His Kingdom. 7