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David – Consequences

Sermon by  Thomas Thornhill Jr

Passage: 2 Samuel 13-18

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Journey thought the Bible (57)

The United Kingdom (11)

Tonight we continue our Journey through the Bible.  We are currently continuing the 9^th (of 17)  time period of Bible history – the United Kingdom.  We are in the midst of the reign of David.  Thus far we have noted David’s dealings as he served Saul, his coronation and uniting the nation, establishing Jerusalem and YHWH establishing His kingdom forever (Jesus would sit on the throne of David), and in our last lesson, we noted His failure with Bathsheba.  In our lesson today, we want to address the consequences of that sin.

To briefly review where we are.  After his adulterous affair with Bathsheba it was discovered that she was pregnant.  To cover it up David had her husband Uriah return home from battle trying to get him to go home.  He didn’t which resulted in David sending him to his death.  And while he thought he “got away with it”, God exposed his sins through Nathan the prophet.  And while David was sentenced to death (the lawful punishment for adultery) by the LORD, he was told that he would face adversity the rest of his life, even from within his own house.  He was also told that his wives would be taken and humiliated openly, and finally his son of adultery would die.  We know of David’s remorse and heart, as we noted several psalms related to that occasion.  After the child died, Solomon was born to Bathsheba and he would the son who would carry on the throne of David.  That brings us to our text today.  In the next several chapters of 2 Samuel, we find the consequences of David’s sins unfolding as the LORD had said they would.

1. The Text
   1. 13 – Amnon and Tamar – the downfall begins with Amnon one of David’s sons, and Tamar, his daughter by another wife. Tamar was also the full sister of Absalom.  Amnon has improper feelings toward Tamar to the point that it makes him sick.  He wants her.  A “friend” of Amnon, Jonadab, (his cousin) was crafty and helped Amnon devise a plan.  He pretended to be sick and when David came to him he asked for Tamar to come and prepare food for him.  David granted the request, but as she prepared to serve him, he forced himself upon her and violated her.  She pleaded with him to stop and was even willing to become his wife, if David so granted.  But Amnon acted violently.  When he was finished with her, he hated her so intensely that he had her thrown out of his house, which was an even greater insult.  She tears her clothes in mourning and Absalom hears about it.  So does David and he is very angry also.  Absalom said nothing at the time.
   2. 13:23ff – 2 years later, Absalom is tending flocks and invites the king and his other sons to join him. David turns down the invitation, but as further requested, he permits Amnon and other sons to go with him.  Absalom conspired and commanded his servants to kill Amnon and he promised to protect them.  They did as commanded, but the rest of David’s sons fled.  David hears a report that ALL of his sons had been killed by Absalom.  BUT, another servant comes and corrects the false rumor – it was only Amnon that was dead.
   3. Absalom flees to Geshur, while the rest of David’s sons return to him and together they mourn the death of their brother. Absalom remains away for 3 years. 39 notes that David longed for Absalom his son.  Grieving at the disaster within his family.
   4. 14:1ff – after 3 years, Joab, David’s commander knows he is concerned about Absalom and devises a plan for him to be returned to the city. He finds a wise woman in Tekoa who goes to David and speaks of needing help as a widow.  She notes that she had 2 sons who had fought and one killed the other.  She was grieving because they wanted to kill her other son and that would effectively end her (and her husband’s) heritage.  David promises to consider and act.  He also promises to protect her and her son. THEN she turns the discussion to David’s son Absalom and makes application because David had banished Absalom and would not bring him home.  She commends him as being wise and discerning concerning good and evil.  David asks her to honestly tell him if Joab was behind this request.  She says yes.  David speaks with Joab and permits Absalom to be brought back to Jerusalem, but the declaration was made that he would not see David (at that time).  Absalom is retrieved and returns to his house.
   5. 14:25 – meanwhile, Absalom begins to work against David. He is praised by the people and for 2 years he does not see the king.  He then sends for Joab to permit him to see David, but Joab ignores his request.  So Absalom orders Joab’s barley fields be burned.  When Joab finally responds to Absalom, he is sent to the king.  David agrees to see Absalom and when he does, the king kisses him – there is forgiveness.
   6. 15:1ff – But Absalom is conspiring and turns the people against David. He gathers a loyal following and military. When people would bring their cases to David for decisions, he would intercept them and criticize David and declare he would take care of their problems. In time vs. 6 says that he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.  After 4 year (likely the number) Absalom request to go to Hebron to sacrifice.  He tells David this was a vow he made to the LORD for bringing him back to Jerusalem.  Dvid permits him to go in peace.  In Hebron, Absalom begins to set up his conspiracy to overthrow David.  He takes 200 men from Jerusalem (who were innocent).  Absalom then sends for Ahithophel who will advise him.  He continues to gain strength and prepares his assault.
   7. 15:13 – David is told of the conspiracy and what is coming. So David and those with him arise and flee from the city to escape the coming attack.  His loyal servants willingly go with him.  But David leaves 10 concubines behind to tend to the palace.  David has 600 loyal men with him.  He even has foreigners who are loyal to him (Ittai the Gittite).  David wants to send him home, but he is loyal to David and refuses to leave.  The people are weeping as they cross the brook Kidron and head toward the wilderness.   Zadok (high priest) and the Levites meet David with the Ark of the Covenant.  But David has them return to the city with it.  Note vs. 25-26 – He leaves this in the hands of God.  He also enlists him and his sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan to observe and find a way to report to him what is happening.   When David is told that Ahithophel was among the conspirators (he seemed to be loyal to David), David prayed that his counsel be turned to foolishness (vs. 31).
   8. 15:32 – David worships the LORD on a mountain. He is also met there by a servant, Hushai.  David sends him back to Jerusalem telling him to submit to Absalom and to spy for him.  This will work out to David’s advantage.
   9. 16:1-4 – meanwhile, a servant of Mephibosheth (recall he was Jonathan’s son, made lame as his caretaker fled and he fell and became lame in both his feet), Ziba, brings rations for those with David.  But he comes and tell him that Mephibosheth stayed behind and said, “Today, the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father (Saul) to me.” We do NOT know if this is true because when David does return he discusses it with Mephibosheth who says he was slandered (2 Sam. 19:24-30).
   10. 16:5-14 – Also as David is fleeing, a man who was of Saul’s house, Shimei, begins to follow David and curses and throws rocks at him and those with him. Abishai, a servant of David offers to take care of this man. David says knows and attributes it to the LORD allowing it – so be it! (16:10-12).
   11. 16:15-17:14 – Meanwhile, Absalom has come into Jerusalem. He consults a servant named Ahithophel, who advises him to take David’s concubines and openly violate them and also to take 12,000 men and pursue and kill David, then the rest would turn to him as their king.  But Absalom then seeks the advice of Hushai (David’s ally) who advises him to wait because of how powerful and loyal David and his army was.  He advises that Absalom summon the entire army of Israel and then pursue David (this would buy time for David).  Absalom follows the advice of Hushai.  He then sends warning to David to escape across the Jordan river.  David does.  Ahithophel, because his advice had been rejected goes home and puts his house in order and then hangs himself.
   12. 18:1ff records David preparing his men to engage Absalom’s army. He divides his troops into 3 groups and is ready to go with them, but they refuse to let him follow along because he was valuable (their king).  David listens but warns them to deal gently with Absalom if he is captured.  ALL the people heard this warning.  The battle takes place including in the woods of Ephraim. The people following Absalom were overthrown (about 20,000 were slaughtered that day).  When Absalom meets David’s army in the woods, his mule went under a thick tree and his hair was caught in the tree.  Left hanging, a man reported it to Joab.  Joab asked why he did not strike him.  The man replied because of the orders of David.  Meanwhile, Joab took 3 spears and thrust them through Absalom’s heart and he died.  The battle ended.
   13. 18:19-32 – records the message being reported to David. Two men are sent, the first to arrive, Ahimaaz, a servant of Joab, reports that his men had been victorious. David asks, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”  He does not directly answer him.  Then the second man arrives and when asked the same question he declares that Absalom had been killed and “may all your enemies be like him” – implying that Absalom had been killed.
   14. David mourns, but will resume with that in our next lesson.
2. Lessons to consider
   1. First, observe that these events are not recorded in the chronicles. While the chronicles do record disasters, they do not record all the bad things happening in David’s life.
   2. God’s counsel will be carried out. This lesson was all about the tragedy of David’s family as a result of his sins.
   3. Love and lust are not the same thing. We see that tragically here in this account. Lust offers nothing but temporal satisfaction and is selfish.  Often lust leads to regrets. Love builds relationships and fosters goodwill.  We live in a very sensual society where many confuse the two.  We must learn self-control in our lives – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God. We must learn to love as God directs us.
   4. What is the source of your advice? Amnon listened to his friend who was clearly wicked.  We need to be careful who we associate with and from whom we will seek advice.  Proverbs 13:20, He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.  1 Corinthians 15:33 – evil company corrupts good habits.
   5. When we delay justice problems arise. Discounting that what was happening was from the LORD because of David’s previous sins, we still see him faltering by failing to address the wrongful behavior of his children.  David did NOT deal with Amnon for his terrible behavior.  Ecclesiastes 8:11, Because the sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.   Isaiah 26:9-10, With my soul I have desired You in the night, Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let grace be shown to the wicked, Yet he will not learn righteousness; In the land of uprightness he will deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord.
   6. Revenge is often very destructive. We see this with Absalom against Amnon.  Romans 12:19 – be reminded to leave it in God’s hands.  NOTE: Leaving revenge in God’s hands is NO excuse to not DEAL with bad conduct.
   7. Don’t believe everything you hear. After Absalom killed Amnon, David heard that all his sons had been killed.  It was a false report.  We are simply reminded to not believe every spirit, but to test it to determine if it is true – 1 John 4:1. This is an important lesson for us today in our social media society where we hear or see something on the internet and assume its true, ESPECIALLY if it is something we want to believe.  Then we “share it” with others thereby further spreading the lies and feeding the arrogance of selfish liars who created it for attention.
   8. In this entire text we can see the damage broken families can cause. The Bible is filled with examples of broken families. We have failures of parents and siblings.  Rivalries, as well as personal and family responsibility failures.  BUT the Bible also gives clear direction as to what a healthy and godly family should be like.  To the best of our abilities, we ought to pursue that.
   9. Using diplomacy in your speech – 2 Samuel 14 finds a woman speaking with David. Notice her tact.  WE must learn to be tactful in our conversations – Colossians 4:6, let you speech be with grace, seasoned with salt.
   10. Time does not heal all wounds – in our text, before David finally sees Absalom, it is at least 7 years since he had killed his brother Amnon. Think of the damage done because problems were not addressed in a timely manner.
   11. Forgiveness is not an easy thing – we see that with David as he struggles with what Absalom has done.
   12. There is power in influence – Absalom was able to influence the people to follow Him. Influence is a two-edged sword.  It can lead to good or evil.
   13. Pride goes before a fall – once again we see the consequences of pride in the conduct of Absalom. He was corrupt and very prideful.

And thus, as we continue our “journey through the Bible” we are reminded that there are consequences to our choices and actions.  A key take away from studying the lives of God’s people in scripture is our need to think before we act.  The nature of man has not changed and we see that in the lives of those recorded in scripture, both good and bad.  The ultimate question is: Where are your choices leading you?  Think about it!