2 Samuel 16:1-2 Generous and Helpful Gift!

 ”When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean to do with these?” So Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who are faint in the wilderness to drink.”“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth: This Ziba was the servant of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan to whom David showed great kindness to (2 Samuel 9).

b. Who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys: At a time of great need, Ziba met David with essential supplies. This was a generous and helpful gift from Ziba.

(Guzik)

Generous and Helpful Gift!

Have you ever been down on your luck and have someone come along like Ziba and give you a generous and helpful gift inspired by God? 

I recall one such time when we were new members at our church. A couple introduced themselves and asked about what brought us to the area. My wife during the conversation explained we were clearing land to build a barn and the amount of work we were doing. He asked, what time should I be there Saturday to help?

It was a generous and helpful gift when we needed help!

Blessings 

2 Samuel 15:31-37 He Worshipped God!

 ”Then someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me. But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me. And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.” So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.“ II Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭31‬-‭37‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness: David knew that Ahithophel was normally a good advisor, but he prayed that he would give foolish counsel to Absalom.

i. “This was done accordingly: great is the power of faithful prayer. The queen-mother of Scotland was heard to say, that she more feared the prayers of John Knox than an army of fighting men.” (Trapp)

b. David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God: David’s life was in danger and he had to flee. Yet he took time to stop at the top of the Mount of Olives, look back upon Jerusalem and the tabernacle, and he worshiped God. David knew worship was always important and he could worship when circumstances were bad.

c. Then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me: David sent his other aide Hushai back to Jerusalem to frustrate Ahithophel’s counsel to Absalom.

d. Absalom came into Jerusalem: Absalom came into Jerusalem as a cunning, wicked rebel. David came into Jerusalem as a brave, noble conqueror (2 Samuel 5:6-7). Jesus came into Jerusalem as a servant-king (Matthew 21:4-10). (Guzik)

He Worshipped God!

“David knew worship was always important and he could worship when circumstances were bad.”

Don’t miss this important example from David! It’s easy to worship God when life is easy but it’s much harder when life is hard. Our human nature wants to focus on the bad instead of worship but the opposite is also true when our barns are filled with the harvest and we are on easy street! 

Pain is a reminder that we need God!

”Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.“ II Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

It is said that a church is a hospital for Christians.

Does your church have an emergency room?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 15:30 Wept!

 ”So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives: When Jesus went from the Last Supper to the garden of Gethsemane to pray, He essentially traced these same steps of David. Both David and Jesus suffered for sin, but Jesus suffered for our sins and David suffered for his own.

b. Wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot: These were emblems of mourning. David was struck by the greatness of this tragedy for the nation, for his family, and for himself.

i. This wasn’t a pity-party or soreness merely over the consequences of his sin. “He is crushed by the consciousness that his punishment is deserved - the bitter fruit of the sin that filled all his later life with darkness. His courage and his buoyancy have left him.” (Maclaren)

ii. “In light of all the facts it is almost certain that the tears David shed as he climbed Olivet, were rather those of humiliation and penitence, than those of self-centered regret. For Absalom there was no excuse, but David carried in his own heart ceaselessly the sense of his own past sin.” (Morgan)

iii. This shows David was a redeemed man. Some would say that God let David off easy – that he deserved the death penalty for adultery and murder. If God forgave him and spared David that penalty, surely David would just do it again. Those who think this way do not understand how grace and forgiveness work in the heart of the redeemed. David’s sin was ever before him – and in a strange combination of deep gratitude and horror over his forgiven sin, David never did it again. (Guzik)

Wept!

David “is crushed by the consciousness that his punishment is deserved - the bitter fruit of the sin that filled all his later life with darkness.”

“This shows David was a redeemed man.”

Some say the Lord can’t use you until you hit bottom!

Have you ever reached this point because of the sin you carry?

Lift it up to Jesus and be forgiven, be redeemed by the sacrifice of the cross and cry out to Jesus!

Blessings 

Cry Out To Jesus!

2 Samuel 15:27-29 Waiting!

 ”The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭27‬-‭29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Are you not a seer? David recognized that Zadok was a prophet. A man of supernatural insight might be a valuable information source for David.

Waiting!

Waiting for isn’t easy us or for David about the news of his kingdom! We pray for relief of circumstances and wait….. but I’m reminded of several verses:

”But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.“ II Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

and Paul prayed about a thorn in his flesh…

”Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.“ II Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭8‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Waiting……..it’s His will not ours and it’s His timing not ours!

Don’t give up, continue to pray even for years if necessary!

Blessings 

wait-on-the-Lord

2 Samuel 15:24-26 Submit To God!

 ”There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. 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 show me both it and His dwelling place. But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”“ II Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: The priests were loyal to David, even though it probably meant death for them if Absalom succeeded. It was good that the men who should be spiritually sensitive to Absalom’s evil and David’s good were indeed sensitive to it.

b. Carry the ark of God back into the city: David trusted in God, not in the ark of the covenant. He was willing to let the ark go back to Jerusalem and to put his fate in God’s hands.

c. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back…. if He says thus: “I have no delight in you,” here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him: David’s humble and chastened spirit proved he knew God dealt with him righteously. David submitted to God with an active submission, not a passive one. (Guzik)

Submit To God!

We can all learn from David’s humbleness in the last verse! 

When our world collapses it would be well of us to say, “here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him”.

I have to admit though that there are times I find it hard to submit fully to God!

What about you?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 15:19-23 Mr. Shame!

 ”Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.” But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my Lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my Lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.” So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over. And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.“ ‭‭

II Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭19‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Why are you also going with us? As David watched the procession of his faithful supporters, Ittai the Gittite caught his eye. David couldn’t understand why this newly arrived foreigner took the risk of such open loyalty to David.

b. Return and remain with the king: In calling Absalom the king, David showed that he would not cling to the throne. At that moment it seemed that Absalom would succeed, so David called him the king and left it with the LORD.

c. As my lord the king lives: Ittai meant David, not Absalom. David told Ittai, “Remain with the king.” Ittai answered back, “That’s exactly what I intend to do – and you are the king.”

d. Whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be: Ittai was loyal to David when it looked certain that it would cost him something. True loyalty isn’t demonstrated until it is likely to cost something to be loyal.

i. “Remember, the more rebels there are, the more need for us to be conspicuously loyal to our King.” (Maclaren)

ii. We learn a lot from Ittai’s demonstration of loyalty.

· Ittai was loyal when David was down.

· Ittai was loyal decisively.

· Ittai was loyal voluntarily.

· Ittai was loyal though he was a new-comer to David’s cause.

· Ittai was loyal publicly.

· Ittai was loyal knowing that the fate of David was now his fate.

iii. “If Ittai, charmed with David’s person and character, though a foreigner and a stranger, felt that he could enlist beneath his banner for life – yea, and declared that he would do so there and then-how much more may you and I, if we know what Christ has done for us, and who He is and what He deserves at our hands, at this good hour plight our troth to Him and vow, ‘As the Lord liveth, surely in whatsoever place my Lord and Saviour shall be, whether in death or life, even there also shall His servant be.’” (Spurgeon)

iv. We must determine that wherever Jesus is, we will be also. Jesus lives in the heavenlies, so will we be. Jesus is with His church, so will we be. Jesus is busy in His work, so will we be. Jesus is with His children, so will we be.

e. Toward the way of the wilderness: Many years before, David left the safety of Saul’s palace to live as a fugitive. Those years in the wilderness prepared David to be king. God sent David out into the wilderness to continue the same work in his life. (Guzik)

i. “Ah! We do not like going over Kedron. When it comes to the pinch, how we struggle against suffering, and especially against dishonour and slander! How many there were who would have gone on pilgrimage, but that Mr. Shame proved too much for them; they could not bear to go over the black brook Kedron, could not endure to be made nothing of for the sake of the Lord of glory, but they even turned back.” (Spurgeon)

Mr. Shame!

I had to read Spurgeon’s comment several times to understand it! “how we struggle against suffering, and especially against dishonour and slander!”

I haven’t always been successful leaving it to the Lord to defend me, but I do try.

Can you bear to go over the black brook Kedron?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 15:13-18 Trust in God!

 ”Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my Lord the king commands.” Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house. And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts. Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.“ II Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭13‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Arise, and let us flee; or we shall not escape from Absalom: David knew well that Absalom was a ruthless man who valued power over principle. He didn’t want the city of Jerusalem to become a battleground (strike the city with the edge of the sword), so he fled the city.

b. The king’s…the king…the king: The writer here wanted to emphasize that David was the king, despite Absalom’s treachery.

c. The king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house: David thought – and had reason to think – that these ten women could be safely left behind. He felt he needed someone to look after the house.

i. Sadly, this also tells us that David had at least ten concubines. A concubine was essentially a legal mistress. In addition to David’s many wives, this shows that David was a man who sometimes indulged his passions instead of restraining them in a godly way.

d. All the Cherethites, all the Pelethites: These men comprised David’s personal bodyguard. The Gittites faithfully followed him from the time he lived among the Philistines (who followed him from Gath). These men who were faithful to David before he became successful also stuck with him when his success seemed to fade away.

i. It is remarkable that in this defining moment of his latter reign, foreigners rallied around David. It is more remarkable – and tragic – that his own countrymen and his own family were nowhere to be found.

e. Passed before the king: As David watched this procession leave Jerusalem and head for safety, he was greatly pained. This was reflected in the Psalm that David wrote during this time.

i. David was afraid: My heart is severely pained within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me. So I said, “Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Indeed, I would wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.” (Psalm 55:4-8)

ii. David put his trust in God: LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. Many are they who say of me, “There is no help for him in God.” But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. (Psalm 3:1-6)

iii. Psalms 41, 61, 62, and 63 were also written during this period. (Guzik)

Trust in God!

You can make a Bible study out of “Trust in God”! This verse in Psalms says it all!

”It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man.“ 

Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

In times of trouble, do you put your trust in God or put confidence in man?

Blessings