2 Samuel 19:18b-23 I Have Sinned!

 Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan. Then he said to the king, “Do not let my Lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my Lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart. For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my Lord the king.” But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” And David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” Therefore the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭18‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. I, your servant, know that I have sinned: Shimei showed a remarkably humble, contrite confession. He sinned greatly against David, and here he repented greatly before him.

i. Shimei’s repentance was humble (fell down before the king). His posture represented his low place before David.

ii. Shimei’s repentance honored David (Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me). He knew David had the right to impute iniquity, but he pleaded for mercy.

iii. Shimei’s repentance was honest (I have sinned). He made no attempt to minimize his actions.

iv. Shimei’s repentance was put into action (here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king). Real repentance will show itself not only in words and ideas but also in action.

b. The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die”: David spared the life of Shimei, showing forgiveness to the man who formerly bitterly cursed him (2 Samuel 16:5-13).

c. Do I not know that today I am king over Israel? David could readily forgive a man who deserved to die because he was secure, knowing that God gave him the throne. Insecurity is a great motivator for revenge and holding on to bitterness. (Guzik)

I Have Sinned!

“Perhaps you have been like Shimei, who cursed king David, and you are afraid that Jesus will never forgive you. But David forgave Shimei, and Jesus is ready to forgive you. He delighteth in mercy. I do believe that the harps of heaven never give to Christ such happiness as he has when he forgives the ungodly, and saith, ‘Thy sins are forgiven; go in peace.’” (Spurgeon)

I have sinned, cursed the King and have spoken His name in vain!

Have you?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 19:15-18a The King Returned!

 ”Then the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan. And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over the Jordan before the king. Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good.“ II Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭15‬-‭18‬a ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Then the king returned: The point is emphasized – David would not return as king until he was welcomed, until hearts were swayed to receive him.

b. To escort the king: David left Israel as a desperate fugitive, rejected by the nation and hunted by his son Absalom. He came back escorted by thousands of enthusiastic supporters. (Guzik)

The King Returned!

Just like king David returned to his kingdom, Jesus will return also and we will meet Him in the air!

”For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.“ ‭‭I Thessalonians‬ ‭4‬:‭15‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Will you always be with the Lord?

Blessings 

Second-coming-Jesus-Christ.html

2 Samuel 19:11-14 His Reign!

 ”So King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house? You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’ ” So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”“ II Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house: David would not force his reign on Israel. He would only come back if the tribes who rejected him for Absalom agreed to bring back the king.

i. “David didn’t lift a finger to re-establish his authority…. His return to sovereignty was decided by the voluntary submission of his kinsmen and by their loving obedience to his will.” (Redpath)

b. Amasa…commander of the army…in place of Joab: David agreed to replace Joab with Amasa, who was the captain of Absalom’s army. This was to put Joab in his place and to offer a gesture of reconciliation to the former supporters of Absalom.

c. So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man: The efforts of Zadok and Abiathar succeeded. David would not come back until welcomed by the hearts of all, and that could not be forced – their hearts had to be swayed.

i. There is a sense in which God will not, in the present age, force His reign on us. We must welcome His reign, and He will not force our heart-response. Our hearts must be swayed by the work of the word of God and the Holy Spirit.

ii. Just as the heart of one man: David wanted the reception to be unanimous. The men of Judah responded together to the wooing work of Zadok and Abiathar. (Guzik)

His Reign!

God will not force Himself on us, we have to welcome Him with a heart-response! 

It’s the Holy Spirt’s job as the Helper to draw us to Jesus.

”But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.“ ‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Do you feel the Holy Spirit tugging on your heart?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 19:9-10 Folly!

 ”Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?”“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. All the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel: David survived Absalom’s attempted overthrow, but the kingdom was not yet restored to David.

b. The king saved us…. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died: The tribes of Israel understood what David had done for them, they understood that they had rejected him and embraced Absalom, and they understood that Absalom was now dead. It left the people of Israel in a dispute about bringing back the king.

i. They only seemed to want David back after the false king, Absalom, failed. In the same way, we often only decide to bring back King Jesus when our false kings fail.

(Guzik)

ii. “The folly of their allegiance to Absalom was clear - it had brought only misery and confusion. They were on the wrong side; they had rejected their true king, and therefore the situation was full of unrest.” (Redpath) 

Folly!

“we often only decide to bring back King Jesus when our false kings fail”!

When we desire things of this earth more than Jesus we’ve made that thing a false king! Examples can be money, cars, houses, property and the like. If Jesus the number One thing in our life and He has given us property then our perspective is correct as long as we remember that the property is His and He blessed us with it.

I’ve been guilty of folly and full of unrest, what about you?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 19:8 Rebuke!

 ”Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king. For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent.“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Then the king arose and sat in the gate: David didn’t feel like doing this. His feelings told him to stay locked into his excessive mourning. Yet David let his understanding of what was right override what he felt.

i. We never again hear David crying out, O Absalom. Doing what he needed to do got that song out of his head.

b. So all the people came before the king: This is what they needed to see – David sitting as king in the place of authority (sitting in the gate). This told them that their sacrifice was worth it, that it was appreciated, and that David would continue to reign. Joab’s rebuke worked because Joab cared enough to say it, and David was wise enough to receive it. (Guzik)

Rebuke!

We’ve all been there, done or said something unChrist like and a brother or sister said something like Joab to rebuke us because he or she cared enough to say it!

I admit I struggle with judging people by their outward appearance instead of their heart because that’s what our world has trained us to do for survival!

”But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”“

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭16‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I recall one time walking into church and a sister in Christ commented about someone, he looks weird. I replied, it’s a good thing that the Lord looks at the heart. She replied, (her name) there you go again! Please forgive me.

Have you done what we did, judging by outward appearance?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 19:4-7 Encourage The Team!

 ”But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son! David could not stop singing this song. He was still locked into his excessive mourning and lack of perspective. He was mastered by his feelings, and feelings were never meant to master us.

i. God is not against feelings – not at all. Many Christians lack deep and profound feeling and experience in their walk with God. At the same time, feelings were never meant to have mastery over us.

ii. David’s problem was not in what he knew – Absalom’s tragic death and David’s own role in it. David’s problem was in what he forgot – that God was still in control, that a great victory was won, that he had many loyal supporters, and that God showed great grace and mercy to him. When someone is overcome by tragedy or sorrow, the problem is not in what they know, but in what they forget.

iii. “Who ever heard David cry out in godly sorrow, O Uriah, would God I had died for thee!” (Trapp)

b. Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life: Joab gave David a stern wake-up call. “David, your excessive mourning is selfish. It isn’t all about you. These loyal, sacrificial supporters of yours deserve to feel good about their victory and you are making them feel terrible. Snap out of it.”

c. I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well: This is a sharp truth delivered with precision. Joab wanted David not only to see that he was foolish in his excessive grief, but he was also selfish.

d. Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants: “Go out and encourage the team – they deserve it. If you don’t you will lose most of them.” (Guzik)

Encourage The Team!

Ministry leaders need encouragement too! Like the supporters of David, people that continually on a weekly basis that pour their souls into a ministry for Jesus need encouragement from their pastors. 

“Go out and encourage the team – they deserve it. If you don’t you will lose most of them.” (Guzik)

Have you ever “burned out” while working in a ministry? I have!

Blessings 

2 Samuel 19:1-3 Excessive Mourning!

 ”And Joab was told, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.“ II Samuel‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people: This was not good. David’s loyal and sacrificing supporters won that day for the glory of God and the good of Israel. Then they felt bad about the victory because David was overcome with excessive weeping and mourning for Absalom.

i. There is such a thing as excessive mourning – mourning that is basically rooted in unbelief and self-indulgence. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13, Paul warned Christians: I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.Some Christians sorrow at times of death or tragedy like those who have no hope in God and this is wrong to do.

ii. “If your dear ones are dead you cannot restore them to life by your unbelief; and if they still survive, it will be a pity to be downcast and unbelieving when there is no occasion for it. ‘Your strength is to sit still.’ Remember that you are a Christian, and a Christian is expected to be more self-possessed than those who have no God to fly to.” (Spurgeon)

b. The people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed: David’s excessive sorrow made his loyal friends and supporters feel ashamed that they had won a great victory. (Guzik)

Excessive Mourning!

When David’s and Bathsheba’s illegitimate child died David got up, cleaned himself off and ate. When questioned about his response to the death he responded that he knew he would see his child again, in heaven.

I wonder if David’s excessive mourning was because he knew he wouldn’t ever see Absalom again? With everything written about Absalom, nothing says anything about his faith in the Lord and his actions clearly indicates the opposite.

Do you fly to God during times of mourning?

Blessings