|
Last week we pondered a strange and rather uncomfortable
subject….In fact this whole series is not particularly
comfortable. We're talking about the struggle of King
David's life… from the time of his lonely shepherd boy years..
to his coronation as King.
This is the greatest king in all of history…used by God is a
way no other king ever has been. He still speaks into your
personal life today when you read the Psalms.. There is more
written about David, or by David, in the Bible than any other
single person, including Jesus Christ himself.
Yet 90% of what is written about him, up until he becomes
king is not the glowing story of the best private high school in
Bethlehem, His High School is sitting out on a hillside with the
families sheep strumming his harp and talking to God. His early
twenties aren't spent in an Ivy League University. His higher
education is the school of running for his life through the
wilderness being chased by his countries King and it's army.
Caveman Principle # 1 The best book-learning in the world
doesn't hold a candle to one hour spent in life classes taught
to us by God.
God was David's private tutor and God used the difficult
circumstances and ugly people in his life to shape him into one
of the most influential people ever to live on this planet.
Last week we watched as crazy King Saul spend the last few
years of his tragic life trying to hunt David down and kill him.
David believed so firmly that Saul was God’s appointed man…in
his life… at that time ... that he was willing to run into
the wilderness with no certain knowledge of his future… rather
than buck up against what he saw as God’s plan for him.
Saul was God’s anointed man ...to shape David’s life even though
he was quite mad.
We watched, kind of startlingly last week as David, the great
warrior and giant killer didn't fight back against Saul. Several
of you found that confusing; "Does that mean that we just let
mean people run all over us all the time??? NO!
But in this case David knew that this madman was God's tool
to shape him… and to fight against Saul would have been fighting
against God! Do we see that???
Caveman Principle # 2 If God sends a madman into your life to
shape you…and you fight him off and drive him away…God will just
have to raise up somebody else to accomplish the same task.
Once David becomes King, with his training years behind him,
he shifts life into second gear, punched the accelerator… and
his trouble melt away.??? Not quite!
David's task as King was to forge the nation of Israel into a
cohesive force. He's got a total wreck of a military to
rebuild…and fast…because all around Israel are warring nations
who want to blot Israel off the map (much like today). Unlike
today, there was no world community holding them back so David
would march off in one battle after another and God would give
him victory after victory.
Now David's life really shifts into third gear! All that
"wilderness training" is proving valuable as David and his army
conquer in battle after battle. David quickly becomes the hero
of the people! He even bags a whole city that is the modern day
centerpiece of Israel.. and prophetically…. before it's all
over…. according to the book of Revelations… this town will
become the focus of the whole world.
2 Samuel 5:6-10 The king and his men marched to
Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The
Jebusites said to David, "You will not get in here; even the
blind and the lame can ward you off." They thought, "David
cannot get in here." 7 Nevertheless, David captured the fortress
of Zion, the City of David.
8 On that day, David said, "Anyone who conquers the
Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those 'lame
and blind' who are David's enemies. " That is why they say, "The
'blind and lame' will not enter the palace."
9 David then took up residence in the fortress and called it
the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the
supporting terraces inward. 10 And he became more and more
powerful, because the LORD God Almighty was with him. (NIV)
Wow; Now David has shifted beyond forth gear into overdrive…
In fact he's reached the point of liftoff…with that whole Bette
Midler "Wind beneath his wings" thing…
Imagine…with God having tutored David though those rough
years in the wilderness. With God having blessed him out of his
socks by letting him become a successful king and conqueror.
It's just after this time that David looks out over his back
porch rail…sees a naked woman named Bathsheba.. commits adultery
with her…and eventually has her husband killed in an effort to
cover up his sin.
Caveman Principle #3 If you are going through a time in your
life completely free of all testing and trials. Guard your
heart… you're actually in a vulnerable place.
Caveman Principle # 4: When we are forced to depend entirely
on God for our daily existence we tend to be most spiritually
focused. When we no longer need him in our day to day
events… we sometimes loose focus and, invariably, Bathsheba's
tend to show up just off our back porch.
David goes into a time of deep repentance over his sins of
adultery and murder but, as usual… sin bring a price-tag. He
first looses a son…then he gains a son, through Bathsheba, named
Solomon.
One of the greatest tests in David's life was looming in the
wings.
David's quiver was actually filled with several dozen sons.
I'm sure they had plenty of sibling rivalry going on… but one
incident went far beyond sibling rivalry. His son Amnon lured
his step-sister Tamar into his room and raped her. Amnon didn't
much get punished for his serious crime so Tamar's brother
Absalom, lured all his brothers to a feast and murdered
Amnon. All the other brother fled back to Daddy David, in fear
for their lives, but the legend of Absalom was born.
When David finally allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem…
the stage was set for something to happen…. I think David
probably knew that…. he just wasn't sure what was coming.
Absalom was no cartoon character:
2 Samuel 14:25 Now Absalom was praised as the most
handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.
26 He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it
was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds!
This guy was brutal and pretty…and devious… Somebody
should have had a collar on him… trouble could not be far away…
2 Samuel 14:28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but
he never got to see the king. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab to
ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come…. 30 So
Absalom said to his servants, “Go and set fire to Joab’s barley
field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire,
as Absalom had commanded.
31 Then Joab came to Absalom at his house and demanded, “Why
did your servants set my field on fire?” 32 And Absalom replied,
“Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back
from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have
stayed there. Let me see the king… (NLT)
And that is how it's done… Anybody you're anxious to see that
won't meet with you???
You clearly have the makings of another "mad Saul" here… and
I can't help but believe that no one saw it more clearly than
David.
Now remember. David is the guy who has been leading his army
out to victory in battle after battle…he doesn't have a scared
bone in his body…Why would he allow Absalom to get away with so
much… it get more sinister….
2 Samuel 15: 1 After this, Absalom bought a chariot
and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. 2
He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the
city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment,
Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would
tell him their tribe. 3 Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really
got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have
anyone to hear it. 4 I wish I were the judge. Then everyone
could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give
them justice!” (NLT)
Do you see any problems here? From reading these four verses
in the Bible do you see that there might be trouble brewing?
Any body who has been leading people any length of time has
seen this situation replayed time and again. One person seems to
attract, like a magnet, those who have some ax to grind. At
first they just murmur consolations but eventually around them
gathers many other ax grinders… Eventually those who didn't even
know their was an ax start to imagine just how bad the situation
really is and in time a group of people who were living in
harmony can descend into chaos…all because of one Absalom type
stirring the pot.
Caveman Principle # 5: It's not actually a sign of wisdom
to see everything that is wrong a "kingdom"… most everybody else
can see those things too. Wisdom is knowing what to do to fix
the wrongs while keeping the rest of the kingdom in harmony.
David was wise… he knew what was brewing Why wouldn't he stop
this man?
Because deep in David's soul was the knowledge that this was
another situation where it was God…not Absalom who had something
to teach David…. How he discerned this I don't know…but for only
the second time in his life… David is not going to confront
someone who is doing him wrong. David… "the great confronter" is
remaining silent again. Imagine wise, veteran King David
watching from the background as this unfolds..
2 Samuel 15:5 When people tried to bow before him,
Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and
kissed them. 6 Absalom did this with everyone who came to the
king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people
of Israel.
This guy's too much…People in any kingdom are going to be
discontented about something. The price of gas is too high… the
price of groceries is too much. In every "kingdom" there is
discord… Even in God's kingdom, in heaven, there was discord and
satan and 1/3 of the angel were expelled. Imagine, though that
you were the one with the issue…and imagine if the king's son
would sit and listen to your complaints…and he would kiss you
hand…and mutter that someday somebody would be in charge that
would make all your troubles go away..
By the way there is a social lesson here that we can, now,
clearly see, and I would imagine David was sharp enough to see
it then. Anytime a government ruler takes over power in a coup
or uprising… once in power does that ruler ever relax and become
the people loving, compassionate, laid-back ruler he has
promised to be? Why not? Because he stole power from someone
else and he lives in constant paranoia that someone will take it
back from him…that why the world's dictators never turn out to
be good people leading a free country.
Absalom was in the process of stealing a kingdom… If he had
ever gotten to be king, all the hand kissing would have
screeched to a stop! Rebels who come to power always become
tyrants… that's true in your workplace…even in local social
organizations….
7 After four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to
Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and fulfill a vow I made
to him…. 9 “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your
vow.”… 10 But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to
all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the
king. “As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read,
“you are to say, ‘Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’” 11
He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew
nothing of his intentions. 12 While Absalom was offering the
sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors
who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and
the conspiracy gained momentum.
13 A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All
Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!” (NLT)
I beg your pardon…David said… I have conquered every
"ruffian" this side of Egypt…I'm not going to be deterred by a
handful of people down in Hebron. Let them back here and face me
and my army… if they want… they won't last through the night!
That's what David would have done in every other situation in
life…except in the case of King Saul…and except in this case!
What he does… again makes you startle…
2 Samuel 16:14 “Then we must flee at once, or it will be
too late!”
David had this powerful viewpoint that Israel's kingdom was
God's kingdom… He chose not to fight to take the kingship away
from Saul and now he is chosing not to fight to keep the
kingship from Absalom. He sees both of these battles as God's
battles…not his.
Caveman Principle # 6 We've got to become spiritually
astute enough to learn when to turn our battles over to God : (2
Cor 10:4) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the
world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish
strongholds. (NIV)
Again… What David does… makes you startle a bit…
2 Samuel 16:14 “Then we must flee at once, or it will
be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of
the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of
Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”
23 Everyone cried loudly as the king and his
followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then
went out toward the wilderness.
25 Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God
back into the city. “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will
bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again. 26
But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best
to him.”
30 David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives,
weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet
were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were
with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill.
(NLT)
This is bizarre… All the fight is gone out of the great
warrior… he's crying and talking about God being done with him…
Why? Because once again he see's this battle, as not just
another military battle…but a spiritual battle between the
forces of evil and the power of God himself.
God once delivered a defenseless shepherd boy from a powerful
mad king… he can now deliver a seasoned old ruler from an
ambitious, rebellious, rebel…if that is his will…
So David packs up and leaves Jerusalem…remember Jerusalem was
a walled fortress Once David leaves the safety of Jerusalem… the
threat is very real: It's like he is purposely putting himself
into the teeth of the battle
Caveman Principle # 6 The most divine times we experience
in this life are those times when we have to throw ourselves
completely into the hands of the Almighty and totally
trust him for the outcome of our lives.
2 Samuel 17:1 Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, “Let me
choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight. 2
I will catch up with him while he is weary and
discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will
run away. Then I will kill only the king, 3 and I will
bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her
husband. After all, it is only one man’s life that you seek.
Then you will be at peace with all the people.” 4 This plan
seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel. (NLT)
Conclusion: The Rest of the Story…..If you don't like sad
endings you may want to turn away…
2 Samuel 18: 1 David now mustered the men who were with him
and appointed generals and captains to lead them. The king told
his troops, “I am going out with you.”
3 But his men objected strongly. “You must not go,” they
urged. “If we have to turn and run—and even if half of us die—it
will make no difference to Absalom’s troops; they will be
looking only for you. You are worth 10,000 of us and it is
better that you stay here in the town and send help if we need
it.”
4 “If you think that’s the best plan, I’ll do it,” the king
answered. So he stood alongside the gate of the town as all the
troops marched out in groups of hundreds and of thousands.
5 And the king gave this command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai:
“For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.”… 6 So the battle
began in the forest of Ephraim, 7 and the Israelite troops were
beaten back by David’s men. There was a great slaughter that
day, and 20,000 men laid down their lives.
9 During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of
David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode
beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught
in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the
air. 10 One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab,
“I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.”
14 “Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three
daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled,
still alive, in the great tree. 15 Ten of Joab’s young armor
bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.
David's tortured response:
33The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room
over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried,
“O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died
instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”
I don't think David's grief was just because his son had
died.. It was made worse by the fact that his son had died
trying to kill him… I think the true deepness of the grief came
because his son had died fighting against God himself.
BACK
HOME
|
