King David’s Reign

King David’s Death

/ Bobby Mayfield / 3 Comments

David’s Death

Text: 1 Kings 1; 2; 1 Chronicles 23-29

Death!

Death is a reality!

Death is the enemy that cannot be put off!

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

We all have an appointment with death. We do not evolve, we just grow old and die, just as our world is growing older and will also die!

But the Word of God teaches us something different than the world does.

The Word of God teaches us of the physical death of the body but not of the soul.

Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Death then is the end of our physical life through the separation of the soul and the body.

Jas 2:26 “For as the body without the spirit is dead”, so faith without works is dead also.

We know that the life of our body is in the blood but life in our soul is in the hands of the God who made us!

Physical death results from sin and “No One” is exempted from it!

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, “and death by sin”; and “so death passed upon all men”, for that all have sinned:

For the unbeliever death means eternal torment.

Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

For the believer death means going home to be with Our Lord.

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

The believer is looking forward to a far better life than the one here on Earth.

Php 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

After a long and fruitful life, David was nearing his death and would die, but David already knew even in his day that death was not a defeat but actually a victory for he was truly a man after God’s own heart.

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

The most important thing we can know as Christians is that when we die, we will meet the Lord.

While living, we need to live for the Lord.

We can never be ready to die until we have lived for the Lord!

God has exposed to the world the life of David from a teenager throughout his years as King of Israel.

God has allowed us to see the sin in David’s life and some say how could those things happen to some one who said he loved the Lord.

But before we judge David, we need to take a hard look at our own selves.

The Bible still says:

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Before the story of David ends, God will show us how a man of God makes preparation for his own death having no fear of that death.

David teaches us some valuable lessons just before his death.

Because we do not know the time of our death, it is important to make preparations for our death as soon as possible so we can live fully prepared to die.

This begins with salvation.

*****1Ki 1:28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.
1Ki 1:29 And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
1Ki 1:30 Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

King David had already informed his sons and the elders of Israel that Solomon would be the next King of Israel but as he lie on his death bed he was informed that Adonijah, another son had decided himself that he should be king.

Not only that but Joab, the General of David’s army and Abiathar who shared the duties of High Priest with Zadok had taken the side of Adonijah.

Notice David was not in a panic this time as he had been with Absalom.

David knew he was redeemed.

David knew that the Lord had saved him out of all the distresses in his life and He would again.

David set things in order before he died!

David had already made all the preparations for the Temple.

David had already prepared Solomon.

David had already made obligations to the Lord.

And while he was still alive, David had to make sure these things were set in place.

We will all certainly grow old and feeble in our later years but as long as we have breath, we have an opportunity to serve the Lord in some way.

Even at the very end we can still pray, which is our greatest weapon against the evil of this world.

Besides all these things, David was still King of Israel!

David called Bathsheba and certain men he knew he could trust to him.

*****1Ki 1:31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
1Ki 1:32 And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

The way to stop Adonijah was to take action now and not allow this rebellion to grow. David had failed in this with Absalom.

By making Solomon king before his death, David knew that Solomon would rule at the bidding of his father.

In this we can see that Solomon would begin as a “type” of Christ Jesus, who will rule on this Earth at the bidding of His Own Father in Heaven.

We must also consider that all these problems would have been avoided had King David been the husband of “one” wife and not had so many sons from his many wives.

But even on his death bed King David knew exactly what to do.

*****1Ki 1:33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:
1Ki 1:34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

Mules were used by all the princes and Solomon would have had his own mule but there was one mule which was the state mule set aside only for the King.

There were three things that brought on the death penalty in Israel besides some of the Laws of Moses.

1) To sit on the Kings throne without permission would bring the penalty of death.
2) To handle the King’s scepter without permission would bring the penalty of death.
3) To ride on the King’s mule without permission would certainly bring the penalty of death.

All subjects, including the King’s own family were forbidden to ride on this state mule.

With Solomon riding the mule of the King for all to see, it was a public declaration that it was Solomon who had been chosen to be the next King of Israel.

This Gihon was a fountain near Jerusalem and also a very public place where many people gathered throughout the day.

From the birth of Solomon up to this time, Solomon had been educated by the prophet Nathan.

Both King Saul and King David had been anointed by the Prophet Samuel and it would be the Prophet Nathan who would anoint Solomon as the new King of Israel.

Since David had not yet died, Solomon would rule as regent to his father David.

This means he would sit on the throne as judge, ride the state mule, use the King’s scepter but his father David would still make all the governmental decisions.

When that trumpet was sounded most of Jerusalem would have heard the sound and they understood it’s significance.

The trumpet was used to signal many things in these days.

There was the call to religious service, the call to fast, the call to the different feasts, the call to war, and there was the sound of the trumpet that came only every 50 years, when slaves would be set free.

Every slave would know this sound for sure!

The people of Jerusalem knew the different sounds of the trumpet.

We should take note.

When the Trump of God sounds, at the time of the Rapture, all God’s saints will recognize that sound!

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

After this it was Solomon who sat on the throne in stead of his father David as regent.

*****1Ki 1:35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
1Ki 1:36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.

Benaiah was the son of the chief priest, Jehoiada but he had chosen to serve King David and was the commander of David’s personal body guard and one of the “Mighty Men”.

Benaiah said. “Amen”—Thus saith the Lord!

And the people agreed and said “God save King Solomon”.

King David knew his time was short and it was time to prepare Solomon to be on his own.

*****1Ki 2:1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
1Ki 2:2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

It seems that the rulers of today only concern themselves with their own time.

We will see that King David thought just as much about the future of Israel as he did in his own time!

From David’s teenage days, he had been the anointed son, he had the hero of Israel, and he had made the transition from a shepherd to a King but even with all these things and the riches he had obtained, David still knew he would die the death of man.

David understood “Creation” as it was written in the Word of God.

David was not an “evolutionist’!

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

And we know that Solomon never forgot this time with his father because he also wrote these words for us.

Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Solomon also was a “Creationist.”

It is a fact, we will all reach this point in our lives and it is best to remember it is God who created us!

Our bodies of flesh will die but the spirit that God has given us will go back to Him!

It is during this life time given to us by the Lord that we need to make the decisions concerning our spirit.

Those that have not made salvation a priority while they lived, will hear these words from the Lord, when their spirit returns to the God who made them.

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, “I never knew you”: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Unless the “Rapture” comes, we will all go by the way of all the Earth!

The Apostles gave a similar message to the Corinthian church and to all believers:

1Co 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

Men of wisdom, which is given to us of God if we ask, will not be as children who are unstable and weak and not carried and tossed about with every wind of doctrine.

The Jews had a saying that goes like this: “In a place where there are no men, show thyself to be a man”! “when there are no wise men to teach you, then teach your self to be wise”!

They had the true understanding that all wisdom comes from the Lord!

This is the same message David gave to Solomon.

*****1Ki 2:3 And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

Solomon was God ‘s choice to succeed his father David but Solomon could never lead this nation without God.

David also gave these words to Solomon.

1Ch 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

For Solomon to succeed as King of Israel, he would have to be strong in the Word of God.

Satan knows our weaknesses and he will exploit them if we do not remain strong in the Lord.

We must know certain things:

1) A knowledge of God will include the fact that God exists. There is no beginning with God until we first believe that He exists.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

2) We must then be in constant fellowship with our Lord.

1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

3) We must have full confidence in the Lord.

Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

4) We must then be engaged in active service with Him!

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

And David also gave Solomon a warning: “He will cast thee off forever”.

There is also a warning to the Church.

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

A consuming fire burns until all fuel has been burnt up.

If Solomon would obey his own father then he would not have a problem with obeying the things of God.

*****1Ki 2:4 That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

David understood the things of the Messiah because guided by the Holy Spirit, he gave us these words.

Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Psa 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.

Psa 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
Psa 89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
Psa 89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven.

Psa 89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.
Psa 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
Psa 89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
Psa 89:37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

It was important for Solomon to understand all these things.

God had revealed to David, His desire to be behind the man that who sat on the throne of Israel.

Solomon could succeed if he allowed God to rule his heart as his father David had!

*****1Ch 29:23 Then Solomon sat on “the throne of the LORD” as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.

We should be able to see here that Solomon was sitting on the Lord’s Throne!

The office of King of Israel never belonged to any human king but has always belonged to the Lord.

God has placed many men on His throne for many years until the day He returns to sit on His own throne.

But God also makes this promise to every believer.

Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

These things come in two parts.

Solomon had to submit to the Lord and Israel had to submit to Solomon for these things to work.

*****1Ch 29:24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons likewise of king David, “submitted” themselves unto Solomon the king.

What is submission?

Submitting meant that these men would make no decisions in the government of Israel but would only follow the wishes of King Solomon.

They swore allegiance to Solomon!

This is what every believer does when we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as Our Savior.

We must submit to the King, King Jesus!

*****1Ch 29:25 And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

The reign of King Solomon began. King Solomon would set the standard for all kings to come both in Israel and throughout the world.

Until the time of Solomon, Israel had lived the simple life and had little contact with other nations unless threatened or attacked.

Solomon would bring Israel in contact with the world especially through Pharaoh and Hiram.

Israel would become the center of commercialism.

Israel would become rich and take part in the luxuries of this world.

Silver and gold would become as common as the rocky landscape.

Agriculture, commerce, architecture, arts and sciences, would become part of the national life.

And with all these things, worship of the One True God would take a back seat.

Peace would come but by national alliances, and by corruption and by inter-marriages that go against the Word of God.

Solomon did not know the life of the Shepherd nor the life of the Servant, and though wiser than any man that did not know God, Solomon would place himself above God.

Solomon was magnified because the Lord magnified him.

Solomon was regal and had majesty because it came from the Lord.

Solomon was illustrious because the Lord made him that way.

As the reign of Solomon began the life of King David ended.

*****1Ch 29:26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

We do know a whole lot about Jesse the father of David.

In the life of David, his Heavenly Father took priority!

Jesse was the son of Obed, who was the son of Boaz and Ruth of the Book of Ruth.

Jesse’s entire wealth seems to have consisted of a flock of sheep and some goats.

What is the greatest thing written of Jesse in the Bible?

Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the “stem of Jesse”, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isa 11:10 And in that day there shall be “a root of Jesse”, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

This rod was not King David.

This root was not King Solomon.

This was written of Jesus.

Mat 1:5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
Mat 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;

This ensign of the people was the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself.

*****1Ch 29:27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

If we just use the numbers mentioned in this verse we see the number 7.

7) Seven is the number of completeness and perfection (both physical and spiritual). It derives much of its meaning from being tied directly to God’s creation of all things.

3) The number 3 pictures completeness, though to a lesser degree than 7. The meaning of this number derives from the fact that it is the first of four spiritually perfect numerals (the others being 7, 10 and 12).

30) The number 30 can symbolize dedication to a particular task or calling.

The number thirty can also represent the sacrificial blood of Jesus. He was betrayed by Judas for 30 silver coins.

In 30 A.D. Jesus suffered and shed His precious blood as God’s sacrificial Lamb for the world’s sins.

40) The number 40 generally symbolizes a period of testing, trial or probation.

The number forty can also represent a generation of man.

Jesus, just days before his crucifixion, prophesied the total destruction of Jerusalem.

Forty years after his crucifixion in 30 A.D., the mighty Roman Empire destroyed the city and burned its beloved Temple to the ground.

The Bible says:

Ecc 5:15 As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

And the Bible says this:

Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

In Ecclesiastes that One man died and had nothing for his labor.

In Revelation the other man died and was blessed.

The choices we make while we are yet alive determine whether we are blessed or go to death empty.

King David died blessed!

*****1Ch 29:28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

David had lived enjoying good health, having lived as long as living was desirable.

David had lived till he saw everything that he lived for accomplished, except maybe the Temple and he knew that the building of the Temple, was in the hands of his son Solomon.

David had lived the life of a shepherd but he had also lived the life of a king with great riches.

David had lived full of honor.

Up till his time ended his warrior skills and his ability to organize was known throughout the world.

David lived knowing he had passed something special on to his son.

David died knowing that the best was yet to come!

This is the death of the believer!

*****1Ch 29:29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,
1Ch 29:30 With all his reign and his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over all the kingdoms of the countries.

We may live life one moment and one day at a time but our life is broken down in “times”!

There is the time we were born.

There is the time until we could walk.

There is the time until we can leave home to be one out own.

There is the time when we can support ourselves.

The time we have a family.

The time we enjoy life or not enjoy life.

The time we grow old.

And there will be the time we die.

Our lives are broken down in “times”.

These “times” had went over David, more good than bad, and he had reached that time to die and many good men had written down the things that David had accomplished in his “times”.

Each of us have our own “times”.

If David had only been King Of Israel, he would have still been remembered but David was also a song writer and he also made many musical instruments.

If David had just done one of these things he would have been remembered here on this Earth.

We have spent may days seeing the things David did wrong but praise the Lord, God will never remember us for any of those things and nor was David in the eyes of God.

What will we be remembered for?

I want the world to know I was “forgiven”!

The world may remember us for many things.

But God will only remember the good things!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

David’s Return

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

David’s Return

2 Samuel 19-21

When we ended the last lesson, the rebellion of Absalom had been put down and Absalom had been killed by Joab.

We should ask our selves, “What are the qualities of a good national leader”?

1) A good leader must be able to communicate!

A leader should be able to speak well, but this means “more about personal strengths and character” than of being a great speaker.

2) A good leader must possess courage, patience, and tenacity, which is the ability to keep things together.

He should be able to stand up and “stand alone if need be” and not succumb to pressure that goes against his character and the truth.

3) A good leader must be able to change course. This world changes, as do the things around us, a good leader will see these things and choose the path that is the safest and wisest to meet his goals.

4) A good leader will possess humility and presence. He will not place himself above his own people and certainly not above God.

5) A good leader will be responsible. He will be the first to accept the blame when things do not go according to his plans.

6) A good leader will analyze his own strengths and weakness  and surround himself with people to help with these things.

7) A good leader will use the Word of God as his guide.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

And with all these things, a good leader must “Be Real”!

Each of us should analyze our own selves to see if we possess any to these things.

We should also analyze our own national leaders to see if they do.

But today let’s see how King David uses these traits.

We must realize that God’s people will suffer many afflictions, but God will deliver those that love Him out of them all!

*****2Sa 19:1  And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

The army of Absalom had been unable to stand against the elite army of King David.

King David was a great tactician and he chose the right place to war with Absalom. The army of Absalom had moved quickly which shows us that they were on horses and on chariots.

King David chose a place where his mighty men had the advantage as warriors in hand to hand combat.

King David had 3 generals who had much experience and they had a real purpose to defend the true King of Israel but they could fight on 3 fronts.

20,000 Israelites did die in this battle this day and the rebellion was put down but King David could only think of one thing.

David had lost another son.

There is nothing wrong with a father grieving for the loss of a son. We all expect to go to the grave before any of our children do.

BUT, there is much wrong in any national leader, who do not to have his priorities in order!

Absalom was seeking to kill his own father and maybe the rest of his family.

Many loyal men had given their lives in order to stop this from happening.

And Joab was told of King David’s mourning the death of his son.

*****2Sa 19:2  And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

As a father David would have given in to his son.

But as King, he had to defend Israel from all her enemies and that included rebellions from within even from within his own family.

Even those that had brought victory to this king, joined in mourning for the death of Absalom, feeling ashamed of what had happened.

The joy of victory in Israel had been robbed by King David’s actions!

It was not like David to be so insensitive to the sacrifices of his men, but on this day he turn a military victory into an emotional defeat and it showed on all his men and they, as in shame returned to Jerusalem, while a confused nation was observing what was happening.

*****2Sa 19:3  And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

Absalom was not only a murderer but he was also a liar, a traitor and a rebel. As a father it may have been alright to grieve for his son and maybe even over look his son’s mistakes, but as a ruler of God’s people it was time to lead this nation back to unity!

David the father ignored the fact that he was David the King, the chosen one of God!

The victorious army of David came back to Jerusalem as a defeated army and “themselves the traitors” when it was they who had saved the nation.

King David had allowed his own personal failures again to interfere with good judgment!

And David himself came back to Jerusalem as a defeated man.

*****2Sa 19:4  But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

What is our lesson in these things?

When God disciplines his saints it can be very painful!

God had been forgiven David and his life had been spared.

David’s remaining family had also been spared but David still had to live in the reality of his own sin!

Sin will take you farther than you want to go.
Sin will keep you longer than you want to stay.
Sin will cost you more than you want to pay.
There is no victory in Sin!

King David was finding the Word of God to be very true!

Jas 4:1  From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?

King David needed a jolt back into reality.

*****2Sa 19:5  And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
2Sa 19:6  In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
2Sa 19:7  Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

At the very time when Israel needed a true leader to unify the nation, King David was still useless to his nation because of his own guilt.

David knew he was to blame for all these things and he had now lost two sons!

We will pay a terrible price for sin!

David was God’s chosen man in his day and God expects better from those with that special calling!

Many others in Israel had lost their own sons in this war within David’s family and they were understandably disappointed in their king!

It was right for Joab to remind the King of these things!

It was wrong for Joab to be so harsh in the way he did it but his method was effective.

What is our lesson here?

2Co 2:6  Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.
2Co 2:7  So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, “lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow”.

When our sin causes us to grow cold and unconcerned, it is the Word of God that must be used to restore us!

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

A two-edged sword has no blunt side it cuts both ways. God’s Word will “cut the conscience” and “wound the heart” but only then can true healing come about!

Mal 4:2  But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

There is another thing to consider. Even in this thing David was a type of Christ!

David wished that he might have died for his son who was ungodly but “this is exactly what the Lord Jesus did for each one of us”!

Rom 5:6  For when we were yet without strength, in due time “Christ died for the ungodly”.

Not one of us was worthy of the death of Jesus Christ!

Yet without the blood of that death we would still be in our sin!

Rev 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, “and washed us from our sins in his own blood”,

After this King David returned to his people to begin the healing process of God’s people.

*****2Sa 19:8  Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

These were people who had remained loyal to their king. These were not all military people.

Some of these were the fathers and mothers and the families, the everyday innocent people, who get caught up in the tragedies of politics and war.

These people had fled their homes out of fear and had lived in tents during the time of this civil war in their own nation.

It was at the gate of the city where justice was administered by the king and David had returned to his rightful place, though at this time David was still in Mahanaim his temporary capitol.

The remaining tribes had lost faith in their king.

*****2Sa 19:9  And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

These people began to remember the good times.

It was King David who had gain victory over all the enemies of Israel.

It was King David who had who had delivered Israel out of the hands of the Philistines.

And it was many of these same people who had come under the spell that crooked politician, Absalom.

The tribes of Israel had again divided, with 1o tribes (Israel) and the other two (Judah).

Absalom had died in the battle at the hands of Joab.

Absalom had not been appointed of God and therefore there should have been no true allegiance to him.

But no one had spoken of restoring King David to his throne.

King David had to reunite this nation as only he could do!

It was Judah who was David’s own tribe and it was Judah that had accepted Absalom. Therefore it was Judah where King David would begin to heal his nation.

David sent the High Priests, Zadok and Abiathar, to be his ambassadors to Judah.

Amasa had been the general of Absalom’s army but Amasa was also the son of David’s sister, Abigail.

It is probable that David now knew that it was Joab who had murdered Absalom, directly ignoring the orders of his Commander-in-Chief.

So, David offers Amasa the top position in his own army and replaces Joab.

This was probably a shock to Judah, but in this action it showed that David would pardon all those that had followed after Absalom.

David had also reached a point where he finally understood that Israel needed a true leader more than they needed a Warrior King. It was no longer a time when Kings should go to war!

David needed a general that would be obedient to his commander and Joab had proved that he would not always be obedient.

With these things Judah asked their king to return to Jerusalem and his throne.

*****2Sa 19:14  And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
2Sa 19:15  So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

While all the other tribes were still debating what to do, the tribe of Judah went to receive their king.

Gilgal was another place that had a great history to Israel.

It was at Gilgal that Joshua had made his first camp when Israel had first claimed the land that God had given to them.

And it was at Gilgal is the place that Samuel had chosen to renew the kingdom.

1Sa 11:14  Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.

This was a time of re-dedication of the king to all of Israel!

God gave King David many opportunities to show his re-dedication as he returned to Jerusalem.

Shemei, the cursing man, ask for and was granted forgiveness and Shemei represented the house of Joseph.

Ziba returned to honor the king. Ziba represents the house of Benjamin.

Mephibosheth who had made a personal vow, not to shave, nor to change his clothes until the king returned, came to receive the king.

The king not knowing the truth of Mephibosheth and Ziba forgave then both and divided the lands of King Saul between them!

King David still remained true to his covenant with Jonathan!

And then their was a close friend.

*****2Sa 19:34  And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
2Sa 19:35  I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?

King David felt deeply indebted to this man who had supported him throughout this entire ordeal.

In a real sense, Barzillai was someone who David could never repay for what he had done!

Barzillai was also someone who David felt an eternal obligation!

Barzillai’s family would always find a ready acceptance in Israel’s royal court!

And David gave these words to his son Solomon:

1Ki 2:7  But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

Let’s listen to what the Lord Jesus says to His disciples:

Luk 22:28  Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
Luk 22:29  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luk 22:30  That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And what else did Jesus say?

Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

No matter what the rest of the world is doing, and no matter what the cost, we need to be like Barzillai and stick close by Our King, King Jesus!

*****2Sa 19:36  Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
2Sa 19:37  Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

Barzillai wanted to be shown “no favor” from the King!

Barzillai’s joy “came from serving” and seeing that his king had remained safe!

Barzillai should remind us of every servant of the Lord “who has served all his days and has now grown old gracefully to live out his remaining days”.

Barzillai “had no interest in the things of the world” nor “the life of royalty”.

Barzillai had the servant’s heart!

Barzillai knew he would have no pleasure in a royal court of the King but would enjoy his last days doing the things he most enjoyed.

When death came Barzillai wanted to be by his closest friends and buried near those that had gone on before him!

At 80 years old Barzillai had seen all the days of King Saul and all the days of King David but Barzillai had chosen David.

By life’s end we will have seen many kings and rulers but the wise will have chosen King Jesus, and remained faithful to Him!

It was Chimham who had stood by his own father and as this son, it would be he who would receive his father’s reward here on this Earth!

*****2Sa 19:38  And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

Several hundred years later Jeremiah wrote of Chimham.

Jer 41:17  And they departed, and dwelt in “the habitation of Chimham”, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt,

King David was born in Bethlehem and it seems that Chimham was placed as the overseer of David’s personal family inheritance in Bethlehem.

This later “habitation” was probably an inn according to the Hebrew word used. 

There many today that suppose that it was in the stable of this inn where the Lord Jesus was born but the Bible does not say nor does it deny this thing.

Luk 2:7  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

But David’s return as King did not make everyone happy!

There is always the trouble maker!

*****2Sa 19:41  And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?
2Sa 19:42  And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? or hath he given us any gift?
2Sa 19:43  And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
2Sa 20:1  And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

There may have been some peace in David’s family for a time but the sword was still hanging over David’s head!

King David knew that he needed the tribe of Judah in order to remain King of Israel but because Judah came alone to welcome David back into Israel it brought on extreme jealousy and David’s troubles were not yet over.

The invitation for the return of the King had first come from those ten tribes but Judah had taken the lead as usual and again this caused a rivalry between the tribes.

What does God say?

Mat 12:25  And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

God also has this message for us all:

Jas 3:13  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

In all these things, we never read that anyone had taken the time to reach out to the Lord and when this happens Satan will always take advantage of the situation!

Sheba was a worthless man who had no interest in peace and wicked men think they are safe when they can conceal their unworthiness from the eyes of the world.

To Sheba, David had never been a king and certainly did not deserve royalty. To Sheba, David was just the son of Jesse a very poor man.

It sometimes seems that every bad man will get an opportunity to stir up strife!

That is because there are always ears open to criticism and this plays into Satan’s hand!

Satan will find a way to get his message heard so the ten tribes of Israel departed to their own homes.

King David proceeded to Jerusalem to set things straight.

David had chosen Amasa, who was soundly defeated by David’s army to stop this rebellion of Sheba but Amasa showed his incompetence by not being able to assemble an army in the time allowed by his Commander-in-Chief.

And David sent Abishai with Joab’s men to capture and to stop Sheba before a new revolt could take place and Israel back in civil war.

Amasa was not able to raise an army, so he tried to join with Abishai but when Joab saw him, he killed him for wearing his own uniform.

Amasa had lost his own sword and was defenseless and Joab murders another human being for no real reason.

When someone is pierced between the fifth rib, “it is a death blow”, because it penetrates the lungs and on into the heart and the victim will drown in his own blood. It is a painful, and a struggling slow death that cannot be reversed by any medical means.

This is the same blow that was delivered to Jesus on the cross but The Lord Jesus had already given up the ghost.

Joh 19:34  But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

Every soldier is taught the blows that bring this kind of death!

Sheba escaped and had took refuge in the city of Abel.

At this time Abel was a strong city and was referred to as “the mother of Israel”.

It seems that at this time this city was governed by a truly wise woman.

Those that say God does not treat women as equal to men do not know the Word of God!

God does expect a man to take the leadership role in the family and this includes the Church!

*****2Sa 20:16  Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.
2Sa 20:17  And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.
2Sa 20:18  Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the matter.
2Sa 20:19  I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

The city of Abel was about to be destroyed because this city was harboring the enemy of the King.

Why is is that evil men who know they are wrong always use innocent people as a barrier between them and justice.?

This is the favorite tactic of Muslim extremist, yet the Muslim world will not put a stop to it. 

It is within the power of the Muslim world to end this terror in the world we live in, but they are not as wise as this woman of Abel.

No city, and no place is safe with the traitors of peace within it’s walls!

And no place is safe that harbors and exalts sin!

God says wisdom comes from the Word of God!

And wisdom comes not only from knowledge but also from perception of right and wrong!

It was not necessary for this city to suffer for the guilt of this one man!

Most all the world is not as wise as this woman!

Take Caiaphas in the day of Jesus Christ, who knew the Word of God  and condemned an innocent man knowing his own nation would suffer.

Today, the guilty are cared for and protected while the innocent suffer for them!

We can see that we just do not have our priorities in the right order.

No doubt it is always better to seek peace before the armies are dispatched for destruction!

We should ask ourselves, is it worth the cost in lives and other things, to protect the guilty or should we be more willing protect the innocent?

Joab would not have stopped until he had destroyed this city to rid Israel of this traitor Sheba.

20,000 Israelites had already died, there was no need for more death and Joab answered.

*****2Sa 20:20  And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy.
2Sa 20:21  The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.

This wise woman simply told Joab, that the people of the city had not been given the opportunity to decide amongst themselves if they would fight for the life of Sheba and she wanted that opportunity.

A great lesson for the lost can be realized here.

Every person is a city within themselves. Satan is the “traitor”, the enemy of God. If we love the “traitor” above our own soul we will certainly perish with the “traitor”!

And if we will willingly part from our sin, God will withdraw His “judgments”!

The Lord Jesus has these words:

Mat 5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Mat 5:30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

It is always best to take off the head of Sheba, than for our city to be destroyed!

Wicked men always think they are safe when they think they can hide their own evil from the eyes of the world but God is never fooled by such men!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!