Welcome to Wednesday, August 4th!

This episode of The 7-Minute Cross Talk Bible Study is titled:

Absalom's Death

For this Bible Study, we are considering the words of this week’s Old Testament Lesson - 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33.

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Scripture Quotations: New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).

This podcast is a ministry outreach of Our Savior's Lutheran in Argyle, Minnesota - United States.

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Absalom's Death

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The link is located right below this audio player.

For this Wednesday Bible Study, we will consider the words of this week's Old Testament Lesson: 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33.

Hopefully, these studies encourage you to engage in a deeper study of the current passage. But, more importantly, I hope these studies deepen your love for the Word of God.

Let's begin:

Last week's Old Testament Lesson related Nathan's encounter with King David over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.

Though David confesses his sin, the consequences of what he has done will follow him and his family for generations. 

This record is found in:

2 Samuel 12:9-14 NAS95

'Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the sons of Ammon.  [10] 'Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.' [11] "Thus says the LORD, 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.  [12] 'Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and under the sun.'"  [13]  Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die.  [14]  "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die."

When we confess our sin with a penitent heart, God does indeed forgive us. Sometimes, the lasting consequences are not publicly evident, but nevertheless, they exist.

In David's case, the consequences of his sin will be on display for all of Israel to see. David was reminded to his dying day of the cost of sin. As I noted in last week's sermon podcast, David learned some very important lessons.

Sin will take you farther than you ever thought you'd go; it will keep you there longer than you ever intended to stay, and it will cost you more than you ever expected to pay.

This week's Old Testament Lesson relates to one of those consequences. Listen as I read:

2 Samuel 18:5-9 NAS95

The king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom.  [6]  Then the people went out into the field against Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.  [7]  The people of Israel were defeated there before the servants of David, and the slaughter there that day was great, 20,000 men.  [8]  For the battle there was spread over the whole countryside, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.  [9]  Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. For Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. And his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him kept going.

2 Samuel 18:19 NAS95

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Please let me run and bring the king news that the LORD has freed him from the hand of his enemies."

2 Samuel 18:31-33 NAS95

Behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, "Let my lord the king receive good news, for the LORD has freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you."  [32]  Then the king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!"  [33]  The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And thus he said as he walked, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Certain verses suggest that King David was a permissive parent. After his daughter Tamar was raped by her brother Amnon, Scripture records:

2 Samuel 13:21 NASB

Now when King David heard about all these matters, he became very angry.

When his son Adonijah seeks to take the throne instead of Solomon, the Bible records the following:

1 Kings 1:6 NASB

And his father had never rebuked him at any time by asking, "Why have you done so?" And he was also a very handsome man, and he was born after Absalom.

Both of these cases tell us that though he was a man after God's own heart, David failed to discipline his children, to raise them to have good sense and follow the Lord.

Absalom, who is mentioned in this week's lesson, also orchestrated the death of Amnon for raping his sister.

2 Samuel 13:28-29 NASB

Then Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "See now, when Amnon's heart is cheerful with wine, and I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then put him to death. Do not fear; have I not commanded you myself? Be courageous and be valiant."  [29]  And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons got up and each mounted his mule and fled.

This lesson records the death of Absalom after he attempts to overthrow his father as king.

In these verses, David makes an unwise decision by telling his commanders to Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. This must discourage them after all the death, destruction, and upheaval that Absalom's rebellion has caused the nation.

As you might remember from Sunday School, while trying to escape, Absalom runs into a tree and wedges his head and neck in the crook of a branch. The king's military commander, Joab, knowing the danger of allowing Absalom to live takes matters into his own hands.

2 Samuel 18:14 NASB

Then Joab said, "I will not waste time here with you." So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the midst of the oak.

Once David is informed of his son's death, he weeps. Regardless of what Absalom had done, he was still his son. However, David's weeping over Absalom is considered shameful and affects the loyalty of his soldiers.

If not for the intervention of Joab, his military commander, David would have lost his kingdom.

2 Samuel 19:5-7 NASB

Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, "Today you have shamed all your servants, who have saved your life today and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines,  [6]  by loving those who hate you, and by hating those who love you. For you have revealed today that commanders and servants are nothing to you; for I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then it would be right as far as you are concerned.  [7]  "Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, no man will stay the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the misfortune that has happened to you from your youth until now!"

I wonder that if at any point David thought back to God's declaration in:

2 Samuel 12:10 NASB

'Now then, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'

I encourage you to go back and read 2 Samuel 11-12 to remind yourself of how seriously God regards sin.

Let's Pray,

Gracious Heavenly Father,

We are grateful that You forgive our sin when we come before You with a penitent heart.

Help us to think of the consequences as various temptations come our way.

Strengthen our walk with You this day.

In the Name of Jesus,

Amen!