Village Church Annandale (Sydney) sermons

God's in control over the plans of people | 2 Samuel 17:1-14 | Daily Bible Time | Dominic Steele | 7 September 2021

We see the two advisors of Absalom go head to head.  One has the better plan. But the Lord is with the other.  In God's sovereignty God is moving to judge rebellious Absalom, while at the same time using Absalom to bring about his judgement on David. 

2 Samuel 17:1 Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight. 2 I will attack him while he is weary and discouraged,[a] throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king 3 and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re looking for, all[b] the people will be at peace.” 4 This proposal seemed right to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

5 Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.”

6 So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him, “Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say?”

7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good.” 8 Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people. 9 He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves[c] or some other place. If some of our troops fall[d] first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion will lose heart[e] because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors. 11 Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba—as numerous as the sand by the sea—be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle. 12 Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left—neither he nor any of the men with him. 13 If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones[f] into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.” 14 Since the Lord had decreed that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”

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In this chapter we see an act of great loyalty to King David from his friend Hushai, and an act of great treatchery from David's son Absalom and his former advisor Ahithophel.

And remarkably in all of this we see the promises of God come true. Promises of blessing and of judgement.

2 Samuel 16:5 When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he was yelling curses as he approached. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the royal[b] servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left. 7 Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you wicked man! 8 The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed!”

9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and remove his head!”

10 The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the Lord[c] told him, ‘Curse David!’ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood,[d] intends to take my life—how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to. 12 Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction[e] and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” 13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, threw stones at him, and kicked up dust. 14 Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived[f] exhausted, so they rested there.

15 Now Absalom and all the Israelites came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was also with him. 16 When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 “Is this your loyalty to your friend?” Absalom asked Hushai. “Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

18 “Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom. “I am on the side of the one that the Lord, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him. 19 Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, I will also serve in yours.”

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What should we do?”

21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.”[g] 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from God—such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.

The significance of these last two interactions that David has with individuals on his rushed journey out of Jersualem, fleeing from his son Absalom, who has mounted a coup, is that he reflects aloud on what the Lord's purposes might be.

And although we can reject the overall thesis of the man from Saul's family, Shimei, there are some aspects of his statement that are true. As David reflects that the Lord's hand is in this, and he throws himself dependently on the Lord, trusting that the Lord will lead him through this dark valley in a way of goodness.

David's reflection drew me to reflect on the great hymn by William Cowper, God moves in mysterious ways. great hymn by William Cowper….

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines of never-failing skill, He treasures up His bright designs, and works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take, the clouds ye so much dread, are big with mercy, and shall break In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err, and scan his work in vain; God is His own interpreter, and He will make it plain.

2Samuel 16:5 When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he was yelling curses as he approached. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the royal[b] servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left. 7 Shimei said as he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you wicked man! 8 The Lord has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed!”9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and remove his head!” 10 The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the Lord[c] told him, ‘Curse David!’ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’” 11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood,[d] intends to take my life—how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the Lord has told him to. 12 Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction[e] and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” 13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, threw stones at him, and kicked up dust. 14 Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived[f] exhausted, so they rested there.

David’s son Absalom has been campaigning for four years discreetly against his father in an attempt to build widespread grassroots support across Israel.  And that campaign has culminated in a coup.  Out at Hebron Absolom has been proclaimed King and is returning to Jerusalem.  David has resolved to flee from Jerusalem to the wilderness to regroup.  Rather than provoke a siege of the city.

The narrative slows down to focus on personal interactions between David and various individuals as he flees.

The commentator John Woodhouse points out that it’s in these interactions that we see the character of King David…. It is actually quite similar to what happens in the gospel accounts as we see Jesus interact with various people.

2Samuel 15:32 When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go away with me, you’ll be a burden to me, 34 but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me. 35 Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Report everything you hear from the palace to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. 36 Take note: their two sons are there with them—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. Send them to tell me everything you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David’s personal adviser, entered Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.

16:1 When David had gone a little beyond the summit,[a] Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, was right there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred bunches of summer fruit, and a clay jar of wine. 2 The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?”

Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who become exhausted in the wilderness.”

3 “Where is your master’s grandson?” the king asked.

“Why, he’s staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied to the king, “for he said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me.’” 4 The king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours!” “I bow before you,” Ziba said. “May I find favor with you, my lord the king!”

The Bible writers hold that the worst day in the history of the world was the day that Jesus was executed.

And it started with Jesus walking out with this disciples from the city of Jerusalem… across the Kidron and climbing the Mount of Olives. … 

For those who had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel their hopes were being dashed. 

And today our attention in Daily Bible Time… is when the Great King David walked that same path : humiliated, crushed defeated, out of the city of Jerusalem, the city he had ruled.

2Samuel 15:13 Then an informer came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

14 David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! Leave quickly, or he will overtake us quickly, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

15 The king’s servants said to the king, “Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants.” 16 Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17 So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house 18 while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the people of Gath—six hundred men who came with him from there—marched past the king.

19 The king said to Ittai of Gath, “Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you’re both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. 20 Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the Lord show you[c] kindness and faithfulness.”

21 But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, “As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there!”

22 “March on,” David replied to Ittai. So Ittai of Gath marched past with all his men and the dependents who were with him. 23 Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching out of the city. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the wilderness.

24 Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices[d] until the people had finished marching past. 

25 Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor with the Lord, he will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its[e] dwelling place. 26 However, if he should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am—he can do with me whatever pleases him.”[f]

27 The king also said to the priest Zadok, “Look,[g] return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28 Remember, I’ll wait at the fords[h] of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.

30 David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. All of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.

31 Then someone reported to David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.”

“Lord,” David pleaded, “please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

We start today four chapters of conflict between David and Absolom. 

You will remember that the prophet Nathan in his rebuke to David had said back in 2 Samuel 12:11… that God’s word to him was…

I will raise up evil against you from out of your own house.

This is God’s judgement on him for his sin with Bathsheeba. 

The evil from David’s house, would include the rape of Tamar by Amnon and .Absolom’s murder of Amnon. 

As Dr Woodhouse says, David's sons behaviour terrifying resonated with their father’s sexual violation and deadly violence. And David appears to have been incapable of curbing his sons, weaked it would seem by his own failures.

He was angry and disturbed by their actions. But as Dr Woodhouse notes, he, like Eli and old Samuel, were not able to contain the cancer that had begun to attack his kingdom from within. 

Looking forward to reconciliation | 2 Samuel 14:21- | Dominic Steele | Daily Bible Time | 30 August 2021

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Today we see the reunion of the King and his son after, Absolom murdered his brother Amnon, who had raped his sister.

It’s a surface reconciliation.  But really they are still estranged. 

As Dr Woodhouse notes, these four chapters 11-14 have taken ten years or so.

It’s two years since Absalom had been brought back to Jerusalem; five years since Absalom had killed Amnon; seven years since Amnon had raped Tamar; and about ten years since David had committed adultery with Bathsheeba and had Uriah killed.

As Dr Woodhouse observes, for ten years sin has wrapped David’s family.  He says what has become clear from this chapter is that it will take one greater than David, to sort out the mess that human sin makes.

And so with him we look forward again to the work of David’s greater son Jesus, that God would - Colossians 1:20

20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

*****

2Samuel 14:21 The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.”

23 Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.

25 In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. 26 Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels[b] by the royal standard.

27 Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.

28 Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. 30 Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

31 Then Joab did go to Absalom’s house, and he said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!”’ Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.”

33 So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.

2 Samuel 14 has three sections: the schemes of Joab, the schemes of David and the schemes of Absalom. Together they contribute to preparing the way for the near destruction of David's Kingdom.

Today our focus is just on the first of these schemes, the actions of David's Army Commander Joab.

2 Samuel 14 Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. 2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. 3 Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”

5 The king asked her, “What is troubling you?”

She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.’ They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”

8 The king said to the woman, “Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf.”

9 But the woman from Tekoa said to him, “Let my lord the king pardon me and my family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt.”

10 The king replied, “If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.”

11 She said, “Then let the king invoke the Lord his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed.”

“As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “not one hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”

12 Then the woman said, “Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.”

“Speak,” he replied.

13 The woman said, “Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son? 14 Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.

15 “And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant’s request. 16 Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’

17 “And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’”

18 Then the king said to the woman, “Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.”

“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman said.

19 The king asked, “Isn’t the hand of Joab with you in all this?”

The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. 20 Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God—he knows everything that happens in the land.”

Today in a break from our regular schedule on Daily Bible Time, I'll take you to John 14, the text I am speaking on in a few hours time at the funeral service for my mother in law of 28 years Janet Dibdin.

This is the text that she specifically chose for her service today, writing it on the inside page of her bible.

(We will be back to our regular 2 Samuel series tomorrow)

John 14:1-6
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (NIV)