II Samuel 16 The Challenge of Absalom

1
(No Transcript)
2
II Samuel 16 David Cursed and Humiliated
3
Somebody still cares for David

• (2 Sam 161 NKJV) When David was a little past
  the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the
  servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a
  couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two
  hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of
  raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of
  wine.

4
Two Views of Ziba

• A thoughtful man

• A crafty man

• He was being kind to David at a time when many
  had turned their back on him.

• This crafty man, anticipating the certain
  failure of Absaloms conspiracy, took steps to
  prepare for his future advancement on the
  restoration of the king. JFB

5
David says, Why?

• (2 Sam 162 NKJV) And the king said to Ziba,
  "What do you mean to do with these?" So Ziba
  said, "The donkeys are for the king's household
  to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the
  young men to eat, and the wine for those who are
  faint in the wilderness to drink."

6
What about Mephibosheth

• (2 Sam 163 NKJV) Then the king said, "And where
  is your master's son?" And Ziba said to the king,
  "Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said,
  'Today the house of Israel will restore the
  kingdom of my father to me.'"

7
Such confussion

• Mephibosheth is now hoping to have the kingdom
  restored to Sauls family.

• Absalom is trying to take the kingdom from his
  own father.

8
Did David have a right to do this?

• (2 Sam 164 NKJV) So the king said to Ziba,
  "Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is
  yours." And Ziba said, "I humbly bow before you,
  that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O
  king!"

9
Adam Clarke says this is wrong!

• This conduct of David was very rash he spoiled
  an honorable man to reward a villain, not giving
  himself time to look into the circumstances of
  the case. But David was in heavy afflictions, and
  these sometimes make even a wise man mad. Nothing
  should be done rashly he who is in the habit of
  obeying the first impulse of his passions or
  feelings, will seldom do a right action, and
  never keep a clear conscience. -- Adam Clarke

10
David Cursed by Shimei

• (2 Sam 165 NKJV) Now when King David came to
  Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the
  house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of
  Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing
  continuously as he came.

11
Is this from God?

• David was guiltless of the crime of which Shimei
  accused him but his conscience reminded him of
  other flagrant iniquities and he, therefore,
  regarded the cursing of this man as a
  chastisement from heaven. His answer to Abishais
  proposal evinced the spirit of deep and humble
  resignation - the spirit of a man who watched the
  course of Providence, and acknowledged Shimei as
  the instrument of Gods chastening hand. JFB

12
Is this from God? Or from Saul?

• (2 Sam 165 NKJV) Now when King David came to
  Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the
  house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of
  Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing
  continuously as he came.

• He upbraided David as an ambitious usurper, and
  charged him, as one whose misdeeds had recoiled
  upon his own head, to surrender a throne to which
  he was not entitled. -JFB

13
The dishonor continues

• (2 Sam 166 NKJV) And he threw stones at David
  and at all the servants of King David. And all
  the people and all the mighty men were on his
  right hand and on his left.

14
David is insulted

• (2 Sam 167 NKJV) Also Shimei said thus when he
  cursed "Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty
  man, you rogue!

• (2 Sam 167 NASB) And thus Shimei said when he
  cursed, "Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed,
  and worthless fellow!

15
A Reprimand

• (2 Sam 168 NKJV) "The LORD has brought upon you
  all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose
  place you have reigned and the LORD has
  delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom
  your son. So now you are caught in your own evil,
  because you are a bloodthirsty man!"

16
Abishai supports David

• (2 Sam 169 NKJV) Then Abishai the son of
  Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead
  dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go
  over and take off his head!"

17
Who was Abishai?

• He was a long time supporter. He was supporting
  David when he was being chased by Saul. You must
  appreciate his loyalty.
• (1 Sam 266-9 NKJV) Then David answered, and
  said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the
  son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, saying, "Who
  will go down with me to Saul in the camp?" And
  Abishai said, "I will go down with you."

18
Who was Abishai?

• (1 Sam 267-9 NKJV) 7 So David and Abishai came
  to the people by night and there Saul lay
  sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in
  the ground by his head. And Abner and the people
  lay all around him.

19
Abishai could have killed Saul

• (1 Sam 267-9 NKJV) 8 Then Abishai said to
  David, "God has delivered your enemy into your
  hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me
  strike him at once with the spear, right to the
  earth and I will not have to strike him a second
  time!" 9 And David said to Abishai, "Do not
  destroy him for who can stretch out his hand
  against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless?"

20
A puzzling Question

• (2 Sam 1610 NKJV) But the king said, "What have
  I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him
  curse, because the LORD has said to him, 'Curse
  David.' Who then shall say, 'Why have you done
  so?'"

21
The NIV may help with the sense

• (2 Sam 1610 NIV) But the king said, "What do
  you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If
  he is cursing because the LORD said to him,
  'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do
  this?'"

22
2 Samuel 1610 Compared

• NKJV

• NIV

• But the king said, "What do you and I have in
  common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing
  because the LORD said to him, 'Curse David,' who
  can ask, 'Why do you do this?'"

• But the king said, "What have I to do with you,
  you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because
  the LORD has said to him, 'Curse David.' Who then
  shall say, 'Why have you done so?'"

23
David Accept the Cursing as from God

• (2 Sam 1611 NKJV) And David said to Abishai and
  all his servants, "See how my son who came from
  my own body seeks my life. How much more now may
  this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse
  for so the LORD has ordered him.

24
Keil-Delitzsch

• Although David had committed no murder upon the
  house of Saul, and therefore Shimei's cursing was
  nothing but malicious blasphemy, he felt that it
  came upon him because of his sins, though not for
  the sin imputed to him. He therefore forbade
  their putting the blasphemer to death, and said
  Jehovah had commanded him to curse regarding the
  cursing as the consequence of the wrath of God
  that was bringing him low

25
In a sense, David is an example of this verse

• (1 Pet 220 NASB) For what credit is there if,
  when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure
  it with patience? But if when you do what is
  right and suffer for it you patiently endure it,
  this finds favor with God.

26
Again, the thoughts expressed by Peter

• (2 Sam 1612 NKJV) "It may be that the LORD will
  look on my affliction, and that the LORD will
  repay me with good for his cursing this day."

27
Anything to be insulting!

• (2 Sam 1613 NKJV) And as David and his men went
  along the road, Shimei went along the hillside
  opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones
  at him and kicked up dust.

28
Break Time

• (2 Sam 1614 NKJV) Now the king and all the
  people who were with him became weary so they
  refreshed themselves there.

29
Absalom Comes into Jerusalem

• (2 Sam 1615 NKJV) Meanwhile Absalom and all the
  people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem and
  Ahithophel was with him.

30
David is concerned about Ahithophel

• (2 Sam 1531 NKJV) Then someone told David,
  saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators
  with Absalom." And David said, "O LORD, I pray,
  turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!"

31
Working Behind Enemy Lines

• (2 Sam 1616 NKJV) And so it was, when Hushai
  the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom,
  that Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king!
  Long live the king!"

32
Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king

• Hushais devotion to David was so well-known,
  that his presence in the camp of the conspirators
  excited great surprise. Professing, however, with
  great address, to consider it his duty to support
  the cause which the course of Providence and the
  national will had seemingly decreed should
  triumph, and urging his friendship for the father
  as a ground of confidence in his fidelity to the
  son, he persuaded Absalom of his sincerity, and
  was admitted among the councilors of the new
  king. JFB

33
Absalom questions his loyalty

• (2 Sam 1617-18 NKJV) So Absalom said to Hushai,
  "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you
  not go with your friend?" 18 And Hushai said to
  Absalom, "No, but whom the LORD and this people
  and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be,
  and with him I will remain.

34
Hushai pleads his case

• (2 Sam 1619 NKJV) "Furthermore, whom should I
  serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his
  son? As I have served in your father's presence,
  so will I be in your presence."
• -- Or should be say, A spies story?

35
Absalom checks with Ahithophel

• (2 Sam 1620 NKJV) Then Absalom said to
  Ahithophel, "Give counsel as to what we should
  do."

36
The women left behind

• (2 Sam 1621 NKJV) And Ahithophel said to
  Absalom, "Go in to your father's concubines, whom
  he has left to keep the house and all Israel
  will hear that you are abhorred by your father.
  Then the hands of all who are with you will be
  strong."

37
Why were these left?

• (2 Sam 1516 NKJV) Then the king went out with
  all his household after him. But the king left
  ten women, concubines, to keep the house.

• We asked about the wisdom of this in our last
  study. Now here is more of what happens to them.

38
What Happened?

• (2 Sam 1622 NKJV) So they pitched a tent for
  Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went
  in to his father's concubines in the sight of all
  Israel.

39
A Literal Fulfillment!

• (2 Sam 1211-12 NKJV) "Thus says the LORD
  'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you
  from your own house and I will take your wives
  before your eyes and give them to your neighbor,
  and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of
  this sun. 12 'For you did it secretly, but I
  will do this thing before all Israel, before the
  sun.'"

40
Ahithophels Advice fulfills Gods prophecy

• (2 Sam 1623 NKJV) Now the advice of Ahithophel,
  which he gave in those days, was as if one had
  inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the
  advice of Ahithophel both with David and with
  Absalom.

41

• Another chapter closes, but where are we?

42
David is in trouble
43
David is in trouble

• He is a fugitive, having given up Jerusalem.

44
David is in trouble

• He is a fugitive, having given up Jerusalem.
• He is fleeing from his own son, there is no
  possibility of an absolute victory.

45
David is in trouble

• He is a fugitive, having given up Jerusalem.
• He is fleeing from his own son, there is no
  possibility of an absolute victory.
• He left his concubines and they are being
  violated.

46
David is in trouble

• He is a fugitive, having given up Jerusalem.
• He is fleeing from his own son, there is no
  possibility of an absolute victory.
• He left his concubines and they are being
  violated.
• He is being cursed and made fun of, and unwilling
  to stop it.

47
David is in trouble

• He is a fugitive, having given up Jerusalem.
• He is fleeing from his own son, there is no
  possibility of an absolute victory.
• He left his concubines and they are being
  violated.
• He is being cursed and made fun of, and unwilling
  to stop it.
• He knows he is in trouble with God.

48
His only hope is God!
49
His only hope is God!

• Its true for all of us, but many of us feel we
  can make many of the decisions that will affect
  our lives.

50
His only hope is God!

• Its true for all of us, but many of us feel we
  can make many of the decisions that will affect
  our lives.
• He pleads with God to Turn the counsel of
  Ahithophel into foolishness!

51
His only hope is God!

• Its true for all of us, but many of us feel we
  can make many of the decisions that will affect
  our lives.
• He pleads with God to Turn the counsel of
  Ahithophel into foolishness!
• He accepts anything that he thinks God is doing
  to him, even if it is insulting.

52
His only hope is God!

• Its true for all of us, but many of us feel we
  can make many of the decisions that will affect
  our lives.
• He pleads with God to Turn the counsel of
  Ahithophel into foolishness!
• He accepts anything that he thinks God is doing
  to him, even if it is insulting.
• He will not strike back at God

53
His only hope is God!

• Its true for all of us, but many of us feel we
  can make many of the decisions that will affect
  our lives.
• He pleads with God to Turn the counsel of
  Ahithophel into foolishness!
• He accepts anything that he thinks God is doing
  to him, even if it is insulting.
• He will not strike back at God
• God will see him through, but he will pay.

54
He was the man after Gods own heart.

• (1 Sam 1314 NKJV) "But now your kingdom shall
  not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a
  man after His own heart, and the LORD has
  commanded him to be commander over His people,
  because you have not kept what the LORD commanded
  you."

55
Its not all about winning!
56

• Its how you played the game!

57

• God will decide the final score!

58
(No Transcript)