2nd Samuel 16&17

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2^nd Samuel 15:32-37

“And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: 33 unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me: 34 but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been they father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. 35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. 37 So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.”

Introduction

[Audio version: https://resources.ccphilly.org/detail.asp?TopicID=&Teaching=WED675]

“We are in the middle of Absalom’s rebellion, David has left the city of Jerusalem, not wanting to bring Absalom’s rebellion to the city to the point that the walls are torn down, those who would be slain in the city. So David leaves, he bows before what he sees no doubt as God’s chastening rod. He leaves Jerusalem, as he does he is joined by a man, Ittai, a Gittite, a warrior from the city of Gath, at some point a Philistine at least in his heritage, has joined himself to David. David said ‘Go back into the city,’ and he said ‘No, I’m with you in life and in death, it isn’t just about the throne for me, it’s about the crown, I’ve been seeing you as a man, come to know your God, there’s something in you that is much more attractive to me than just the power of it all.’ Zadok and Abiathar, the priests leave the city bringing the Ark, David said ‘Take it back, put it back where it belongs, if God is pleased with me, he’ll bring me back, I’ll see it again, and if not let him do with me whatever he wants. And Zadok, you’re a Seer, a Prophet, you’d do me better back there in the city, go on back.’ And as he leaves the city, ascending the Mount of Olives, he is experiencing the fellowship of the sufferings of Christ in a wonderful way, his greater Son.

God Gives David A Special Team, In Jerusalem & With Him

It says in verse 32, “And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God,” and David worshipped in major and minor keys it seems, and as he worshipped there it says, “behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head:” ‘consider that,’ it’s what it says, so I guess you should do that. Well, who is Hushai. We’re told in 1^st Chronicles, I’ll turn there, you don’t have to turn there, it says “And Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s companion.” We’re going to hear him called a number of times “the king’s friend,” this interesting man. It’s not the typical Hebrew word for “friend,” it means “somebody who counsels in secret,” it calls him there in 1^st Chronicles 27, verse 33 “the king’s companion,” you know, what higher position could someone be in. But he’s a man that stays close to David, who counsel’s David, who is with David, who is called David’s friend, Hushai the Archite now came to meet him, his own clothes torn, he’s mourning over what is taking place, his heart is broken, David on top of the mountain worshipping. Look, everything in his life is falling apart, and he doesn’t head back to the bar to get a load on, he gets on his knees before God and he’s worshipping the LORD, and Hushai comes, “unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me:” now he’s probably aged, “but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.” (verses 33-34) David feared Ahithophel more than his son Absalom. He knew his son Absalom well, but Ahithophel was the wisest counselor in the land. Interesting picture, look, David is being driven out of Jerusalem. David had sinned, David had committed adultery and murder. David had repented, he had broken before God, and God had accepted that, David’s relationship with the LORD had been restored, but it didn’t mean there weren’t consequences, and they are following him. And Nathan had prophecied that the sword wouldn’t depart from his house, that someone would humiliate him in regards to his wives right on the roof of his own palace in front of everyone. There are things that are still coming David’s way because of his sin, David no doubt thinking ‘If I had only not touched Bathsheba, if I only had not started this,’ he must have said that a thousand times, ‘If I only hadn’t got involved in this in the first place.’ Now at this point we see him bowing before the LORD, we in fact see him worshipping, we in fact see and hear him saying ‘If God is pleased with me, he’ll bring me back, if he’s not, I don’t deserve anything anyway, let him do to me whatever he so desires.’ He is so relinquished into the hand of God, it’s a remarkable picture. And God has gathered to him Ittai, he is a warrior, he’s a swordsman, and whenever there’s rebellion we need some swordsmen around, we need someone who can handle the Word of God, who understands what it says in a time like that. [In the BCC series ‘The Last Kingdom,” Utred of Babbenburg was king Alfred the Great’s swordsman] God has gathered to him Zadok, and then he says to Zadok you’re doing more good back in the House of God, I need someone before the LORD for me, and in every rebellion we need those who are seeking God’s face, who are in the presence of God on behalf of the trouble that’s there. And there is a Hushai, and how each one of us in those dark, those difficult days, we appreciate a friend who mourns with us…sometimes the right thing to say, is willing to tare their garments and be by our side. We see God’s grace to David in this picture as he is leaving Jerusalem, over the Mount of Olives, interesting picture. ‘Go back, you can defeat the counsel of Ahithophel,’ “And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.” (verse 35) and he had said over in verse 27, ‘Art thou not a Seer?’ Zadok had a prophetic gift, he was the 11^th in a direct succession from Aaron, in the priestly line number 11 directly from Aaron. ‘You have there with you Zadok, and Abiathar the priest,’ Zadok, a remarkable man, when you come to Ezekiel, the last 8 chapters and you read about the Kingdom Age and Ezekiel’s Temple that will be there, it will be the sons of Zadok, and it says they will minister unto the LORD [that’s the returned Jesus Christ, ruling over the whole world as King of kings and Lord of lords!]. The other priests, it says, will minister unto the people, in the presence of the people, but the sons of Zadok, it says, the LORD says, ‘they will minister to me in my presence,’ and it’s an honour bestowed on them through the Kingdom Age, it means that they’ll walk into his presence and minister to him there, because they were faithful, a higher privilege than ministering to the people it seems. So Zadok, interesting to see him here, Abiathar the priest. “therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear” he’s saying to Hushai “out of the king’s house,” out of Absalom’s house, “thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.” (verses 35b-36) ‘whatever you can get a lowdown on, let me know what’s going on,’ the early Mossad there. “So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.” (verse 37) [Comment: Now notice here, David sets up this entire spy-ring inside Jerusalem just before Absalom comes into the city of Jerusalem, notice the timing of all this, the very last thing mentioned in verse 37 is “and Absalom came into Jerusalem.” Absalom never saw Zadok and Abiathar carrying the Ark out of Jerusalem, and then being told to take it back, returning with the Ark and their two sons, and their taking it back into the Tabernacle, he never saw Hushai returning back. Everything was in place, David had ears listening inside Jerusalem before Absalom came into the city, so Absalom would have thought, ‘These guys stayed behind, they must be loyal to me now, not my father David the king.’]

2^nd Samuel 16:1-23

“And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. 2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. 3 And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. [Mephibosheth never said that, Ziba is lying, as we’ll find out later.] 4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king. 5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. 6 And he cast 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. 7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: 8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. 9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. 10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? 11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. 12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. 13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. 14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there. 15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. 16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? 18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. 19 And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so I will be in thy presence. 20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. 21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. 22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.”

Ziba Lies To David About Mephibosheth Turning Against Him

Shimei Curses And Throws Stones At David

This is when you say, ‘Things can’t get any worse,’ [I never say that anymore], don’t ever say that, if you’ve said that, ‘This is as bad as it can get, you know, on top of everything else now Ziba tells me what Mephibosheth has done.’ “And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.” (verse 5) he came, and it was pouring out, he was just cursing David as he came, as David was maybe thinking ‘now it’s as bad as it can get,’ no it isn’t at all. And we’re going to find out this man has been bitter, he’s been cursing for a long time, he’s been a coward because David has been on the throne. Now that he sees David driven out of Jerusalem, Absalom coming in, he feels now he can be as brazen as he wants to, and he just comes now cursing David, he’s from the house of Saul. “And he cast 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.” (verse 6) not a smart guy, you don’t throw stones at Abishai and Joab, and he’s throwing stones at all the servants of king David, and all the people, and all the mighty men who were on his right hand and on his left. “And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.” (verses 7-8) ‘how’s it feel like to get a little of your own medicine, David, because you are a bloody man.’ Now listen, there ain’t a word of truth there. David did not touch king Saul, he had refrained his hand, he refused to touch the LORD’s anointed, Saul was dead because of his rebellion against God, God refused to speak to him, God refused to speak to him to the point that he went and he consulted with the witch of Endor, he turned completely away from God and he ended up dying on the battlefield, had nothing to do with David, David had honoured the position of the man all the way to the end. But rumour knows no boundary, and that hasn’t changed, if you’ve noticed in your own life. And look, Satan knows when we’re down. When we’re down and out, please understand, the enemy doesn’t say ‘Ah, I like a fair fight, you know, I’ll lay off until this one gets better and back on their feet, no fun just beating somebody,’ that’s not how the enemy operates. He comes to the LORD and says ‘Let me test Job,’ God said ‘You can test him, but don’t kill him,’ how are you going to test Job, make a beautiful woman walk in front of him, drop a $100 dollar bill out of your pocket, he says ‘You can test Job,’ so he burns down all of his houses, ruins all of his stocks, kills all of his children, and leaves his wife [laughter], whose telling him ‘Curse God and die.’ That’s insanity, and the enemy knows, here is David as far down as he can possibly get, one stroke upon another, and now the enemy wakes up Shimei this morning and says ‘Go on out there and get him, go on out there, curse him.’ Now on top of everything else, now these false accusations falling, you know, when you think you’re all the way at the bottom. “Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.” (verse 9) gotta like these guys, the son of Zeruiah one of David’s cousins, Joab. This is nothing for Abishai. Isn’t it interesting, this dead dog thing is a big deal in Israel, I guess that’s the only thing worse than a live dog is a dead dog I guess. ‘This dead dog, let me go over, David, I just, look, he’s throwing stones, he’s cursing you, we should cut his head off, that’ll stop him.’ “And the king said,” on top of all his other trouble, “What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?” (verse 10) ‘the LORD told him, get up this morning, go on out, and curse David,’ “And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.” (verse 11) ‘the LORD told him to get up today and curse the king. If God is using my own son as a chastening rod, what am I supposed to say to Shimei, let him go and curse.’ Solomon would write “My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD, neither be weary of his correction, for whom the LORD loveth he correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” No doubt Solomon had heard from his own father David. I don’t know, he’s a better man than me. You know, it’s at this point in the day where I’m saying to Abishai, ‘Go on, sounds great, good plan, anybody else up there, hack them up too. I’ve been through enough today, everybody, all of this stuff, one thing after another, and now this guy, you’re right, go cut his head off, and bring it here.’ David’s a better man than me, he said ‘No, let him curse, let him curse, God’s raised him up to curse, let him curse, God’s using my own son, what am I supposed to say to this character?’ “It may be” verse 12, “It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.” i.e. ‘the LORD will pay me back in kind, I’m being gracious to him this day, and perhaps the LORD will be gracious to me.’ “And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.” (verse 13) so as they’re leaving this guy’s running along the top of the hills alongside of them, and cursing at them, and he’s throwing dust, he’s throwing stones, he’s throwing dust in the air, he’s a maniac. Here they are leaving the city and this guy’s running along the hill cursing, cursing and cursing, he’s throwing stones at them, throwing dust in the air, you have this lunatic in the middle of everything else, “And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves” outside of the city limits “there.” (verse 14)

Hushai Installs Himself As Absalom’s 2^nd Counselor

“And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.” (verse 15) Now remember, it tells us in those days the counsel of Ahithophel, over in verse 23 if you look there, it says “And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.” It was as though the counsel of Ahithophel was equivalent with the Urim and Thummim, as someone went to enquire of the oracles of God at the Tabernacle, through the high priest, it was that respected. It says here “And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend,” his private counselor “was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.” (verses 15-16) the idea is ‘long live the king,’ is the idea, ‘king may your life be prolonged, God save the king.’ “And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?” (verse 17) ‘I thought my dad was your buddy.’ “And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.” (verse 18) and this sounds like very reasonable and solid counsel. Who can resist God’s will, he’s saying. Now I think he believed that, but he knew it would be David again in a short time. “And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so I will be in thy presence.” (verse 19) [So Hushai was now safely installed as another counselor in Absalom’s court, just as David wanted. So now David has Zadok and Abiathar with their two sons in place as spies for David, and now Hushai becomes a second counselor to Absalom. God has permitted David to do all of this, very wisely, while saving Jerusalem from certain slaughter.]

Ahithophel Wants To Drive A Permanent Wedge Between David & Absalom

“Then said Absalom” evidently content with that, “Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.” (verse 20) Now we have an interesting picture here. He says to Ahithophel ‘Tell us what we should do.’ Now remember, Ahithophel is the grandfather of Bathsheba. Ahithophel had left after David committed adultery, took one of David’s best friends, David took his own granddaughter and seduced her, and then had her husband murdered, and Ahithophel has been bitter for a long time. And he has joined himself to Absalom, he could care less about Absalom, he knew in his heart Absalom is not near the man that his father David is. But he is so determined in his bitterness, to get his own vengeance, he is so angry that he’s joined himself to Absalom, and isn’t it interesting in verse 20 Absalom says to Ahithophel, “Give counsel among you what we shall do.” Well wait a minute Absalom, I thought you were the king. I thought you were in charge. Because here’s the interesting thing, see Absalom’s are good at rebellion, but they’re lousy at leadership. Anybody amongst God’s people can start a rebellion, and sometimes they’re successful and they’re hurtful, people can start rebellions, they can do this, they can sow discord, they can divide people up. But it’s a whole different thing, ok when the ball’s in your court, and then you’re looking around saying ‘Ah duh, what’d we do now?’ And that’s what he’s doing. ‘What do we do?’ David didn’t have to do that. David would listen to his counselors, David would seek the LORD, David would make a decision, he was the king. Absaloms are great at rebellion, they’re poor leaders, and Ahithophel knows that. Absalom says ‘What do we do now, what should we do?’ “And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house;” it says David left ten women there, his concubines, which he had left to keep the house, “and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.” (verse 21) he’s saying ‘You know what, get his wives, his concubines Absalom, take them out on the roof, and seduce them, have sex with them in front of the whole nation, that way everybody will know your father abhors you,’ Ahithophel wants to drive the wedge, he wants to put a permanent breach between David and Absalom, because he doesn’t want this thing to heal. And maybe even he’s thinking about Nathan’s prophecy, that this exact thing would happen. Now God is fulfilling his Word. Nathan said back in chapter 12, in fact I’ll just read it, you don’t have to turn, God said through Nathan, “Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of the sun.” (2^nd Samuel 12:12) and now that very thing is going to happen here. Ahithophel can even justify in his mind and said Nathan said it. Nathan never said he approved of it. Nathan never prescribed it or said it was right. He prophecied it and said it would happen. And Ahithophel no doubt is thinking ‘Hey Absalom, go do it,’ and be thinking in his own heart ‘Ya, that’s what he did to my own granddaughter, see how this feels now, David. I’m gonna take yours, I’m going to humiliate you, you humiliated my family, you took my granddaughter Bathsheba,’ and he is meting out his anger and his bitterness here, no doubt to an incredible degree, telling Absalom ‘Do this,’ and appealing to Absalom’s pride. ‘And everybody’s going to know that there’s a division between you and your father, and they’re going to be strengthened, as you’re strengthened in your position.’ “So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house;” David’s palace, “and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.” (verse 22) Listen, God’s Word fulfilled exactly to the T. God’s Word is always fulfilled exactly and literally. Now this is a sad story. But I am thankful at the prospect of that truth, because it says, that the Lord is going to descend, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the Trump[et] of God, and we’re going to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. That’s going to be fulfilled exactly and literally. The Word says ‘Now unto him who is able to present us faultless before his throne, with exceeding joy.’ Imagine that. Listen, all the rest of you put your fingers in your ears, if it doesn’t apply, but I’m going to be presented faultless. My wife probably don’t even believe it [laughter], my kids don’t believe it, I’m going to be presented faultless before his throne. And just faultless, James says God doesn’t begrudge, ask him and he gives wisdom to all men, he doesn’t upbraideth, ‘I didn’t say I would give you wisdom because I said I’d give you wisdom,’ he’s not going to be sitting on the throne saying ‘No, here comes another one, I got to present him faultless because I said I would? Man, I didn’t think…’ No, it says he’s going to present us faultless with exceeding joy. It’s going to be his joy to demonstrate the sufficiency of his bloodshed, of his atonement, of the propitiation that took place on the cross, he’s going to present us faultless with exceeding joy, not begrudging anything. The price of sin was paid in a supernatural way, in a way beyond any human capacity, undeserved. No, we don’t deserve it, we don’t earn it [the legalistic churches are choking right about now, but that’s because they don’t understand the true grace of God, which is not license to sin either]. We could never be worthy of it. So ya, this is a tough passage. David is experiencing exactly what the Word of the LORD that had come to Nathan said he would. The encouraging side of that equation is that you and I will experience exactly what the Lord says we will experience also. [Comment: And there is good and not so good in what God’s prophecied experience for us is. If you look at Revelation chapter 3, both for the Philadelphia era of God’s Church, and the era that runs parallel to it, the Laodicean era of God’s Church (cf. Revelation 3:7-13 and Revelation 3:14-22, see https://unityinchrist.com/revelation/revelation3-1-22.html.] “And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if” it wasn’t, it was “as if” “a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.” (verse 23)

2^nd Samuel 17:1-29

“Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: 2 and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: 3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. 4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. 5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith. 6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou. 7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time. 8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is man of war, and will not lodge with the people. 9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. 10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men. 11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. 12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. 13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there. 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom. 15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. 16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him. 17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David. 18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; wither they went down. 19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known. 20 And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. 21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you. 22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan. 23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. 24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. 27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, 28 brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse, 29 and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.”

God Defeats The Counsel Of Ahithophel Through Hushai

“Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: And I will bring back all the people unto thee:” “all the people” the idea the people that have sided themselves with David, “the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.” (verses 1-3) ‘If this one man is put to death, the rest are going to come back, so all the people shall come to you.’ “And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.” (verse 4) ‘Ah, let’s see, kill dad, that’s a great idea, go kill dad,’ what a sick guy, it pleased him well. Now look, Ahithophel is a wise man, he knows David has at least 600 that were with Ittai, Gittites, Special Guard with him, he has no doubt his Mighty Men, the 37 that are normally around him, we’re not sure how many others have joined themselves, but nowhere it seems these numbers. And yet Ahithophel shows great respect for David and the warriors with him, probably numbering under a thousand at this point in time, he says ‘give me 12,000 crack troops, I’ll track him down tonight while they’re wearied, while they’re tired, and I promise I won’t kill the people [that are with David], they’ll flee, we’ll come upon them, surprise them, and we will kill David your father.’ And it says it pleased Absalom, ‘Ah, that’s great, dad dead, I love those words together.’ How sad. Now Ahithophel’s counsel is good, it’s wise [it’s calling for a fast surgical strike]. It isn’t God’s will, but strategically it’s wise. It says it pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. Now look, “Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.” (verse 5) why did that happen, why did he call for him? It’s interesting, we will hear from Solomon as he writes, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as rivers of water, he turneth it withersoever he will.” That’s exactly what’s going to be told us, Absalom’s sitting there, the thing that he heard from Ahithophel he said ‘This is great,’ and this thought, Zzzzzt! comes into his mind, ‘Ah, let’s hear what Hushai has to say also,’ and the LORD turning the king’s heart right there, exactly in the direction he wanted to turn it. “And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou. And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good” look what he does “at this time.” (verses 6-7) He’s saying, ‘Look, what he’s saying is great, timing’s bad.’ That is a stroke of genius, no doubt the LORD put that on his heart. ‘Ya, he said this, but the timing’s all wrong here, this is a timing thing, has nothing to do with how wise Ahithophel is, but not at this time, it’s not good at this time,’ he says, “For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed” they’re in a BAD mood “in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is man of war, and will not lodge with the people.” (verse 8) “a bear robbed of her whelps,” I just saw that last week on the Animal Channel, one of those “I shouldn’t be alive” ones, and some father and daughter, both adults, ran into a grizzly with her cubs, and it was BAD. And Hushai in his genius puts this word-picture there. Jesus was brilliant with word-pictures. He says ‘These guys are mighty, you don’t know how they are, man, these are mean motor scooters, these guys with your dad.’ and he said ‘they’re in a bad mood, they all have migraines, and you mess with them, they’re gonna be like a bear robbed of her cubs right now, you don’t want to step into this hornets nest.’ “and thy father is man of war, and will not lodge with the people.” Hushai’s saying, ‘you’re going to go in there to kill him, he’s going to be hidden somewhere,’ “Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.” (verses 9-10) He said, ‘Look, first of all, you’re not going to rush in there and kill the king, he’s hidden somewhere, he’s not camping in the middle of everybody else, he’s smarter than that. And you’re gonna run up against Joab and Abishai and these other guys, and first thing you know, the tide’s going to turn, and the first thing, the people are going to start to run, ya their hearts are like the hearts of lions, but they’re going to melt when they start hearing the word that these guys are being victorious, they’re famous for winning these kind of battles, and everybody knows the men that are with your father are valiant men.’ Verse 11, “Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.” ‘Gather the entire nation, look, let’s not put our hand to this unless we do it with overwhelming force,’ that’s one of the doctrines of the military in the day that we live in, don’t commit yourself unless you go with overwhelming force. And that’s what he says, you need to go in there with overwhelming force, these guys are tough guys. You go in there with a limited force, things may turn bad, it’s just not the right timing, Hushai’s saying, ‘take your time, you’re rushing in, gather all of Israel to you. The whole nation is along with you right now. And we’ll come like the sand of the seashore. And you go with them, you go in their midst.’ Absalom’s going, ‘ya, tell me more, tell me more. This makes my want to weigh my hair, this is great.’ [Comment: But as we see with God’s battle, and David knows, if God’s with your forces, you can defeat the enemy’s overwhelming force with far less. The Greeks defeated Xerxes overwhelming forces with a far less numerous force, Leonidas at the Hot Gates, with about 4,500 Hoplites facing Xerxes 100s of thousands, and killing 20,000 Persians in 3 days, and Themistocles defeating a naval force twice his size at the Battle of Thermopylae, so Xerxes was forced to retreat back to Persia in time to give Queen Esther an audience, which saved all the Jews in the Persian Empire. God was backing up the Greeks for that reason. Gideon with 300 soldiers defeated an army that numbered as the sands of the sea. We fought the Vietnamese with overwhelming force and firepower, only to loose in the end, due to their fighting spirit. David knows this, and Hushai must know that God will be backing David’s army, no matter how small it might be at this point in time.] He says “So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.” (verse 12) and by the way, they found that phrase in some ancient war texts, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls actually mentions in a battle scene coming down on the enemy like “the dew coming down on the ground,” so something, no doubt familiar with them, something that they understood was said. “Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.” (verse 13) ‘we’ll have enough troops to level the entire city.’ “And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.” here’s the reason, “For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.” (verse 14) David, in his brokenness, seeking the LORD, fleeing, you read Psalms 41, 42, 43, 61, 62, 63, 55, read through the Psalms that reflect these days, and in many places you hear David crying out ‘LORD, have you forsaken me?’ and the truth is, all the while, back in Jerusalem, God is superintending, overriding, and he has decided to ruin the counsel of Ahithophel, and deal with Absalom, because the LORD loves David. And sometimes we can get to those points, David wrote some good blues songs, ‘LORD, why is this going on? how long will my soul be cast down? all thy billows are going over me, LORD, how long will this happen?’ And the truth was God was doing something completely different at that time. And the LORD had determined to overthrow the counsel of Ahithophel. You know, Malachi tells us ‘I am the LORD, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ We’re told Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, one of the attributes of God is he is immutable, he never changes. He can’t, he’s God. And that does our hearts good, you know, Daniel when he prophecied in front of Nebuchadnezzar, he said ‘This matter is by decree of the watchers, and the demand of the word of the holy ones, to the intent that the living my know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, he giveth it to whomsoever he will, and he setteth up over it even the basest of men.’ That God in his intentions, and God in his purposes, that he still interjects himself into the halls of power and politics, and the same is true today. Again, you know, Louis Neely down at the pastors conference, just did an incredible job describing John on Patmos, and he said “At that point, 90AD, Christians had been tortured and burned at the stake, what was happening in Rome was unbelievable, unbearable, and there was John on the Isle of Patmos, and it says ‘There he saw the Lord in his glory, eyes a flame of fire, golden sash around his chest, brighter than the noonday sun, his voice like the voice of many waters,’ it says ‘when he saw the Lord, he fell down like a dead man,’ and he had no doubt at that point in time who was in control. It wasn’t Caesar. He had been there depressed, he had been banned there at Patmos by Caesar, and all of a sudden John realized, no way, there’s the King of kings, there’s the Lord of lords, God in his glory rules over the kingdom of men, Caesar is not in control, Caesar’s not in control today. God is ruling.” And here he interjects himself, and it says “For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.” (verse 14b) Who knows what’s going on in the world tonight as we sit here?

Zadok & Abiathar Send Their Two Sons To Go Warn David To Quickly Cross Over The Jordan River

“Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled. Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over;” the idea is pass over Jordan, “lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.” (verses 15-16) He said, ‘I think I did a good thing for the king, I told him not to chase the king with 12,000, but to chase the king with 120,000, so, ah, tell him not to hang out too long, lest he get swallowed up in all of this, it’s gonna take a little longer for all of this to get rolling, but tell the king to get moving and get out of here.’ “Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench” isn’t it wonderful, King James, it’s a young girl, a wench, it’s like the Vikings got involved here somehow, “went and told them; and they went and told king David. Nevertheless a lad saw them,” that sounds way more respectful, we got a wench and a lad “and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; wither they went down.” (verses 17-18) About two miles northeast of Jerusalem, travelling through the night, no doubt. They came to his home, no doubt they were allied to the man through one circumstance or another, knew they could trust him. In his well, the wells were dug down in the rock, they went down into the well, it says, “And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known. And when Absalom’s servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.” (verses 19-20) and I don’t think they were very, I think they returned to Jerusalem quite willingly, they didn’t want to run into Joab and Abishai in the dark, so they were glad I think to go back and say ‘They’re gone man, we can’t find them.’ “And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you. Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.” (verses 21-22) So it seemed the company had grown to some degree by now.

Bitterness Is Dangerous To The Believer

And here we come to Ahithophel, listen, “And when Ahithophel saw” now this is not physically, this is a wise man, he understands in his heart, internally he sees this, he knows, “that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.” (verse 23) Ahithophel, his name means “brother of folly,” or “brother of impiety,” it’s from a Hebrew root that means “to be unsalted” or “untempered.” And he was a man that was unsalted, untempered, the brother of folly, a man who had become so bitter that he had lost control of his life. Look, the wisest man in the entire nation, eaten up by bitterness, it can happen, it can happen to any of us if we allow it to take place. The author to Hebrews 12:15, will say this, “Look diligently, lest any man fall of the grace of God,” we don’t want to fall from God’s grace, “lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” It says somebody whose fallen into that level of bitterness has fallen from the grace of God, they somehow lost control of God’s grace. If you can be that bitter, somehow you’ve lost tract of the fact whoever you’re bitter at, they didn’t need the blood of Jesus more than you did, we are equally sinners. It doesn’t mean there’s not bitterness, there is sometimes. That’s why the Bible talks to us about it, God understands that. But he beseeches us not to let it eat us alive, and we can do that. Look, we get hurt, we get angry, but that can grow into an acid, it can eat us alive, it can be so vengeful and so bitter, and so angry, we destroy ourselves, we destroy everyone around us. And the problem is, people that are that bitter and that filled with hate, they become the very thing that they hate. They become the very thing that they’re bitter at, so often. God does not give us the right, as his children, to maintain some unsanctified area in our life. ‘Lord, everything else is given over to you, look, I’ve given this over, this over, this over, that over, but I ain’t giving this up, I don’t care, then kill me God,’ and some people, they just refuse to let go of that, and it ends up driving everybody around them away, and it ends up to be the end of themselves. And here is Ahithophel, the wisest man in the land, did not know how to deal with his own bitterness. He had lost track of the grace of God, somehow. And he knows, that because his counsel has failed, that David is going to end up back on the throne again, he’s so bitter, he decides to kill himself. Listen, extreme wisdom, extreme bitterness in the same sentence, he goes back and sets his house in order, that’s wisdom, all of us should have our homes in order, all of us should do that. Our houses should be in order, that’s just wisdom. And look, as we get older, all of us should have a will, it’s not complicated these days, you shouldn’t let everything in your life fall to the State, you never want your kids just to be given to the State, you should have your life in order. That’s just wisdom. He sets his house in order, then he kills himself, that’s folly, in the same sentence. How heartbreaking. Look, six suicides in the Bible, for sure, the Bible doesn’t say a lot about it. Abimelech, Judges chapter 6, a woman threw a stone down, hit him on the head, he’s dying, and he tells, I think it’s chapter 9, he tells the guy who stood by him to kill him. Suicide, nothing noble about that. Samson, if you consider that a suicide [I don’t, it was a military operation], some would rather consider that a martyrdom, Samson, brings the whole place down ontop of himself [and 3,000 Philistines], Saul of course, on the battlefield, whether he fell on his own sword, it seems that’s what’s happened, Ahithophel here, 1^st Kings chapter 16, verse 18, Zimri commits suicide there, ignoble, there’s nothing noble about it at all, Judas Iscariot [Ish Keriot, “man from Keriot”], went out and hung himself, took his own life. Adam, might be a seventh suicide in Scripture. God said ‘the day you eat thereof you shall surely die.’ Paul, in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 1, verse 8, says him and Silas despaired of life itself, they were so pressed out of measure, he said we despaired of life itself, and Paul said I’d rather die and depart and go be with Christ, he said, but he didn’t say we’re thinking about killing ourselves, that’s vastly different. He said ‘you’re bought with a price, your life is not your own.’ He said that to the Corinthians. So he could never say ‘Hey, we wanted to just end it,’ no, he said ‘It was so hard, we thought, man, we’d rather die.’ And Paul had already had visions of glory, Paul had already seen some things, he must have thought about that a lot. But that’s vastly different, saying, ‘Man it’s so hard, sometimes I just think, Come Lord, get me outa here.’ That’s vastly different than doing it yourself. Again, there’s a prescribed way to commit suicide, there’s a prescribed way, in Galatians chapter 2 it says ‘I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth within me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live for the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me—I don’t live my own life anymore,’ if you want to die, there’s a way to do it. People say ‘I feel like I’m loosing it, I feel like I’m loosing it,’ that’s because you’re loosing it, Jesus said ‘if you’re willing to loose your life for my sake, you’ll find it.’ You’re loosing it because you’re trying to hold onto it, let it go, you’ll find it. Let Christ live in you and through you, there’s a way. Look, again, when we come to these places, this is one of the suicide places in Scripture, unbelievers, look, are deceived into thinking it’s gonna end it all, ‘I’m gonna take my life, it’s gonna end it all,’ that’s not true at all, because you’re going to live on eternally, you’re a spirit, you’re a soul, you kill the body, and you die without Christ, without forgiveness, without atonement, you’re lost in eternity forever in outer darkness, it doesn’t end, it just begins there. [Comment: There are various beliefs within the greater Body of Christ about the unsaved dead, heaven, hell and the afterlife, to view some of these, see https://unityinchrist.com/plaintruth/battle.htm] And what happens back here in the lives of people, the dominos begin to fall, and the lives of children and the lives of parents and the lives of brothers and sisters and the lives of friends, it’s horrendous, it’s so selfish, it’s the ultimate selfish thing, suicide. For a Christian to think about that, listen, and I don’t know if there’s somebody here tonight, it doesn’t make any sense to kill your body, not from what I can see anyway, it got dressed, most of them combed their hair, from what I can see, it got to church, it’s sitting here, most of your bodies are still awake, I can put a few asleep here and there, but your body’s working, no sense killing it, that’s not what you’re trying to kill, you’re trying to kill that thing inside, and Ahithophel was so bitter, so eaten up, that he just couldn’t live, so selfish, all he wanted was vengeance and he couldn’t stand it, so he took his own life. How sad as we look at this picture. He “put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.” Please, if there’s anybody here tonight that’s following those thoughts, at the end of this service get up here, you need to break down and cry, you need to pray with one of us. You need to let Jesus lift that off of there, you need to pray, you need to, those thoughts are Satanic, Satan is the one who said ‘Jesus, cast yourself down from here,’ from the pinnacle of the Temple. It says the demons that went into the herd of the swine drove them down the embankment and drown them in the Sea of Galilee. When Jesus came down from the mount of transfiguration he met the father whose boy was demon possessed and the father said when the demon enters into him, it throws him into the fire, it throws him into the water to drown him, suicide is a Satanic influence, it’s a Satanic influence. The Son of man came to give us life, to give us life. He says Satan was a murderer and a liar from the beginning. God loves you, I don’t care who you are, and I don’t care what you’ve done, the Bible doesn’t care who you are, or what you’ve done. God Almighty does not care who you are, or what you’ve done, there is forgiveness and life for you in his Son Jesus Christ and his completed work on the cross. Listen, there is life for you in Jesus Christ, tonight, if you’re hanging on the edge of these things. Please come and pray with us, please. He had hanged himself.

The Holy Spirit Takes Note Of Every Little Thing We Do For The Lord & Others

“And David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.” (verses 24-25) now Amasa is one of Joab’s cousins, which means he’s related to David. Joab and Abishai were with David. Now listen, it tell us this, instead of just saying he was his cousin. It just says she was the sister of Zeruiah, which makes Amasa a cousin, he could have just said very simply, cousin to Joab. “So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.” they’re pursuing David, “And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched pulse, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.” (verses 26-29) David comes to Mahanaim, and he is greeted there with incredible kindness, Mahanaim, where we’re introduced to Jacob on his way back from Padam Aram it says ‘And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him, and when Jacob saw them he said this is God’s host, and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.’ That Jacob realized there was more than one host with him, that God’s host was there to assist him also. And no doubt David now coming to Mahanaim, greeted with this incredible kindness, he must realize ‘Mahanaim, LORD there is more than one host with me, you’re so gracious, so gracious.’ Just think what the LORD is doing here for this man whom he loved. It says there came to him there Shobi. Now Shobi is the brother of Hanun, remember. Hanun was from over in Ammon, and David had sent men over there because his father had died, and Hanun believed his guys who were saying they were spies, so he cut off half their beards, half their clothes and sent them back humiliated. Well Shobi, evidently one of the better kids in the family, didn’t go along with what his brother Hanun had done, and as David comes Shobi is merciful, not like his brother Hanun, to David. Machir, we’re told is one of the keepers of Mephibosheth, he’s a man who cared for Mephibosheth, he’s from Lodebar, and he saw David’s gracious kindness, he saw this crippled man that he had cared for so long, all of a sudden taken into David’s bosom, and he heard ‘He’s eating at David’s table, David has enriched him,’ because David was honouring a covenant that was made before he was born. This man had suffered from the fall, we’ve all suffered from the fall. And the king is gracious to him, because he had made a covenant before he was ever born, with Jonathan with grace, Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar. And Barzillai, an interesting codger, this guy is over 80 years old, he’s one of those highlanders, and he’s got guys all around him, these are tough, gritty guys [reminds me of Jack Palance in those westerns ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGxL5AFzzMY)]. And look what it does here, look at how it ends, take note of this, it says ‘they brought,’ now notice this, beds, you watch this phraseology, this construction in the Hebrew, it’s “and,” “and,” “and,” “and,” “and,” count the “and’s” there, it’s called a polysyndeton, and it draws attention to each thing that is said that the “and” divides, it is a way of drawing attention to the detail of each thing that is before and after the “and.” It’s a very specific structure, and the Holy Spirit is telling us here that their kindness to David was noticed in heaven, down to each single detail. Look, it says they brought beds, notice, “and” basins, cups, “and” earthen vessels, clay pots, “and” wheat, “and” barley, “and” flour, “and” parched grain, please notice, I love this, “and” beans, the Holy Spirit notices it, beans! “and” beans, “and” lentils, “and” parched pulse, dried fruits and vegetables, “and” honey, “and” butter, “and” sheep, and even the kind of cheese, it doesn’t just say “and cheese,” the Holy Spirit says it was cow cheese, it was cheese from cows, for David, for the people that were with him, because they were hungry, God’s kindness, they were weary, they were thirsty, they were in the wilderness. Jesus looked at the multitude, they were in the wilderness, and said to his disciples ‘Whose going to feed them?’ His disciples said ‘We don’t have enough money, send them away,’ Jesus said ‘What do you have?’ ‘Five loaves, two fishes,’ he made them sit down, it says he had mercy on them because they were in the wilderness, and they were hungry and they were tired. Here’s David and his men, but look at this, you know if you want to serve the King, everybody in this room, do you want to serve the King? ‘Well I don’t have anything to serve him with.’ Do you have beans [laughter]? The Holy Spirit is taking note of every little thing that’s done here. I’ll tell you, you guys are wonderful, if we hear that there’s the things that went on in New York City [9/11] or the hurricane in New Orleans, Katrina, and whenever we say to you guys, bring in tooth paste and tooth brushes, we end up with ten thousand tooth brushes, two or three used ones, don’t do that please, we got to sort those out, and two or three half squeezed tubes of toothpaste, and we got new ones, most of you got the picture right away, and the Holy Spirit takes note ‘This one brought beans,’ we noticed that, half-tubes. Look, isn’t it interesting, the Holy Spirit is laying out in front of us thousands of years later, David and his men when they were weary, they were tired, they were hungry, ‘I took note of who was gracious and kind to them,’ to the point of beds, cups, if you give a cup of cold water Jesus said, heaven takes note of it, he’s bearing witness--clay pots, wheat, barley, flour, dried grain, beans, lentils, dried fruit and vegetables, honey, butter, sheep, and cheese from cows, and cheese from cows. You give somebody a PBJ in the Lord’s name, and heaven notices, you do what you can, it said of Mary, she did what she could. There is no restriction on any of us. Listen, grandma’s and grandpa’s, you might think ‘I’ve got this, I need knee replacement, I can’t go to the mission field, I can’t do this, but I can bring a can of beans to the pantry, I can sit down and read a Bible story to my grandson [and grandkids] because I love Jesus. I can go out and help in the outreach in North Philly, just to give away clothes, to stand there and be hands and feet, I don’t have anything else but my hands and feet, they’re yours Lord, they belong to you, Lord, because I love you Lord Jesus.’ Isn’t it interesting, here you have kingdoms being shaken, kings and palaces, we think ‘That’s all God’s interested in, what’s going on in Washington, what’s going on in Jerusalem, what’s going on in Moscow?’ all these big things that change the course of kingdoms, no, he cares about “beans.” It says in Psalm 54 that we don’t shed a tear that isn’t written and stored in his bottle. The times that we sit alone and think ‘No one cares,’ the tears roll down our face, it says every single one of those is recorded, that’s who he is, that’s who he is. And it’s just hard for us to believe that the Great God, the Almighty God, the King of kings and Lord of lords stoops down to be born in a stable, to walk among us, to die on the cross, that he stoops down to us today, how wonderful as we discover that, how wonderful to sit with him during the day, how wonderful to hear his voice in the morning, how wonderful to put a PBJ in somebody’s hands, or bring a can of beans to the pantry. These are Jesus beans, it’s recorded in heaven right now, one large can of beans, polysyndetons are all around us. Amen, let’s stand, let’s pray, let’s sing a last song. Look, if you’re here tonight, and you are so despairing, and there’s thoughts starting to go through your mind, please come and let us pray for you…[transcript of a connective expository sermon on 2^nd Samuel 15:32-37, 2^nd Samuel 16:1-23 and 2^nd Samuel 17:1-29, given by Pastor Joe Focht, Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia, 13500 Philmont Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19116]