David Abandons Jerusalem

It truly is good to have you with us as we look at 2 Samuel chapter 15 and 2 Samuel chapter 16. Yep, we're going to cover two chapters. We're going to read both of those chapters and we're going to cover them for you this evening because David abandons Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the city of peace. David really had no peace. The Bible says, great peace have those who love thy law and nothing causes them to stumble.

Psalm 119, 165. But David had little peace in his heart. Therefore, he had very little peace in his home. And therefore, all of Israel would forfeit their peace because of Absalom's rebellion against his father, David. The good news about all this is that David knew that God had not abandoned him as God abandoned the former king, Saul. We know that because Psalm 3, which is a Psalm written during this time in which David would flee from Absalom, it says, oh Lord, how many adversaries have increased or how my adversaries have increased.

Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, there is no deliverance for him in God. But thou, oh Lord, art a shield about me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. So David knew that he had not been abandoned by his God. He knew that God was with him. And yet there's a time in David's life where his love for the Lord and his word began to wane. And therefore, it wasn't as sharp as it was earlier on in his ministry. And this is a reminder to all of us that's imperative that we not only love the Lord, but we love his word.

When the Psalmist said, great peace have those who love thy law and nothing causes them to stumble. It speaks of the unshakable nature of the man of God, who's able to stand strong amidst adversity because the peace of God has welled up in his heart. And he knows about being with God and God being with him. But when we don't love the law of God and we begin to turn from that law, as David had done on several occasions where he deliberately disobeyed the law of God, the peace of God was far from him.

And so these are lessons we need to learn. In fact, I've learned more about parenting by studying the life of David than I have or have reading any book about parenting or even writing a book about parenting, which I did many years ago. And so I learned much about David and what it means not to father. And that helps me understand what I need to do as a father. And I know that these chapters are sometimes hard to to digest because they deal with the consequences of David's sin. But the Holy Spirit's given them to us that we might learn.

The Holy Spirit has put them on the written page that we might understand how God deals with those who sin against him. And yet God never abandons his children. God chastises them, yes. He disciplines them, yes. But all the while God is with them and God is with David. And we will see how David begins to come out of this slowly but surely. It's been almost 11 years now since the rape of Amnon and Tamar. It's been a long time. And in the pages of scripture it goes by rather rapidly. But it's been a while.

And yet the effects of sin still loom large in the life of David. Because the effects of sin always remain. The consequences for many of us never leave. But God's forgiveness is sure. God's never going to abandon his people. And God wants to bring you through that chastening time to the other side that you might experience the great glory of the Lord. So we're going to read together 2 Samuel 15, 2 Samuel 16. I don't know some of you are saying, wow do we got to read two chapters? Can't you just talk about them?

Well let me tell you something. What I read is more important than what I talk about. Because what I read is truth. It's absolute inspired truth. There is no mistake. I might say something that could be a mistake. But you know what? The Bible is without error. And so when we read the truth we understand exactly what God wants us to learn. And so we are given to the reading. We are given to the exhortation. And we are given to the instruction of the word as Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 4.

So here it goes. 2 Samuel 15 verse number one. Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and 50 men as runners before him. And Absalom used to rise early to stand before the way to the gate. And it happened that when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, from what city are you? And he would say, your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel. Then Absalom would say to him, see your claims are good and right.

But no man listens to you on the part of the king. Moreover Absalom would say, oh that one would appoint me judge in the land. Then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice. And it happened that when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. And in this manner, Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel. Now it came about at the end of 40 years that Absalom said to the king, please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron.

For your servant vowed a vow while I was living in Geshur and Aram saying, if the Lord shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord. And the king said to him, go in peace. So he rose and went to Hebron. But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel saying, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron. Then 200 men went with Absalom from Jerusalem who were invited and went innocently and they did not know anything. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel, the Gilanite, David's counselor from his city, Gilo, while he was offering the sacrifices.

And the conspiracy was strong for the people increased continually with Absalom. Then a messenger came to David saying, the hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom. And David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, arise and let us flee. For otherwise none of us shall escape from Absalom. Go in haste, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down calamity on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword. Then the king's servants said to the king, behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my Lord the king chooses.

So the king went out and all his household with him, but the king left 10 concubines to keep the house. And the king went out and all the people with him and they stopped at the last house. Now all the servants passed on beside him, all the Karathites and all the Peleothites and all the Gittites, 600 men who had come with him from Gath passed on before the king. Then the king said to Atai, the Gittite, why will you also go with us? Return and remain with the king for you are a foreigner and also in exile.

Return to your own place. You came only yesterday and shall I today make you wander with us while I go where I will, I will return and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you. But Atai answered the king and said, as the Lord lives and as my Lord the king lives, surely wherever my Lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be. Therefore, David said to Atai, go and pass over. So Atai, the Gittite passed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him while all the country was weeping with a loud voice.

All the people passed over. The king also passed over the Kidron and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness. Now behold, Zadok also came and all the Levites with him carrying the Ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the Ark of God and Abiathar came up until the people had finished passing from the city. And the king said to Zadok, return the Ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then he will bring me back again and show me both it and his habitation.

But if he should say thus, I have no delight in you. Behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him. The king also said to Zadok, the priest, are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace and your two sons with you, your son Ahamaz and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar. See, I'm going to wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me. Therefore, Zadok and Abiathar returned the Ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. And David went up to the ascent of the Mount of Olives and wept as he went.

And his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. Now someone told David saying Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, Oh Lord, I pray, make the council of Ahithophel foolishness. It happened as David was coming to the summit where God was worshipped that behold, Hashai, the archite met him with his coat torn and dust on his head. And David said to him, if you pass over with me, then you will be a burden to me.

But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king, as I have been your father's servant in times past. So I will now be your servant. Then you can thwart the council of Ahithophel for me and are not Zadok and Abiathar and the priests with you there. So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king's house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar. The priests behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abiathar's son. And by them, you shall send me everything that you hear.

So Hashai, David's friend came to the city and Absalom came into Jerusalem. Now, when David had passed a little beyond the summit, behold Ziba, the servant of Aphibosheth met him with a couple of saddled donkeys and on them were 200 loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. And the king said to Ziba, why do you have these? And Ziba said, the donkeys are for the king's household to ride and the bread for the summer fruit for the young men to eat and the wine for whoever is faint in the wilderness to drink.

Then the king said, and where is your master's son? And Ziba said to the king, behold, he is staying in Jerusalem. For he said, today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me. So the king said to Ziba, behold, all that belongs to Aphibosheth is yours. And Ziba said, I prostrate myself. Let me find favor in your sight.

Oh my Lord, the king. When King David came to Baharim, behold, there came out from there, a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gerah. And he came out cursing continually as he came. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David and all the people and all the mighty men were at his right hand and at his left. And thus Shimei said, when he cursed, get out, get out, you men of bloodshed and worthless fellow. The Lord has returned upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, whose place you have reigned.

And the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. And behold, you are taken in your own evil for you are a man of bloodshed. Then Abashek, the son of Zeruiah said to the king, why should this dead dog curse my Lord, the king, let me go over now and cut off his head.

But the king said, what have I to do with you? Well, sons of Zeruiah, if he curses, if the Lord has told him curse David, then who shall say, why have you done so? Then David said to Abashek and to all the servants, behold, my son who came out from me seeks my life. How much more now this Benjamite, let him alone and let him curse for the Lord has told him perhaps the Lord will look on my affliction and return good to me instead of cursing this day. So David and his men went on the way and Shimei went along on the hillside parallel with him.

And as he went, he cursed and cast stones and threw dust at him and the king and all the people who were with him arrived weary and he refreshed himself there. Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel entered Jerusalem and Ahithophel with them. Now it came about when Hashai, the archite, David's friend came to Absalom that Hashai said to Absalom, long live the king, long live the king. And Absalom said to Hashai, is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend? Then Hashai said to Absalom, no, for whom the Lord, this people and all the men of Israel have chosen his will I be.

And with him, I will remain. And besides whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son as I have served in your father's presence. So I will be in your presence. Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, give your advice. What shall we do? And Ahithophel said to Absalom, go into your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father. The hands of all who are with you will also be strengthened. So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof and Absalom went into his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.

And the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days was as if one inquired of the word of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom. Well, there you have it. David abandons Jerusalem. Let's begin with the conspiracy of Absalom. Absalom was a shrewd man. He was a man who understood exactly what he wanted to do. And so he began because of his charm. Remember back in chapter 14, it talks about how beautiful, how handsome this man was. And because of his charm, he would begin to win the people of Israel.

He was one who was not interested in character. He was completely interested in his charisma and how he could win the people of Israel over to his side. So he begins this journey, this journey once accepted back into the house. Having never repented of his sin, his father accepted him back into his house and thus began the revolts. Thus began the rebellion. Whenever you accept the unrepentant home, rebellion and revolt are always the result. Might not happen immediately, but it will happen. And it happened over a span of a few years that Absalom would revolt against his father's leadership.

He began by parading himself around the city with horses and chariots and men running in front of them. It was a symbol of royalty. Say, what's wrong with that? Well, David rode a mule. He didn't ride a horse. In fact, the Bible tells us that all the king's sons rode mules, but Absalom decided to go a different route. He went the route to prove how powerful a man he was. And Adonijah, another son of David would learn from this. In fact, the Bible says over in first Kings chapter one, verse number five, now Adonijah, the son of Haggithah, exalted himself saying, I will be king.

So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with 50 men to run before him. Same thing Absalom did. And his father had never crossed him at any time by asking, why have you done so? David never crossed him as David never crossed Absalom. Remember David accepted Absalom back into his house. And yet Absalom begins this parading of himself in front of the city with these men running before them, these chariots and these horses to prove how wonderful a man he was. And David never corrected him. It was unauthorized.

Yes, but it was never confronted by David. David let him do it, which is another warning to us as parents. Never let your children do things without your permission. I don't care how old they are. And David was the king, right? He was the king of Israel. And yet his son, Absalom would begin his revolt and he would sit at the gateway to the city. It was what he called the judgment place. It's where when people had complaints and disgruntledness, they would come before the King and they would offer their complaint to the King.

Well, Absalom, the Bible says would rise up early and he would get there before everybody else. You see, it's always interesting to note that if you want to pursue evil, you got to rise up before everybody else in order to accomplish your evil. And that's exactly what Absalom did. And he would come to the way of the gate. He would come to the judgment place and he would greet the people. He would tell them, what is your, what is your case? What is your problem? Tell it to me. And so they would tell him and he would hear it without ever hearing the other side.

And he would win the favor of the people by granting them their requests. And slowly but surely he would begin to demonstrate his disloyalty, his deceitfulness against the King. He would tell them that the King was too busy, that there wasn't sufficient enough help in the King's palace to handle your affairs. That's why I am here. I will take care of it for you. And the people of Israel began to buy in to that lie. Now notice what he did.

The Bible says, chapter 15, verse four, Moaber Absalom would say, Oh, that one would appoint me judge in the land.

Really? Uh, last I checked, uh, you were a murderer and an arsonist, an unrepentant murderer and an unrepentant arsonist. Now granted, if he was a repentant murderer and a repentant arsonist, things would be a little different. That's why Paul says in first Corinthians chapter six, that people, such people like immoral people and fornicators and homosexuals should not inherit the kingdom of God.

And such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were cleansed, but you were justified. Remember they'd been cleansed. Absalom had never been cleansed of a sin, never repented of a sin. Oh, that I would be the judge. I would enact justice in all of Israel. Really a murderer, an arsonist, you would be the judge in Israel, but that's how he presented himself. And he was so good at it. Listen to what the text says. It says, and it happened to verse five, that when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.

I mean, he was really going overboard, man. He would, he would just fall all over him. He would kiss him and tell him how much he was there for them. And he would do for them. Just bring me your request. I'll handle it for you. And the people said, man, this guy is amazing. And they bought in to his deceit. They bought into his disloyalty without ever being discerning. Why? Because of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. When they saw him with the horses and the chariots, they thought he must be accepted back by the King.

The King must be approving all of this. He must have good standing with the King and appeal to the lust of the eyes. He appealed to the lust of the flesh by granting them their requests, but because of his charm and his handsomeness, they were taken by that. So easily we get taken by, by, by, by a man's appearance because he looks the part, he must be able to play the part. But he was a phony. He was a, he was a hypocrite and he got him to buy into that. And the whole pride of life thing, he granted them the request to make them think they were better than they were.

And they bought into everything he gave to them. And slowly but surely the Bible says, Absalom stole away the hearts of the men of Israel.

Wow. Can you imagine that? He stole the hearts of the men of Israel. They began to buy into everything he did. He was so good at manipulating the multitudes, getting them to, to, to look at him as something different than what he was.

And it goes further because of verse seven, it says, now it came about at the end of 40 years. Now let me stop there for a second.

There was some discrepancy about this. Some Hebrew manuscripts say four years. Others say 40 years. So the question is, which is it? Well, let's just say it's both. It could be at the end of four years because Absalom did this for about maybe four years. That could very well be the case. It could be at the end of 40 years. That 40 years could not have begun with the coronation of David as king of Israel, because that would then put him at the last year of his life in this chapter. So that can't be the case, but it can go back 40 years to his first anointing when he was a teenager, late teenager, which would make him around 60 or 61 years of age at this time.

And that would be correct as well. So both are, are correct. Neither one is necessarily wrong, but after a period of time, okay, Absalom says to the king, please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron.

He said, wow, man, maybe Absalom turned around. Maybe Absalom has really sought the Lord. He says, I made a vow when I was there. And I told the Lord, if I ever get back to Jerusalem, if you ever give me back there, I'm going to come back and I'm going to pay my vow. It was a foxhole confession. That's all it was because it wasn't true. And even though he went through the motions, it was all a cloak covering the reality of who he was. It wasn't true. None of it was true, but he had to get his dad to buy in to his plan.

How would he get his father to buy into his plan? To get him to believe that he had made a vow back when he was in Geshur, to go back to Hebron, to be able to say, I'm right with God. I made a vow to God. I want to keep the vow that would play on dad's emotions. But you see, you'll always realize that the unrepentant will use the church. We'll use Christianity. We'll use religion to disguise their deceit. Have you ever noticed that happens all the time? People, people get lost in big churches because they can say they're a part of this church where there's no accountability.

And they can say they're religious because they go to a certain church and they use that as a disguise because there's no accountability. There's no one there that they are reporting to. There's no one there to check up on them, but they go to church. And because they go to church, they must be good people. They must have repented if they, if they go to church, that was absolute. None of this was true because as the story begins to unfold, you see that all, everything was about his pursuit to be the king of Israel.

It was about overthrowing his father. It was nothing about being true to God. There was no love for his father and there was no love for his heavenly father. There was no love in Absalom. Everything was deceit. Everything was about his disloyalty to his dad and to his God in heaven. Nothing was true about Absalom. He was as phony as phony can be. And yet he was able to fool his father, where his father would say, go in peace, go and fulfill your vow to the Lord. And David still was unable to discern the evil of his son, Absalom.

You know, it's very important that as fathers, we be discerning when it comes to our children and to be able to understand their disguise, to be able to understand the way they try to finagle their plans. It doesn't mean that every plan your child has is an evil rotten plan where they want to overthrow you as the king of your house. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that we need to be discerning when it comes to our children. And the way we become discerning is to keep our finger in the text, to know the word of the Lord, to understand what God's word says so that we can begin to understand between good and evil.

So important as a father to do that, because it's so easily to fall for the manipulative techniques of children, of aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters that play on our emotions, to get us to buy into their plan without ever realizing what it would lead to. David had no idea at this point what Absalom's plans were. Absalom wanted to be the king of Israel. Wow. And he covered it in religion. He covered it in justice as a judge. He was phony. He wasn't true. And so the king said, go. And he went. And sure enough, he took 200 men with him who for the most part had no idea what was happening either.

But he took them with him. And he had these spies go to all the different cities. At the right time, when the trumpet blows, you will all begin to yell that Absalom is king in Hebron. And it would echo throughout the land of Israel that Absalom was now the king in Hebron. Why Hebron? That's where Absalom was from. That's where he was born. That would be important. Because when David became king and anointed really the second time, remember he was anointed three times, once when he was a teenager, once as king at Hebron, and then once as king over all of Israel.

When he was anointed as king at Hebron, remember, seven years later he became king over all of Israel. And he moved the capital from Hebron to Jerusalem. Remember that? And maybe there would be people that were in Hebron thinking, you know what, why don't you keep the capital here? Absalom was no fool. He went back to Hebron and says, you know what, we're bringing the capital back. We're bringing it back here. He said, oh, you're going to bring it back? Oh yeah, we're bringing it back here to Hebron.

Oh yeah, man, Absalom, you're the man. We're going to vote for you. You're the king. That's the way he thought. And that's exactly what happened. Absalom is king in Hebron. And so the conspiracy by Absalom was in full force and the people had bought into it. He also took Ahithophel. Ahithophel was David's wise counselor, but Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. And evidently Ahithophel was not a very happy camper being the wise counselor for David. And when the opportunity would arise for him to turn against David and get back at David, he does.

Because in chapter 17, he seeks to pursue David in order to kill David. So the grandfather looking for an opportunity, maybe that bitterness had welled up within him. Maybe at first he had forgiven David, but that bitterness had welled up within him.

And now he was strong against David. And when Absalom came to him and said, hey, come with me because we're going to become the leaders in Israel. I'm going to become the king. You can become my counselor and we will go against the king presently. That is my father, David. Ahithophel said, don't have to ask me twice. I'm on board. Let's do it. And off they went. And of course, Ahithophel had the respect of all the people of Israel as well. So Absalom was no fool. He knew exactly what he was doing.

He had a conspiracy in mind. And over the last four years, that plan had been in operation all because his father did not require him to repent of his sin, did not confront him on his sin. And now look where it's taken the family. Look where it's taken the nation. It's taken them down a path. No one but Absalom wants to go. And that's where they're at. That leads us to the concern of David. We must hurry. We got a lot to go through here. So word comes back to David. Absalom's the king. What? How did Absalom become the king?

He won the hearts of the people. Stole the hearts of the people. The hearts of the men of Israel are no longer with you, David. They're with Absalom. Can you imagine that? How that must have hit David so hard. All of a sudden he wakes up. Wait a minute. I accepted him back into my house. I showed kindness, compassion, grace, mercy. And this is how I'm repaid? He steals the hearts of the nation. And now the people of Israel are with him and not with me. So what does David do? He gets out of Jerusalem because he knows the heart of Absalom is wicked.

He knows if he killed his brother, he won't stop at nothing to kill his father and those in the city. So David protects the people of Israel. He's willing to forfeit the palace. He's willing to leave behind that which God has given to him in order to protect the people of the city, those who are left. And so we begin to see in the heart and the life of David, things slowly but surely beginning to turn based on what he sees happening around about him and his belief in what God's going to do. The king's servants, verse 15, they were loyal to him.

They went with him. We'll go wherever you go. And so David leaves with his servants and he leaves 10 concubines behind to keep house, to protect the palace, to keep it clean. That will come back to haunt him in a few chapters or in the next chapter. And so he went out, stopped at the last house, got them all together, and a tie was there with 600 of his fellow men whom he met in Gath when he was running from Saul chapters ago. And a tie was loyal to him. David says, it's like you got here just yesterday.

Go back. Don't run with me. Listen to what he says. As the Lord lives and as my Lord the king lives, surely whatever or my Lord, the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be. I'm with you, David, me and my 600 men are with you. Wherever you go, we're going. You live. We live. You die. We die. We are loyal. We are committed to doing the service of the king of Israel. We have known you for years and we are standing beside you no matter where you go. So he passed over, verse 23, while all the country was weeping with a loud voice.

Wow. Now behold, Zadok also came. So he had the Levites with him, the priests with him. The godly people of Israel were with David. He sends them back. He sends them back with their sons. Listen to what David says to them. They bring the ark of the covenant with them. Now remember, David had labored to bring the ark back to Jerusalem or to Jerusalem. He wanted the presence of God among him. So the priests are bringing the ark of the covenant, which represents the presence of God. They're bringing it with them and David says, wait, wait, take it back.

Take it back. Take it back. Why are we going to take it back? He says, listen, listen, God's going to deal with me. Listen to what he says. He says, return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then he will bring me back again and show me both it and his habitation. But if he should say thus, I have no delight in you. Behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him. Whatever God wants to do, let him do. God's in charge. Take the ark back. It belongs in Jerusalem.

This is where it belongs. I don't want to use the ark as a good luck charm as I journey throughout the wilderness. I labored to bring it back. It's staying right there. Take it back. And God can do whatever he wants to do with me. Now you're seeing a man after 11 years is completely broken beyond measure. Whatever God wants, he's in charge. He rules. He can do if he wants to bring me back. He'll bring me back. If he doesn't, he won't. Wow. What a man who, who is learning to submit to God. Then you have point number three, the crying of David moved from the conspiracy of Absalom to the concern of David, to the crying of David.

He says, and David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives and wept as he went and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him, each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. Can you imagine that? Now you got to, if you've been to Israel, you know where the, where the hill of Ophel is, the city of David. Know where that is? He crosses over the Kidron Brook. He ascends the Mount of Olives. Remember the Kidron Book is called the Valley of Decision. It's where it's where it's, it's the Valley of Decision where God will one day judge all the nations of the world.

He crosses over that Brook. He ascends up the Mount of Olives because he's got to go down the other side of the Mount of Olives to the Judean wilderness. That's his, his journey. He knows it well because he would flee from Saul for many years. So he knows the path. He knows where to go. And so as he makes his way up, he covers his head. His sandals are off, a symbol of humility, a symbol of contrition, a symbol of brokenness. And David is weeping and all the city is weeping with him as they go. The weeping over the effects, listen, of one man's sin and how it affected now the entire nation of Israel.

Folks, if this doesn't give you a wake-up call, I don't know what will. Because sin just doesn't affect you. It just doesn't affect your family. It affects your church. It will affect the nation ultimately. That's what happened with David. The whole nation was reaping the consequences of this man's sin. David knows it. The nation knows it. Oh yes, Absalom had, had, had demonstrated his disloyalty to, to his father. And, and David had, had taken the kingdom out from under David. Yes, that was sad, but it was the effects of sin that went unchecked, that continued to run its course.

So now it affected the entire nation of Israel. And as they were moving up this Mount called Olivet, they were weeping profusely. And someone comes to him and says, David, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. What does David do? Get angry? Stomp his feet? Yell, scream? No, he prays. He prays. Oh Lord, I pray. Make the council of Ahithophel. Foolishness. He goes to God. He goes to God and begins to pour out his heart. When was the last time you heard David pray in these chapters? It's been a while, hasn't it?

A long while. But now he, he, he just communes with his God. And the Bible says, and it happened as David was coming to the summit where God was worshiped, the place where God would be worshiped by him and the nation itself.

Just because he was weeping doesn't mean he didn't pray. Just because he was weeping doesn't mean he doesn't worship. No. In fact, the more you weep, the more you pray, the more you weep, the more you worship. That's what David did. And David's life was slowly beginning to turn. It's taken a while, a long while, but there are things in his life that are beginning to turn for him. And as he weeps, and the city weeps with him as they make their way up the Mount of Olives. And behold, Hushai, one of his trusted friends comes.

He was a counselor and he sends him back to Jerusalem because he will be used by God in a mighty way to protect David. So there are five men. There are two priests, their sons, and Hushai, who all go back to risk their lives for the king. They go back to stand before Absalom to represent themselves as counselors, as priests before the one who was rebelled against their king, David, his father. They go back and represent God to him to risk their lives for the sake of the king. And David sends them back.

And thus you come to chapter 16 and you have the covetousness of Ziba. Ziba was part of Saul's army and was used by David to be the caretaker for Mephibosheth. But he was a covetous man. You know this because as you read the story a little further on in chapter 19, you realize that everything Ziba does at this point is all for his own desire. He's coveting the property. He was the caretaker of Mephibosheth and all of his property. But he wanted to have the property for himself. He wanted to have what Mephibosheth had.

So when David comes to him, he says to David, you know what? Mephibosheth has gone to Jerusalem because he knows, as he says, behold, he has stayed in Jerusalem for he said, today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me. He's going back. He's disloyal to you, David. It's all a lie. None of it's true. It's all a lie. And as we go on through the story of David, you'll read how all this was a cloak of covetousness because all he wanted was the property for himself. And you move from the covetousness of Ziba to the cursing of Shimei.

David's going along. He's ascended the Mount of Olives. He's descending now on the other side where the land of Benjamin is. Okay. And there in Bahurin, which is the land of Benjamin, there is one Shimei. The Bible says from the family of the house of Saul.

Now the word's already spread. Absalom's the king. David's done. And David is descending on the other side of the Mount of Olives. He's making his way to the Judean wilderness. And there Shimei has run along the side and there is David and the leftover remnant of the city of Jerusalem and a tie and his 600 men. And he's running along the side and he's throwing stones at David. He is cursing at David. You men of bloodshed, you worthless individual, you. He just throwing stones and kicking dust at him.

And David's not doing a thing. Just riding along. He just keeps cursing and swearing. And some of the things he says are not true because it wasn't David's fault that Saul died. In fact, he spared Saul's life on many occasions. He wasn't even a part of the battle that took place where Saul died. But blood is thicker than water and Shimei is accusing David of killing Saul. But he does say that David was a man of bloodshed and he was because he wasn't guiltless when it came to Uriah. He made sure Uriah died.

And so some of the things that Shimei said was absolutely true. And so remember it was Abishai who wanted to kill Saul when they went into the camp with David. Remember that number of chapters ago, way back when Saul was king and they went to the camp and Abishai was with him and he wanted to kill the king then. And David said, no, we're not going to lay our hand against the Lord's order. We're not going to kill him. This guy was a warrior. He said, let me go up there and cut off his head.

Let me go up there and just rip him apart. He doesn't need to curse the king. In fact, the Bible says this, the book of Exodus chapter 22 verse number 28, you shall not revile God nor curse a ruler of your people.

That was the law. And so if you curse the king, the ruler of the people, you are to die. Well, Abishai says, Hey, let me go up there and kill him because he deserves to die.

But David has a different perspective. David doesn't see or hear Shimei. He sees God behind everything. And if God has told him to curse me, let him curse. If God's behind all this, let it happen. I got bigger fish to fry than Shimei throwing dust and rocks at me and cursing at me as I'm riding along here. I got a son that's rebelled against my authority. I got a son that wants to take my kingdom. I got a son that set himself up as king of Israel. I got bigger fish to fry than Shimei running around cursing and throwing stones at me and saying things that half are true and half aren't true.

But he had a good perspective. He realized maybe what the book of Deuteronomy says, Deuteronomy 32, 35, it is mine to avenge. I will repay, says the Lord. And maybe David's thinking of that. We don't know, but he doesn't retaliate. He lets it happen because he said something way back in chapter 15, verse number 26. His attitude was what? If God should say thus, I have no delight in you. Behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him. Now he has to prove that, right? Let God do what God's going to do.

If this is what God wants to happen, it's going to happen. I'm not going to change it. We're moving on. And they do. And they go to a place weary from all the weeping, weary because the consequences of sin, weary because of the effects of rebellion in the life of Absalom and the journey, they're going to a place in chapter 17 called Mahanaim. Mahanaim means two camps. That's where they're going. And they're going to end up there. Why is that significant? Way back in Genesis chapter 32, Jacob called that place Mahanaim meaning two camps, two camps.

There was a camp before him and a camp behind him, meaning the protection of God. It's a place where Jacob would wrestle with the angel of the Lord. It's a place where David would go knowing he needed protection by the presence of God. Two camps. That's where he's going because he knows what happened in Jacob's life. So that's his pursuit. That's where he's going. And so you move then to the caution of Hushai in chapter 16 verses 15 to 19. Then Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel into Jerusalem and Ahithophel with them.

Now it came about when Ahishai, the archite, David's friend, came to Absalom. Then Ahishai said to Absalom, long live the king, long live the king. Now was he talking about Absalom or was he talking about David? I think he's talking about David, not Absalom. And Absalom said to Ahishai, is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend? Then Ahishai said to Absalom, no, for whom the Lord, this people and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be. And with him I will remain.

Who's that? That's David. That's not Absalom. Because God didn't choose Absalom to be the king, God chose David to be the king. So what he is saying is very cautious. But what he is saying is absolute truth. He never lied. He spoke the truth. He spoke the truth. Absalom thinks he's talking about him, but he's talking about the king of Israel, David himself. Verse 19, and besides, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your presence, so I will be in your presence.

He would continue to be faithful to the king, King David, even in the presence of the enemy of the king. That's what he's saying, but very cautious in what he says. And then you come to the council of Ahithophel. And David and Absalom, excuse me, goes to him and says, okay, what are we going to do now? Now that we're back in Jerusalem, here we are. What are we going to do? We got the palace. My dad's gone. Now what? Ahithophel says, well, I'll tell you what you can do. You can take those 10 concubines they left behind, take them up north of the roof, sleep with all of them in front of all of Israel to see, and you will become odious to your father and you will completely humiliate him.

Nathan says, that's what I'm going to do. He goes up, he sleeps with all those concubines on the roof. So everybody knows exactly what he's doing. Remember what was said back in 2 Samuel chapter 12, verse 11, Nathan said, behold, I will raise up evil against you from your own household. I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion. He shall lie with your wives in broad daylight. Indeed you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and under the sun.

That was now being fulfilled in Israel. It doesn't mean that David could have gone on just living his life the way it was. He still was responsible to confront sin in his home. He did not. He still was responsible to make sure that Absalom was confronted that he might repent of his sin, but he did not. He was responsible as the king to act justly and because his son did not repent, he should have been killed. He did not do that either. He was negligent in his responsibility as a father. He was negligent in his duty as the king of Israel.

It doesn't mean that David was right. It means that David was wrong, but in all of his wrongness, it fulfilled the prophecy of Nathan and what God said would happen in all of Israel. And yet God was with David. David lost his throne, but God was still on his throne. David lost his throne, but God was still on his throne. God was still in charge. God was still ruling. And even though it looked like everything around him was falling apart, God still had a plan that included David. A plan because he had made a covenant with David, a promise to David.

And it wasn't about David. It was about God. It was about the faithfulness of God to keep his word to David because God does not lie. And God was still on the throne and God would still take all that evil and bring about his ultimate glory and the good of the king. It would take some time, but it would happen because God still rules. God was faithful to his covenant and God remembered David in all of his hardships. And over in Psalm 132, it says this, verse number one, remember, oh Lord, on David's behalf, all his affliction.

And God did. And over in Psalm 135, these words are recorded. Psalm 135, verse five, for I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, he does in heaven and in earth, in the seas and all the deeps. God is in heaven. He's on his throne. He's in complete control of all the events, even though for David and the people of Israel, it looked like havoc in the Holy land. Things were all in shambles, but yet God will work through all of this. And yes, 20,000 Israelites will still die.

And yes, Absalom, his son will die. And yes, Ahithophel will commit suicide. He will die because the effects of sin are absolutely horrific. It does not mean that God is not in charge. It does not mean that God is not on his throne. It does not mean that God does not give grace where grace is needed, nor mercy when mercy is needed. God does. And David is an example of that because God will sustain him and God will bring him through all of this and bring him out the other side and still say that David was a man.

After my heart, let me pray with you. Father, we thank you, Lord, for your word and all that's there. So much that's there, so much to cover, so little time to cover it all. And yet we know your word is true. We look at David.

We look at his life as a father, as a king, as a shepherd, as a servant, as a man, and the things that you did in his life.

Our prayer is that every one of us would learn from this man's life, that we would follow those things that he did right and not follow those things he did wrong. And we might learn from his life and become stronger as individuals, stronger men of God, stronger women of God, stronger people of God, stronger as a church that represents God. Help us, Lord, to learn from this life that we might live to the glory and honor of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.