David Attacked by Absalom

Chance to once again look into your word to understand your character and your nature, your plan for our lives as you work in the lives of those in the Old Testament to show us how it is you want to work in our lives today. Teach us much Lord as we embark on your word this evening we pray in your name amen. 2nd Samuel chapter 17 if you got your Bible 2nd Samuel chapter 17 understanding how David is now attacked by his son Absalom. The question is how did we ever get to this point in David's family?

How do we ever get to this point in the nation of Israel? It was around 13 years earlier that when spring in the springtime when Kings went out to war that David decided not to go to war. He stayed back and as his men went out to battle he decided to look out his balcony and lust after a woman her name was Bathsheba. He called her to his chambers. They had a child and that child would soon die after birth simply because Nathan the prophet would come and confront David on his sin. He told him a child would die.

David did repent of his sin but there would be many consequences that would take place in David's life. God was good to David and Bathsheba. They were born to them another son his name was Solomon. David would go back to war. He would win the war that they had continued to fight for way over a year. He would come back home and Amnon his oldest son would rape his half-sister Tamar. David did nothing to Amnon. Two years later Absalom the fourth oldest son decided he would take medicine to his own hands and so he murdered Amnon because of what he did to his sister his full sister Tamar.

Absalom would then flee the country. For three years he would be gone. Joab decided to somehow bring Absalom back. All the while David did nothing to Absalom for murdering his oldest son Amnon. And so Joab instigated the opportunity to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem. David gave in and said he could come back to Jerusalem. He could stay in the palace but he could not see the king's face. So for two years Absalom and David never had an encounter or interaction. For two years Absalom was in the palace with David and David never one time confronted him on his sin.

So Absalom decided to burn the fields the barley fields of Joab. So Joab would come to see him because Joab had refused to see Absalom anymore. So he burned the fields of Joab so Joab would come to see Absalom. He said I want to see the king. It's been two years. I want to meet him face to face. So there was an encounter and Absalom would bow before the king. The king would kiss his hand and for lack of a better phrase all was forgiven and nothing was done. For the next four years Absalom would steal the hearts of the nation of Israel.

He would set himself up as judge and ruler and make decisions for people. He would meet them at the way of the gate. And he making the decisions on behalf of the people gained this popularity with the nation of Israel. So much so that as he stole the hearts he decided to go to his father one day four years later and say I need to go back and fulfill a vow that I made to God because unrepentant people love to hide under the guise of religion. They do that. And so he says to his father David I need to go back to Hebron.

I need to go back and fulfill my vow to God because I told him that if he ever got me back here I would sacrifice unto him and worship him. So David his father let him go. But it was a plan for his spies to announce that he was now king in Hebron. And sure enough Absalom after four years had won the hearts of the people. He was a good-looking young man. He was a powerful young man. He had man, he was a man of much charisma and he won the nation's hearts. Stole them right out from under King David.

The one that at one time everybody loved. Everybody sang his praises. But he was getting up in years. He wasn't as virile as he used to be way back when. And so now Absalom steals the kingdom from his father. So David flees Jerusalem, crosses over the Kidron, ascends the Mount of Olives. As he does he is told that Ahithophel the grandfather of Bathsheba the wise counselor to David has now sided with Absalom. And David would pray that somehow God would turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness in the ears of Absalom.

He would begin or continue his journey down the other side of the Mount of Olives to a place called Baharim which is the place of the Benjamites. And there he encountered Shimei. Before he did that he sent two priests back because the priests sided with David. He sent them back to Jerusalem along with a counselor Hushai. And they went back to Jerusalem risked their lives in the service of the king. And David as he went through the land of Baharim, Shimei would run along the side of the mountain throwing stones at David and cursing at David.

And yet David did nothing for David knew David knew that most of what he said was true. Absalom would then go to Jerusalem. He would be now king over Israel. And he asked Ahithophel what should I do now? And Ahithophel the grandfather of Bathsheba says David has left behind ten concubines. You should go to the roof of the palace pitch a tent and sleep with all of his concubines thus embarrassing him and showing that you are ruler in Israel. That's what's happened over the last 13 years. To take us to 2nd Samuel chapter 17 verse number one.

The battle of David with his son Absalom. Let me read it to you. Furthermore Ahithophel said to Absalom please let me choose 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight.

And I will come upon him while he is weary and exhausted and will terrify him so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone. Then I will bring back all the people to you. The return of everyone depends on the man you seek. Then all the people shall be at peace. So the plan pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel. Now stop right there. Remember David prayed in chapter 15 that the counsel of Ahithophel would become foolishness in the ears of Absalom.

So Ahithophel gives the counsel as to what to do. And Absalom and all the elders agree this is what should happen. Then verse 5, Absalom said now call Hushai the Archite also and let us hear what he has to say. When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom said to him Ahithophel has spoken thus shall we carry out his plan? If not you speak. So Hushai said to Absalom this time the advice that Ahithophel has given is not good. Moreover Hushai said you know your father and his men that they are mighty men and they are fierce like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field.

And your father is an expert in warfare and will not spend the night with the people. Behold he has now hidden himself in one of the caves or in another place and it will be when he falls on them at the first attack that whoever hears it will say there has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.

And even the one who is valiant whose heart is like the heart of a lion will completely lose heart. And all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men. But I counsel that all Israel be surely gathered to you from Dan even to Beersheba as the sand that is by the sea in abundance and that you personally go into battle. So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found and we will fall on him as the dew falls on the ground. And of him and of all the men who are with him not even one will be left.

And if he withdraws into a city then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city and we will drag it into the valley until not even a small stone is found there. Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said the counsel of Ushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom. Then Ushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priest this is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel and this is what I have counseled.

Now therefore send quickly and tell David saying do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness but by all means cross over lest the king and all the people who are with him be destroyed. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-Rogel and the maidservant would go and tell them and they would go and tell King David for they could not be seen entering the city. But Elad did see them and told Absalom so the two of them departed quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim who had a well in his courtyard.

And they went down into it and the woman took a covering and spread it over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it so that nothing was known. Then Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and said where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them they have crossed the brook of water and when they searched they could not find them. They returned to Jerusalem. And it came about after they had departed that they came up out of the well and went and told King David. And they said to David arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.

Then David and all the people who were with him arose and crossed the Jordan and by dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan. Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed he saddled his donkey and arose went to his home to his city and set his house in order and strangled himself. Thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father. Then David came to Mahanim and Absalom crossed the Jordan he and all the men of Israel with him. And Absalom set Amasa over the army in place of Joab.

Now Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra the Israelite who went in to Abigail the daughter of Naash the sister of Zeruiah Joab's mother. And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. Now when David had come to Mahanim Shobi the son of Naash from Rabbah and the sons of Ammon Makhir the son of Amiel from Lodabar and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogallin brought beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, honey, curds, sheep and cheese of the herd for David and for the people who were with him to eat.

For they said the people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness. Then David numbered the people who were with him and set up with him commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. And David sent the people out one-third under the command of Joab, one-third under the command of Abishai and the son of Zeruiah Joab's brother and one-third under the command of Ittai the Gittite.

And the king said to the people I myself will surely go out with you also. But the people said you should not go out for if we indeed flee they will not care about us even if half of us die they will not care about us. But you are worth 10,000 of us therefore now it is better that you be ready to help us from the city. Then the king said to them whatever seems best to you I will do. So the king stood beside the gate and all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. And the king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai saying deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.

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

When a certain man saw it he told Joab and said behold I saw Absalom hanging in an oak. Then Joab said to the man who had told him now behold you saw him why then did you not strike him there to the ground and I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt. And the man said to Joab even if I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand I would not put out my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai saying protect for me the young man Absalom.

Otherwise if I had dealt treacherously against his life and there was nothing hidden from the king then you yourself would have stood aloof. Then Joab said I will not waste time here with you. So he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while it was yet alive in the midst of the oak. Ten young men who carried Joab's armor gathered around and struck Absalom and killed him. Then Joab blew the trumpet and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab restrained the people and he took Absalom and cast him into a deep pit in the forest and erected over him a great heap of stones and all Israel fled each to his tent.

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar which is in the king's valley for he said I have no son to preserve my name. So he named the pillar after his own name and it is called Absalom's monument to this day. How does one son become so rebellious against his father that he would sleep with all of his concubines, murder his oldest son, take his throne and now go to war against his father. It wasn't enough to have the throne his dad must die. His dad was the king of Israel.

In God's mind he is still the king of Israel and yet Absalom pursues him to kill him. And yet when a man is enslaved in sin he will stop at nothing to accomplish his objective. And the Bible says in Proverbs 14, 12 there is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the ends thereof are always the ways of death.

There was death for Ahithophel, there was death for Absalom and there was death for the armies of Israel because they sided with wickedness. It's a horrible story but it's a true story. It once again tells us about the consequences of sin and those who engage with those who are involved in sin. And thus you have the story of David being attacked by Absalom. Three things we'll cover, the council, the camps and then thirdly we want to be able to see what the Bible says about the conquest of David over Absalom.

We're going to begin by looking at the council that Absalom received and the council that David received. Absalom has just slept with David's concubines and Ahithophel wants to continue the pursuit of David. So he comes to him and makes a recommendation. And notice he says I, I, I, I, me, me, I, me, me, I, I, I, me, me, I, I, I, me, me, I, I, I.

It's all about him. It's not about Absalom. It's about Ahithophel. You will note that when Hushai gives his council it's always about you and we. It's not about me. It's about the king. You will note that Ahithophel's council was about victory for Israel. But you will also note that Hushai's council was about the vanity of Absalom. And the vanity was more important to Absalom than the victory. Because vain men love to be vainer, if that's a word. They love vanity. They love the arrogance and they love the pride.

They love to be the star of the show. And Hushai's council gave Absalom the right to be the star of the show. He says you, Absalom, shall lead them personally. You shall gather them together. But Ahithophel, his council was the wisest of the council. Because David was weary. David was tired. David was close by. He was very vulnerable. And Ahithophel says, if you give me 12,000 men, let me gather them together.

I will catch David when he was most vulnerable. And if I kill David, I'll bring all of his men back to you and you'll have them too. On top of that, he says, and Israel will be at peace. And that wasn't wise council. That was false council. Why? Because there is no peace for the wicked. The Bible says that very clearly.

But Ahithophel would go to Absalom and give him council based on what Ahithophel would be able to accomplish for Absalom. But Hushai would come and would council Absalom what would be best for him as the ruler of the people. Hushai didn't have to go into David, to Absalom, excuse me, Absalom called him in. What do you think we should do? And so Hushai gives him his opinion as to what should happen. And he goes back and he rehearses the history of David. This is a man of warfare. You've got to realize that what you're doing is going after your father, who is the ultimate warrior.

You have to know that in order to defeat him, you must gain all the armies from Dan to Beersheba. You must get everybody together. You're going to have to have a multitude of soldiers because your father is a mighty warrior. He's a valiant man. He's surrounded himself with people who are like a bear who's lost her cubs. They're out for vengeance. They will stop at nothing. So my suggestion, oh false king, is that you go and gather as many as you can and that you lead them into warfare. And when you have everybody from Dan to Beersheba following you, you have this great multitude of soldiers, you will defeat him and you will win.

And sure enough, Absalom says and all the elders that Hushai's counsel is better than Ahithophel's. Hushai's counsel was foolishness. It just gave David more time to gather his men together, more time to rest, and more time to ready himself for battle. But remember, Hushai is on David's side and not Absalom's side. But I like what the Bible says when it says these words, For the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom.

Don't think for one moment that whoever the king is and whenever the king reigns, he does what he wants to do. He doesn't. He will always do what God ordains him to do. I love Psalm 33 verse number 11. These words are spoken, I'm sorry, Psalm 33 verse number 18. No, I'm sorry, I was wrong. Psalm 33 verse number 10. I was right the first time.

Psalm 33 verse number 10. The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations. He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever. The plans of his heart from generation to generation. I just love that. I just love that because I know that God's in charge and he frustrates the plans of kings and presidents and monarchs and those who rule in authority. God's in complete control of everything. Nothing's ever out of his control. And God used the counsel of Hushai to help thwart the plan of Ahithophel because God was going to make sure that David's men won the victory.

God was in charge. You see, one thing we need to always remember is that the sovereignty of God rules overall. And so no matter what you might decide to do or what someone in charge of you decides to do, don't think that they can do it without God allowing it to happen. God's in complete control of everything. The book of Proverbs, the 21st chapter, tells us that the king's heart. Let me read it to you.

Proverbs 21 verse number 1. The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever he wishes. Folks, God's in charge. He's in charge of everything. He's never out of control of anything. He rules overall. Daniel's counsel to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 4. What did Nebuchadnezzar to understand? That it was the most high God who rules. Daniel said that the most high is ruler over the realm of mankind and the most high is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever he wishes and sets over it the lowliest of men.

He went on to tell Nebuchadnezzar, until you recognize that the most high is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever he wishes, you will never come to know God. You must understand his sovereignty, his rulership. And Nebuchadnezzar finally did, seven years later, when he said, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom endures from generation to generation and all the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing.

But he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth and no one can ward off his hand or say to him, what hast thou done? Boy, I tell you, this story is about God orchestrating once again the events and the affairs of man to bring about his purposes. So Hithophel, what's he do? He goes home, he sets his house in order and he hangs himself. He commits suicide. Really? Are you that distraught because the king didn't take your counsel? You have such an identity crisis that you can't handle it when your counsel is rejected?

But Ahithophel knew that his plan would work and Hushai's wouldn't work. And if the king followed Hushai's counsel he would lose. And if David comes back, guess who dies? Ahithophel. So Hithophel goes home so instead of dying at the hands of the king, King David, he takes his own life. Boy, I tell you, bitterness is a horrible thing. And Ahithophel had 13 years of bitterness stored up in his soul. And when it came time to side with Absalom, boy, he went with Absalom and he went because he wanted to go against David.

This was his opportunity to seek revenge on the young man who violated his granddaughter. And over all those years that bitterness would just well up inside him. All he had to do was confront David. The Bible never records Ahithophel confronting David on a sin. All he had to do was go to him and say, why? I am bitter against you. And he needed to go and ask forgiveness of David. And David likewise of Ahithophel. But instead Ahithophel, this wise counselor, was not wise enough to counsel his own soul, was not wise enough to follow the direction of the word of the Lord to go to the king and seek reconciliation.

Instead he let the bitterness well up inside him, so much so that he was hostile toward David. And when the opportunity came, he would take his life. He was so bitter that when the counsel was not received by Absalom, he decided to take his own life because he wasn't about to let the king, David, take his life. That's how bitter he was. And he died in the realm of bitterness. Bitterness is an awful thing. It just, it's a disease of the soul. And that's why the book of Hebrews warns us, be careful, that a root of bitterness does not well up within anyone.

Because if it does, it will defile many. Hebrews 12, 15. One person's bitterness will defile many. You can see it in Absalom. You can see it in Ahithophel. And their bitterness and their rebellion would be so great, 20,000 men would die because they were not right with God, nor were they right with the king. It should be a warning to all of us to make sure that we are a forgiving kind of people, that we are willing to extend grace to those who have sinned against us. And yes, David's sin against Bathsheba was a horrific sin because it went against Uriah, it went against the nation, and it went against his own family.

But David had paid for the consequences of his sin, time after time after time. Ahithophel needed to forgive him, move on. But he didn't. He ended up taking his own life because the wages of sin is death. Just is. And while we as Christians might not physically die, there can be a death-like existence in our lives every day because we are out of fellowship with the Lord and unable to have a relationship with those people closest to us. Be careful about bitterness. So Ahithophel goes and kills himself.

For David, he received counsel. David had a plan. He sent the priest in to Jerusalem. He sent Hushai in to Jerusalem. And they had a plan whereby once the counsel was given, how David would receive the information. You can read about it here in chapter 17, verse number 15. Hushai goes and tells Zedek the priest, tells him what to do, and they send someone to tell others. It says, Now therefore, sin quickly and tell David, saying, Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be destroyed.

In other words, leave now. In case Absalom changes his mind and goes with Ahithophel's counsel, go now, tell them. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-Rogel. And a maidservant would go and tell them. And they would go and tell King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. But Elad did see them and told Absalom. So the two of them departed quickly and came to the house of a man in Baharim, who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it, and the woman took a covering and spread it over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, so that nothing was known.

Then Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house and said, Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said to them, They have crossed the brook of water. Now did she lie? No. She didn't lie. They did cross the brook. They did cross the Kidron brook. They did do that. She did not lie. She just didn't give them the exact information they were looking for. And so the men searched for the two others, but could not find them. But I want you to know something about this story. There's a maidservant, there's a woman, and there's a farmer.

And we had no idea what their name is. But they're used by God in this story in a very powerful way. And they're used by God in a very powerful way. We don't know their names. Who are they? They were used to protect the king's men. So David would get the information he needed, but we don't know their names. That's okay. The memory of the righteous will be remembered forever. And you don't have to know their names, but God does. And you know what? It really doesn't make any difference what their names are anyway.

Because in the book of Revelation, you get a whole new name. You get the name of God branded on you. You get the name of the city of God branded on you. And you get a brand new name. God is going to rename you when you get to heaven because it's His name that matters most of all anyway, not your name. And they weren't looking for fame. They were responsible. They were dutiful. They were loyal to the king. And they would risk their lives even though none of us will ever know who they were until we get to glory.

It made no difference to them. They were in the business of the king. And they would serve Him not looking for fame, not looking to have recognition about their name. They were just looking to do what they were told to do and were obedient. And David would receive the counsel that Hushai gave the king, which allowed David the opportunity to build his army, allowed David the opportunity to get the rest he needed. Because it would take quite a while for Absalom to gain his army all the way from the northern part, Dan, all the way to the southern part of Israel, Beersheba, to gather all of his troops together to go to war.

Exactly 20, at least 20,000 of them because 20,000 of them died. But there were a lot more than that who went to war against David. David had his thousands, but Absalom had a multiple of thousands that came against David the king. And so David would receive the counsel. It would come to him by way of the priest's sons. And they would inform him as to what would happen next. The second thing I want you to see are the camps in the attack, the camp of Absalom and the camp of David.

You need to understand this because the camp of Absalom is named or is characterized by the men of Israel. Where David's camp was the camp of David, Absalom is characterized by the servants of David. You need to understand that. Because Absalom had Israel following him. David had his servants following him. Which tells you about the population and the popularity of Absalom. The population surrounding him and the popularity he had to gain that many followers in a short amount of time. Remember Absalom was a good looking man and he had charisma and there was a persona about him that would cause people under the glitz and glitter of his personhood to come and follow him.

And he had gained the hearts of the people. And so he was able to rally around himself thousands and thousands of people. And so they would come to Absalom and they would come under his domain and they would follow him. And he named a new commander. His name was Amasa or Amasa. And he would be named by David later to replace Joab. Which was a big mistake on David's part. Because Amasa was unable to rule the multitude of people in Absalom's army. And you will see in our future study that he's unable to rule David's army as well.

And Joab ends up killing him. Joab kills everybody. Killed Abner, killed Amasa, because he wants to be the commander of the king's army. He's the guy. He's the man in charge. He's not about to relinquish that to anybody else. But Absalom had to have a commander. And Amasa was the nephew of David. Folks, this was a civil war. This was Israel against Israel. This was horrible. This wasn't Israel against the Canaanites or the Jebusites or the Amorites or the Termites. This was Israel against Israel.

They were in a battle against themselves. So it was family against family. That's what makes it so horrific. That's why you've got to watch out for the wages of sin. That's why you've got to deal with sin when it rises up in the family. Because it affects your entire family. In this case it affected the entire nation itself in Israel. And they found themselves in the land of Gilead. But I want you to notice it says in verse 24, Then David came to Mahanaim, and after him crossed the Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

That's how David's men are characterized, I mean Absalom's men are characterized. It says in verse 26, And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. Verse number 6, Then the people went out into the field against Israel. Who are the people? That's David's people. They're going against Israel. And the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. And the people of Israel were defeated. Who's that? That's Absalom's people. And then it says over in verse number 16, Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel.

Who are the people? That's David's people. Who is Israel? That's Absalom's people. And then it says in verse number 17, And all Israel fled each to his tent. Who's that? That is the remainder of Absalom's army. So the 20,000 in verse number 7 of chapter 18 are the 20,000 of Absalom's army, Israel that died. And that means he had more than 20,000 because the rest of them had to flee once Absalom was known to be dead. And so you realize that Absalom's popularity caused him to have a population of soldiers that was way beyond David's.

And even though David was outnumbered, he was not outclassed. And even though he was outmanned, he was not outmaneuvered because David was a man of war. And God was on David's side, not Absalom's side. And David couldn't lose because God was on his side. That's Absalom's camp. David, he was in Mahanaim. I told you last week that back in Genesis 32, it's a name that means two camps. It spoke of the two camps in Jacob's life, the camp of angels before him, the camp of angels behind him that would protect him.

And David went there on the other side of the Jordan, it's about 50 miles north and east of Jerusalem. And this is where he made his camp. And this is where he gathered his men, his hundreds and his thousands. And he divided them up because he was a man of warfare. He knew what to do. He divided them into three camps because he knew if he spread them out, he would spread the multitude of Absalom's army out and they would be unqualified to handle that maneuvering process. David knew that. David, you know, I always tell my boys this, you might get taller, but you'll never get tougher.

Okay? You might get stronger, but you never get smarter. You might get bigger, but you'll never get better. And that's the way it was with David and Absalom. Absalom was getting stronger, but he wasn't smarter. He was bigger, but he wasn't better. He was taller, but he wasn't tougher. Why? Because King David was God's King and he couldn't lose. And notice there were three men that are mentioned by name, Shobie, Mekir, and Barzillai.

And we don't know much about them. We know a little bit about them, where they're from. But Barzillai, we'll know more about him down the road. He's about 80 years of age. He's an older guy. But you know what? These men, they come and they bring all the supplies to David and enlist all the supplies they bring. Why? Because it would give them the food they need. You see, God took care of David. God would make sure that he would be surrounded by people who would supply all of his needs. That's the way God works.

God protects His own. And so these three men, they would come and they would bring the supplies, all the supplies needed for the armies of David to be fed, that they might get their strength, that they might be able to know that they would be taken care of by the God of heaven. And sure enough, God was so good to protect David's men and to give them exactly what they needed. So David gave the strategy. He divided them up under three commanders and he said, I'm going to go with you. I'm going to go with you.

Oh, if he had said that 13 years ago, we wouldn't be in a civil war today. But instead he stayed home. But this time he said, I'm going to go with you. I'm not staying back this time. I'm going with you guys. They said, no, no, no, you can't go. What do you mean I can't go? No, we need you here. You're worth more than 10,000 men. You got to stay back. So David stays back and these men go to war. And then David gives unwise, irrational counsel. Chapter 18, verse number five, he says these words, the king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai saying, deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.

And all the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom. Really? Are you kidding? Deal gently with the rebellious one? Deal gently with the murderer? Deal gently with the arsonist? Deal gently with the one who deceived and was disloyal? Deal gently with the one who caused all this to happen anyway? Are you kidding me? He should have been dead long ago by the Levitical law. In fact, listen to what the book of Deuteronomy says about the rebellious son. Deuteronomy chapter 20, verse number 21, verse number 18.

If any man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father or his mother, and when they chastise him, he will not even listen to them. Then his father and mother shall seize him and bring him out to the elders of the city at the gateway of his hometown. And they shall say to the elders of the city, this son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard. Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death. So you shall remove the evil from your midst and all Israel shall hear of it and fear.

That was the law. This is the rebellious son. Problem is David didn't chastise him. David did nothing. But if David chastises him and he repents, that's a good thing. But David never chastised him. He didn't repent. But the law says if he's rebellious, he does not submit to the commands of his father, he is to die. Boy, that would change our 21st century society drastically. See? But see, David didn't do that. David never did anything like that. He can't separate truth from relationship. That was David's downfall.

The scars of sin were greatly in effect in David's life. You got to beware the scars of sin. They numb you to a discerning spirit. They do. And the scars of sin in David's life were humongous. He was insensitive to sinful behavior. He should have been very sensitive to it. And they were in a civil war, not necessarily because of Absalom. They were in a civil war because of what David didn't do to Absalom. Think about it. If David would have confronted him, gone after him when he slew Amnon years ago because he deserved to die, they wouldn't be where they were today.

If when Absalom came back to the city, to Jerusalem, and was in the king's palace for two years, if he would have dealt with his son that time biblically, confronted him on his sin, and maybe he would have repented, things would have been different. If not, he deserved to die. They would not be in a civil war today. David is feeling the effects of his sin so much so that he says, you know what, go gently, go lightly on Absalom, my son. In next week's lesson, you'll see that his weeping and mourning over Absalom almost cost him the kingdom of Israel.

That's how out of whack he is emotionally. But the scars of sin, that's why he had a hard time confronting Absalom, because of his own sin. You show me a parent who has a hard time confronting their kid on sin, and I'll show you a parent who hasn't dealt with their own sin. Mark it down. Show me a parent who does not confront their children on their sin, and I'll show you a parent who is unwilling to deal with their own sin. That's across the board. That's just the way it is, because they feel guilty, and David felt guilty, and he was unwilling to deal with that which he knew to be true.

Go gently on Absalom. So everybody hears it. Then you have the conquest. We've got 10 minutes left. We've got to hurry. The battle didn't last long. That's a good thing. It went quick. Notice the battle was in a forest.

More died in the forest than by fighters. More died in the woods than by warriors. That's what the Bible says.

It says very clearly in verse number 8, And the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured them. Can you imagine that? They fought in a forest. In the forest there were ravines. There were big trees. There were pits. There were holes. And they went to battle in the forest. And David knows the area well. David knows the wilderness. David was fleeing from Saul. There's a purpose behind why David had to flee from Saul in the wilderness and to know the ins and outs of army warfare and how to do what he did.

And so when he went to war, he had the upper hand on his son Absalom. And when they were in the forest, more died because of the trees and the ravines and the bits and the rocks and all that were there than died by the sword. And 20,000 of Absalom's men were killed that day. Wow. And Absalom begins to flee from David's men. As he flees, he gets his head caught in an oak tree. I mean, the providence of God. Here was this vain man, and he gets his head caught in an oak tree. And the Bible tells us that the mule just keeps on going, and there he is dangling from this tree.

Now, whether he's unconscious, we don't know. Whether he's paralyzed because he has a broken neck, we don't know. He's just hanging there. And a certain man comes upon him. Again, another no name. No name given. Certain man. His name's not known, but his character is well known. He comes upon him. He sees him. He goes to Joab. And Joab says, You didn't kill him? He's hanging there, and you didn't kill him? He says, Oh, no, my commander. Joab, I can't do that. I can't do that because I heard the king say, Don't kill my son.

And Joab said, I'd have given you 10 shekels of silver and a belt. He says, I don't care if you give me 1,000 shekels of silver. I'm not going to disobey the order of the king. Boy, that's a man with great character he would not compromise. That's a man of great character, isn't it? And Joab, to heck with character, he could care less about it. He says, I'm done with you. He goes to him, takes three arrows, jams them into his heart, and slays him. Because Joab remembers, he burned my barley fields.

You burned my barley fields? I'm burning you. And he just snuffed him out and killed him right there. And you know what they did? They buried him in the forest under a pile of rocks. And the Bible tells us that Absalom had built a pillar, a tower, a monument for himself. Because evidently he had three sons who died early on. That's of the Lord, is it not? Can you imagine if his three sons were still alive? What kind of conflict there would be in Israel today? Or at least back then, right? But they died early on because that was the providence of God.

And there were no boys to carry on his name, so he built a monument to himself because he wanted to be remembered. Instead, he was buried in the forest under a pile of rocks. A vain, arrogant, vain, prideful man. Thus comes to an end, because the wages of sin is always death. It just is. It's a chapter about death. The death of Ahithophel, the death of Absalom, the death of the army of Israel. It's thousands who die. Not so much because of a man's sin, but more because of what a man didn't do when a man sinned.

That's the story. Yeah, Absalom was a rebellious man, and Absalom was a violent man, and Absalom was a murderer and an arsonist, but it was because of what the king didn't do. It could have changed the whole history of the family. It could have changed the whole history of the nation had one father stood up to a son and said, Son, you've sinned against God. You've violated the truth of God. And listen and pray for his son's repentance. If he doesn't repent, then the king must follow the law because he must be just and righteous in his actions.

If David would have done that, there would have been no civil war in Israel, but he didn't. And thus, his son now is dead. And next week, we look at his response to his son's death and the effects of that upon his own men, where Joab has to come to him and say, Listen, if you don't go out right now and welcome your men back, you will be saying to them that your enemy is your friend and your friend is your enemy.

I tell you, Joab got that one right. Got that one right. We learn anything? We need to learn about the sovereignty of Almighty God in the affairs of man, the iniquity of man and the effects of it, and the apathy, the apathy of a father who just did not deal with the sin in his family. The consequences are grave. Let me pray with you.

Father, we thank you, Lord, for your Word and the opportunity we had to study it so much is here and not enough time to cover it all. And yet, Father, we are reminded once again that you're in charge. You rule. You are the king. And while we know that David is a man after your heart, we know, Lord, that he wasn't a perfect man. And we can learn much from him. And you've put this in the Scripture so that we won't make the same mistakes, that we will learn and that we will abide by your Word and serve you and honor you and put you first above any relationship on earth.

Honor your truth more than we honor any other person except you yourself and follow what your Word says. Thank you for your grace and your mercy that allows us this time to be able to study your Word. May we learn and apply it to our lives. In Jesus' name, amen.