King David's Family

David's Family

2 Samuel 13; 14

Last week we began to see the results of what happens when we go against the Word of God. King David had committed grievous sin and for a long time refused to repent and even tried to hide his sin from the world.

God is not pleased when we do not repent immediately after committing any sin.

A sin is anything we do that goes against the Word of God.

In fact, sin is also anything we go ahead and do that our conscience tells us we should not do!

Already David had to witnessed the death of a son, but when God removes that "hedge of protection" from around his children, things just do not go very well in this world we live in.

If we are truly saved we cannot loose our salvation!

David did still get to see that child when he got to Heaven, and we will also get to see our own loved ones, who have gone on before us, but life in this world will still loose some it's joy because of our sin, and the longer we go unrepentant the more sorrow we will have!

War was over with Ammon, but warfare within the life of David and his family was just beginning!

When that evil thing called "temptation" raises it's ugly head, we need to immediately flee to some other place, at least in our minds.

Sin never has a happy ending!

If we "could count the cost" of that sin before hand, we would find that a few moments of pleasure is never worth the price we will pay in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones!

Righteousness means doing things the right way.

The right way is God's way and God's way, is truly the way of life!

*****2Sa 13:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

It can truly be said that God does not hide anything from us in His Word!

It would have been easy to have left these things out of the Bible that God gave us.

I have said before, the Bible was written for believers.

We would never understand God's "Mercy" and God's "Grace" without seeing these truths of the Old Testament!

Absalom was King David's 3rd born son but Absalom was born of Maacah who was the royal princess and daughter of Talami the King of Geshur.

Absalom was also born in Hebron and Hebron was the main city of Judah and the first capitol of King David.

Judah was the backbone of Israel and had been the leader of the tribes of Israel from the days of Moses.

All these things will have more meaning as we study these scriptures.

We should also keep in mind as long as Satan only knew that the Messiah would come from a descendant of Abraham, he had few options but with the covenant with David, Satan knew the Messiah would at sometime come from this family and he began his ruthless attack on David and his family.

David had been under the protecting hand of God up until this thing with Bathsheba and Uriah's death, but God had lifted that hedge of protection and Satan began his attack, with his goal to stop the coming Messiah.

What had God told the Serpent (Satan)?

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; "it shall bruise thy head", and thou shalt bruise his heel.

But Absalom had a beautiful sister, the "fairest" in all the land!

King David's first born son was Amnon and all things being normal, most of Israel would assume that Amnon would be the next king of Israel but Absalom also had this on his mind because he was born of royalty.

Amnon was a wicked young man!

Another thing we should consider, is that David had many wives and "polygamy" does not allow for a true family relationship!

God has never authorized "polygamy"!

*****2Sa 13:2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

Tamar was a virgin and unmarried daughters of royalty were kept secluded from the company of men unless in the presence of many witnesses.

The few times that Amnon had seen Tamar, Amnon had developed a deep passion for her but he knew he could never have her.

It is said that a man never sees the worst in himself until he sees it in his own son!

King David had not set a very good example for his sons in this thing with Bathsheba and Uriah.

In a real sense, Tamar was Amnon's sister and he should have turned that lust into love and her protection but Satan always has his own little helpers.

Sometimes our so-called friends are truly our greatest enemy!

*****2Sa 13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

2Sa 13:4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

2Sa 13:5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

2Sa 13:6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

Amnon, as the first born son of the king, could have gotten pretty much anything he desired but he turned all that desire toward Tamar and was obsessed with his own sister.

Amnon was repeating this part of his father's sin and he makes his own father a part of that sin, by using him to send Tamar to him!

King David gives in to his son believing the things he had said.

King David was setting aside his own rules in bad judgement.

*****2Sa 13:8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes "in his sight", and did bake the cakes.

Does God really hate some of the things we do?

The Bible says:

Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Pro 6:18 "An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations", feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

There are some hearts that are so bad that they are ever inventing some evil thing and Amnon had such a heart.

While Tamar made those cakes, Amnon's passion raged, "as he was watching the movements of his sister" and was making his evil plan to take her.

*****2Sa 13:9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.

2Sa 13:10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

2Sa 13:11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

There are many beautiful women in this world. This gives them no reason to brag of that fact, but they must also realize they should always be on guard for their own safety.

There are also many evil Amnon's in this world and this will always be true!

2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

That phrase "Come lie with me" came only after he had thrown his arms around her to stop her from escaping him.

And she responded.

*****2Sa 13:12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; "for no such thing ought to be done in Israel": do not thou "this folly".

Tamar at least knew something of God's commandments. Incest was strictly forbidden in the law of God!

Lev 18:9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

Lev 20:17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.

There are men in our world who are just like Amnon and void of understanding such things as this.

That word folly means that Tamar knew this was a crime of wickedness.

Tamar was telling Amnon what was written in the Bible, as she quoted from the Book of Genesis.

Gen 34:7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter; "which thing ought not to be done".

Amnon rejected the Word if God.

*****2Sa 13:13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

2Sa 13:14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

Tamar asked for consideration because her reputation would be tarnished and her character ruined all her days and she was very young.

Amnon ignored this plea.

Tamar asked Amnon to consider his own reputation because as the legitimate heir to the thrown of Israel, it was foolish to throw it all away for a few moments of pleasure.

Amnon ignored this truth.

Tamar ask Amnon to stop what he was doing and talk to his earthly father the King, he might even allow this thing.

Amnon ignored all these things and continued by forcibly raping his sister, who was unwilling.

Then Amnon's passion turned into hatred.

*****2Sa 13:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

2Sa 13:16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.

2Sa 13:17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

2Sa 13:18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

2Sa 13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

After Amnon's passion was filled, the things that would follow this act of wickedness began to sink in and Amnon's love turned to hate.

Amnon had really never had love for his sister!

Lust is not love in any form or fashion!

Lust is a sinful longing, "that inward sin" which causes us to fall away from God.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Lusts are simply the objects of desire!

Mar 4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

What is love?

Love is the unselfish, loyal, and a real concern for the wellbeing of another.

Love is the more excellent way!

1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you "a more excellent way".

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; "but the greatest of these is charity".

Amnon had had no love for Tamar and was no longer filled with passion at the sight of his sister!

What Amnon had done had been in secret but unlike his father with Bathsheba, Amnon hated Tamar so much he openly exposed Tamar, and tried to show that it was she who had been the aggressor and who was at fault.

To keep this thing a secret would have been much better for her!

I'm sure Tamar shuddered when Amnon told his servants to get "this thing" out of my house and "out of my sight".

But Tamar had an older brother.

*****2Sa 13:20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

Absalom knew that his father King David had sent Tamar to the house of Amnon and with this knowledge of his sister, Absalom began to plot his on revenge but not just for this one reason.

Absalom convinced his sister to keep this thing a secret and not tell her father, the king.

It was her father who had sent her to Amnon. so Tamar listened to her brother.

Amnon would not allow this thing to be kept a secret.

*****2Sa 13:21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

Just as this secret thing could not be hidden, we can also be sure that the secret thing of Bathsheba and Uriah was no longer hidden!

What did King David do?

He got mad!

King David got angry at Amnon but did nothing about it and no one else did.

It was King David's duty as a father to see that this evil doer was punished but he did nothing.

It was King David's duty as King and judge of Israel to see that this evil doer be punished but he did nothing.

It is doubtful that Amnon's servant would have testified against him and there had been no eye witnesses to this crime.

This began a war between David's children.

This was the main reason that virgins and unmarried women were not to be left alone in the presence of men, David's own rule.

But David had sent his daughter to Amnon and held sole responsibility to punish his son, yet he did nothing.

Here again the judge could not properly judge because of his own sin!

Why, we might ask?

King David had a guilty conscience and the memory of his own sin shut him down!

The Law said:

Deu 22:28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found;

Deu 22:29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

This what Tamar was trying to explain to Amnon.

But the Law also said this:

Lev 18:9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

Absalom also did not confront his brother Amnon, but plotted his own revenge.

*****2Sa 13:22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

2Sa 13:23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

2Sa 13:24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

2Sa 13:25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.

A sheep-shearing feast was a grand occasion in Israel.

Absalom probably knew the his father David would not attend but he ask him any way.

If the king accepted this invitation it would expected of Absalom to provided not only for the king but all that would come with him which would be his servants and his personal body guards among many others, so the king refused to go but blessed Absalom for his offer.

Absalom was really trying to hide his true intentions, which he accomplished.

This is the main trait of Satan!

*****2Sa 13:26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

2Sa 13:27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

King David may have had a few suspicions but he did allow Amnon to attend along with all his other sons.

Again using bad judgement!

Now Absalom's plan went into action but he would not dirty his own hands and used the hands of his loyal servants.

Again we see another thing the child had learned from the parent!

*****2Sa 13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

2Sa 13:29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

At this time the remaining sons of David fled because they feared for their own lives thinking Absalom was assuring himself to be the next king of Israel.

The mules were used because King David had chosen the mule to symbolize royalty in his kingdom.

1Ki 1:33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son "to ride upon mine own mule", and bring him down to Gihon:

*****2Sa 13:30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

2Sa 13:31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

2Sa 13:32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: "for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar".

2Sa 13:33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

King David realized that again he had been used by his own children to do evil things.

Just as Amnon had used his father to get access to Tamar, Absalom had used his father to get access to Amnon.

This act of vengeance could have been stopped had King David taken control of this thing of his daughter from the beginning!

Jonadab knew all along that King David's other sons had not been the target of Absalom but had hid this thing from the King for these two years.

Remember this was supposedly Amnon's good friend, but in actuality, he was only someone who was jealous of all of David's sons and also a very evil young man.

Satan hates all our young people and does everything he can to destroy them!

And Absalom fled to his grandfather.

*****2Sa 13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

2Sa 13:35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.

2Sa 13:36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.

2Sa 13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

2Sa 13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

Talmai was Absalom's grandfather and ruler of a city state named Geshur.

Absalom had ran, fearing now for his own life but he would only be safe in Geshur because David had signed an agreement with this king for safety and it was sealed by the marriage of King David to Maacah this kings daughter.

This was not a good reason to get married but even Solomon would use this same means of peace over and over again.

Absalom stayed with his grandfather for 3 years but King David longed to see his son yet still lacked forgiveness.

*****2Sa 13:39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

We can see that the death of one son, Amnon, had faded by this time and the son that was alive Absalom, was sorely missed.

No doubt King David blamed himself for all these things and he had not yet forgiven himself though God had.

But there was another political enemy of David, who was watching closely these failures of King David.

*****2Sa 14:1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.

2Sa 14:2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

2Sa 14:3 And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her mouth.

2Sa 14:4 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

2Sa 14:5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

2Sa 14:6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.

2Sa 14:7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.

2Sa 14:8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee.

2Sa 14:9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.

2Sa 14:10 And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

2Sa 14:11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

2Sa 14:12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

2Sa 14:13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.

2Sa 14:14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him.

2Sa 14:15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid.

2Sa 14:16 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

2Sa 14:17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.

2Sa 14:18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.

2Sa 14:19 And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid:

2Sa 14:20 To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.

King David had listened intently to Nathan as he had told a story and discerned it to be from God.

Joab had hired, what could be called an actor, wise in her words, to tell another story to King David.

Nathan had brought conviction to David and that conviction had led to repentance.

This actor, this imitator, would only lead to the promotion to Joab's scheme of self-interest.

What was her argument?

1) Those that grant mercy should begin with those of their own home.

2) We all are appointed a day to die, if Absalom were to die before he was reconciled by his father, it would his father who would suffer the most and go to his own grave in grief for his own inaction of forgiveness.

3) David was not being an example of the God, he said he worshipped and trusted in.

The results.

*****2Sa 14:21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

2Sa 14:22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his servant.

2Sa 14:23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

2Sa 14:24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

King David brought Absalom back home to his own house but there was no reconciliation nor forgiveness.

Joab was disappointed in his King and Absalom became very irritated and would plot to over throw his own father.

What is the theme we should observe here?

The judge, who is also a great sinner, is unworthy to deal with other offenders!

These are the type of men who sit to judge in most of our judicial systems today and ignore the Word of God.

It is only by the Word of God that men can be judged honestly and justly!

When a guilty offender, is lawyered by an eloquent speaker, and is set free, this is in itself a great sin not only to the public but also to God!

God cautions the Church of such things.

1Co 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, "go to law before the unjust", and not before the saints?

But to most of Israel, Absalom had succeeded where his father the King had failed.

*****2Sa 14:25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

2Sa 14:26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

Not only had Tamar been the fairest of all the women in Israel until marred by Amnon, Absalom was considered the fairest of all the men of Israel.

Absalom had a great physique but he had already proved he had no soul!

Absalom had a high spirit and courtly manners to go along with his good looks but lacked in truth.

Absalom make a great happening out of his haircut only once each year.

The "kings weight" would have been the heaviest of the shekel weights.

This hair would weigh somewhere between 6 and 12 pounds depending on what measurements are used.

My own calculations say near 7 and one half pounds and would have been very heavy on him for sure!

And it had now been 5 years since King David had seen his son.

*****2Sa 14:28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

2Sa 14:29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come.

2Sa 14:30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

2Sa 14:31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?

2Sa 14:32 And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.

2Sa 14:33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

Absalom was not afraid to resort to destruction to have his own way but Absalom also thought that Joab was on his side.

Absalom regarded himself innocent of any wrongdoing and we can also see that Absalom is now convinced that his father was weak and unable to properly rule Israel.

King David had not realized the bitterness Absalom had toward him and again he was used by his own son, to push forward his evil agenda.

King David reinstated Absalom, giving the appearance to all of Israel that he would be chosen to be the next king.

King David again overlooks Absalom's guiltiness, therefore condoning the murder of Amnon, his own son!

In all these things, King David opens the door for Absalom to be the next king and Absalom takes full advantage of all these things and despises his own father.

And this was the beginning of rebellion and civil war in Israel, by David's own family!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

King David's Repentance

David's Repentance

2 Samuel 12; 1 Chronicles 20

When we last left King David, he had committed grievous sin, not only against the Lord, but also against a loyal man he had known for many years and we should not forget also against his own nation Israel.

All our actions will most every time affect the safety and livelihood of those around us.

What had God told Adam?

Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof "thou shalt surely die".

Some will say that Adam did not die but the truth is that such a change took place not only in his physical condition but also in his mind and heart.

Adam truly began to die this day of his sin!

He began to die because he was no longer innocent.

He began to die because his hope of a pure life died.

He began to die because his peace died.

God has said to us:

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

King David would be restored by the "Grace" of God "BUT" King David could not escape the punishment of God.

The Prophet Nathan returned again to King David with another message from Jehovah God.

*****2Sa 12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

Thanks to a ruthless, self-serving general in King David's army and a wife who was silent for many reasons, it appeared that King David would get away with adultery and murder without it being common knowledge but God was not deceived by King David's actions.

Num 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: "and be sure your sin will find you out".

After David repented to God of his sin, he wrote these words:

Psa 52:7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.

When we trust in the things of this world we will fail!

Nathan began to remind his king a of "The One" who had much greater authority than he had.

It would not be easy for Nathan to stand before this King and confront him with this thing that through murder and deceit had been kept so secretly for nearly 9 months.

It was easy for David to understand a rich man, poor man story, because David had been both poor and had become rich so Nathan continued.

*****2Sa 12:2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

2Sa 12:3 But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

If we believe another song that David wrote then we must believe that King David had spent this 9 month period under heavy conviction but he still could not bring himself to repentance.

Psa 32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.

Psa 32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

Uriah had only one wife Bathsheba and not many animals are much cuter than a baby lamb!

David on the other hand had many wives and even more concubines who he could have had at any time he chose.

As David listened to Nathan, he was living in this example of this rich man.

And Nathan continued.

*****2Sa 12:4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

Who was this traveler?

1) This traveler was Pride!

David had exalted himself above the Word of God.

When we think we know better than God, we have made our own selves gods!

When we reject the Word of God, we are saying that we know more than God does.

2) This traveler was also Temptation!

Who is the Tempter?

Satan!

Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

When Satan understood that the Messiah would come from the line of David, he did everything he could to stop that from happening.

Satan knows the Word of God!

Listen as Satan quotes scripture but he also takes scripture out of context as much of this world does.

Mat 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

Mat 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: "for it is written", He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

In this instance King David was also a "type" of Christ but we will see David's failure, where the Lord Jesus Christ succeeded and had no sin.

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

This also would not be the last time that Satan would tempt King David.

1Ch 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.

Satan will never quit bringing his temptations but when we yield to his temptations it just makes it easier for him to return with more stuff to hinder our relationship with God!

God says:

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, "to stand".

God also says:

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Satan can be a frightening thing but the child of God, filled with the Holy Spirit "is his master" and Satan must flee if we resist him!

We resist him by getting closer to the Lord!

Snuggle up to Jesus and Satan has no power at all!



Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

King David had failed in his temptation.

King David had been under conviction for almost 9 months.

This story(not a parable) that Nathan was saying made King David very angry.

Anger still came before repentance as David was still hiding his secret sin.

*****2Sa 12:5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

2Sa 12:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

We should notice that even under conviction for his own sin, King David was more ready to judge another man's sin and this judgment was much greater than God's Word.

Exo 22:1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

It was the adulterers who was to die.

Lev 20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

Fourfold would have been 16 animals.

And David adds, "because he had no pity", it was King David who had had no pity on his fellow man!

David had forgotten the truth in the Word of God:

Mat 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

Mat 7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

King David's pronouncement of a fourfold restoration would soon came back on his own house.

1) In our lesson today we will see that this child born to Bathsheba will die.

2) Tamar, the virgin daughter of David will be raped by her half-brother Amnon.

3) Absalom would then murder Amnon out of revenge for his sister.

4) Absalom later would be killed by Joab, when he was already captured alive as he rebelled against his father King David.

David had been greatly blessed by God and was a man after God's own heart, but even the godliest men, especially those placed in a position to influence God's people, will be chastened because of the willful sin of disobedience.

And Nathan said.

*****2Sa 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

2Sa 12:8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

King David had put much effort into hiding this sin from all of Israel but he had not been able to hide it from God!

King David was now brought face to face with his sin. It was in his hands to confess and repent that sin to restore his fellowship with the Lord.

All sin can be forgiven but one and that is the sin of rejecting Jesus Christ as our One and Only Savior!

By God's "Grace" He forgive our sin but we will always suffer the consequences of that sin!

The purpose God had for King David would continue because of God's covenant with him but David would now struggle his remaining years.

King David could not now reach his full potential in his service for the Lord!

What did Job say?

Job 1:21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Nathan's word from God was, "If you have a need come to Me".

God tells us this:

Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, "because ye ask not".

If we have a specific need we must go to the Lord "and not ever" go against the Lord!

Wherefore means "Why, for what reason".

Why had David failed?

*****2Sa 12:9 "Wherefore" hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Amnon.

King David had placed himself above the Word of God!

King David had committed adultery with another man's wife.

King David had committed murder even if that weapon of murder was not in his own hands.

King David had stolen the life and the future of a national hero but more so he had stolen this life from Jehovah God.

BUT, the thing that was the worst was that King David had despised the Word of God by forsaking the commandments of God!

It did not matter that is was an Ammonite who had actually slain Uriah, God knew King David was the cause of Uriah's death!

Where ever there is a "wherefore" you will always find a "therefore"!

"Therefore" means for this reason and answers the "wherefore".

*****2Sa 12:10 Now "therefore" the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

1) There is no sin beyond the mercy of God to the believer!

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound":

2) God has the "Mercy" and "Grace" to forgive our sin but we will still suffer from the results of that sin.

When God chastises it is not vengeance!

God does not take vengeance on those that love Him and repent of their sin!

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

King David had broken the purity of a family relationship, one that God honors the most, "the marriage of one man to one woman".

All God's Word is true but this one standard of the family, "the husband/wife relationship", is very dear to Our God.

God said:

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

And God still says:

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

God had told King David that he could not build the Temple because he was a man of war.

For the rest of King David's life he would war not only with the enemies of Israel but also within his own house!

And the Lord describes some of these things and King David finally repents of his sin.

*****2Sa 12:11 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 this sun.

2Sa 12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

2Sa 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

What did we learn from the Book of Job?

Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

What will happen to King David?

God will remove that hedge of protection from around King David!

God said He would permit these things to be done because of David's unrepented sin!

And had David remained "faithful" none of these things would have happened that are mentioned here!

King David had judged his own sin to be four times worse because he had had no pity on Uriah!

David had tried to hide his sin.

All these things that God has mentioned through Nathan the Prophet, would in the open for all of Israel and all the world to see!

David finally repents of his sin, God forgives him, and because of His covenant, this sin will not be the cause of David's death.

But there are always other things that happen around us when we sin!

And all sin is ultimately against the Lord!

Our testimony is usually first affected.

David had given a great occasion to the enemies of God, to blaspheme Him!

Jesus tells us this:

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

David had allowed his light to grow dim before the enemies of God!

If you call yourself a Christian, there will always be some one observing you to see how you live.

The way we live our Christian lives is our greatest witnessing tool in this world!

This child from this adulterous relationship would also die.

We will soon see that God took this child to Heaven.

It is not punishment for this child to go straight to glory and miss out on life in this sin filled world!

*****2Sa 12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

2Sa 12:15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

It is not said that God brought on this sickness, it is only said that this baby was very sick.

This could have been from the stress that Bathsheba had gone through in this sinful relationship!

What do we know for sure?

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

And Nathan went back to his own home and when Solomon was born, we will see that this Nathan would be in charge of his education.

*****2Sa 12:16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

We can pray anywhere but there is just something special about that altar in the House of God!

King David went to the Tabernacle of David and did what was needed!

This is exactly what we all should do for those that are sick!

Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

It was a merciful God that had forgiven King David and David sought for God's mercy on this child.

In the end this child got a complete healing because of God's mercy and the Lord did raise him on up to Heaven.

*****2Sa 12:17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

2Sa 12:18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

2Sa 12:19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.

2Sa 12:20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

This baby was 7 days old when the Lord took it on to Heaven. David's servants were afraid to tell their king that the baby had died but some how we just know these things by the actions of others.

To their surprise David rose from his mourning.

Not only that but cleansed himself and went to the Tabernacle of David.

There in that place, King David submitted himself to the Lord. King David had been forgiven of his sin but he still knew his chastisement was still ahead.

The prophets tell us this Tabernacle of David will be raised again in the end times for this same reason. That that those that repent and humble them selves before the Lord can cleanse themselves and present themselves before the Lord.

Act 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

Act 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

When King David returned to his palace his servants had not understood these things and David would explain to them the truth of the "Gospel"!

What is the truth of the "Gospel"?

Salvation is real!

Heaven is a real place!

Our real home is in Heaven and we can get there!

*****2Sa 12:21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

2Sa 12:22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?

2Sa 12:23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

To the Hebrews, when death occurred when life was just beginning, it was considered a curse.

King David had realized the truth of the Word of God and this would show in the Psalms he wrote after these all things had come to pass.

God had allowed the death of this child but God did not cause the death of this child!

This son of David, died before he could discern right from wrong and even at this time "was safe in Jesus Christ"!

This child was already together with all others who died in true "faith"!

Rom 4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

These all would have been located in what is called Abraham's Bosom.

Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

All the Saints of the Old Testament and those up to the time of the Lord's resurrection were located in Abraham's Bosom because they had Abraham's "Faith" awaiting the coming Savior.

The Lord Jesus cleared out Abraham's Bosom when He rose from the dead!

We could think that King David could not know these things but we would have to ignore at least 50 of the Psalms of the Old Testament.

King David knew that one day at his own death, "he could go to that child but that child could not return to him".

It is in these things that we can have peace while still living, for those that go on before us in Jesus Christ.

2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

David then comforted his new wife with all these things that he knew.

*****2Sa 12:24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

2Sa 12:25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

King David had been told by the Lord, he would have a son who would be a man of peace and his name would be Solomon.

1Ch 22:8 But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

1Ch 22:9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days.

Nathan the prophet would be in charge of Solomon's education and Nathan called Solomon by a new name, Jedidiah.

Jedidiah means "beloved by Jehovah"! Jedid also means "akin to David".

During all this time, at least two years, Joab had kept Rabbah the Capitol city of Ammon under siege and the food and water was running out and the city was ready to fall.

*****2Sa 12:26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

2Sa 12:27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

2Sa 12:28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.

2Sa 12:29 And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

King David knew that Joab would take advantage of every situation now, because of Uriah, but King David still was a man of war and he finally took his rightful place with his military and claimed the victory.

*****2Sa 12:30 And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.

2Sa 12:31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

Though this may sound like genocide it was not!

David placed this nation under a forced hard labor.

Instead of using the instruments of war, they would use the saw, and the axe.

Instead of the manufacture of war instruments, they would labor at the kilns making brick for building materials.

Instead of war machines they would use harrows and ploughs and use farm machines.

Ammon is now called Jordan and up until this day Jordan has never been a great military power in this region.

Questions?

Let's Pray!

King David's Sins

David's Sins

2 Samuel 10; 11; 1 Chronicles 19

When we left David last, he had found the grandson of Jonathan, his one time best friend and kept the covenant he had made with him many years earlier.

Today will see that David was still only a human and as we humans do, we allow our own lust to take over our flesh and ignore the Word of God.

We can feed our flesh with worldly things or we can feed our soul with godly things whichever we feed the most will show up in our actions.

Before this takes place let's highlight chapter 10.

After King David had rescued and adopted Mephibosheth he was in a good spirit and upon hearing of the death of Nahash the king of the Ammonites, David tried to show kindness to his son Hanun.

David had already been told by God Himself, that he was a man of war and could not build a Temple for the Jews to worship.

David was trying to change his image to a man of peace but God already knew the enemies of Israel and that they are never seeking peace with Israel.

*****2Sa 10:2  Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father.
And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

When David was persecuted by King Saul, the Ammonite king had sent aid to David and his men and had even invited David into his country for his own protection.

He did this not so much for David but more because of his hatred for King Saul.

But this son of Nahash, was misled by his advisers because of their hate for Israel.

*****2Sa 10:3  And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
2Sa 10:4  Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

There was no law that said every Jew had to grow a beard but if they grew a beard they would come under the Levitical Laws and to tamper with a man's beard was a great insult.

In this day, the priests of false religions that were around Israel, would do many things to their beards in honor of their idols and false gods.

God would not allow the Jews to get caught up in any part of false religion.

Lev 19:27  Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.

Lev 21:5  They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.

Deu 14:1  Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

Why did God insist on these things?

Deu 14:2  For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

When you are saved and some one tells you, you are peculiar, just give God the praise!

God's people are never to look as the world looks. The fads of the world are never to be brought into the church!

As far as those garments, we must realize that the men of that day wore robes. Only the priest wore breeches, so to cut off those robes at the buttocks exposed those parts of a man that should always be concealed.

By those same laws of God, Jewish men were always to dress modestly.

The Jews did not just have the 10 Commandments, there were 613 laws written in those first 5 books of the Bible.

These men felt felt great shame and would not return to Jerusalem.

These men would have been ambassadors from Israel and this act showed a lack of respect for the government of Israel and for King David.

David responded in the way that God had said. David was a man of war!

This young king of Ammon was not prepared to go to war with Israel who had already faced many battles and had much experience in the ways of war.

So, He hired mercenaries from Syria, who also hated the nation of Israel.

*****2Sa 10:6  And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.

That word "stank" meant that this incident was morally offensive to King David!

BUT, Hiring this paid army was not going to stop the revenge of King David and he was not going to send other ambassadors seeking peace.

The mighty men of David's army and King David's head general would be the next thing this young inexperienced ruler would see.

*****2Sa 10:7  And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

When Israel responded with it's best forces that hired army from Syria fled and when they fled, the armies of Ammon also fled.

*****2Sa 10:13  And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.
2Sa 10:14  And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

Without firing a shot this day of warfare was over!

But there was also another king of Syria, Hadarezer, who thought to save the face of the Syrian forces that had fled from the army of Israel.

*****2Sa 10:16  And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

When King David knew of this he came himself to lead the armies of Israel against this new threat to Israel.

*****2Sa 10:17  And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

Shobach was also a ruthless commander but no match for King David.

With this defeat the Syrians decided it was just too costly to try to help Ammon and then again, their was peace.

*****2Sa 10:19  And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

We already know that there will never be true peace for Israel until the "Prince of Peace", the Lord Jesus Christ, returns to this world and the government rest on His shoulders!

The Bible still says:

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and "the government shall be upon his shoulder": and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, "The Prince of Peace".
Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government "and peace there shall be no end", upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

But at this time, King David was growing weary of war and was losing interest in his own army and their welfare.

When King David should have been the leader of his nation, he became a lax politician and placed them in the hands of Joab, who was a mighty general but Joab was not an honorable man and King David knew this.

*****2Sa 11:1  And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

We should first realize that sin always has a beginning!

Sin does not just spring into our lives full grown!

The Bible says:

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Jas 1:15  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

Being drawn away represents the sin nature of mankind passed down from Adam.

We may first get lax in our prayer life. Or we may get lax in our Bible study. Or we may begin to skip church when we could have made it. Or like David along with all these things we have reached the top of the mountain and allow pride and success to control what we do.

King David's first problem was that for nearly half his years as King of Israel he had become rich and was admired by all of Israel and much of the world. David began to think he was a somebody who had great authority.

2Sa 7:9  And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

King David's second problem was that he was in direct violation of the laws of Moses.

Deu 17:17  Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

Deu 17:20  That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

King David's third problem was that he was neglecting his purpose given to him by God.

1Ch 17:7  Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

King David was to be a "type" of Christ, "The Shepherd/King".

BUT, King David had become "idle" in his duties as king and more certainly as a shepherd to Israel.

It would have been much better for King David if he had gone forth with his army, but David had tarried still at Jerusalem.

David later wrote this Psalm:

Psa 101:2  I will behave myself "wisely" in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

At this point in his life King David was not very "wise".

How many of us have been at this same point in our own lives?

Every believer is to walk according to the Word of God!

When we do not follow the Word of God we are not very wise and sin has it's beginning!

And when we do not right before the Lord God, He has these words for us:

Num 32:23  But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and "be sure your sin will find you out".

We can never hide our sin from Our Righteous God!

King David had not been perfect and none of us can be, but from this point forward we will see how this time period in the life of King David affected all his remaining years, which would be nearly 20 years.

One evening just before dark while the armies of Israel were in a foreign land, defending Israel from her enemies, this king decided to go walking upon the roof of his palace.

We have already studied where the Jew would build flat roofs that could be used for many things.

The palace of King David was  much higher than a normal home.

*****2Sa 11:2  And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

Now Bathsheba was not just openly exposing herself to whoever wanted to see her. Most all Jews homes were surrounded by fences high enough for privacy.

That tub would be outside so the sun could warm the water and these tubs were designed for ritual cleansing.

This was probably the same type of vessel that was used by Jesus in Cana when He change the water into wine.

It would have been much better for David to have taken this time to pray rather than ogle his domain!

Satan also took the Lord Jesus upon a high mountain to show off his sinful domain. The higher the view of this world the more we can see of this sinful world!

God gives us a great warning.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

David had begun to love the things of the world and just as the Serpent had deceived Eve, David came in eyesight of the forbidden fruit.

Gen 3:6  And when "the woman saw" that the tree was good for food, and "that it was pleasant to the eyes", and "a tree to be desired" to make one wise, "she took" of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

We can see that what Eve saw, she desired and what she desired, she took of the fruit of sin.

Watch as King David, sees, desires, and then takes of the fruit of sin.

Now it is certain that we will see things in this world that will expose us to temptation, but it is what we do next that brings forth sin!

To see something or someone that is beautiful, is not a sin in itself!

The Hebrew word used for this phrase "very beautiful" did not just mean Bathsheba had a pretty face.
This lady, this wife of Uriah was beautiful in her entire body.

We can see that the first thing David did was to see her.

King David should have stopped at this point and this sin could not have fostered, but he did not.

King David desired and then he took.

*****2Sa 11:3  And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
2Sa 11:4  And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

As we go through these passages we will see that God places the full burden of this sin on David and not Bathsheba.

If we remember the next step that Eve took under the influence of Satan was she had desire and here we see that King David sent and enquired after this woman.

David desired this beautiful creation of God!

It is obvious that he wanted to find that she was unmarried.

We should also remember that King David was the "Judge", the final human authority over all of Israel.

King David was to be an example of the "Truth" to the nation of Israel!

But now in a real sense King David who up to this time was much like Joshua, now becomes much more like Samson!

Once King David found that this woman was married, again he should have stopped with any desire he might have but even with this information King David proceeded did not not give it a second thought.

Again finding out that she was the married wife of Uriah should have also been considered and this sin would have ceased.

Uriah was one of the band of David's mighty men and had probably been with David all the time since the days he had hidden from King Saul.

1Ch 11:10  These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

1Ch 11:41  "Uriah" the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

But knowing all these things King David still sent for Bathsheba.

"And when lust has conceived it bringeth forth sin"

King David "took" this beautiful woman from her own home, more by force than choice.

In those days it was not a good thing to reject the king!

So, King David also "took" this beautiful woman to his bed.

King David was filled with overwhelming lust for this woman and would not be denied at any cost!

David a man after God's own heart had yielded to sin!

1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

There had been many places for King David to escape this sin but he had chosen none of them!

We cannot imagine how Bathsheba felt but it was not beyond her power to at least say no!

The phrase "she was purified from her "uncleanness" tells us that Bathsheba was probably a practicing Jew familiar with the 613 laws of Moses.

She knew the laws of clean and unclean and would also have known the penalty for committing adultery.

Lev 15:19  And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.

I do not claim to know anything about women but from what I have learned is that one of the best times to conceive a child is 5-10 days after her blood cycle and Bathsheba was on her seventh day.

And Bathsheba conceived and King David began to scheme to hide his sin.

BUT, the sin of David could not be hidden!

When King David did not repent, the sin of David then progresses to another level!

David later wrote these words:

Psa 36:1  The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Psa 36:2  For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

*****2Sa 11:5  And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
2Sa 11:6  And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And Joab sent Uriah to David.
2Sa 11:7  And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

King David had abused his authority with Bathsheba and now David would abuse his authority over the military of Israel.

We can see that Bathsheba would never have told her husband about her affair with King David but when she conceived, then this thing would not go unnoticed by her husband.

The sin of adultery was a serious thing to practicing Jews.

God said; "thou shalt not commit adultery", the 7th commandment.

God takes seriously the marriage vows even when they are ignored by husbands and wives.

Heb 13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

King David quickly devised a plan to cover up this sin!

David later wrote these words:

Psa 36:3  The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise, and to do good.
Psa 36:4  He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

King David had been treated this way by King Saul but was now treating God the way Saul had treated him.

Joab was a ruthless general of Israel's army but Uriah was a dedicated soldier not only to David but to his nation, Israel.

By bringing Uriah home from the battlefield David hoped he would spend some time with his wife and then the child that would be born could be claimed as his own.

David disguised his actions by demanding that Uriah tell him about Joab which could show a lack of distrust of his general.

David then demanded to know about the moral of the army, though their moral would have been much better had the King been leading his army as he had always done.

David then demanded to know if Uriah thought Israel was winning this war not a question to ask a dedicated soldier.

David then sent Uriah home to be with his own wife.

*****2Sa 11:8  And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.
2Sa 11:9  But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

David had committed a terrible sin against this devoted man but Uriah had much more honor than King David.

Uriah refused to be with his wife while his comrades were in a war with the enemies of Israel.

You see, God was not about to allow David an easy way out of this mess he had created because of his lust!

It was one thing to have multiple wives and concubines but to take another man's wife using the authority given by God's own hand could not go unpunished!

And, God is giving us this example of how one sin will always lead to another unless that first sin is repented of!

King David could have stopped at this time and confessed but he refused and continued with yet another scheme to hide his sin.

But, Uriah slept in the place of the palace guards and some of them told David the next morning.

*****2Sa 11:10  And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey? why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?
2Sa 11:11  And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

King David told Uriah that he could have rested better at home plus he could have spent some time with his wife.

Uriah explains why this would have been wrong for him.

1) Just as the Ark of God has no secure and permanent house, neither would Israel nor Judah until Israel was safe from her enemies.

2) Joab, his general was in a tent, not secure within walls of Jerusalem but in an open field.

3) That army that had provided King David with so many victories were also in open fields and not secure within the walls of Jerusalem.

Uriah confesses that because these things are true, he could not in clear conscience go home and act like Israel was not at war!

We need a multitude of Uriah's as state Senators and Congressmen in our government, who simply will not rest until America is secure, our soldiers are home, and our military is used to keep peace rather than start wars!

Uriah refused to do as the king said.

David has another opportunity to be as honorable as this man, but he continues to scheme and his sin progresses even further.

*****2Sa 11:12  And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the morrow.
2Sa 11:13  And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

King David knew what normally would happen when men get drunk.

Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.

Pro 23:33  Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.

Uriah may have actually gotten drunk, we do not know, but Uriah still would not go to his own home or be with his wife.

And, David would still not repent of his sin and decided that there could be only one answer left.

Uriah must die and that death must be soon before Bathsheba was showing to be pregnant, then all Israel would know.

*****2Sa 11:15  And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

This is what we call premeditated murder and when Joab consented, even though David is king, he is just as guilty, especially being his commanding officer.

No General has to follow this type of order nor any other commanding officer!

We can be certain that Joab was not aware of why King David wanted Uriah murdered because
David was trying to hide the fact of his adultery.

King David had decided that if Uriah would not go home to his wife, then he could not allow Bathsheba to have his child without being married to him.

David remembered this Word of God:

Deu 23:2  A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

David was picking and choosing from the Word of God searching for a way to condone his sin but it was already too late for that.

How low had King David become?

1) Thou shalt not commit adultery.
2) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife.
3) Thou shalt not steal.
4) Thou shalt not kill.
5) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

What else had God said?

God said He would show mercy to those that keep His commandments!

Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

What had King David forgotten?

Rom 13:14  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

It is true that soldiers die in every war!

BUT when the Commander of the Armed Forces, (our President) and his Generals do not do everything they can to keep our military as safe as possible, they have committed murder in the highest degree.

This includes ambassadors or anyone else that represents our government.

We have just witnessed where this war with Ammon was first started because the King of Ammon abused the ambassadors of the government of Israel.

Joab did not have to obey the king in this instance!

He would have been justified by the Word of God!

But, Joab had already murdered Abner and Asahel and Joab obeyed this command of King David without question.

Joab knew he could use this act in his own defence someday to blackmail the king.

Even the general of David's army had little regard for the valiant men of Israel!

And, still today, in many cases, murder is an act that takes place after adultery has been committed.

How does Joab assist in this crime?

*****2Sa 11:16  And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.
2Sa 11:17  And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

Joab had the city of Rabbah under siege. In other words this city was surrounded and had no access to the outside world. What ever food and water and other needs they had would have to be with them.

When their supplies ran out they would fight or they would die!

This was a normal tactic for walled cities!

Many times the city under siege would send out small groups of soldiers to entice the enemy to come closer where the archers or others could kill the enemy from safety.

Joab was in a position to observe all these things and as any good commander should, he knew where the strongest and the weakest positions were located.

And a valiant soldier name Uriah was murdered in this action.

Joab wasted no time informing the king but he had trained his messenger well.

*****2Sa 11:18  Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
2Sa 11:19  And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of telling the matters of the war unto the king,
2Sa 11:20  And if so be that the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would shoot from the wall?
2Sa 11:21  Who smote Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then say thou,
Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2Sa 11:22  So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab had sent him for.

Joab knew that King David would normally not allow such actions as this that placed his army in harm's way unnecessarily.

King David would use a story from the Bible as his guideline in warfare.

Jdg 9:50  Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it.
Jdg 9:51  But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them, and gat them up to the top of the tower.
Jdg 9:52  And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.
Jdg 9:53  And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's head, and all to brake his skull.

When a city was under siege it was better to wait them out than to senselessly waste your own army.

When King David said these things the messenger was to respond with "But thy servant Uriah is dead also".

And King David would know what Joab had done.

*****2Sa 11:23  And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them even unto the entering of the gate.
2Sa 11:24  And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.
2Sa 11:25  Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

King David had become so hard hearted in these actions he showed no remorse for what he had done.

I see this happening with our own government everyday!

There is no remorse for the actions of our government today.

Our government does not show a real concern for the American people!

David was celebrating the actions of the enemies of Israel, for killing the innocent soldiers of Israel, "just to see his agenda move forward"!

I believe this happened, when our own ambassador, was killed in Benghazi.

The agenda of our government moved forward at the expense of good men just trying to do their job but lacking the protection to do it safely!

King David tells Joab that soldiers die everyday and this day was no different than any other day!

They both were wrong.

They both were guilty!

It is not soldiers that start wars.

It is the true soldier that brings peace!

I am here to tell you that every true soldier that dies on the battlefield is a loss to his nation and deserves the remorse of his nation and it's commander in chief.

I do not see this in America today!

When we get tired of war then we must accept that there will be no peace!

Joab was instructed to continue with the siege of Rabbah.

King David still had other plans.

*****2Sa 11:26  And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.
2Sa 11:27  And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Bathsheba may have never known this plot to kill her husband.

It was customary for at least 7 days be given to mourning, even though sometimes even more days were needed by some.

Gen 50:10  And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

The period of mourning could vary.

The mourning for Jacob went on for 70 days.
The mourning for Moses went on for 30 days.

David did not have that much time in order to hide his act of adultery and only allowed Bathsheba the seven days!

I believe we can see that Bathsheba may have looked like she was sincere in her mourning but it seems to me she lacked real sorrow for her husband and King David had no sorrow for Uriah.

So, David fetched Bathsheba to the palace and made her his wife.

To King David this episode in his life had finally been put to rest, but this thing that King David had done did not please the Lord!

This was a great turning point in the life of King David.

It is a fact that the world may have even seen this wedding of Bathsheba to King David as a good
thing.

Uriah had truly been one of the mighty men of Israel, valiant in battle, and a true war hero.

But God was not please with any of these things!

Next week we will see that God's judgment of human conduct can be more severe than any judgment of men!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

King David's Loyalty

David's Loyalty

2 Samuel 8; 9; 1 Chronicles 18

Last week we saw how God had extended His covenant to Abraham through David but also how God had made a new covenant with David.

Making a covenant with His people characterized God.

In fact this is just one of the ways that Jehovah God distinguishes Himself from the false gods of all religions!

Jehovah God makes sure covenants and then keeps them all!

Psa 105:8  He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

This promise made to King David only depends on the "faithfulness of God"!

There was nothing David nor his any of his successors could do that could change this promise that God had made!

What is the "Omniscience" of God?

The characteristic of God, that means He knows all things that will actually take place and all things that can possibly take place, whether past, present, or future!

This why God can keep His covenants when we fail in most of our own covenants.

All these things had reminded King David of some things that he had also promised to others aho had crossed his life path.

Let's begin:

In chapter 8 we can see how the kingdom of David and the Nation of Israel grew in riches and renown.

In none of these wars was Israel the aggressor as David reclaimed the land God had given to Israel and taken by these nations.

We also get to see how the government of Israel was set up.

*****2Sa 8:15  And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.

Notice David showed no favoritism to any one tribe of Israel, not even to Judah.

Psa 145:9  The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

God is good even to the lost of this dying world.

The Lord Jesus had these words:

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

But God does requires every government to execute judgment and justice according to the 10 commandments.

Not only does God require every government to to execute judgment but this judgment was to be done equally to all.

We already know this judgment was to be based upon the Word of God.

Not only does God require justice but that justice was to be equal justice for all of mankind!

*****2Sa 8:16  And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder;

King David had one "General of the Army".

Joab was the son of David's sister Zeruiah.

It is said in America, not only do we have too many generals but it was said the other day we had over 1000 Admirals. We could put an Admiral on every ship and not have enough ships for each to have one.

This seems to be a good place to save taxpayer's dollars.

Jehoshaphat was recorder.

A recorder was the chancellor for the king.

In other words he would bring the weighty matters to the king that were important enough to require the kings attention.

A recorder would also draw up papers for the king's guidance and also prepare drafts of the king's wishes to the scribes to be recorded, such as treaties, national archives, and records that needed to be kept for the future.

A recorder would also document the day by day actions in the kingdom, in other words record history as it happened.

*****2Sa 8:17  And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;

Zadok was High Priest and a direct descendant of Eleazer, whose son was Phinehas. God had also made a covenant with Phinehas.

Num 25:11  Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Num 25:12  Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
Num 25:13  And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even "the covenant of an everlasting priesthood"; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

In Zadok the line of Phinehas resumed the dignity of High Priest and held that position through his seed until the fall of Jerusalem.

It would be through Mary the virgin mother of Jesus, a descendant of Nathan, King David's son and also a descendant from the line of Phinehas.

Seraiah was the scribe.

In a sense, this position would be similar to what we call a "Secretary of State".

This man would prepare and issue the decrees of the king.

This person would also have considerable authority under the guidelines set forth by the king who
was to use the Word of God for his own guidelines.

When the Word of God is not in it's place in all governments that government will be corrupt and fail to care for God's creation but they will still fulfill God's purpose!

*****2Sa 8:18  And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

The Cherethites were King David's personal body guard and they may not have been Jews but they would also perform executions by order of the king only and also the kings couriers.

These Pelethites were probably known better as the the king's mighty men.

Benaiah was a mighty warrior who David placed over his personal security because he was an honorable man.

2Sa 23:22  These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
2Sa 23:23  He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

So while the nation of Israel was at rest, King David began to remember a covenant that he had made with Jonathan a son of King Saul.

This scripture is a special rewarding "type" in the Bible, of the lost being saved for Jesus sake.

And since the Lord had been so gracious to David, King David was in a position to spread that "grace" to others!

When God blesses us, it is His intent that we use His gifts to bless others!

*****2Sa 9:1  And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for "Jonathan's sake"?

What David already knew:

David knew that King Saul and his three sons had all died in the war with the Philistines.

1Ch 10:2  And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul.

1Ch 10:6  So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together.

What David did not know:

David did not know that a son of Jonathan had survived and escaped the hands of the Philistines even though during that escape his caretaker, while running carrying him, fell causing the child to be lame the remaining days of his life.

2Sa 4:4  And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

Why was David so concerned?

God had just made a great covenant with David and his seed and God said He would keep this covenant.

King David remembered a covenant he had made with Jonathan the son of King Saul and wanted to make sure he also kept that covenant.

1Sa 20:14  And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of the LORD, that I die not:
1Sa 20:15  But also thou shalt not cut off thy kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
1Sa 20:16  So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.

How can we expect God to keep His covenants, when we do not keep the ones that we make with each other?

The pure fact is that The Lord God of Creation will keep His covenants regardless of our own actions!

Psa 105:8  He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

So, David knew he needed to make sure his covenant with Jonathan.

*****2Sa 9:2  And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
2Sa 9:3  And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
2Sa 9:4  And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.

In verse one, David said he wanted to show "his kindness" but now we see David wanting to show the "same kindness that God had shown to him".

It is not stated here but Ziba, though he honored King David, he did not care much for Mephibosheth, but Ziba did have knowledge of this grandson of King Saul and son of Jonathan.

Lodebar means "a place of nothing", a place where grass would not even grow and there was no place to pasture animals.

Compare this place to Psalms 23:
Psa 23:1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Amos describes Lodebar in this manner:

Amo 6:13  Ye which rejoice "in a thing of nought" which say, Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?

The family of Machir were loyal to King Saul and had taken in Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, when he had no other place to live.

Saul's own servants had ignored this grandson!

Machir would now become loyal to King David after seeing the king's kindness to Mephibosheth.

Mephibosheth had lived for a considerable time in obscurity and we should now get the picture, or a "type" of a lost soul being found by the King of Kings.

And King David said:

*****2Sa 9:4  And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
2Sa 9:5  Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

1) The first picture we should have is the picture of that lost soul in no man's land, poor, and with no means to improve his own conditions. His name was Mephibosheth.

Because of his condition Mephibosheth hated the God of Israel as his name means in the Hebrew, he had "a reproach for God".

Mephibosheth did not feel the need for a Savior because he could not realize such a thing was possible!

Mephibosheth did not possess the means to have much of a future!

Most people living in this world do not even know they need a Savior because they do not realize that they are lost!

They feel that if there is some god, then why are they in such a precarious situation, as did Mephibosheth.

2) The next picture we should see is that King David sent for Mephibosheth, not for his own kindness, but for "Jonathan's sake".

God's children are called and saved, not because we deserve anything from God but only for the sake of God's Son, Jesus.

Eph 4:32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God "for Christ's sake" hath forgiven you.

Jesus Christ is not the cause of God's love but "Jesus Christ is the channel in which God expresses His love for us all"!

We are not asked to understand the love of God, we are only asked to accept that love as being the
same as the love for an "only-begotten-son".

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: "it is the gift of God":

3) The next picture we see is that King David sent someone to fetch Mephibosheth.

This a picture of the Holy Ghost but it is a fact of the purpose of Jesus.

Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the lost.

Luk 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

1Pe 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

Today God uses the Holy Spirit to do all the calling. It is the Holy Spirit that brings conviction upon hearing the Word of God!

*****2Sa 9:6  Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

Throughout the Bible we can see how God truly cares for the fatherless orphan. There is no better example in the Bible than Mephibosheth who had lost not only his father and grandfather but also all his uncles in war.

The greater the wars, the more that are left behind like Mephibosheth!

Mephibosheth had no earthly family!

But, God especially cares for the children of those who love Him!

We already know that there are only two kind of people in this world.

1) Those that reject God.

1Sa 15:23  For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

2) Those that accept God.

1Jn 5:1  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Mephibosheth is an example of that lost soul who had accepted the world in a humanistic way, but now realizes the truth of God.

Mephibosheth cannot understand why the king would look upon such a man as he and he fell on his face and reverenced King David.

Mephibosheth could have never gotten into the palace of the king on his own account!

But, Mephibosheth was allowed to come before King David because it was for "Jonathan's sake"!

To each saved soul, we are only allowed into the throne room of a Holy God but only for Jesus sake!

If we are to move God, it can only be by the sake of Jesus Christ!

No Prayer, no request, and and no answer can ever come from the Living God if not for Christ Jesus sake!

This world can only be redeemed for Christ Jesus sake!

And then listen as God will know your name!

Isa 43:1  But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel,
Fear not: "for I have redeemed thee", "I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine".

And David said.

*****2Sa 9:7  And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

That phrase "Fear not" is used 62 times in the KJV Bible.

How does God respond to request made in Jesus name sake?

Isa 41:13  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, "Fear not"; I will help thee.

And God never changes.

Rev 1:17  And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, "Fear not"; I am the first and the last:

Mephibosheth truly had much reason to fear!

In the customs of that day it was customary for the victorious king to slay all the family of the previous king.

But here we see how David acted in "Grace"!

Now David had "not stolen" Saul's land just because he was the new King.

We should remember David was married to Michal the daughter of Saul and was the legal owner of all the things of King Saul. David had every right to this land and these possessions of Saul and he could give them to anyone he wished to.

Num 27:8  And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.

This ownership took place at the death of Ishbosheth the last son of King Saul.

Now we see the kindness again for Jonathan's sake!

We can see how Mephibosheth is adopted by King David!

It would have been easy to just restore the things to him that his grandfather Saul had owned and sent him on his way but that is not the way of God.

This is the way of God.

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

To be adopted by Our Father in Heaven even has a much greater meaning!

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

King David showed Mephibosheth that he was serious about fulfilling the promise, the covenant, he made with Jonathan, the true earthly father of Mephibosheth.

BUT, God shows every believer that He is serious about fulfilling His promise to His Son Jesus.

Joh 6:39  And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Joh 6:40  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

This is a very humbling experience.

*****2Sa 9:8  And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

What is the "Grace of God"?

Grace may be defined as the unmerited and undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Mephibosheth realized that he had done nothing to be receiving such a gift and he reached that point that every sinner must reach.

Do I accept this gift or do I reject it?

What would you do?

No, What Will You Do!

When Mephibosheth was sitting at the Kings table, even his lame legs were out of sight before the King.

He had the appearance of a man made whole!

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be "born again", he cannot see the kingdom of God.

And the king made all the arrangements.

*****2Sa 9:9  Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.
2Sa 9:10  Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.

Mephibosheth was now a land owner of a great estate that would require many to care for it. We can see that Ziba who had been over the servants of King Saul now had a great opportunity to restore that land to it's glory and his own family be provided with home, food, and welfare.

Mephibosheth himself had a son named Micha and it would he who would need to be provided for, but Mephibosheth would eat from the King's Table.

*****2Sa 9:11  Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.
2Sa 9:12  And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.
2Sa 9:13  So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

Ziba agreed to do as King David commanded but Ziba was never sincere and never intended to be a servant to Mephibosheth. Ziba would never honor Mephibosheth and later accused him of treason.

2Sa 16:3  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.

Based upon this lie, King David gave all the property of Mephibosheth to Ziba.

2Sa 16:4  Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And
Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

Ziba may have deceived both Mephibosheth and King David.

2Sa 19:26  And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.
2Sa 19:27  And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.

King David being unsure of either one divided the land of Saul between the two, but Mephibosheth said let him have it all.

It would be far better to remain at the table of the King.

An adopted son or daughter cannot ever be left out of the inheritance!

2Sa 19:30  And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace "unto his own house".

The Apostle Paul gave Timothy these words:

2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of
earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

We must make a choice when we choose the Lord Jesus over this world!

We must also make choices after we are saved!

If we purge ourselves of the things that do not honor Our Savior, then and only then can we be made into something useful for the Lord!

Mephibosheth remained in Jerusalem at the king's table but was still lame and of little use to the king, but the king did not reject him but only because of the covenant he had made with Jonathan!

It is only for "Jesus sake" only that we can stand before Our Holy God!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Once we believe this truth with all our heart, we can never be rejected!

Questions?

Let's Pray!