Read 2
Samuel 19-20 & Luke
21:20-38
To discover:
As you read consider how David’s restoration is less than
secure.
To ponder:
God’s favour continues to be shown
as David is reconciled to his army, key opponents, and the people, and as he
returns across the Jordan
towards Jerusalem.
Joab
boldly rebukes David for his weeping over Absalom, turning the army’s victory
“into mourning” and causing them to sneak into Mahanaim as if “ashamed.” He is
clear this is humiliating the men who risked their lives for David and his family,
suggesting David doesn’t care for them. Indeed, David self-absorption is
putting him in danger of being abandoned by his men, bringing even greater
calamity. This should rebuke us too, for being so caught up in our own woes
that we fail to consider God purposes or care for others.
David
responds by sitting at the entrance to the city, and his men come before him.
Meanwhile, the Israelites who fought against him realise they need to bring him
back to Jerusalem. Hearing this,
David asks his priests who were with Absalom as spies, to urge the elders of
Judah (David’s tribe) to take the lead in this. So it seems much of Judah
had stood with Absalom against him. David also has the priests tell Amasa,
Absalom’s commander, that he can take Joab’s place in charge of David’s army. Both
acts show favouritism to those closer to David, seeking to ensure their
allegiance. But they are unwise, breeding division within Israel
and hostility between commanders. David should have been seeking unity.
As
“one man” Judah
sends word for David to return, and goes to bring him across the Jordan.
As Shimei and then Ziba and Mephibosheth meet him, we are seeing the events of
16v1-12 reversed. Shimei begs for mercy for cursing David and is pardoned. Mephibosheth
affirms he deserves nothing, submitting himself to David’s justice having
explained that Ziba betrayed him. David splits the lands between the two of
them, clearly uncertain which is telling the truth. These gracious responses
affirm how much more we can be certain of pardon and acceptance if we return to
Christ with these attitudes, no matter how we might have stood against him.
David’s offer of reward to Barzillai for aiding him (19v31-37) then points to
the particular reward those who faithfully serve Christ will receive (1 Cor
3v10-15).
There
is joy in the picture of David crossing the Jordan
into the promised land. But all is not well. Although all the troops of Judah
come, only half of Israel
join them. The two groups then argue over who has the “greater claim” on David
– Judah for being
his tribe, or the rest of Israel
because they are ten tribes and were the first to speak of bringing him back. One
thinks of the disciples arguing over who would be the greatest in God’s
kingdom, and missing the fact that this is seen by humility and love (Matt
18v1-6).
Israel’s
troops then display the fickleness of some who claim to follow Christ, when
they “all” immediately abandon David at the call of another - Bicri. David was
therefore restored to his palace only by the men of Judah,
where he cared for his concubines who Absalom had slept with (their effective
widowhood highlights the seriousness of Absalom’s act). David then urged Amasa
to summon Judah
to pursue Bicri and so stop yet another rebellion. Amasa failed however, so David
commissioned Abishai to the task. Although it bred uncertainty in the army, Joab’s
killing of Amasa seems right when one considers Amasa previously fought against
David. This is confirmed by the events at Abel, where the people put an end to
Joab’s siege by throwing down Bicri’s head. The woman who suggested it is
labelled “wise.” And this is the reputation of the city (20v18), which was
known as one of peace and faithfulness. Again we see punishment rightly befall
those who stand against God’s king.
Praying it home:
Thank God for his gracious
readiness to reward Christian service. Pray that you would not seek worldly
greatness in Christ’s kingdom, but humility and love.
Thinking further:
None today.
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