NOT GUILTY

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes. Throughout the tribes of Israel, the people were all arguing with each other, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country because of Absalom; and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?"

King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, 'Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?' And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab.' "

He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. They sent word to the king, "Return, you and all your men." Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.

Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul's household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. They crossed at the ford to take the king's household over and to do whatever he wished.

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king and said to him, "May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first of the whole house of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king."

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the Lord's anointed."

David replied, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? This day you have become my adversaries! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Do I not know that today I am king over Israel?" So the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And the king promised him on oath.

2 Samuel 19:8B-23

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In the first part of chapter 19, we saw where Joab had to jostle David out of his attitude of mourning to show gratitude to the men who had fought so valiantly on his behalf in the battle against Absalom and the Israelites. And so David followed Joab’s guidance and reestablished himself in a place where he could be in the presence of his people.

Well after Absalom’s death, the Israelites who were with him “fled to their homes” and arguments began to arise “throughout the tribes of Israel”. Those tribes were saying to one another:

“The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country because of Absalom; and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?"

While this argument was occurring, scripture tells us that David decided to send a message to the elders of Judah through his priests Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. They were told to:

"Ask the elders of Judah, 'Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?' And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab.' "

Note here two parts of David’s appeal.

First, he was seeking to have the elders of Judah bring him back to Jerusalem as king now that Absalom was dead, fortifying his request by reminding the elders that they were David’s “own flesh and blood”.

And secondly, David also approved Amasa, his blood relative and Absalom’s army commander, to assume duties as David’s army commander replacing Joab.

Now we’re not told that David was angry at Joab for killing his son against his orders but his actions sure send a message that Joab had fallen out of favor with the king. Unfortunately, we will soon see where Joab once again will take authority into his own hand which will lead to Amasa’s demise.

Back to the scriptures where we see that David’s words were effective as he “won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man” and they sent the following word to David saying, "Return, you and all your men"…words that led David to begin his return, going as far as the Jordan.

Meanwhile, “the men of Judah” went to Gilgal so they could “meet the king and bring him across the Jordan” and they were joined by “Shimei…the Benjamite from Bahurim” who “hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David” along with “a thousand Benjamites”. “Ziba, the steward of Saul's household” was along as well with “his fifteen sons and twenty servants”.

What a sight this must have been as David approached the Jordan to cross over and head back to Jerusalem! Truly, it was a king’s welcome as the crowd “rushed to the Jordan” and “crossed at the ford to take the king's household over and to do whatever he wished”.

Scripture tells us that as “Shimei…crossed the Jordan”, he “fell prostrate before the king” saying to him:

"May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first of the whole house of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king."

Flashback to chapter 16. You’ll recall that as David fled Jerusalem with his people, he encountered a man named Shimei as he approached Bahurim. You’ll recall that Shimei, a man from the same clan as Saul, came out and cursed David and his men, pelting them with rocks and showering them with dirt. Abishai wanted to kill Shimei for his actions but David chastised his recommendation feeling the Lord had a reason for him to be cursed. And so he let Shimei continue his actions as he walked away from him and Bahurim. (2 Samuel 16:5-14)

Well, once again we see where Abishai isn’t feeling too much love toward Shimei even though he was throwing himself at David’s mercy. After all, any other king wouldn’t hesitate to slay a man who cursed him let alone throw rocks and dirt as well.

But Abishai forgot one thing. David wasn’t just any king. He was a king after God’s own heart…a God who was defined by mercy and forgiveness and grace.

And so David once again rejected Abishai’s recommendation, sparing Shimei’s life with an oath and essentially telling Abishai that they have become adversaries and have nothing in common. And his actions sent a loud message to Shimei and a world that would say he deserved death.

That message?

I find him not guilty.

In David’s presence, a sinner bowed before him asking for grace and mercy and a new lease on life. And through a man after God’s own heart, Shimei received just that…pardon from his sins.

Now fast forward to us today. For we all stand guilty of sin before God our King. We all deserve death because of that sin and one day will be at the point of judgment when we will have to give account for our lives…a point after death where our afterlife hangs in the balance between heaven and hell. We, like Shimei, will be bowed before the King and asking for forgiveness and mercy and grace…and whether or not we receive a pardon from our King…like Shimei received from David…all depends on one thing.

Whether or not we know Jesus.

For Jesus and Jesus alone is the One who can stand with us at the point of judgment and tell the Father, “This man or woman is not guilty…for their debts have been paid in full by Me on the cross at Calvary. Their names can be found in the Book of Life.”

And with that, that person’s passage to eternal life has been sealed…all through the atoning blood of the precious Lamb of God…our Savior Jesus Christ...the only One through which we can come to the Father (John 14:6).

And what about those who don’t know Jesus?

Their eternal hope dies with death because they failed to accept Jesus as their personal Savior. And with no relationship with Him, He will not know them and their names will not be found in the Book of Life. Instead of eternal life, they will reap eternal damnation… and any plea for mercy will be met with a verdict of guilty.

Friends, do you know anyone who isn’t in Christ Jesus?

The answer should not be “no” because there are millions in the world today who are teetering on the edge of hell because they either haven’t heard the gospel before or have heard it and decided to reject it allowing their future after death to hand in a precarious balance.

For we simply cannot rest…and Jesus would not allow us to do so…until every man and woman in creation stands before the King at life’s end and is declared “not guilty”. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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