THE BEAUTY OF SELFLESSNESS

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

** Become a Follower of The Christian Walk at http://the-christian-walk.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim for he was a very wealthy man. The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem and I will provide for you."

But Barzillai answered the king, "How many more years will I live that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of men and women singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance but why should the king reward me in this way? Let your servant return that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever pleases you."

The king said, "Kimham shall cross over with me and I will do for him whatever pleases you. And anything you desire from me I will do for you."

So all the people crossed the Jordan and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing and Barzillai returned to his home.

When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.

2 Samuel 19:31-40

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

As David began his return to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel, chapter 19, we have seen him run into some people from his past.

First, he encountered Shimei who had cursed him and his men, throwing rocks and dirt at them as they fled Jerusalem (2 Samuel 16:9-14). When they reunited near the Jordan River, you’ll remember how Shimei threw himself down at David’s feet and asked for mercy which was granted.

Then, David encountered Mephibosheth who had not gone with David when he fled because he was crippled. You’ll recall that Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son and so Saul would have been his grandfather.

David sought to show God’s kindness to Mephibosheth and did so by granting him all the land that had belonged to Saul and allowing him to dine at the royal table. Additionally, David appointed a special steward for Mephibosheth named Ziba who showed himself later as deceiving, lying about the reason that Mephibosheth had not joined him as he fled Jerusalem. Not waiting until he could hear the other side of things, David gave Ziba everything he had given Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 16:1-4).

Later, David met with Mephibosheth upon his return to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 19:24-30). It was then that he learned the truth and realized Ziba had duped him. He restored half of the original allotment back to Mephibosheth.

Finally, we see in our passage today that David meets “Barzillai the Gileadite” who had come down from “Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king” so to “send him on his way from there”.

As with the first two men David met, Barzillai was not a stranger. For as David and his people fled, becoming hungry, thirsty, and tired, they came to the town of Mahanaim where they were provided “bedding and bowls and articles of pottery” as well as “wheat and barley, flour, and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows' milk” by three men, one of which being Barzillai (2 Samuel 17:24-29).

The scriptures told us that Barzillai was a “very old man, eighty years of age” and was “very wealthy”. Remembering the wonderful hospitality that Barzillai had shown in Mahanaim, David extended the following invitation:

“Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you."

This was quite an offer because not many people were granted an audience with the king let alone have him provide for their needs. Surely, the request had to be pretty enticing for a man who was up in years and could benefit greatly for special accommodations as he continued to grow older.

But in Barzillai, we see something special beyond his hospitable nature for we see him display an attitude of selflessness as he responds to David’s proposal with the following:

“How many more years will I live that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of men and women singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance but why should the king reward me in this way? Let your servant return that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever pleases you."

We read where David honors Barzillai’s request, allowing the servant Kimham to cross over the Jordan with him while promising to do whatever pleases him. Bit note that David wouldn’t allow Barzillai to completely escape his gratitude because he further promised that he would do anything that Barzillai desired from him.

And with that, “all the people crossed the Jordan” followed by David…and as he crossed over, he “kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing”. Then, “Barzillai returned to his home” while Kimham crossed with David to Gilgal, richly blessed beyond his dreams because of the selfless act of Barzillai…an act that placed Kimham in the care of his king.

You know, as I meditated on this message today, I couldn’t help but think about Jesus. For He had secured an audience with the King of all kings, one with God the Father because He was His Son (John 10:30). With that, He had everything He could ever ask for and could have just looked after Himself.

After all, who did He have to fear? Who was greater or more powerful than Him?

And yet, Jesus, like Barzillai, showed us the beauty of selflessness when He willingly decided to put Himself aside so that one day anyone who believed in Him as Savior could have an audience with the King as well. Consider this from Luke’s Gospel:

When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals — one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."

The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered Him wine vinegar and said, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself." Luke 23:33-37

Jesus clearly heard the challenges from below as He hung bleeding, suffering, and dying a slow death.

“Let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

“If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

Little did those who mocked Him realize that He absolutely could have saved Himself and struck them all dead in a moment’s notice. He could have adopted a vindictive mindset that felt like He didn’t have to die for these people who were so sinful and ungracious…but He did, amazingly with a spirit of forgiveness as He asked this from His Father:

"…forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

And with that, He willfully submitted Himself to die a criminal’s death on that cross at Calvary, showing all mankind that He was an almighty, loving, powerful Savior who knew that providing a salvation opportunity for all sinners was a far greater and noble act than saving Himself.

Friends, in Christ Jesus, we see the beauty of selflessness fully revealed…a beauty that He expects us to model in our own lives. For through His actions, we see that what’s most important isn’t what we do for ourselves but rather what we do for others. It was this unselfish attitude that led the Apostle Paul to write the following Christ-inspired words in his letter to the Romans:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3

Friends, let us commit ourselves to live out this verse in our lives every day, thinking about ourselves with sober judgment while not considering that we’re superior to others. Let us be willing to place our own interests aside and seek to make a difference in the lives of those who are in need.

For when we do this, we will show ourselves as Christ-like, as we’re to do as Christians, and reflect the very spirit of Jesus Himself…who taught us the full beauty of selflessness by example.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

NOT GUILTY

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

** Become a Follower of The Christian Walk at http://the-christian-walk.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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 our reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

In the first part of 2 Samuel, chapter 19, we saw where Joab had to jostle David out of his attitude of mourning to show gratitude and appreciation towards the men who had fought so valiantly on his behalf in the battle against Absalom and the Israelites who chose to follow him. And so David followed Joab’s counsel, emerged from his sequestered mourning, and presented himself to the people.

Meanwhile, we read where those who had decided to align themselves with Absalom and his attempted coup to kill and unseat David, “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, the scriptures tell us that David decided to send the following message to the elders of Judah through his priests Zadok and Abiathar:

"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 that there are 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”.

Secondly, David also had decided to replace Joab with Amasa, his blood relative and Absalom’s army commander. In regard to this, 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 hands, choosing to take out Amasa.

Back to the scriptures where we see how 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 him:

"Return, you and all your men."

And so that’s just what happened as David began to go back to the holy capital city of Jerusalem (ironically referred to as the “city of David), 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 in their company as well along with “his fifteen sons and twenty servants”.

What an encouraging sight this must have been for David as he approached the Jordan and saw such a large welcome party! 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”.

Well, one of those who did so, Shimei, “fell prostrate before” David 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."

For some context here, we need to rewind to chapter 16. There you may recall that as David fled Jerusalem with his people after learning of Absalom’s rebellion, he encountered a man named Shimei as he approached Bahurim. You’ll recall how 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. Because of this, Abishai wanted to kill him for his actions but David chastised him, feeling that 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, as we see in today’s passage, Abishai hadn’t forgotten what Shimei had done and still held a grudge against him as he bowed down before Israel’s king hoping for mercy. After all, most any other king wouldn’t have hesitates to execute any man who cursed him let alone throw rocks and dirt as well.

Unfortunately, Abishai forgot one thing for David wasn’t just any king. He was a king who was 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 while essentially telling Abishai that they now were adversaries who shared nothing in common. His pardon sent a message that was loud and clear to Shimei and anyone who would say he deserved death.

That message?

I find him not guilty.

In this passage, a sinner bowed down before David and pleaded for compassion through clemency that would provide a new lease on life. And through a man after God’s own heart, Shimei received just that…a amnesty from his sinful behavior.

Now fast forward to us today.

For we all stand guilty of sin before God, our heavenly King. We all deserve death because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and day is coming when we will have to give an account for the way we lived. It will be a day of judgment where God will issue one of two verdicts as our eternal future hangs in the balance of Heaven and Hell. We, like Shimei, will be bowed down before the King, seeking His forgiveness and mercy and grace…and whether or not we receive His pardon…like Shimei received from David…will depend on the answer to one question:

Did we choose to believe in Jesus, His Son, as our Savior?

God’s very Word makes it clear that Jesus alone is the only One who can stand with us at the point of judgment and tell the Father:

“This man or woman is not guilty…for I have paid the penalty for their sins on the cross at Calvary. Their name is written in the Book of Life (Revelation 20:15).”

With that confirmation of justification from Jesus, that person’s passage to eternal life is sealed…saved by the atoning blood of the precious Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29)…the only One through which anyone can come to God the Father (John 14:6).

And what about those who chose to not believe in Jesus?

Well, they would have lost their opportunity to gain Heaven and any hope of eternal life there passed away at their death. Their name will not be written in the Book of Life and there will be no intercession by Jesus on the day of judgment. And so God will render a guilty verdict, therefore condemning that person to a life of everlasting darkness, torment, and damnation.

Given this, there is always urgency for Christians to do everything they can to share the Gospel with those who are unsaved. Today, that number is approximately six billion people…three fourths of the earth’s population. That’s six billion people who are standing on the precipice of Hell because they either haven’t heard the gospel before or have heard it and decided to reject it.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the bottom line is that we simply can’t rest…and Jesus certainly wouldn’t permit us to do so…until every single man and woman in this world can stand before God, their King, at life’s end hear Him declare them “not guilty”.

How will you answer the call found in Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) today?

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

VICTORY OVER DEATH

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

** Become a Follower of The Christian Walk at http://the-christian-walk.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, said, "Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies."

"You are not the one to take the news today," Joab told him. "You may take the news another time but you must not do so today because the king's son is dead."

Then Joab said to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.

Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, again said to Joab, "Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite."

But Joab replied, "My son, why do you want to go? You don't have any news that will bring you a reward."

He said, "Come what may, I want to run."

So Joab said, "Run!"

Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. The watchman called out to the king and reported it. The king said, "If he is alone, he must have good news." And the man came closer and closer.

Then the watchman saw another man running, and he called down to the gatekeeper, "Look, another man running alone!" The king said, "He must be bringing good news, too."

The watchman said, "It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz, son of Zadok."

"He's a good man," the king said. "He comes with good news."

Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, "All is well!" He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king."

The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"

Ahimaaz answered, "I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king's servant and me, your servant, but I don't know what it was."

The king said, "Stand aside and wait here."

So he stepped aside and stood there.

Then the Cushite arrived and said, "My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has delivered you today from all who rose up against you."

The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"

The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man."

The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning because on that day the troops heard it said, "The king is grieving for his son." The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. The king covered his face and cried aloud, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now."

So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, "The king is sitting in the gateway," they all came before him.

2 Samuel 18:19-33, 19:1-8

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

The battle between Absalom’s and David’s forces had ended but word of the outcome had not yet made it back to Israel’s king as he waited at Mahanaim. As 2 Samuel, chapter 18 closes, we see where David is informed as to what happened which included the death of his son, Absalom.

So who would deliver this word to the king?

Well, the scriptures tell us where Zadok’s son, Ahimaaz, first approached Joab, David’s army commander, requesting:

“Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.”

We read where he was rejected by Joab who said:

“You are not the one to take the news today…You may take the news another time but you must not do so today because the king's son is dead."

So with Ahimaaz eliminated from being the messenger, Joab turned to another man, a Cushite, giving him the following command:

"Go, tell the king what you have seen."

And with that, the “Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off”.

Well, we see where Ahimaaz, passed over for the Cushite, wasn’t about to give up because he asked Joab to allow him to run behind the Cushite. Joab questioned him, asserting that there would be no reward for giving the news to the king, but permitted him to go after seeing he wouldn’t take “no” for an answer.

And so Ahimaaz took off, going “by way of the plain” and eventually outrunning the Cushite.

Well back in Mahanaim, we read where “David was sitting between the inner and outer gates” while the “watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall”. And as the watchman peered out across the landscape, he “saw a man running alone” and reported this to David who replied:

“If he is alone, he must have good news."

Well, as the first man came nearer, a man who the seemed to think was Ahimaaz because of the way he was running, he (the watchman) noticed a second man running alone and also reported this to David who said:

“He must be bringing good news, too."

We read where David also added that because Ahimaaz was “a good man”, he would be assumed as bringing “good news”.

Notice David’s hopeful attitude in this passage…a hopeful attitude that fully expected good news to come which would include his beloved son Absalom having been treated gently as he had ordered.

So with this expectation in place, David is approached by Ahimaaz who tells him, “All is well!”, before bowing down “with his face to the ground”. He then says this to David:

“Praise be to the Lord your God! He has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king."

We should note here how Ahimaaz gave the Lord all the credit, praising Him and Him alone for delivering and defeating the king’s enemies. But David’s response showed that he was less concerned with the victory than he was about his son as he asked Ahimaaz:

“Is the young man Absalom safe?"

To which, Ahimaaz replied:

“I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king's servant and me, your servant, but I don't know what it was."

Ahimaaz had not witnessed Joab’s execution of Absalom as he dangled by his hair in the branches of the oak tree and so he could not answer David’s question. This led the king to turn his attention to the second man…the Cushite, after asking Ahimaaz to “stand aside”.

Well, we read where the Cushite approached David, exclaiming:

“My lord the king, hear the good news! The Lord has delivered you today from all who rose up against you."

Again, note how the Cushite attributes the victory to the Lord…the same Lord who had delivered Israel from their enemies for generations. But once more, we see where David was less interested in the deliverance from his enemies as he was the welfare of Absalom as he asked the Cushite:

"Is the young man Absalom safe?"

The reply hit David hard as the Cushite coldly replied:

“May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man."

And with those words, David knew Absalom had died and Israel’s king was devastated by the news for the scriptures tell us that he “went up to the room over the gateway and wept” while saying:

“O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you — O Absalom, my son, my son!"

There was no question that David’s grief ran deep.

Well, Joab and his men followed Ahimaaz and the Cushite in returning to Mahanaim and when they got there Joab was told:

“The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom."

This news crept out and found its way to David’s entire army who instead of receiving rousing praise from their king for fighting so boldly and victoriously got no commendation at all. Instead, David remained submerged in his mourning. This had an impact on the fighting men of Israel who immediately felt unappreciated. Truly, these brave men deserved a much better welcome home than this!

This was Joab’s thought exactly as he went to David and admonished him saying:

“Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now."

Now, let me be clear. It wasn’t that David’s mourning was inappropriate. Rather, it was just ill timed given that his army had just returned from putting their lives on the line for their king and fellow countrymen. They should have at least received some words of gratitude from their supreme leader but that didn’t happen. Joab asserted that David would have actually been more happy if Absalom had lived, even if his entire army had perished in the process.

So Joab advised David to take action immediately or risk losing the loyalty of all his fighting forces, something that would be worse than anything he had experienced since his youth. As the passage ends, we read where David follows Joab’s advice, taking a seat in the gateway as all his men joined him there.

A disaster had been averted.

Now, you might be asking yourself about what we should learn from this account. I believe the Word of God is trying to teach us that we shouldn’t allow death to overshadow victory.

David was so caught up in hoping that his son might survive the fierce war that he ended up distracted from the main goal at hand…defeating Absalom and restoring his power as the king of Israel. We know this because his sole focus when approached by Ahimaaz and the Cushite was on whether or not Absalom had survived. There was no concern for how many of his commanders or men had made it through.

And so when Absalom perished in the battle, David was unable to see anything else except that death and his mourning kept him there, shielded from celebrating the overall victory which included praising his army and showing them his gratitude over their brave fighting.

Underscoring all this is the fact that David never turns to the Lord to ask about what he should do. If he had, the Lord would have surely prepared him for what was to come while providing instruction as to how to handle the news of Absalom’s demise. Instead, David leaned on his own wisdom and understanding, allowing his feelings to get the best of him while nearly messing up the entire matter after his army returned. While wallowing in his sorrow, he nearly lost the allegiance and respect of his men who had defeated Absalom’s threat.

Or to put it another way, David allowed his grief over Absalom’s death to cause him to lose sight of the victory gained.

The life application principle for us today is that we’ll do the same thing…make a mess of our life situations…if we try to take control of things instead of trusting and relying on the Lord’s guidance and leading.

In my nearly 34 years of ministry, I have witnessed many Christians make the same mistake as David, allowing death to overshadow victory. For they are so attached and focused on a Christian loved one while they are alive that they are not ready to respond properly after that loved one dies. This is why Jesus said this in His Sermon on the Mount:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

The “treasures on earth” He speaks of here can easily become a person who we choose to possess like other material items. We make a loved one our “treasure” and by doing so, our heart is in and of them. Therefore, when that person does, we finds our heart is emptied out. Our treasure on earth is gone.

So what are we to do instead?

Focus on the victory vice the death.

For Jesus tells us that we should store up “treasures in Heaven” and we can only do this, when we, and those we love, have placed our faith and trust in Him as Savior. Anyone special to us who die and are in Christ aren’t really dead. Rather, they have changed their address eternally to one that will never change as they move into the mansion Jesus promised to prepare (John 14:1-4).

Through belief in Jesus, victory is certain and death has lost its sting (1 Corinthians 15:53-57). Therefore, let’s not do as David did and regress into a vigil of mourning that is so deep that it consumes us. Rather, let us celebrate the new life our loved one has entered into, the new forever life that will be spent with God the Father and Jesus the Son…the new life that will never carry with it any of the afflictions this worldly life brings.

When we look to the cross and then the empty tomb, it’s easy to remain centered on the victory that swallowed up death. For what did Christ Jesus die for anyways as He hung and bled and died on Calvary’s cross? Did He not suffer and die so He could bring the victory to anyone who place their faith in Him?

Friends, Jesus first died and then rose again in the same resurrection power that will be ours one day so that we could have hope, not despair…a fixation on victory, not defeat. Given this, death is only a dark, sad time when we know someone dies who chose to reject Jesus. In my view, that is reason for someone to mourn heavily because the only thing coming next is an eternity in Hell. For them, death still has its stinger.

As I close today, I pray that we all will approach death with the proper perspective with Jesus at the center, the One who should be our greatest treasure…a treasure of Heaven”. Let us always keep the victory He brought at the forefront, a victory that we as believers will surely experience when this life ends.

If you’re reading this today and have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior, please don’t delay in changing that right now so your death doesn’t have to be steeped in sorrow but rather celebrated as you enter into a new life that will never end…a new life that claims victory over death.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

ABUSING AUTHORITY

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

** Become a Follower of The Christian Walk at http://the-christian-walk.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. David sent the troops out—a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab's brother Abishai, son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, "I myself will surely march out with you."

But the men said, "You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city."

The king answered, "I will do whatever seems best to you."

So the king stood beside the gate while all the men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands. The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, "Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake."

And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.

The army marched into the field to fight Israel and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. There the army of Israel was defeated by David's men and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. The battle spread out over the whole countryside and the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword.

Now Absalom happened to meet David's men. He was riding his mule and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair while the mule he was riding kept on going.

When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, "I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree."

Joab said to the man who had told him this, "What! You saw him? Why didn't you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels of silver and a warrior's belt."

But the man replied, "Even if a thousand shekels were weighed out into my hands, I would not lift my hand against the king's son. In our hearing, the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 'Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.' And if I had put my life in jeopardy — and nothing is hidden from the king — you would have kept your distance from me."

Joab said, "I'm not going to wait like this for you." So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.

Then Joab sounded the trumpet and the troops stopped pursuing Israel for Joab halted them. They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest, and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.

During his lifetime, Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

2 Samuel 18:1-18

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

The battle had been brewing for some time now.

Absalom had conspired against his father ever since he had been allowed back in Jerusalem after he killed his brother Amnon. And as his following among the Israelites grew, so did his power…a power that led him to go to Hebron and muster his supporters before setting his sights on Jerusalem. After hearing of Absalom’s betrayal, David and his people fled the holy city in advance of Absalom’s arrival.

After receiving counsel and choosing the guidance of Hushai over Ahithophel, Absalom assembled his forces and went after David, leaving war imminent after setting up camp nearby David and his forces.

And so we read where “David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds”. He then “sent the troops out — a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab's brother Abishai, son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite” and said to his troops:

“I myself will surely march out with you”.

But we see where the men rejected David’s proposal saying:

“You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won't care about us. Even if half of us die, they won't care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city."

David listened to the feedback from his men and he deferred to their judgment saying:

“I will do whatever seems best to you."

And so he “stood beside the gate” as his men “marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands” and gave specific orders to his commanders: Joab, Abishai, and Ittai:

“Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake."

The scriptures tell us that the order was given with such volume that “all the troops heard” it as well before the “army marched into the field to fight Israel and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.” There, “the army of Israel was defeated by David's men” and the “casualties that day were great” with 20,000 men dying on the battlefield. We read further where the “battle spread out over the whole countryside” to where “the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword”.

Okay, so what happened to Absalom? Where was he as his Israelite army was being defeated at the hands of David’s men?

Well, he definitely was in the vicinity of the battle because we see where he “happened to meet David's men” and as he fled from them on his mule, his hair got caught in the “thick branches of a large oak”, leaving him “hanging in midair”…helplessly dangling ”while the mule he was riding kept on going”.

We read where word of this quickly traveled to Joab, one of David’s three commanders, through one of David’s fighting men. As Joab hears the message, we see him respond in anger toward the messenger saying:

“What! You saw him? Why didn't you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels of silver and a warrior's belt."

Through his words, Joab showed that he had no intention of being obedient to his king’s command and as we’ll see, he would be far from gentle with Absalom. As for the messenger, he showed his absolute loyalty towards David as he told Joab:

“Even if a thousand shekels were weighed out into my hands, I would not lift my hand against the king's son. In our hearing, the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 'Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.' And if I had put my life in jeopardy — and nothing is hidden from the king — you would have kept your distance from me."

This man could see right through Joab and his flawed personality. For Joab had chastised the man for not killing Absalom but would have done anything but chastise him if he had gone ahead and killed Absalom. Rather, he would keep his distance from the man, ensuring he wouldn’t be seen as being complicit in any way.

In the end translation, Joab was self-centered, only concerned about himself.

For immediately after his conversation with the man, Joab said, "I'm not going to wait like this for you" before taking “three javelins in his hand” and plunging them “into Absalom's heart” while he was “still alive in the oak tree”. And to add insult to proverbial injury, Joab’s act of execution was followed up by ten of his armor-bearers who “surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him” before throwing him into a “big pit in the forest” and piling a “large heap of rocks over him. Then, we read where “Joab sounded the trumpet” halting the troops’ pursuit of the Israelites who “fled to their homes”.

And so Absalom was dead, done in by his long hair which made him an easy target for Joab after he got stuck in the tree. But within Joab’s actions, we see a very disturbing disregard for David, the king he worked for…a disregard grounded in the abuse of power that had been granted to him by a higher authority (David).

Think about it.

Joab was only a commander because David had appointed him as such…and that appointment carried with it the obligation to follow and carry out the king’s orders without deviation or compromise. With the appointment, David delegated a certain amount of power and authority to Joab by merit of making him a commander but this power never was to exceed the king’s. Instead, Joab was to make judgments and decisions on the battlefield and elsewhere based on what was in the king’s best interest…and there was no doubt in this instance that David didn’t wish for Absalom to be killed. And so when Joab decided to plunge plunged his three javelins into Absalom’s heart, he clearly violated the king’s command and abused the power inherit to his position.

The scriptures also show us that Absalom abused his power as well. For “during his lifetime”, he “had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself”. He did so feeling he deserved it since he has no “son to carry on the memory of (his) name”. We’re even told he named the "the pillar after himself”…a pillar that is called “Absalom's Monument to this day”.

All this further reminded me of Saul who had gotten himself in trouble for the same reasons as Joab and Absalom…abusing the power that God had granted him as king through ignoring God’s commands and seeking to glorify himself. You’ll remember that he, like Absalom, even erected a monument in honor of himself at Carmel (1 Samuel 15:12).

This message challenges us to self examine how well we do with any authority that the Lord might grant in life.

For I wonder how God feels when parents abuse the authority granted them by mistreating and/or neglecting their children…children who were entrusted to their care by Lord?

Or how does God feel when elected or appointed officials abuse their governing power and mistreat or misrepresent the very people the Lord granted them the authority to rule over?

Or how does God feel when pastors or priests abuse the sacred power and trust given to them, supporting or participating in false teaching or abusing members of the flock the Lord placed in their care?

Or how does God feel when any person chooses to speak profanity, cursing and using His Name in vain…which essentially serves to make a mockery of the authority vested in that very Name?

And how does God feel when we abuse the power He sends us by way of the Holy Spirit (i.e. grieving the Spirit) or when we ignore the power and authority He sends to us through the Spirit by deciding that our way is better than His?

If we’re honest, I think we all can see where we have abused authority in life and probably have experienced someone else abusing their authority over us. It’s a big problem and this is why this message from God’s Word is so important. For when He grants anyone authority, He expects that it will be respected and used only as He intended it to be used.

For in the end translation, nothing we will ever do will be worth anything unless we do it through honoring the power and authority of God the Father and His Son Jesus…a power and authority often delegated to us to do their bidding here on earth. And as we carry out their orders, let us always do so in a way that glorifies and honors them, never ourselves.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

A HELPING HAND IN TIMES OF NEED

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

** Follow The Christian Walk on Twitter @ThChristianWalk

** Like posts and send friend requests to the author of The Christian Walk, Mark Cummings on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mark.cummings.733?ref=tn_tnmn

** Become a Follower of The Christian Walk at http://the-christian-walk.blogspot.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, "Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such but I have advised them to do so and so. Now send a message immediately and tell David, 'Do not spend the night at the fords in the desert; cross over without fail or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.'"

Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A servant girl was to go and inform them and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left quickly and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.

When Absalom's men came to the woman at the house, they asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?"

The woman answered them, "They crossed over the brook."

The men searched but found no one so they returned to Jerusalem.

After the men had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, "Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you."

So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

David went to Mahanaim and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Jether, an Israelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah, the mother of Joab. The Israelites and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead.

When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi, son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Makir, son of Ammiel from Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows' milk for David and his people to eat. For they said, "The people have become hungry and tired and thirsty in the desert."

2 Samuel 17:15-22, 24-29

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

As 2 Samuel, chapter 17 opened, we read about Absalom making plans to defeat his father David after entering Jerusalem. You’ll recall that he asked David’s former counselor, Ahithophel, about what he should do and was told to go after David and his people but kill only his father after which all his followers would be subject to their new ruler.

After receiving this guidance, Absalom called for Hushai who suggested that Ahithophel’s advice was in error and Absalom should take all of Israel after David, killing him and anyone who was following him.

After hearing the two plans, you’ll remember that Absalom opted to follow Hushai’s advice which we knew from the scriptures was really part of the Lord’s plan to frustrate Ahithophel in answer to David’s prayer. Absalom’s decision to not accept his advice hurt Ahithophel so much that he went to his home and hanged himself.

Well as our passage opens today, we see where Hushai didn’t waste any time seeking to continue to help his friend David…to be a helping hand in times of need. For we read where he went to David’s priests, Zadok and Abiathar, and told them to send an immediate message to David telling him to “not spend the night at the fords in the desert” but to instead “cross over without fail or the king and all the people with him (would) be swallowed up".

And so Zadok and Abiathar arranged for a servant girl to send word to two messengers, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, who were in turn supposed to “go and tell King David”. The girl had to be sent to the two men because “they could not risk being seen entering the city” because they were known to be sympathetic to David and thus would be suspected of conspiring against Absalom.

Unfortunately, despite their efforts to keep the message exchange secret, we read where a young man spotted the two messengers and told Absalom, leading to the two men having to flee for their lives. They “left quickly and went to the house of a man in Bahurim” who had a “well in his courtyard”. And after climbing down into the well, the man’s wife “took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well”, scattering “grain over it” so they would not be detected. We read where “no one knew anything about it”.

This woman was definitely a God-send to David and his messengers for if the message didn’t get to David, he and his people would all be over run and killed by Absalom and his army. And so in a time of need, the woman served as an important helping hand.

Back to the scriptures where we find Absalom's men coming “to the woman at the house” and asking about the whereabouts of Ahimaaz and Jonathan. The scriptures tell us that the woman coolly told them the two men “crossed over the brook”, a lead which Absalom’s men followed but of course their search “found no one” because the men they were looking for were concealed in the well. Not finding them, Absalom’s men “returned to Jerusalem” and the wife of the man of Bahurim had saved the day.

Well after Absalom’s men had gone, the two messengers “climbed out of the well and went to inform King David”, telling him to “set out and cross the river at once” for “Ahithophel has advised such and such against you”. And David did as they directed, setting out with all his people and crossing the Jordan by daybreak.

Once across the Jordan, we read where “David went to Mahanaim” while “Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel” and “camped in the land of Gilead”. In other words, David and his people were able to stay one step ahead of their pursuers even though a conflict was imminent.

It was in the midst of this framework that we see David and his people being blessed because they arrived “hungry and tired and thirsty” from their time in the desert.

Enter more helping hands in time of need in the way of Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai who “brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery” as well as “wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows' milk for David and his people to eat”. With conflict looming, David and his people were able to nourish themselves and rest before the confrontation with Absalom and the Israelites aligned with him.

In our passage today, we find the Lord revealing two wonderful truths.

First, we serve a God who sends us help in times of trouble. Often times, this comes from more than one person as the Lord blesses us with the help we need to make it through our difficult circumstances.

In David’s case, his upcoming ultimate victory over his betraying son and those who joined him wouldn’t have happened without the help of those the Lord sent to assist them along the way. For we have seen in the scriptures where the Lord brought people into David’s life from the time he fled Jerusalem, aiding him during his exile as he worked to overcome the threat to his throne. Those people included:

- The loyal protection role of Ittai.

- The informant role played by Zadok and Abiathar.

- The supplier role played by Ziba.

- The counselor/advisor role played by Hushai.

- The messenger role played by the servant girl, Ahimaaz, and Jonathan.

- The harboring role played by the wife of the man of Bahurim.

and

- The hospitality role played by Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai.

Many people…each with different roles but all part of the same plan….a plan ordained and directed by the Lord who always sends help in times of trouble to those who are devoted and loyal to Him.

The second truth we’re reminded of is that the Lord is willing to use any of us at any time as an instrument of His will as He carries out His plans. He has given each of us special skills and abilities that he expects us to use them to His glory…a glory that is no better revealed than when He is working things out in the lives of those who are in trouble.

And just as we have seen people step in and out of our lives when we have experienced trouble, all playing the role the Lord has called them to in order to achieve His purposes, we need to be ready to be used as well…for He can and will call us at any time, in any place, and in any circumstance to serve as a helping hand in a time of need for someone.

As I close, I want to go back to David and a song he composed which is found in the 46th Psalm. In it, he shares the following words, words of praise that I pray we will echo as well:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” v.1

Indeed, He shows Himself over and over and over again to be our ever-present help…often through those He chooses to assist Him and others…those we come to know as our helping hands.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.