Second Samuel. Chapter 14.
And as you're turning there. I can't help but share what I
read in my own personal reading. This week, I'm in the Book of
Job And there's a part where job describes the Majesty of God.
and at the end of his, His displaying of the glories of
God. He says something that humbled
me tremendously, and I pray that it will humble.
You not just humble you, but that it would excite you.
I encourage you your own time to read job 26.
But at the end of twenty sixth chapter 26, you have to turn
there, just listen to what job has to say.
He says, in verse 14 of that chapter behold, these are but
the outskirts of his ways. And how small a whisper, do we
hear of him? And how small a whisper, do we
hear of him? Everything.
You know about God, everything that you see concerning God, his
character, his power, his wisdom is but a whisper just a whisper
just a breath. Maybe think Lord, I Want More
Than A Whisper. And it made me realize that
there's a day coming where it'll be louder than a whisper where
we going to have his glory full force and he will give us the
necessary mind and body and heart and ability to register
all that he is. So everything that you discover
week by week day by day, you're seeing through a glass dimly.
There is a Time coming where you and I are going to see it
face-to-face. See him face to face.
And so as we come to this chapter and second Samuel, let
us discover The Whispers of God's wisdom, his love.
His power has might his grace his compassion, his Justice.
And Lord we pray but we pray again, this is this is our
desire that we may know you. Lord you are our Shield, you are
our glory and you are the lifter of our heads.
And God, you give us more joy than they when their grain and
wine. Abound, your word is our gold.
It is our silver, they are Jewels more precious than all of
these things and we ask for that.
As we come to this chapter, there will be a special Grace.
On the delivery of this word and to be a special Grace upon the
study of it, for every heart that is here.
Open to receive what you have to say.
We give you all glory and honor in Jesus name.
Amen. You might be wondering why?
I'm not down there and why I'm up here.
Just a brief technical thing before we move on.
We want to figure out how to handle that.
Mike probably every week you hear something from Bible study.
But you also hear me say something about buzzing, right?
So I don't want to keep repeating myself.
So we're going to try to get to that buzzing issue.
And until then, we're just Going to be up here for a bit.
Let's come to second Samuel. 14 in one chapter spanning over two
years in real time. You and I have witnessed the
lives of three of David's children.
Never be the same drastically and dramatically being altered
forever, really Tamar or Tamar David's daughter.
Was violated tragically raped and was robbed of her innocence
David's, eldest, son. We studied him and we examine
his life and realized that he was the one Who violated his
sister and was then murdered for his actions.
And then from Tamar to eminent we come and we were introduced
to a man named Absalom and we looked at him and we realized it
Absalom was the one who premeditated the assassination
of his half-brother and then and then fled into Exile hoping to
escape. Justice.
And when we come to this chapter, we have to understand.
According to second, Samuel 1338, three more years have
passed since Emmons death, that's a long time. but we will
realize at the opening of this chapter is that though three
years have gone by David's, heart is still disoriented It is
damaged. It is caught up in different
meditations imaginations. What ifs.
And so this man is in shambles just as much as his home is.
And so this is a dysfunctional family and it's only going to
get worse, unfortunately. And we get the impression of
David's condition here in the first verse of chapter 14, I
don't want us to read it together.
Now, joab, the son of zero. I knew that the king's heart
went out to Absalom. This is the essence of the
disturbance of a of David's heart.
Rather it is for his son, Absalom.
It is going out to him. there's a yearning for his son, there's
a longing for his son, and it makes you wonder that even
though this atrocious Act was committed time does, in fact
heal It does help us forget the weight and the sting of certain
actions. And so David is really in a
place of discomfort and there's a level of of longing for
someone that is a part of him though is not with him anymore
and he wants to see some level of reconciliation happen.
He wants to see some kind of restoration happen.
He wants his boy back in his presence.
And if you think about it, if this is what this man wants,
this father Longs for, he has every authority to be able to
send out Messengers and call for Absalom to return from guest
Shore. And to, to be brought back and
to be brought back into the home, and brought back into his
daily activities, and to just move on from life, he has every
ability to reassure him that he will Embrace him.
And that he will bring him to the place where we can make this
as normal as possible. But he doesn't.
And the question is why and this is where the Dilemma lies
because David here is not just a father who has natural
affections for his son. He is also a king who is called
to uphold Justice. And to not play favorites and to
pledge his Allegiance in his loyalty to God and His law above
all and above everyone else. This is the struggle of the man.
And though, David is in a very unique position, who is
upholding a very unique responsibility, this is a
portrait of David's life, in our study of second Samuel, that
will teach us, and remind us how it is often very difficult to do
the right thing. If you want to know what we're
going to be studying tonight, it is that an honest look in the
scriptures of how the Holy Spirit reminds us and prepares
us that it's not always easy to do that, which is right. and
more than just telling us that because many of us understand
that already, The holy spirit will also through this text,
equip us to know how we can avoid the ensnarement and The
Traps, that will try to keep us from pursuing that, which is
god-honoring and will help us avoid mistakes, that we will
later regret because we fell into some form of deception,
that persuaded us to do that, which was wrong thinking, that
it would bring about better results.
Isn't it difficult to do that? Which we know is right in some
cases. There's family Dynamics, there's
loyalty there is possible, future altering things that if
you do that which is right, it could potentially make you lose
on so many fronts. And so there are many times
where we come to intersections moments where we try to come up
with a plan where we can come as close as possible to that which
God demands of us at the same time, Rising as many
consequences that would come about from doing that which God
calls us to do. It's a Temptation that you will
know if you want to follow Jesus and abide by his word, it will
eventually come in one way or another.
And in David's case he is sitting on his throne day after
day night after night. Struggling.
Of how to go about this. Do I execute Justice?
Against my son. Or do I ignore Justice?
And embrace my son. And we are told here.
That Joe I picked up on this dilemma Joe.
I've was a companion, a very close companion to David.
He was his nephew, he was his confidante, he was someone that
was in close proximity. David 24/7, really?
And he was able to discern that David could not make a decision.
And that he felt stuck. And he was in a very sticky
situation. And so after learning about
this, David is going to be introduced to a different
person. And it's really a plan that job
is going to come up with. Let's read verse 2 and jobs sent
to Toccoa and brought from there.
A wise woman and said to her pretend to be a mourner and put
on mourning garments. Do not anoint yourself with oil
but behave like a woman who has been morning, many days for the
dead, go to the king and speak thus to him.
So joab, put the words in her mouth.
If you feel nervous, that job is orchestrating, something you're
justified in feeling a little uneasy.
Because we know job enough to realize that he's not the most
spiritual among the roster of Israel's Mighty Men.
Job was intensely loyal to David.
He loved David. He loved supporting and he loved
working for him, but at the same time, this man was viciously
motivated by self-interest. And when you see job make
certain decisions you can't put your finger on it.
You don't really know what's going on through his mind all
the time. But we've seen again enough to
realize that when Joy feels like something could potentially
threaten him, he's willing to make dramatic decisions.
And in this case, here, we see that this man who does not have
a high regard for the law. He already killed two people,
rather one, at least that we know of, and he's going to going
to kill somebody else very soon. Without a Cause.
And now we come here and we realize that he is speaking to a
woman with no name no identity and is putting words in her
mouth. What is he going to have her say
on his behalf? Why is he even doing all of
this? Well, one thing's for certain
knowing job, whatever is about to be shared.
From this woman is not going to be in, accordance to God's word
and we're going to learn that very quickly.
We have reason to be suspicious and our suspicions will be
proven true. So if God's honor is not going
to be the aim of job scheme here again, why is he doing this?
And here's the thing, we are not told it's not explicitly.
Clear why job is going to Great Lengths to now send somebody to
send a message to David that has to do, obviously, based on first
one with Absalom. Could it be that job understood
that there is Judgment looming his over his own head?
He has blood on his own hands and maybe he's trying to and
some Way project through this situation, some kind of
conviction on David so that he would not return Justice on him.
It could be, we don't know this job for see.
Something with Absalom being far away potentially Brewing up some
trouble and wanting to avoid something.
And so he wants to try to bring about reconciliation as soon as
possible. We already learned that Absalom
took his time, it's usually not a good thing because he's
brewing. Something could that be the
case? Here?
Again, we do not know why job is doing this, but as we will see
this man does not have the scriptures as a standard does
not have God's law in mind and he's going to try to convince
David to do the same. So what's going to happen here?
Well, before we look at the conversation between this woman
and David, we have to understand that job is smart.
He is intelligent. I mean, he is the commander over
the army. So he has some ability to
strategize does this this Ploy of having somebody come to
David? to deal with a certain issue
with a story because now she's about to present a story, remind
you of a past, confrontation, that David experienced Think
about it. What kind of messenger came to
David, at one point to try to provoke?
Some kind of pronounced judgment on something.
Nathan, the prophet Nathan the prophet at one point came to
David and he had this story that would try to invoke some kind of
emotion and then from there pronounced some kind of judgment
some kind of charge and that is precisely.
What is about to happen. Nathan was successful in that
perhaps job realized that Nathan Was able to get something out of
David, through that method. And so he wants to now utilize
the same tactic. I'm going to have a woman and we
were told you that she was very wise, right?
She's a wise woman, I'm going to dress her up in a certain way.
I'm going to give her a script and let's just see if something
will happen to David's heart where he will be able to convict
himself like he did when Nathan approach them.
And this is a lesson already, the fact that job is imitating
Nathan and some way is instructive for us.
Concerning how We Face spiritual warfare in some way.
What do you mean? Well, the prophet again came to
David with a parable and that would produce some kind of sense
of justice for him to make some kind of a statement, right?
But here we see that job. On the other hand will use such
a familiar means, but not to bring about righteousness.
It is to bring them to a point where he actually dismisses the
law. Instead, of coming to the law,
this is now going to encourage him to overshadow that which God
commands and to use a different kind of standard to make his
decision, concerning Absalom. And if that is true, then this
is what we have to learn that the enemy, our enemy, the enemy
of your soul and mine. He often disguises himself and
imitates. What God has done or what God
can do in order to disarm us in a way that would do pus in one
way or another. So this is a call for
discernment at the sermon that David would unfortunately, lack
you. And I have to understand that
this woman was described again as wise and depending on the
context that can be a good thing or a bad thing.
You know, what is the last time or where the last time we were
told someone was wise. It was Jonah Dad.
We're told that he was a crafty man in 2nd Samuel 13.
It's the same word used here, cunning deceptive.
Persuasive. Convincing.
Job knew exactly who to find to do the job.
And you, and I have to understand that.
We cannot be fooled by the way. Something or someone is packaged
We have to look beyond the surface, we must be able to
develop discernment through the truth of God's word and His holy
spirit in us. And so, here's the, here's the
understanding just because somebody quotes a few verses out
of context, it doesn't mean they're right.
Just because they hold a Bible. Just because their demeanor
seems gentle and kind and compassionate soft.
It doesn't matter what kind of testimonies they even provide to
try to validate their counsel, or their belief, It doesn't mean
they are from God. It doesn't mean it is, right?
And so here we see something, very familiar, a righteous man
did this at one point but now we have an unrighteous man
borrowing the tactics of someone who was of God and is now going
to persuade someone through very similar.
Tactics to draw, somebody away from God, be very careful.
The devil doesn't come to your front door with horns and a
pitchfork and a tail. He can have his own Evangelistic
Show on satellite television. He can have awesome podcast that
reaches the world. They can come to our church and
sit in our pews and amen. Bible studies and sing.
The same songs, be very careful. Unfortunately, David is not
careful. With a pretender.
She is a pretender. So now here's what we're going
to do. The next set of verses will show
us the elements or at least some elements of deception that we
must be aware of. Because Unfortunately, they are
the very things that will direct a divided, heart to make the
wrong decision. Let's read from verse for you,
with me verse 4, when the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she
fell on her face to the ground. And paid homage and said, Save
Me O King. And the King said to her.
What is your trouble? She answered a last time, a
widow. My husband is dead and your
servant had two sons and they quarreled with one another.
In the field. There is no one to separate them
and one struck the other and killed him.
And now the whole clan other translations would say, the
whole family has risen against your servant and they say, give
up the man who struck his brother that we may put him to
death for the life of his brother whom he He killed, so
they would destroy the are also, thus, they would quench my coal.
That is left and leave to my husband.
Neither name nor Remnant on the face of the Earth.
Again. Like Nathan's.
Parable job is very clever and here's how he's clever.
He is fabricating a story to be close enough to David's
predicament. So that when he does pronounce a
judgment, he would indict himself yet.
He makes it different enough for David.
Not to be aroused in his suspicions.
But instead of Suspicion there would be sympathy, that would be
stimulated based on the content of the case that is being
presented. And so I want your base on the
verses that we just read. I'm actually asking you and I'm
going to hear your answers will hear together.
Based on this. Remember, the strategy is let's
come as close as possible to the real event that happened a few
years ago. But let's let's separate
ourselves enough. So that David can't catch on.
What are some differences? We see the similarities, right?
But what are the differences here that are important to point
out and I'll tell you why they're important in a moment.
What do you see here? You would have to have come the
past few weeks to know what the real event was.
But for those who have been here or know the story, well, look at
these three verses that we just read and think What is
different? Yeah, so we have the whole
family asking for the one who slayed, the brother to be put to
Justice, right? We don't have any indication
that that was happening in David's family. well, in the
real event where their two brothers, I conflict Now, the
way this woman presents, it was that there was a spontaneous
combustion. Of some kind of tension and one
brother killed. The other on the spot is that
what happened in real life? What happened in real life, It
was premeditated. That's important.
So the woman already here is trying to soften the crime by
making it seem as though it was. It was just the Heat of the
Moment, the Heat of the Moment, right?
Somebody had their hand up. Yes.
Yeah, interesting. Right.
There were no witnesses. There is nobody who can
intervene there was no one who could step in sure.
What's the heartbreaking? Part of all the story apart from
the murder. She's a widow.
She doesn't have a husband.
So, our only means of support are her sons.
One, son is gone. She has one son left.
And if they were to perform this execution, if capital punishment
were to be done, she would lose her other son and she would be
left alone destitute and in danger.
That's an interesting difference.
And she even strategically uses the word.
Are I think that's the strike a chord and David's heart as well.
Who will be the are my husband's name will disappear old vanish
from the remnant of the Earth. And so here, we see something
that may be similar a real murder took place, but it's
vastly different than what David had to deal with.
Was Absalom David's only son. Was his only son left?
No, he had several Sons. So was David's Kingdom in
Jeopardy, was his dynasty going to go extinct even if Absalom
was dealt with according to the law.
No. But in this story it's it's a
pretty serious dilemma but that dilemma is not parallel to the
real thing and yet it's being presented for a reason.
And here's the thing I was reading this, I was looking at
this, I was studying this. I thought here's how you can
summarize the strategy of this woman at this point in one word.
Exaggeration. Exaggeration.
She knows very well with David is dealing with job.
Made it known to her. And yet, they blow it out of
proportion that the fake stories blown out of proportion.
And that is for a reason. She is making David's problems.
Seem larger and more drastic than it really is.
And when she comes to do this, she is doing so in order to sway
his heart. And to convince him.
That if he does, make the wrong decision in the estimation of
job, then it will cost him very much.
And so, this is a, this is a deliberate way of trying to
overcome David with something that is not true.
It's partly true but it's not completely true and we could
even say that she is softening. The brother's murder as
something again. I spontaneous when the facts are
Absalom thought about it, for two years from the moment that
he heard that Tamar Tamar was hurt.
He knew he went into that mode of planning something to
eliminate his brother. And here's the thing that you
and I have to understand with this, some people exaggerate
innocently, right? There are just prone to perceive
things and to not recall them according to the actual
proportion of the issues, And then, there are other people who
do so intentionally. And those who do it,
intentionally usually do. So in order to accomplish a
selfish ambition that would require deceit in order to
arrive there. And that goal can be anything
from seeking sympathy from others.
Or praise from others. So they decorate something in
order to pull on the heartstrings a little bit more
or excite people a little bit more. and that may seem innocent
to us but it can go from there to anything as Extreme as what
we see here to try to persuade those in authority to make a
judgment that will be in their favor even if it Makes others
pay a high price. Embellishing the truth, may seem
harmless, but it can be deadly to the undiscerning.
And it happens more often than we think, doesn't it?
We may be caught ourselves doing it.
One of the ways that I've seen it throughout the years of
ministry, this is probably the most common way.
I've personally seen it. Maybe you would not agree with
me but this is just me is that when a case is presented or
there's some issue or whatever is going on, it's usually backed
up or it's usually introduced with the following so many said
or saw or heard the same thing. The majority agree.
There is a consensus. and then when you ask well, okay, who you
get half a name out of the so many out of the so many that are
affected by in. So many that are disturbed by in
so many that have seen it. Then you just investigate a
little bit and it's really barely anybody.
And so we if we're not careful, we can go into that place.
Where we try to make something seem more serious more
threatening or maybe more successful.
More popular than it really is. When in fact that's not the case
at all. And this is the thing that you
have to understand. That if we're not careful, we
can allow others stretch something.
To Cloud our judgment, the second element here, apart from
exaggeration, is something that you.
And I have to very much Take into consideration.
Let's go back to the introduction when she first
stepped into the throne room. She said, Save Me O King and
before that she fell on her face to the ground.
Now, how did she look based on the first few verses that we
read that she come dressed up? They should come with perfume
with makeup. No, she didn't everything.
But she was a mourner. She had morning garments.
She didn't anoint yourself with oil.
She was a mess. This is a costume, right?
And with the costume, came a character, she comes in and she
just falls to the ground. She's an older woman and this is
supposed to from the beginning, cause David to be alarmed and to
be shook. And the way she paints her
words, the way she colors her circumstance is very, very
telling. I mean, look down here at verse
7 again, and notice how she talks about her her future the
bleakness of her future. he says here, thus they would quench my
coal that is left like so poetic So desperate, my life has been
reduced to one little call and it is ready to be extinguished
and lets you O King intervened on my behalf.
That's good. That's really good.
And so David is his having his heart stirred by the site, by
The Sound, by the actions, by the presentation.
And so, what's happening here? Well, we talked about
exaggeration and now we see that this woman is obviously trying
to engage the emotions. To engage the emotions.
You realize how powerful your feelings are, do you not?
And I am not among those who condemn emotions they came from
a good God, for good pleasure. They are a gift.
They I they add Dimension to life, they accompany things.
Right? But like any good gift that
comes from our heavenly father it can be abused.
If it is not managed or supervised carefully.
And that is exactly what is going to take place in David.
The woman is exciting, the faculties of his feelings so
that he can do. What make a conclusion based on
his emotion, while dismissing the facts of the matter.
Ignore the facts, David. The facts are as what we see
here. That she says concerning the
clan, the clan tan, accordance to the law, have the right to
demand for the brother, who killed his brother to be put to
death. That's that's the fact, that's
the truth. But it was coded.
And it was surrounded with this appeal to sentiment.
And to compassion and to all these different things.
So that he can ignore the facts. Ignore what is demanded. and I
think about, How? This is an operation today, if
you really are honest, you know that when it comes to evil being
tolerated, It often requires emotions to be manipulated.
When evil wants to be tolerated, it often requires emotions to be
manipulated. Think about all the wicked
agendas that are being pushed on our culture today.
It just listen closely. Listen closely, and you'll
realize that they are baseless arguments.
They're not found in logic, they're not found in reason.
They're not found in facts, not found in data.
It's emotional reasoning. Has no legs to stand on. and
yeah, it is working with so many and when you get people to think
by what they feel, you can actually bring them to the point
where they dismiss what is real. Get them to think by what they
feel and they can even disregard.
What is real? What is true?
What is scientific? What is obvious?
What is common sense? You think it what's happening in
our world? Why are we seeing what we're
seeing? Yeah, it's a great delusion
according to Romans 1. We're at the bottom of the
barrel, curling, according to God's passive.
Judgment sure. But in a practical sense, what
we're seeing is the fruit of making your convictions based on
your emotions. And depending on who is affected
by that, it can have disastrous consequences.
And in this case, I mean, I hope you realize how serious this is
because depending on what David does, it will affect the future
of the nation. And so, we see that this woman
is persuading him. Persuading him, with
exaggeration persuading him with emotional manipulation.
And if you and I are not careful to discern that these same
tactics can be utilized on us. On a microscopic level or on a
macro level, then we are bound to make silly decisions like
David does. What will he end up doing after
this? Facade verse 8, then the king
said to the woman, go to your house and I will give orders
concerning you. Without hesitation.
He assures the woman that her guilty son will not be punished.
Now, here's the thing we learned earlier that this woman was
crafty. And so she would not be
satisfied with this general statement because this is what
he's essentially saying, okay? Just go home and I'll let you
know what I'm going to do. Not happening.
So she persist for David to make his settlement more accurate.
Look at verse 9 in the woman of Tekoa is set to the King on me.
Be the guilt, my Lord, the king, and on my father's house, let
the king and his throne be Guiltless.
The king said in verse 10, if anyone says anything to you,
bring him to me and he shall never touch you again.
So she's not satisfied. David gives a more defined
resolution and verse 10. And she's still not satisfied.
I'm not leaving with that. I'm not going back.
I need something more concrete. And so again, look at verse 11,
then she said, please let the king invoke the Lord your God.
That the Avenger of blood kill no more.
And my son be not destroyed. It's like I need you now to make
an oath. I'm appealing to a higher Court,
a Heavenly court, and I'm asking you now to invoke the name of
the Lord. Because there's nothing more
binding than that and to, to let me know for certain that my son
will not be handed over to the law.
What is the ruler Israel do? he said, as the Lord lives, not
one hair of your sons shall fall to the ground.
David you're in trouble. Without him realizing he
compounded his conviction. His own conviction, his own
condemnation. And he backed himself up in a
corner and guess what, he won't be able to escape, unless he's
willing to be Blasphemous and dishonor his oath to God.
He stuck, he can't go anywhere from here especially because,
the lord's name is now involved. And once the woman saw that
David was committed to this case, she turns the table and
like Nathan, who at the right time said you are the man.
She is now going to reveal what this is really all about.
So look at verse 12, then the woman said, please let your
servant speak a word to my Lord. The king.
He said speak, I'd be nervous. And the woman said, why then
have you planned such a thing against the people of God?
For in giving this decision the king convicts himself in as much
as the king, does not bring his banished one home again.
You want to find. So disturbing about this.
because, as much as this is the woman whose Standing and facing
off with David, it's really joab.
And what I find. So disturbing about this whole
ordeal is that job is going to Great Lengths to make sure that
David is convicted. Like, wouldn't you think you
would do that with Absalom instead who's the real guilty
one and all of this? It's Absalom and up to this
point, three years have gone by, there's no repentance, No
Remorse, no regret, no shame, no embarrassment, nothing.
This man is hiding away in his pride, waiting for a red carpet
to roll out for him to come back into his Palace.
And yet job is doing all of this to make an innocent man.
In this situation feel guilty, And to repent so to speak.
And when you see this, you have to understand that we should not
expect anything more from somebody who does not have a
submission to the scriptures. When you do not view the world,
the way God calls you to view the world.
You will have. A distorted understanding of
what is right? And what is wrong?
Is that not true? And when I looked at this, when
I looked at jobs, Behavior, I thought of the verse that is
there before Proverbs Chapter 30, the last verse of Proverbs
29 reads this An unjust man is an Abomination to the righteous.
But one, whose way is straight is an Abomination to the wicked.
An unjust man. Somebody who's guilty, somebody
who's a sinner, somebody who's a rebel that kind of a person is
an Abomination to the righteous. But the one whose way is
straight and honorable and on the Narrow Path and In Perpetual
agreement to the word of God is actually an Abomination to the
wicked. So that same righteous
indignation that you sense, concerning sin and Injustice and
Corruption those same feelings though.
Justify our experience in the hearts of those who are evil
towards those who are right. There's such a perversion that
occurs when we abandoned God. Everything gets messed up.
Enjoy a proving to be such a man.
He can look at somebody like David and instead of encouraging
to do right challenge him to do wrong and then to even indict
him if he doesn't So David is, is hearing this from this
messenger, this actress this lady with no name and how do you
know that job based on the verses were that were just read?
How do you know that joab is not a person who has regard for the
scriptures? Look carefully, specifically,
Everest 13? What stands out to you?
What is the subject of David's guilt, apparently.
But more specifically, it's right there in the wording of of
the woman. Very good.
Why have you planned such a thing against the people of God?
You know what he should have said if it was true against the
law of God, No, such thing. So in jobs, mine, here's a
problem. David, if you do not bring
Absalom back, this will affect the morale of the nation and
potentially the future of this nation.
And so, what is pumping through joab's, veins is purely
political It's not about righteousness.
It's not about God standard. It's not about what he asked for
concerning us. It's about what will happen to
the people. So this is not a person who has
any mindfulness of God's demands.
And that's where you get in trouble.
Listen. Hey, do you want to be protected
from being deceived? Do you want to be protected from
making stupid decisions in life? Can I can I suggest something to
you? Don't seek the counsel of people
who don't tremble at God's word. I know that there are General
things that you can seek even unbelieving people for when it
comes to doing that, which is right.
I I highly recommend not going to a person who does not ordain
their lives under every precept found in this book from Genesis
to revelation. Just throw that out there.
What will happen to the people of God?
Well, here's my main concern, what will happen to God and my
relationship with God and his name in his honor.
That's a righteous man. That's a righteous woman.
That's somebody who will protect themselves from pitfalls in life
that they could have easily skipping over.
They had just trusted in the wisdom of God.
And in verse 14, this woman goes from trying to point out the
offense here, to Bringing objective observations into the
whole predicament and this Is what she does.
Look at verse 14. We must all die.
She still talking to David. We are like water spilled on the
ground. Which cannot be gathered up
again, but God will not take away life.
And he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an
outcast. So she's continuing to make her
case more convincing. She's trying to drive this thing
home. And she says, three important
things. Here's the first thing that she
says, we must all die. We are like water spilled on the
ground. What do you think she means by
that? Kind of, but you're close.
Life is short, David? Life is like spilling water and
not only is it short. Once it's over, it's over.
If I spill water here on the carpet, you would think I'm a
Madman to try to put it back in the cup.
And so it's a combination of not only his life short, it's end is
unexpected. And once it's over, you can't
redo what you need to redo or what you hope to redo and in the
context. But she is suggesting is David
reconcile before it's too late. Make sure you mend this thing
before. The grave calls you are the
great calls him and you look back and you think.
I wish I had done something. And so, she's appealing to the
brevity of life. And our unannounced, expiration
date and how we should do, what we need to do to be able to make
sure that we are at peace with all men and that when God does
call us home, we don't look back and have any regrets.
He has a powerful point. But then she says something
else. The second thing is, God does
not take away life. Consider the context but God
will not take away life. What do you think she means by
that? It's a little harder to
interpret. Here's what I believe that it
means that the Lord does not prefer judgement as his primary
answer to wrong. The Lord does not.
As his first step desire to execute, or to eliminate or to
shut the door for Mercy to be experienced first.
And in this case, what she's saying, in light of Absalom is
listen, if God really wanted to punish Absalom, he would have
done it already. He would have just struck him
down. He would have sent the plague
into his very body. He would have just had him
killed but Absalom is still alive.
And so up to this point, we have two arguments being with made
right life is short, it's brief. Why don't you reconcile before?
It's too late it could also mean this look in the same way that a
cup is poured out into the dirt and you can't gather it up again
Emmons dead. Engines gone.
And so even if you do punish Absalom is that going to bring
em back? It's not gonna bring in the back
and God doesn't take away life. That's not his his primary
desire as ambition and dealing with those who are in sin and
that's closely tied into her final case, her final point
being made and what is that? And he being God, devises means
so that the banished one will not remain an outcast.
That's a beautiful point. Is it not In other words, God
has provided a system. A sacrificial system in order to
give the sin and opportunity to experience forgiveness, and
Grace and restoration instead of remaining banished and an exile
from his presence. And so this final point is very
clear. God has done what he could to
initiate reconciliation. And to swing his arms, open wide
for The Sinner to come. And if God David is willing to
do that, why aren't you? Why aren't you?
You can just imagine the weight, you can imagine the crushing
conviction that this man is feeling.
And so, all in all, this is also being said, so that David could
urgently and mercifully bring Absalom home.
I might disappoint you with this point but you have to stick
around to see what I'm about to say, and prove it as kind and as
compassionate as warm and fuzzy. All of this may seem there are a
couple of things wrong with this picture of forgiveness.
What are they? What would you say?
What's that? There are consequences.
Yes, no repentance that is one for certain.
Well, let me ask it this way. Is to try to just steer Us in
the right direction. Many have referenced.
That verse verse 49, especially the last part as a gospel gem
hidden and tucked in an old Covenant text, which is true
because it points to God's altar means of bringing the banish one
back to his presence. And that means is the man Christ
Jesus. That's the foreshadowing here,
there has been a device. There has been a plan that God
has ordained from eternity past and it is that through the sun,
those who have been pushed out because of their sin can now be
brought back into fellowship with the Holy One.
And as we look at this, we realize that's wonderful.
That's true. That's a wonderful way of trying
to persuade the hearts of those who are lost to realize they can
be found. But here's the problem.
This God compromised, his law in order to reconcile us He
doesn't. And this is why this is
important. This is a gospel truth.
You have many people. Who believe the way God forgives
is, that he just brushes things. Under the carpet, is the, you
know what? I'm just going to take your sins
and throw them in the sea of forgetfulness.
We're not going to have to deal with it.
Let me just wink. Let's just start over.
Let's just turn over a new Leaf. Let's just forget it.
Ever happened. That's not how God forgives and
a popular preacher once said. And I looked it up just to make
sure if it's still up there and it's still up there.
So it's still a public thing and as pastors who specially deal
with the truth and Have to protect people from those ideas
that are not true. I have to tell you this, there's
a popular Pastor. Maybe you've heard this who said
something along the lines of that God broke his law.
And the Name of Love. Did you hear it?
God broke his law in the Name of Love.
And the idea there is that I'm guessing because it wasn't
clarified, so you're leaving me to speculate with such a strong,
strong commentary of the Gospel that God performs, some kind of
Injustice against the sun in order to find a way to forgive
all of us and to restore us unto himself.
God didn't break his law. To display his love, he
satisfied the law, that's the gospel.
The wisdom of the Cross is that Justice and mercy kissed, And
that God could uphold his Holiness while at the same time,
extend his mercy and neither of those attributes were ever
compromised one bit. So God did not suspend his
Justice in order to see more loving to sinners, no, he
satisfied. His wrath in order for us to
experience his loving kindness That's the idea.
And so to hear what this woman has to say, is partly true that
there has been a plan provided a means so that the banished one
will not remain an outcast, but not at the expense of the law
being ignored or neglected or Worse violated.
And so we see here that no moral code was ever ever, ever deleted
in order to win our pardon know. He was able to satisfy his
Justice while swinging the door of Mercy, wide open for us to
come right in But one might object and this is where I want
you to be equipped. Well, that sounds nice.
But is it really fair for the son of God?
To be killed on behalf of those who have sinned themselves and
have a record of their own to deal with.
Is that really just forgot to send his son into place?
The sin of the world from Adam up to the final person who will
live before it all ends Can we say that?
That is right? How would you answer that?
Because that's a common question.
Isn't that good? Can I tell you the reason?
Can I tell you the answer? It's in one verse and it's one
of my favorite statements that Jesus ever made while walking on
the earth, John 10 verse 18, no one takes it from me.
But I lay it down of my own accord.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.
And then he goes on to say that he has the authority to lay down
and he has the authority to bring it right up again.
Glory to Jesus Christ. I volunteer my life.
I willingly lay down my life. I like Isaac.
Isaac, the greater Isaac carry the would willingly.
Up to that mountain and lay myself down on that Altar and
willingly opened myself up. To the dagger of God to pierce
me so that atonement can be made.
It realized that Isaac was not 9 years old when he was being led
by the father to go up into those mountains of Moriah.
He had to be old enough to carry the wood, and if he was old
enough to carry the wood and have a conversation with his
father, with important observation, how there's there's
obviously sacrifice missing, then he also had the strength
and the independence to roll off that altar.
Once you realize that she is the sacrifice but he didn't.
He silently and submissively stayed in place.
That's Christ. Now, we can make a case that it
is unjust for somebody to be kicking and screaming being
pulled by a judge though, perfect to pay for those who are
imperfect. But what do you do with somebody
who says, A body, you have prepared for me.
This is why I've come. I'm saying that I have come to
be a ransom for many. Not to be served but to serve.
What do you do when the sun enters into our world with the
sole purpose of dying? And so we see here that there's
something very questionable about how the mercy of God is
interpreted. And secondly, we see something
else and our brother mentioned it.
There is no repentance in all of this.
There is no call for Absalom to realize his wrong.
And to admit, there's no confession, There's No Remorse.
There is no conversation about this, there's no rebuke nothing.
What job is say, just bring him back let's just avoid potential
problems here. And just bring him back and
let's just move on with all this.
The longer he stays out there. The more things can come about
and let's just cut it. And let's just just deal with
this. And I deal with it the way that
we should deal with it. There is no evidence from this
moment on that Absalom ever does share.
Any kind of sense of guilt. He's able to just move on, like,
it's nothing and though, listen, you, and I are all called to
forgive from the heart. You know that, right?
Every single one of us are called to forgive from our
heart, but reconciliation is contingent upon repentance.
I know that might shock you but it is true.
If you want New Testament evidence for that, go to Luke 17
on your own time and realized that when Jesus talks about
restoring a brother who sins multiple times a day, he
includes a word that Luke really likes in his gospel account.
It's a word repent. If somebody repents and you
rebuke him. And he realizes wrong and vows
to turn away from the wrong, then you can embrace them again.
Do you know why repentance is important for reconciliation?
There are many reasons why and here's one of them because
someone who is in the wrong and wants to hold onto their wrong,
must learn that they cannot enjoy holy relationships without
forsaking corruption first. That is true for between two
parties and that is true, even on a local church level.
When somebody refuses to repent, The ultimate punishment of
somebody refuses to repent and a local church setting is that
they are excommunicated. Because in God's wisdom, he will
not allow in his love for his child, to think that they can
claim the Privileges of the Holy people of God.
While placing your address in Satan's territory.
Just can't you got to pick one or the other and in hoping that
once they go out into the world and they are released into the
world, realizing how cold and cruel and ugly.
It really is, they would then come back in the church.
Should be ready to embrace them again.
So we do a disservice to the sanctification of people.
If we are willing to continually reconcile with them void of
repentance, it's actually more harmful than it is anything
else. And what you see here is that
reconciliation without repentance.
Additionally is a recipe for repeated offense.
Can I say that one more time? Reconciliation, without
repentance is a recipe for repeated, not just repeat it.
But even growing offense, And so there is a responsibility and
not to satisfy a niche of the flesh because you and I believer
have to be ready even multiple times a day.
According to the words of Jesus that if somebody repents that
you say I you have my, you have my love, you have my fellowship,
you have my attention. at the same time, if someone refuses to
Then you have an obligation to refrain.
From giving access to that person the way they would want.
While also wanting their sin. And here's a prime example, if
we forsake that kind of wisdom it's in 2nd Samuel 14.
Look at verse 33. Look at how this chapter ends.
We're not gonna be able to, obviously finish this unless you
want to stay feel like 11:30. We're not going to do that.
And second Samuel 14:33. Notice what happens, then Joy
have went to the king and told them and he summoned Absalom.
So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the
ground before the king and the King kissed Absalom.
That's a problem. That's a problem.
This is extremely problematic because Absalom, with all of
this was still in an unrepented State and the Father Here, gives
them a kiss of approval, it kiss of Pardon really And that kiss
permitted, Absalom to have full range, access to the world and
the life that he knew before he was banished.
And you know what, you see in a very few short verses after this
happened, go to chapter 15 and look at verse 6.
Thus Absalom did to all Israel. Who came to the king for a
judgment. So, Absalom stole the hearts of
the men of Israel. Do you know what happened?
You know, what's going to happen?
Civil War is going to break out. Civil War is going to break out
and it had it happened because David was deceived and thinking
that reconciliation, without rebuke reconciliation without
repentance, would bring some kind of piece.
You would think that this gesture would humble such a man.
and overwhelm him, but instead, He's going to bring more harm
than he ever did before and instead now only is he going to
rip a nation? Into shreds, he's going to
destroy himself. So you see we don't do people
favors when we give them access to the fellowship.
The Bible allows us to enjoy when we come together with the
same cause and the same fight, we don't do people service when
we say, you can hold onto your sin and still have all of this.
Now, only are you going to bring more harm to the context of your
life but to that very person that you're trying to help
Because Absalom is going to end up dying unrepentant.
So you see in the same way that God does not Bend Justice to
bring us to himself, he also does not excuse unrepentant for
reconciliation sake. So everything about what this
woman of Tekoa, saying flags flags flags.
It sounds good, it's very heart moving.
But it's not completely true. And here's the problem.
In verse 18, after she continues and concludes her whole spiel.
Then the king answered the woman do not hide from me.
Anything I asked you and the woman said, let my Lord the king
speak then King said is the hand of job with you in all of this.
So some kind of fog was lifted and he was able to realize makes
you wanted. This is twice.
Now it happened right? You had Nathan come with a
parable like story and then you end up pulling something out of
you and you get yourself in trouble and now this woman comes
and sheep. He probably forgot.
This is not fictitious most likely and so now he's wondering
There's somebody behind the scenes here and he says his job
behind all this. The woman answered and said uh
sure Lea's you live the Lord, the king one cannot turn to the
right hand or to the left. From anything that my Lord the
King has said, it was your servant job.
Who commanded me. It is he put all these words in
the mouth of your servant. In order to change the course of
things or serving job job did this but my Lord has wisdom like
the wisdom of the angel of God, to know, all these things that
are on the earth. I would say the same thing,
probably if I realized that, although I got caught, you're
like the angel of God. You're so wise, you're so
amazing. Here's, here's the thing, we can
praise David for his discernment but I can't do that.
You know why? Because I think his questioning
was too late. David, you should ask those
questions before. You should have put aside your
feelings, you should have put aside your subjective issues and
reasonings and thoughts and investigated.
And waited. I see you and I in this day, we
are called to such wisdom. So happy that Pastor Daniel read
about wisdom and Proverbs for, I think this is the beauty of
Bible studies like this. It's extremely practical for
day-to-day life. And we are living in a day of
exaggeration. We are living in a day of an
emotional. Tornado.
And it's going to demand us to make decisions about our
convictions about who we fellowship with about what,
where we go, what we do, what we say, what we don't say.
And we will get ourselves in trouble, unless we apply the
wisdom of God's word, to be our shield.
And to be our filter in this world, And so I look at David
here and he asked the question, but he's already stuck.
He can't get out of it. He invoked the name of God and
so he has to go through with it. So be reminded believer in this
place that stories like this have been given to preserve us
from similar mistakes. And that when it does come to a
point in life, where you have to make the right decision as
difficult as it may seem realize that in those moments of dilemma
where you are pondering, what I should do that, the enemy is
right there to tempt you to make the wrong decision.
He'll put fear in you. He'll convince you that God's
law seems inconsiderate and overwhelming.
He'll try to persuade you that. If you do it this way, which
violates God's law, it will protect your future and it will
cause Less Problems. And so in those moments just
come to the word of God. And and in those moments where
the word of God gives you the clear answer trust in what God
had said. If David would have taken care
of Absalom, there wouldn't have been a civil war.
If David had taken care of absent if he had, at least
confronted him potentially, there would have been repentance
and in David wouldn't have to whoa himself.
Absalom Absalom. Oh my son and wish that you had
died instead of him perhaps because you have an idea of
where he went after he died. So here's the final thought I'm
giving to you on this Friday night at all times in
everything. No matter how difficult it may
seem to do that which is right, do it.
God's word is true and the result of obedience is always
better than what you think, might come.
If you just do it your way, trust in the Lord, he will lead
you. He will reward you, he will
bless you in all things at all times.
Amen, let's pray together. Lord, we humble ourselves
tonight. I know there's so much meat in
this chapter. We trust that what you desire to
speak to our hearts has been accomplished Lord, with all of
our weaknesses, we pray that what has been presented and
studied and discussed together would indeed affect us.
And there we even pray that. For those who will have to face
difficulty in doing the right thing that this study, will come
to mind this example in your Eternal Word with surface in the
Forefront of our thinking. And that we would be encouraged
to know and equipped to know. That this has happened before
with many men and women of God. And you have prescribed us
exactly what we need in order to avoid the worst outcomes.
And Lord even though we can't see the outcome of our obedience
help us believe you. And may your honor be our reward
more than anything else. What we ask for discernment in
this age, the sermon in our lives?
we ask that you even helped us not fall into the Trap of
decorating. Our truths with falsehood so
that it can be more appealing or convincing but we pray that we
would not give in to our emotions to determine what is
right and what is wrong. And we ask Lord that you would
give us the hunger for the word of God that would help us be
able to see past the surface of all the the Showmanship around
us. And so what we give you glory
tonight for this study we are moved to worship you because
this is your wisdom given to us. And we are privileged to be
adorned with these things that will help us glorify you
tomorrow. And the day after, for the rest
of our lives, Lord receive our praise because it will be a
praise of Thanksgiving for the feast that second, Samuel 14 has
been to us tonight. We bless you now.
In Jesus name we do. Amen.
Shall we stand?
And give God glory.