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Okay, you can turn in your Bibles 
to 2 Samuel 18. Okay, 2 Samuel chapter 18. I'm good, thanks. 2 Samuel 18, I'll begin reading 
in verse 1, and we'll go to 19.8. As 19.1-8 goes with 18. 2 Samuel 18, beginning in verse 
1. And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains 
of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. Then David 
sent out one-third of the people under the hand of Joab, one-third 
under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zariah, Joab's brother, 
and one-third under the hand of Ittai, the Gittite. And the 
king said to the people, I also will surely go out with you myself. But the people answered, You 
shall not go out, for if we flee away, they will not care about 
us, nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are 
worth ten thousand of us now, for you are now more help to 
us in the city. Then the king said to them, Whatever 
seems best to you, I will do. So the king stood beside the 
gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 
Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Deal 
gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people 
heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning 
Absalom. So the people went out into the 
field of battle against Israel, and the battle was in the woods 
of Ephraim. The people of Israel were overthrown there before 
the servants of David, and a great slaughter of 20,000 took place 
there that day. For the battle there was scattered 
over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people 
that day than the sword devoured. Then Absalom met the servants 
of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule 
went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his 
head caught in the terebinth. So he was left hanging between 
heaven and earth. And the mule which was under 
him went on. Now a certain man saw it and 
told Joab and said, I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth 
tree. So Joab said to the man who told 
him, You just saw him, and why did you not strike him there 
to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels 
of silver and a belt. The man said to Joab, though 
I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, 
I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing, 
the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware lest 
anyone touch the young man Absalom. Otherwise, I would have dealt 
falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from 
the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me. 
And Joab said, I cannot linger with you. And he took three spears 
in his hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart while he was 
still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. And ten young 
men who bore Joab's armor surrounded Absalom and struck and killed 
him. So Joab blew the trumpet, and 
the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the 
people, and they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit 
in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. 
Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. Now Absalom in his 
lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is 
in the King's Valley. For he said, I have no son to 
keep my name in remembrance. He called the pillar after his 
own name, and to this day it is called Absalom's Monument. 
Then Ahimaz, the son of Zadok, said, Let me run now and take 
the news to the king, how the Lord has avenged him of his enemies. 
And Joab said to him, You shall not take the news this day, for 
you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take 
no news, because the king's son is dead. Then Joab said to the 
Cushite, Go, tell the king what you have seen. So the Cushite 
bowed himself to Joab and ran. And Ahimaz the son of Zadok said 
again to Joab, But whatever happens, please let me also run after 
the Cushite. So Joab said, why will you run, 
my son, since you have no news ready? But whatever happens, 
he said, let me run. So he said to him, run. Then 
Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite. Now David 
was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the 
roof, over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and 
there was a man running alone. Then the watchman cried out and 
told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, 
there is news in his mouth. And he came rapidly and drew 
near. Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman 
called to the gatekeeper and said, there is another man running 
alone. And the king said, he also brings 
news. So the watchman said, I think 
the running of the first is like the running of Ahi Maz, the son 
of Zadok. And the king said, he is a good 
man and comes with good news. So Ahi Maz called out and said 
to the king, all is well. And he bowed down with his face 
to the earth before the king and said, Blessed be the Lord 
your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand 
against my lord the king. The king said, Is the young man 
Absalom safe? Ahimaz answered, When Joab sent 
the king's servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, 
but I did not know what it was about. And the king said, Turn 
aside and stand here. So he turned aside and stood 
still. Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, There 
is good news, my lord the king, for the lord has avenged you 
this day of all those who rose against you. And the king said 
to the Cushite, Is the young man Absalom safe? So the Cushite 
answered, May the enemies of my lord the king and all who 
rise against you to do harm be like that young man. Then the 
king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate 
and wept. And as he went, he said thus, 
O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, if only I had died 
in your place, O Absalom, my son, my son. And Joab was told, 
Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom. So the 
victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. 
For the people heard it said that day, The king is grieved 
for his son. And the people stole back into 
the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when 
they flee in battle. But the king covered his face, 
and the king cried out with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, 
my son, my son. Then Joab came into the house 
to the king and said, Today you have disgraced all your servants 
who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, 
the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, in 
that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have 
declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants. 
For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of 
us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. Now therefore, 
arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear 
by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you 
this night. And that will be worse for you 
than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now. 
Then the king arose and sat in the gate, and they told all the 
people, saying, There is the king sitting in the gate. So 
all the people came before the king. For every one of Israel 
had fled to his tent. Amen." Well, we remember last 
week specifically we saw the advice of Ahithophel and the 
advice of Hushai. And remember, Hushai gave advice 
that was contrary to Ahithophel, and the purpose is found in chapter 
17 at verse 14. It says, So Absalom and all the 
men of Israel said, The advice of Hushai the Archite is better 
than the advice of Ahithophel. for the Lord had purpose to defeat 
the good advice of Ahithophel to the intent that the Lord might 
bring disaster on Absalom. So after Hushai gives this advice, 
he then sends runners or messengers to David and tells David to go 
to the east side of the Jordan. cross the Jordan River, get over 
into the Transjordan area because Absalom is on the hunt. He wants 
to come and try and finish you off and destroy you. So tonight 
we're going to notice the death of Absalom. David regroups, he 
gathers troops together and they battle against the usurpation. They battle against Absalom and 
all those who followed him, and we see that they are indeed victorious. So we'll note the battle against 
Absalom in verses 1 to 8, the death of Absalom in verses 9 
to 18, the report concerning Absalom in 19 to 32, and then 
the mourning over Absalom, that last section in chapter 18 verse 
33 to chapter 19 and verse 8. But note the battle. In verses 1 to 8, they prepare 
according to verses 1 to 5. David numbered the people who 
were with him and set captains of thousands and captains of 
hundreds over them. Absalom and his troops were not 
bargaining for this. They were not anticipating that 
this was going to be a difficult battle. One man says, during 
the time it had taken Absalom to recruit an army from all of 
Israel, David was able to establish himself in Baha'i name, secure 
additional forces for his own cause, and organize them into 
an effective fighting force. So David regroups David is getting 
prepared. David is going to engage in battle 
against Absalom and his men. As well, remember last week we 
saw that Hushai wasn't sure or certain whose advice Absalom 
was going to follow. Remember that Hushai gives his 
advice, he leaves, and then the elders sort of confer with Absalom, 
and they agree Hushai. But Hushai wasn't certain at 
this particular point, but they did indeed follow Hushai's advice. Remember, Ahithophel said that 
Ahithophel would have gone into battle. Here Absalom is going 
into battle, so he's following what advice Hushai had given 
him, and yes, he had probably tried to get all the troops from 
Dan to Beersheba. So while he is doing that, on 
the east side of the Jordan, David is regrouping. Note that he does indeed engage, 
or he puts them into three squadrons or three divisions. He sent out some under Joab, 
some under Abishai, and remember Ittai the Gittite. Ittai the 
Gittite we just met recently in chapter 16. He was that faithful 
Philistine, I'm sorry, 15, that faithful Philistine to David, 
and so David uses this man again. He's a trustworthy man. Now note, 
they marshal the troops, and then David requests to go into 
battle with the people. In 2B, the king said to the people, 
I also will surely go out with you myself. Now that's not typical 
David, at least in this particular context. David has not been in 
the custom of going out into battle. David as a young man, 
David as he was fleeing from Saul, David when he was fighting 
Philistines was always right there at the front of the troops. 
But that hasn't been the custom for some time in David's military 
career up to this point. And even though he says this, 
the people say, you shall not go out. They know the plan is 
to kill David. And they essentially say that 
David is more important than they are. They want David to 
hang back at Mahanaim and they want him to be able to send further 
troops or whatever may be necessary. So he hears them, he receives 
that and he goes along with that. He stands by the city gate. That should recall to us the 
way that Absalom schmoozed the people when he was at the city 
gate. This chapter finds David at the 
city gate, here, and then later when the runners come back. And 
then there's that reference in chapter 19 when the people of 
David slink back into the city. they go, according to 19.3, the 
people stole back into the city that day. David at the gates, 
the people stealing back, reminds us again of Absalom at the gates, 
stealing the hearts of all Israel. So David does not go out to battle, 
he stands by at the gate. Now note specifically his request 
in verse 5. Now the king had commanded Joab, 
Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young 
man Absalom. And all the people heard when 
the king gave all the captain's orders concerning Absalom. makes 
a tactical mistake in this particular instance, because Absalom is 
the usurper. Absalom has risen up against 
the throne of David, which is the very kingdom of God on earth. Absalom is in utter rebellion. As well, David is asking his 
troops to go into battle, but spare the main enemy in that 
particular battle. One guy says, David's order shows 
that even before the battle, David was willing to abandon 
military and moral considerations in view of his personal feelings. 
On the one hand, he is sending out the people to risk their 
lives for him and his throne. While on the other hand, he is 
prepared to ask expressly that his son, who is the root of all 
the evil, shall not be killed. Now what David requests here 
in verse 5, deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom, 
runs completely contrary to what we read in 17.14b. Remember that the Lord had purposed 
to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel to the intent that 
the Lord might bring disaster on Absalom. Now David didn't 
know that. 1714b was written for us. David 
didn't know what was in the heart of the Lord. I'm not encouraging 
or I'm not suggesting that we fault David here for not knowing 
the secret things of God. but rather based on that quote 
that I just read. He's sending troops out. He is 
sending out the sons of his, you know, leaders and the sons 
of his friends, the sons of his own country. He is sending them 
out and he is telling them not to kill the man that is directly 
responsible for this very problem. He's not thinking as a military 
strategist. He is thinking as a sentimental 
father. And that's what punctuates the 
entire narrative. You probably see that. Absalom 
is David's chief concern. And later on, we'll try and ask, 
or we'll ask the question, why is that the case? I mean, he 
rebelled against him. He drove him out of the city. 
He took his throne. He took his crown. He took everything 
from David. He violated David's wives in 
the midst of all Israel. He just sinned grievously against 
God and against David. Why is David so moved, O Absalom, 
Absalom? Why is he so heartbroken over 
this particular instance? Well, as I said, we'll try and 
deal with that later on tonight, but do observe this, deal gently 
for my sake with the young man Absalom." Now notice, in the 
battle against Absalom, they triumph in verses 6 to 8. The 
people went out into the field to battle against Israel, and 
the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. The people of Israel 
were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a 
great slaughter of 20,000 took place there that day. One reckons 
or one believes that Absalom truly underestimated the military 
savvy and ability of David and his men. David was no piker, 
he was no novice, he was no beginner. David had a proven record as 
a man of war, and for Absalom to undertake was actually foolish, 
but we know ultimately it is the Lord's purpose to bring disaster 
on Absalom according to 1714b. Now notice what verse 8 indicates. 
The battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, 
and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 
I don't think we're supposed to envision man-eating trees 
and those sorts of things. It was probably just the lay 
of the land. that this opposing army was not 
familiar with would cause a great deal of stress. Kyle and Dalich 
say, the woody region was most likely filled with ravines, precipices, 
and marshes into which the flying foe was pursued and where so 
many perished. Again, David probably is acting 
as a military strategist and says we need to go here where 
they're not familiar with the terrain and the territory that 
will only serve to our benefit and we can devastate them. So 
they do. All that build up, all of that 
that conspiracy, all that we have seen in terms of Absalom 
winning the people's hearts, or stealing the people's hearts, 
all those people marshalling under him. And then David and 
his people leaving the city. David has turned the tide now, 
and David is now victorious over Absalom. Now note, secondly, 
the death of Absalom. Verse 9, Absalom met the servants 
of David. Absalom rode on a mule. Now at 
this particular time, mules were the animal of royalty. So now 
that Absalom is off of the mule, he is off of the throne. It might 
be something that the author is hinting to us. But notice, 
the mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, 
and his head caught in the terebinth, so he was left hanging between 
heaven and earth, and the mule which was under him went on. 
Now, what a way to go, isn't that? I mean, 1714b is the controlling 
text. To the intent that the Lord might 
bring disaster on Absalom. This is the way it's going to 
happen. Now, he's still alive as he's hanging here. Now, it 
doesn't specify that he's hanging by his hair, but that glowing 
description of his locks in chapter 14 probably is still somewhat 
fresh in our memory. It could have been the hair. 
It could have been the fact that his head got wedged into a branch 
or whatnot. Gil says, and his head caught 
hold of the oak, Either the hair of his head was twisted and entangled 
in the thick boughs of the oak, or rather his head was jammed 
into a fork branch of the oak. He was taken up between the heaven 
and the earth. He hung in the air between both 
as unworthy to live in either. It's a great observation concerning 
this rebel, this usurper, this insubordinate, godless man. Remember, he has launched an 
attack upon the living and the true God. By assaulting David, 
by dispossessing or dethroning David, who was indeed the Lord's 
anointed, this man had rebelled against the living and the true 
God. So he is hanging now on this tree. This man sees it. Verse 10. A certain man saw it 
and told Joab and said, I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth 
tree. It almost sounds like a joke 
that this man is going to tell, but this is the reality of the 
situation. Now note what Joab says. You 
just saw him and why did you not strike him there to the ground? 
I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a bell. Now consider 
what Joab is doing, brethren. Joab is directly contradicting 
David's orders. Joab was told, along with Abishai 
and Ittai, according to verse 5, deal gently for my sake with 
the young man Absalom. So he is indeed directly contrary 
to what David has commanded. Joab is functioning here as something 
of a political realist. I think in some sense what is 
in view with reference to Joab is that we cannot engage in a 
half measure and trot Absalom back for some sort of a trial. 
We've got to take him out. He's a usurper, he is a rebel, 
and he needs to die. So this man responds to Joab 
essentially by saying, I didn't want to cross the king. I heard 
what the king said. According to verse 5, he told 
you, he told Abishai, he told Ittai. And if I cross the king, 
then you yourself might get mad at me, Joab. That's essentially 
what this man says. The end of verse 13. For there 
is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set 
yourself against me. See what he's saying. If while 
I saw Absalom swinging from that tree, if I would have killed 
him, then you would have come down on me because David ordered 
it that it was not to be the case. Now note what Joab does. Verse 14, I cannot linger with 
you. He took three spears in his hand 
and thrust them through Absalom's heart while he was still alive 
in the midst of the terebinth tree. And ten young men who bore 
Joab's armor surrounded Absalom and struck and killed him. Absalom 
met a pretty grisly end. Absalom was destroyed. Absalom 
was devastated. Davis comments on Joab's activity 
here. He says the narrative typically 
reports but does not evaluate Joab's action. His act was both 
rebellious and rational. Rebellious in light of David's 
order. Rational for the welfare of David's 
regime. At least this was likely Joab's 
thinking. And then one man says, he liquidates 
Absalom because it is politically necessary and there is no alternative 
for the arch-rebel. Again, we can understand what 
Joab is doing. The text doesn't say, and God 
was pleased with this. We know ultimately it was the 
Lord's intent to bring Absalom to this disastrous position. And so Joab takes it upon himself 
to dispatch Absalom to rid the world of this usurper, this rebel 
against the living and true God and against his chosen king. 
And then note the way that Absalom's body is disposed of. And this 
just speaks of shame and it just speaks of just terrible stuff. It says in verse 16, Joab blew 
the trumpet, the people returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab 
held back the people. And they took Absalom and cast 
him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of 
stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone 
to his own tent. Now, there are several things 
that indicate that this is indeed a very, very shameful death. This is the burial of an accursed 
man. Remember in Joshua 7.26, Achan 
rebelled against the living and true God. Achan was stoned to 
death for his sin and he was buried under a large pile of 
stones. In Joshua 8.29, the king of Ai, 
he had been hanged on a tree He was thrown into a pit and 
covered with a large pile of stones. In Joshua 10, 27, there 
were five enemy kings, having been put to death and hanged 
from trees. And they are thrown into a cave, 
the mouth of which is then covered with large stones." So you see, 
what is happening to Absalom here is consistent with the death 
of a criminal. Absalom is accursed as a fratricide 
and rebel, and he too was hanged on a tree. Deuteronomy 21, 23 
speaks specifically to cursed is he who is hanged on a tree. 
This is the text that the Apostle Paul cites in Galatians 3 when 
he's indicating that our Lord Jesus was hanged on a tree or 
was cursed. He became a curse for us. And 
so Deuteronomy 21, 23 is the overarching thought there. He 
died a shameful death for having risen up against God and against 
God's anointed. And then this statement in verse 
18, Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for 
himself which is in the king's valley. For he said, I have no 
son to keep my name in remembrance. He called the pillar after his 
own name, and to this day it is called Absalom's Monument. 
Remember in 1427 it indicated that he had three sons and one 
daughter named Tamar. And I explained back then that 
the sons most likely died early on in their youth. That's why 
they're not named and that's why he needed to build this monument 
for himself. So that's the end of Absalom. Now let's move to the report 
concerning Absalom. Ahimaaz wants to take the good 
news to David. Ahimaaz is chomping at the bit. 
I mean, he's done this bit already. He's gone back and forth to bring 
intel to David. Well, now he's got good news 
for David, and he wants to run that to him. Now, note the way 
Joab cautions him. Verse 20, you shall not take 
the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But 
today you shall take no news, because the king's son is dead. 
Joab didn't forget verse 5. Joab didn't forget that David 
said, Deal gently with my son Absalom. Joab wants to tread 
gingerly here, and he certainly doesn't want to send Ahimaz to 
his demise. Because Joab has witnessed firsthand, 
when David receives news that David doesn't like, sometimes 
heads will roll. And so Joab, with some affection 
for Ahimaz, the way he even speaks to him in verse 22, Why will 
you run, my son, since you have no news ready? Joab seems to 
genuinely care about Ahimaz. He doesn't want to send him on 
this particular task, lest David get upset when he hear about 
Absalom, and David take Ahimaz to town. So what does he do? 
He sends the Cushite. We have a nameless Cushite that 
serves as the runner to go and tell David the specifics concerning 
the situation. Now note David's hope, right 
in the middle of verses, right in about 24 to 29. David was 
sitting between the two gates and the watchman went up to the 
roof, over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and 
there was a man running alone. Then the watchman cried out and 
told the king. And the king said, if he is alone, 
there is news in his mouth. And he came rapidly and drew 
near. This wasn't David's first rodeo. He knew this is the way 
that you reported from the front. You sent a runner. You sent a 
messenger. He would come. He would advise you, either A, 
we need more reinforcements, or B, we've won, whatever the 
scenario was. And so David is longing to hear 
a good report. Notice verse 27, so the watchman 
said, I think the running of the first man is like the running 
of Ahimaz, the son of Zadok. Now, note David's hopeful zeal 
in this response. He says, he is a good man and 
comes with good news. Well, David, you can't know that. 
Just because somebody is a good man doesn't mean they bring good 
news. He could very well come and say, 
we were devastated on the field of battle. Everybody's gone. 
Your kingdom is over. And that's just the way the ball 
bounced. No, he doesn't know that. There's a hopeful zeal 
in David's buzz up. But notice that it hinges upon 
Absalom. This Absalom continues to rise 
up in David's concerns. So Ahimaaz comes, he says all 
is well, he bows down with his face to the earth before the 
king. He says, blessed be the Lord your God who has delivered 
up the men who raised their hand against my Lord the king. The 
king said, is the young man Absalom safe? How would you feel if you 
were part of David's army? Again, just throw yourself into 
the text for a moment. He's more concerned with the 
man who caused the problem. He's more concerned with the 
leader of the conspiracy. He's more concerned with Absalom 
than he is with his own troops. This is the primary issue for 
David. Again, just to tease you a little 
bit more, why? Why? Is it just natural affection? I can't imagine any of us would 
ever want to see any bad thing happen to any of our children. 
Was it simply natural affection? Was it just his heart of love 
for his son in this regard? Again, we'll look at this in 
a bit more detail in a few moments. But note, Ahimaz does not give 
him a straight answer. Ahimaz knew that Absalom was 
dead. Verse 29, when Joab sent the 
king's servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did 
not know what it was about. So Ahimaz perhaps has gotten 
a little bit, you know, wary of that sword dangling from David's 
thigh. And especially since he's asked 
about Absalom. And verse 5, he said, deal gently 
with Absalom. Ahimaz probably suspects I probably 
shouldn't be the guy to tell him about Absalom at this particular 
time. The Cushite, however, tells the 
truth. The Cushite doesn't play games. The Cushite, in this narrative, 
is a man of integrity. This is the interesting thing 
that we've seen in the David narratives. More often than not, 
the men of integrity are not Israelites. More often than not, 
the men of integrity are Ittai the Gittite, or Barzillai, or 
men along the way that have helped David along in these times of 
crunch. So anyways, the Cushite comes 
and the Cushite asks specific, well, note what the Cushite says 
in verse 31. There is good news, my Lord the 
King, for the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who 
rose against you. I wish the church would think 
more like this Cushite. I wish the church would see the 
vengeance of God as a good thing, that we wouldn't try to explain 
away God's wrath, or we wouldn't try to explain away God's judgment, 
or we wouldn't, you know, dance around these things so gingerly. If the Lord God Most High has 
intended to bring disaster upon Absalom, And then that man is 
hung by his head, impaled with spears, and then cut up by ten 
men. The Cushite is absolutely right. There is good news, my Lord the 
King, for the Lord has avenged you this day of all those who 
rose against you. Do you know that in the book 
of Revelation, when the people of God in heaven see the judgment 
of the great whore, they cry out, Alleluia! They praise God, 
they rejoice in the goodness of God in bringing judgment to 
bear upon that whore. They don't say, oh, but that's 
just not right, God. You can't do that because people 
will think you're mean. That's the way the church oftentimes 
operates today. God takes out his enemies and 
instead of rejoicing with Cushites and rejoicing with the heavenly 
host and thrown in on high because of the great wrath and judgment 
and fury of God, we want to apologize and we want to come feebly and 
weakly say, well, you know, those bad things don't happen because 
of God. Well then, how did it happen? Because our God is in 
the heavens, He does whatever He pleases. And of course, David, 
as a one-note Johnny, says, Is the young man Absalom safe? So the Cushite answered, May 
the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you 
to do harm, be like that young man. That's an imprecation, isn't 
it? May all the enemies of God, may 
all those who stand before the living and the true God, may 
they be impaled in trees, plunged in the heart with spears, and 
then caught up by ten men. That's what the Kushite is saying 
there, in case you missed that, because that's what he says. 
May the enemies of my Lord, the king, and all who rise against 
you to do harm, be like that young man. In other words, you 
don't mess with the living and the true God. You don't cross 
the reigning king of Israel. You don't take the throne, you 
don't take the crown, you don't dispossess David and then lay 
with his wives in the view of all of Israel and think that 
somehow you're going to make it okay. The Lord God Most High 
intended to bring disaster upon Absalom because Absalom dared 
cross the living and the true God. And that specifically by 
dethroning his own father, a good and a godly king who ruled over 
Israel. And that brings us finally to 
the mourning over Absalom. Note David's response. Then the 
king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate 
and wept. And as he went, he said thus, 
O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, if only I had died 
in your place, O Absalom, my son, my son. That's really powerful, 
isn't it? I mean, you can't escape the 
language that's being employed here. David is affected. David 
is hurting. David is lamenting. David is 
crying out over the death of Absalom. Verse 1 in chapter 19. Note the effect that it has on 
the people. Joab is told, Behold, the king 
is weeping and mourning for Absalom. So the victory that day was turned 
into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said 
that day, the king is grief for his son. It should have been 
a day of rejoicing. It should have been a day of 
feasting. It should have been a day of 
gladness and happiness and revelry because they just won in the 
woods of Ephraim. Note verse 3, the people stole 
back into the city that day. That means they went sheepishly. That means they went with heads 
down. That's not the way victors return 
from battle. That's not the way the people 
of God return when they are victorious against the enemies of Yahweh. 
This is not right. This is unfortunate. The people 
stole back into the city that day as people who are ashamed 
steal away when they flee in battle. Do you see the scene? 
They have won a great victory. They have destroyed this rebellion. They should be celebrating and 
marching triumphantly and if there are any or any muttlingers, 
or any stragglers in the city, get them out of there and take 
back that city for the living in the true God. But that's not 
the tenor. Because of David's affectedness, 
because of David's grief over Absalom, it has demoralized the 
entirety of David's people. You see that, right? They're 
demoralized. They're not happy. They're not 
jubilant. They're not rejoicing over this 
situation. Verse 4, the king covered his 
face and the king cried out with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, 
O Absalom, my son, my son. Again, on the human level, we 
appreciate the natural affection from father to son, but this 
wasn't a typical son. This was a son whom God the Lord 
intended to bring disaster upon. This was a son who should have 
been punished when he killed the other son. This was a son 
that should have been dealt with severely. David hasn't been in 
the business of dealing severely with things, and as a result 
his house is a mess, and this sword now runs freely because 
of him. Now note, Joab. The rebuke by Joab. This is the 
longest speech in 1 and 2 Samuel. What Joab says here is the longest 
sort of compacted speech by a person in the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel. Notice, Joab came into the house 
to the king and said, today you have disgraced all your servants 
who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, 
the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines. You've 
disgraced them, David. They went out and fought for 
you. I don't think that when we read the 20,000 Absalom's 
men died, there were no casualties on David's side. I can't imagine 
in an exchange of that nature, where 20,000 of Absalom's troops 
died, that nobody died, there was no bloodshed on David's side. I'm sure there were casualties. 
And Joab is saying, you've disgraced them today. They went out and 
they fought for you. They fought hard, some of them 
bled, some lost sons, some lost husbands, some lost fathers, 
and look at what you've done. You're more concerned about this 
rebel. He says in verse 6, it's probably 
rhetorical overkill, but you feel his point, in that you love 
your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that 
you regard neither princes nor servants. For today I perceive 
that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then 
it would have pleased you well." This is an impassioned speech. 
I mean, don't miss this. This is heavy drama. Joab is 
laying it on the line with David. He is grabbing David, you know, 
metaphorically by the scruff of the collar and saying, you 
can't do this. You cannot demoralize your troops. You've got to moralize them. You've got to encourage them. 
You've got to strengthen them so that they'll fight for you 
and they'll remain loyal. You see what Joab's thinking? 
Yeah, David's lost Absalom, but if David isn't smart, he's going 
to lose the entire kingdom. Because while he's crying over 
Absalom, the people are downcast and it won't be long before they 
say, forget it, we shed blood for him and he's still crying 
over the rebel. Notice that Joab doesn't try 
to assume control. Joab doesn't say, forget about 
the king, follow me, I've got my head in the game. No, Joab 
is a mixed bag. Brethren, as we've considered 
Joab, we've seen some not too sterling moments in Joab's life, 
and then we've seen others that are excellent. You know what 
we learn from that? That Joab is like each and every 
one of us. We are up and we're down. We 
have good days and we've got bad days. You've got good Joab 
in certain parts, you've got bad Joab when he's plunging a 
knife into Abner. You've got good Joab when he's, 
you know, rallying the king to do the things that a king's supposed 
to do. There's other times you look at Joab, you say, you know, 
that's just not so cool. We read these narratives and 
we see persons like these and we say, why is he so up and down? 
Just stop for a moment and consider the fact that you and I are up 
and down. Not only in our own personal lives, but everybody 
we deal with is a mixed bag. You get good from people, you 
get bad from people. If you cannot accept that, then 
you don't know anything of biblical truth. You either accept it, 
and make peace with it, and realize that you're never going to get 
fully good from any human being. The only person you'll ever get 
fully good from is the Lord Jesus Christ, because everyone else 
falls short. We are like Joab. We have good 
days and bad days. One day we're plunging a knife 
into the belly of Abner, hopefully not, and then other days we're 
rallying David to do his job and to gain control of his kingdom. 
Joab shines here, brethren, because he's wise enough to see that 
if David doesn't chart a different course, David is going to lose 
the kingdom after all. And the whole purpose of going 
into battle in the woods of Ephraim was to defeat the usurper and 
to retain the kingdom for David. You cannot mess this up at this 
point, David. This is what he is saying. Listen 
to Gil, his comment on verse 6, in that you love your enemies 
and hate your friends. Gil says, which though not strictly 
true, there was some appearance of it. You couldn't discount 
that, right? There was some appearance of 
it. They're rejoicing, or should be, because they have gained 
victory and David's crying over Absalom. Well, they know they've 
gained victory because Absalom's dead. They're in a rough position 
here. As well, at this point, Joab 
is still not known in terms of how Absalom died. Notice Joab 
doesn't march into David and say, by the way, we found him 
impaled on a tree and I stuck three javelins in his heart and 
then ten men carved him up. That's not what's leading with 
Joab in this particular instance. There's a savviness here, a wisdom 
here. But Gil says, which though not 
strictly true, there was some appearance of it, which is here 
greatly exaggerated, in that he expressed so much grief and 
sorrow for Absalom, his enemy, who had rebelled against him 
and showed so little regard to his friends that had exposed 
their lives for him. And then notice something that 
Joab says in verse 7. He says, Now therefore arise, 
go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the 
Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. You see that? They've been demoralized. Go and encourage them. Go tell 
them good job. Go give them a noogie in the 
arm. Do something to let them know 
that you appreciate the fact they've risked lives, they've 
risked sons, they've risked fathers, they've risked people, and they 
have brought victory this day. You need to encourage them, David. 
And then notice what Joab says. And that will be worse for you 
than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now." 
Now, we have been together on Wednesday night for some time. 
We have been in 1st and 2nd Samuel for some time. What have we noticed 
with reference to David? He had a tough life, didn't he? 
When David was a shepherd, he had to fight bears and lions. 
I mean, that's got to be tough. I can't say that is tough because 
I've never fought a bear or a lion. I can only imagine and suppose 
and assume that it would be very tough. I'd be scared to meet 
one if I was holding a 30-odd six, let alone actually having 
to do it with bare hands. But when the spirit of God comes 
upon him in 1 Samuel 16, then his troubles really begin. Then 
it really gets hard for David. You think there's something worse 
than lions and bears? Yeah, there's Goliath in the 
Valley of Elah. There's Saul, you know, all throughout 
Israel in hunt and pursuit of David. Then you've got David, 
you know, with his own... David had a rough life, didn't 
he? You can't ever look at David and say, well, you know, he wrote 
Psalms, but he really can't identify. If there's one person besides 
Jesus Christ who can identify with you and your sorrows, woes, 
and travails, it's King David of Israel. Do you know why the 
Psalter is so sweet? It's because it's penned by a 
fellow who had nothing but hardship in his life, and who had learned 
to try and prove his God. This is the testimony of Joab, 
and that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen 
you from your youth until now. Joab, a disinterested party, 
was able to look at David and say, you've had a rough life. 
Brethren, may that endear the Psalter to you even more so, 
because we can get into that mode where nobody really knows 
the troubles I have, nobody knows the heartaches I have, nobody 
knows the sufferings I have. Well, Jesus was a man of sorrows 
and acquainted with grief, and David was a man of sorrows and 
acquainted with grief, and David took pen to paper, Jesus employed 
him to do so, to write Psalms to help us in our sorrows and 
in our griefs. So brethren, as you read the 
Psalms, do not forget the man who wrote them, the bulk of them, 
was a man who was very acquainted with trial, with hardship, with 
sorrows, and with difficulties. I just think this is an amazing 
statement. It's not David saying, man, my 
life has just been one big ball of misery. That's not what he 
says. Twice David says, the Lord has 
redeemed me from all adversity. He says it prior to his fall 
with Bathsheba. He's even able to say it after. 
the fall with Bathsheba. So David realizes that he had 
had life of adversity, but the Lord had delivered him. Now notice, 
David responds favorably to what Joab says. Then the king arose 
and sat in the gate, and they told all the people, saying, 
There is the king sitting in the gate. So all the people came 
before the king. for everyone of Israel had fled 
to his tent." Now, we don't read what he says, hey, good job, 
but we get the vibe that he does what Joab says and that he brings 
some morale to the troops and encourages them for their return 
to Jerusalem so David can retake his throne. Well, as I've already 
mentioned, and I think a lesson that we need to appreciate is 
this Joab fellow. Again, Joab kills Abner. Joab on the field of battle with 
reference to the Ammonites, something I wasn't expecting. Joab says, Be of good courage, 
let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God, 
and may the Lord do what is good in His sight. I mean, Joab is 
a mixed bag. He's hard to sort of nail down 
or pin down and say he's only a good guy or he's only a bad 
guy. He does good things, he does 
bad things. He's just like the rest of us. King David has Joabs. We have Joabs in our lives. We 
are Joabs in our lives. We're not as consistent as we 
ought to be. We are not as faithful as we 
ought to be. We let people down. I'm not justifying 
it. I'm not saying it's okay when 
people do it to us. But I am suggesting that we all 
need to have that bit of biblical realism to understand that nobody, 
this side of the Lord Jesus Christ, always does what they're supposed 
to do. And if you expect that people 
will always do what they're supposed to do, you're going to be let 
down. Let me just tell you that. You're 
going to be frustrated and discouraged with them. Have a slice of biblical 
realism. Secondly, we ought to appreciate 
the progress of the kingdom. You probably think we sing 295 
a lot in our Wednesday night Bible studies. Well, we are. 
We're studying the kingdom of God on earth and its visible 
expression through the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. 
So 295 is a wonderful hymn to sing concerning the advancement 
of God's kingdom. The usurpation by Absalom was 
not merely against David, but against God. And then when God, 
through His providence, brings Absalom's head into that tree 
and brings Joab and those ten other soldiers to that tree, 
it was for the intent to bring disaster upon that young man. The destruction of Absalom was 
the means by which the kingdom marches onward. The Cushite understood 
this. Look at Revelation for just a 
moment. There's a couple of spots where 
this is highlighted in Revelation 21 and 22. In a description of the new Jerusalem, 
in a description of the new heavens and the new earth, it is a few 
times punctuated as to what is not in the New Jerusalem. Notice 
in 21.8, but the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually 
immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their 
part in the lake which burns with fire, and brimstone, which 
is the second death. That's outside of the New Jerusalem. Notice in verse 27, but there 
shall by no means enter it anything that defiles. or causes an abomination 
or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book 
of Life. 20 to 15. But outside are dogs 
and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters and 
whoever loves and practices a lie. We need to appreciate the reality 
that the realization of the kingdom of God means the utter devastation 
of the kingdom of darkness. As Roger has pointed out recently, 
when we look at Matthew 16, I'm not trying to put anybody on 
the spot, Matthew 16, Jesus says, I will build my church and the 
gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Gates are a defensive 
mechanism, aren't they? So I think the common interpretation 
of Matthew 16 is the church sort of holed up in its ghetto and 
the devil and its kingdom is bashing the gates of heaven. But that's not the image. The 
image is that the church marches forward. The image is that the 
gates of hell shall not prevail against the onslaught of the 
church. It was prayed tonight. I heard the allusion or the quotation. Colossians 1.13. What does God 
do? He transfers us from the kingdom 
of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love. That's 
the church progressing and the gates of hell not prevailing. Every time a sinner is converted, 
every time a soul is saved, hell itself is plundered. That's the 
image that Jesus uses. I will build my church. The gates 
of hell shall not prevail because the kingdom of Christ goes forward. And when the kingdom of Christ 
goes forward, enemies are brought out of darkness into marvelous 
light and made the friends of God through the glorious gospel. But if they remain enemies, they 
must ultimately be destroyed. the New Jerusalem, in its prevailing 
consummation in Revelation 21 and 22, sees or envisions the 
exit or the removal of anything that would defile. And we see 
at least this in picture form or in metaphor back here. This man Absalom defiled the 
kingdom, so God had him taken out. The church must realize 
this. For the kingdom to advance, it 
means that the enemies will decrease. And sometimes that's through 
conversion, other times it's through devastation. And the 
Lord God Most High is going to be glorified consistent with 
that. And then finally, we've seen 
the initial instruction of David in verse 5, deal gently with 
him. We've seen the continual concern 
verses 29, 32, 33. And then in 19, 1 to 4, Absalom, 
Absalom. Why? Natural affection, I'm sure. Had to be a part of it. He's 
a father, and this is his son. No one wants to see their son 
become a rebel. No one wants to see their son 
become a usurper. No one wants to see their son 
end up dying on the field of battle because their son was 
coming to kill them. I mean, this had to cause him 
great grief and great pain. But you know, there's something 
else. The immediate context to 2 Samuel 
18 is 2 Samuel 17, 14b. I have reiterated this over and 
over tonight so that I would hope you'd be able to cite for 
me what 17, 14b says. for the Lord had purposed to 
defeat the good advice of Ahithophel to the intent that the Lord might 
bring disaster on Absalom." That explains 18, doesn't it? That 
explains the terebinth tree. That explains this gorgeous specimen 
of an Israelite man hanging between heaven and earth and ultimately 
getting plunged in the heart thrice by Joab and then carved 
up by these ten soldiers. 17.14b explains to us 18 very, 
very well. But the larger, broader 
context is actually back to chapter 12. And I suggest that this is 
probably part of David's grief as well. There is natural affection 
in his heart for Absalom, but there is a natural conviction 
over his own sin. It was the grief of his own sin 
against Uriah and against Bathsheba. Look at 12.10, the prophet Nathan 
says, Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your 
house. When David is dealing with Absalom, 
David knows that it's because of David. Of course this causes 
him pain. Of course he's going to say, 
oh Absalom, Absalom, if I could have died instead of you. If 
I could have gone back to chapter 12, and Nathan, instead of pronouncing 
the atoning Word of God, would have put a knife in my heart. 
If I could have died then, it would have spared you, Absalom. 
It would have spared Amnon. It would have spared Tamar. It 
would have spared a whole host of hurt because of my sin. 12, 10, and 12 controls the entirety 
of the narrative all the way up to chapter 20. Because what 
we're dealing with in that block of scripture is the consequences 
of David's sin. So when David sees what's happened 
to Absalom, yes, he's a traitor, yes, he's a rebel, yes, he's 
a usurper, but David sinned against God. The thing that David did 
displeased Yahweh. And as a result, the prophet 
comes and says, the sword will never depart from your house. 
David sees his responsibility involved at the death of Absalom. Gil first says, this flowed, 
this grief, this flowed from natural affection to him and 
a concern for the welfare of his soul that he might not die 
in this sin. and also from a consciousness 
that it was for his own sins that he was raised up to rebel 
against him. You see, that's in view here. 
1714b, but 12, 10 to 12. And then Davis says, it is David's 
guilt that inflames his grief. Nathan 
had assured David that he would not die, but that David's infant 
son would die, and he did. Then Amnon was murdered, and 
now Absalom has perished. David knew that his sin had set 
the sword loose in his household. If only I had died instead of 
you. David was the guilty one, yet 
Absalom suffers the consequences of David's guilt. This does not 
negate Absalom's own guilt. He then says, perhaps David wished 
he had died instead of Absalom because he knew he deserved to 
die. Guilt has aggravated grief, so we end with a paradox, a safe 
kingdom, and a sad king. That's how the chapter ends. 
David is upset, David is grieved, yes, because of the rebelliousness 
of his son, but because of the sin that brought them to this 
place. So if there is a take-home message 
for all of us, those of us who are parents, let's seek, by the 
grace of God, to parent faithfully. We will be Joabs, we will be 
mixed bags, we will be inconsistent. But may it be by the grace of 
God that we pursue consistency and that we do not excuse the 
sorts of injustices that David excused, that we do not let go 
those sorts of things that David let go. But may we learn from 
him. May we learn from Eli. May we learn from Samuel himself. 
None of the men that we have studied at length in the books 
of 1 and 2 Samuel have been stalwart fathers. Maybe the author is 
in an underhanded way or a backhanded way suggesting to us, you need 
to take stock of your own life and your own place and your own 
home and make sure that you conduct yourselves as fathers that are 
seeking to be consistent and faithful to the living and true 
God. Well, let us close in prayer. Our Father in heaven, we thank 
you for your word and its clarity. We thank you for the many things 
that we learned too, for the lessons and the sovereignty we 
see so clearly displayed. It is amazing how anyone could 
ever question the idea of a sovereign God. We read a passage like this, 
and we see that all things work according to the counsel of your 
will. We see that what you promise is fulfilled, and we see that 
all things come to pass as you've ordained it. God, may this comfort 
and encourage our hearts, and may it strengthen us, and may 
we indeed walk by faith, knowing that our God is in control, and 
knowing that our God is purposed to work all things, even the 
bad things in our life, out for good. And we ask that you would 
just cause us to reflect upon this each and every day. Thank 
you for our time to meet together tonight. We pray that you would 
bring us home safely, bring us back together on the Lord's Day, 
that we may worship you and be glorified in this church. And 
we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.