11-7-13. 2 Samuel 18:1-18. ABSALOM’S DEATH – my devotional

Key Verse: 18:5                                                                                                                                                              Kevin E. Jesmer

“And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.’” (ESV)

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for a good rest and a bright new day. May you bless the food drive tonight. May it bring a sense of community among our neighbors. May it help us to know our neighbors. May it you glory. Thank you for opening up this opportunity. I used to live with a type of siege mentality. But you helped me to be missional in my way of thinking and set me free in my heart. Thank you Lord. Please strengthen communities and neighborhoods across our land that the neighbors may know each other and serve each other with God’s love. It takes a village. May our small villages, filled with families, build a solid foundation for our nation.  Help me to accept one word of God in my heart through today’s passage. I pray in Christ’s name. Amen!

Part 1: “Be Gentle…For My Sake” (1-5).

Verses 1-5, “Then David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. 2 And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.” 3 But the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.” 4 The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.”

David wanted to personally march out with his people, but the commanders persuaded him not to. Still it was clear that David was the king and general. He gave military direction to the commanders and troops. I like how David was a “Hands on” leader. He was willing to risk his life and get his hands dirty in order lead his people. This is one of his great qualities. Jesus is that king of leader. In John 10:4, Jesus says that the good shepherd goes on a head of his sheep. “When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” (ESV) A person can never be a leader if they are not willing to do what they are telling their followers to do. They need to go on before them. I need to be that kind of Christian leader, leading the way and breaking the trail and showing the way. I need to set the example and go on before those whom God calls, especially my family. Sometimes that means doing something that no one cares to do…the work that requires sacrifice.

His direction concerning Absalom was spoken not as a general, but as a father. We can see his compassion and his grace in verse 5b, “…Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.” He made it clear that he wanted to spare Absalom. Such love reminds us of God’s love for sinners. It must have been very hard for David to forgive Absalom as he did. Absalom had made David’s life absolutely miserable. If Absalom lived, he could rise up and lead another rebellion in the future.  It would be so much easier to just let his general’s kill him. But David had a father’s heart. He was full of love and forgiveness and he was ready to forgive and reconcile.

This reflects the very heart of God. Though we have sinned God is our father and he has mercy and pardon. He is like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, waiting even when his son was along way off to bring about forgiveness and grace. I live only because of the grace of Jesus. Without that grace I would always have that looming feeling of condemnation and rejection always acutely aware that I don’t measure up. But because of the love and grace and forgiveness of God I am set free. God, like King David in this passage, only wishes mercy and grace upon me. God is love. He is incapable of not loving. I trust in that love and live in that love.

Part 2: The Death Of Absalom (6-18).

Verses 6-18, “So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7 And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword. 9 And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” 11 Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” 12 But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’ 13 On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” 14 Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. 15 And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him. 16 Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them. 17 And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that 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 it is called Absalom’s monument to this day.”

Joab was not a man after God’s own heart. When Absalom got stuck in a tree and became easy prey for David’s men, Joab had no regard for David’s feelings and did not spare the young man’s life. I can not blame Joab. He was a man of this world. He knew that if Absalom lived there would always be a chance of rebellion. He resented Absalom and may have hated him.

Joab’s heart shows how far the heart of man is from the heart of God. God’s ways are not man’s ways. Thank God for that. If that were the case then there would be no grace in this world. I thank God for helping me to know his heart and also providing the means to grow in the qualities of God’s heart. I pray that my heart may be filled with God’s love, grace and forgiveness and also truth.

Absalom had built a monument to himself, to carry on the memory of his own name. Look at verse 18, “Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that 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 it is called Absalom’s monument to this day.”  In the same way, his life became a monument only to himself. But that was not such a good monument. All we remember about his life was his scheming against his own father, his rebellion and his miserable death. That is not a good monument.

We all want to immortalize ourselves in some way. We try with writing a book, or owning a Mcmansion. Maybe we can do some humanitarian work. Maybe we can buy a brick or a tree in the city garden. What about donating land for a park? or money for a new wing of a hospital or university? Maybe we can record and share family history information. What about building a web site and sharing your thoughts in a blog? Nowadays people want to immortalize themselves in diabolic and evil ways, like mass shootings. But really, we know that everything in this world will spoil, perish and fade away. Only what is done for Jesus Christ will last. No matter what we try to do, outside of Christ, will not last. On our tombstones is our birth date and our death date. In the middle is a dash. For many that dash is all there is to show for their lives.

What can I do with my life? My kids will grow up and have kids. When I am a great grandpa I will be forgotten. My website will come down one day. My possessions will be gone. The people in my photos, their names will be forgotten and the pics discarded. Maybe Julie and will be buried in an embrace so that future archeologists will know of our love for each other.

But there is a way to be remembered. It is to give my life to Jesus, the living God, and serve his purpose in my life. Matthew 19:28-30 reads, “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” There is a rich reward in heaven, which is a true and everlasting memorial given to us by God. Thank you Lord for showing me the way. Thank you for saving me from desperately trying to memorialize my life in perishing ways. In you, I have a lasting rich reward.

Prayer: Lord, help me to learn and practice your love, and to carry on the memory of your name.

One Word: Carry the Lord’s name and show his grace.