1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,320 Well, good morning, everyone. Please open your Bible. 2 00:00:03,320 –> 00:00:07,860 First at 2 Samuel, Chapter 13, just before the passage that was read to us. 3 00:00:07,860 –> 00:00:15,900 We’re continuing in the story of David, in this last troubled chapter of his life. 4 00:00:15,900 –> 00:00:21,760 Today and over these next weeks, the story will focus on this son of David whose name 5 00:00:21,760 –> 00:00:28,200 was Absalom. David had a rebel son who broke his heart. 6 00:00:28,200 –> 00:00:31,420 That story covers several chapters that we’re going to look at. 7 00:00:31,420 –> 00:00:36,480 We’re going to see today how David, without success, tried to heal the breach that was 8 00:00:36,480 –> 00:00:42,580 in his own family, how he was in so many ways manipulated by his own son. 9 00:00:42,580 –> 00:00:50,580 An extraordinary story that speaks to us in so many remarkable ways. 10 00:00:50,980 –> 00:00:58,020 Chapter 13, we begin at verse 23 where we find that Absalom, this rebel’s son, was out 11 00:00:58,020 –> 00:01:04,320 shearing his sheep at a remote village, and he invited all of the king’s sons to come 12 00:01:04,320 –> 00:01:07,000 and join him at this place. 13 00:01:07,000 –> 00:01:12,080 In fact his invitation included, verse 24, the king himself. 14 00:01:12,080 –> 00:01:18,260 But David read the heart of his son, it seems here, and was at least cautious about this 15 00:01:18,260 –> 00:01:19,260 invitation. 16 00:01:19,739 –> 00:01:24,459 Perhaps he already had some sense about where his rebellious son’s heart might be leading 17 00:01:24,459 –> 00:01:25,480 him. 18 00:01:25,480 –> 00:01:30,000 And so the king says, verse 25, no my son, let us not all go lest we become a burden 19 00:01:30,000 –> 00:01:31,040 to you. 20 00:01:31,040 –> 00:01:40,879 And then Absalom says, if not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. 21 00:01:40,879 –> 00:01:44,160 And David replies to that, well why Amnon? 22 00:01:44,660 –> 00:01:52,160 Well we know, of course, why Amnon, because Amnon was the step-brother who so horribly 23 00:01:52,160 –> 00:01:56,800 abused Absalom’s sister Thamar. 24 00:01:56,800 –> 00:02:01,300 And Absalom was out for revenge and that’s what’s happening here in this story and I 25 00:02:01,300 –> 00:02:05,599 think that David, even at this point, has some inkling of it. 26 00:02:05,599 –> 00:02:11,639 But verse 27, notice this is a pattern in the relationship between David and Absalom, 27 00:02:11,639 –> 00:02:13,020 his son. 28 00:02:13,279 –> 00:02:18,380 But Absalom pressed him, here’s a boy who knows how to get around his father, he always 29 00:02:18,380 –> 00:02:23,880 seems to get what he wants from David to his own everlasting ruin. 30 00:02:25,139 –> 00:02:31,880 Absalom pressed David until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 31 00:02:33,360 –> 00:02:39,839 So Absalom gets what he wants again, and the king’s sons come to this remote place where 32 00:02:40,000 –> 00:02:45,880 Absalom is shearing his sheep, and while they were there Absalom killed his brother Amnon, 33 00:02:45,880 –> 00:02:51,259 it was a cold-blooded, brutal, premeditated murder. 34 00:02:54,059 –> 00:02:59,500 Then we’re told, verse 29, that all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted their mule, and 35 00:02:59,500 –> 00:03:03,520 they fled. Of course, Absalom was not alone in this act, he has his servants who were 36 00:03:03,520 –> 00:03:09,419 shearing the sheep, and so he has some force at his disposal, and the king’s sons perceived 37 00:03:09,419 –> 00:03:16,419 that it would not be beyond Absalom to wipe out the entire royal family. And so they fleed. 38 00:03:17,779 –> 00:03:23,179 And the, of course, Absalom himself fled, verse 34. He heads away from the promised 39 00:03:23,179 –> 00:03:30,179 land, outside of its borders, off to a place called Geshur. And as Absalom flees the promised 40 00:03:31,699 –> 00:03:38,139 land, the king’s sons returned to their father, and there is this moving scene of mourning 41 00:03:38,300 –> 00:03:43,460 at the awful loss of this family, verse 36. The king’s sons came and lifted up their voice 42 00:03:43,460 –> 00:03:50,460 and wept. And the king also, with all his servants, wept very bitterly. Oh David’s grief 43 00:03:51,660 –> 00:03:58,660 over Amnon. Amnon was his first-born son, the oldest. A terrible loss. And David grieves 44 00:04:01,100 –> 00:04:07,320 over the way that he met his death and no doubt grieves also over the way that he lived 45 00:04:07,639 –> 00:04:14,639 his life. In verse 37 he mourned for his son day after day. And this went on for a period 46 00:04:17,799 –> 00:04:24,799 of about 3 years. And then we’re told, verse 39, that the spirit of the king longed to 47 00:04:26,700 –> 00:04:32,480 go out to Absalom. I lost one son but I do have another and he’s far away. I wish he 48 00:04:32,480 –> 00:04:39,480 was brought near. I wish I could be reconciled to him. The spirit of David longs to go out 49 00:04:42,040 –> 00:04:49,040 to Absalom, wants this boy back in his life, loves him. Loves him, rebel though he is. 50 00:04:53,119 –> 00:04:58,880 And some of you know what this is like. You have a son, you have a daughter, who is away 51 00:04:59,380 –> 00:05:06,140 from you, distant from you, and far from God as well. And perhaps there is even a division 52 00:05:06,140 –> 00:05:13,140 within the family, and you wish that it were not so. You know what this is like. Absalom 53 00:05:13,140 –> 00:05:20,140 is the rebel’s son, but he’s still David’s son. And David loves him, with all of his 54 00:05:20,299 –> 00:05:27,299 heart. And the heart of a father goes out to a son, even at his worst. 55 00:05:29,100 –> 00:05:35,859 The question, of course, then is what prevented David from bringing his loved son back? And 56 00:05:35,859 –> 00:05:41,200 the answer, really, is very simple. David was not only a father, he was, of course, 57 00:05:41,200 –> 00:05:48,000 also the king. And as king, he was a chief justice in the land. He was the custodian 58 00:05:48,000 –> 00:05:54,600 of justice, it was his job, it was his calling from God to uphold justice in the land. And 59 00:05:54,600 –> 00:06:02,380 Absalom, David’s loved son, had committed premeditated murder. And the law demanded 60 00:06:02,380 –> 00:06:09,380 the death of David’s son. And it is David’s job and it is his calling, it’s the very identity 61 00:06:09,380 –> 00:06:16,100 that goes with being the king that he has to uphold the law. So you see that David is 62 00:06:16,100 –> 00:06:24,320 caught in this great and heart-rending dilemma. He’s a father and he longs to be reconciled 63 00:06:24,320 –> 00:06:31,739 to his son but he’s the king and he has to uphold the law that condemns his son. And 64 00:06:31,739 –> 00:06:39,920 he’s torn, torn to the heart with these conflicting loyalties. And so for three years his son 65 00:06:39,920 –> 00:06:49,359 remains at a distance in a far-off place outside the promised land. Until we get to chapter 66 00:06:49,739 –> 00:06:58,559 14. And here what I want you to see is that there are three unsuccessful attemps at reconciliation. 67 00:06:58,559 –> 00:07:06,760 None of them work and the difficulties that are in each of them point us to what God alone 68 00:07:06,760 –> 00:07:13,339 can do and what God alone has done in his son, Jesus Christ to reconcile us, his rebel 69 00:07:13,440 –> 00:07:16,399 children to himself. 70 00:07:16,399 –> 00:07:20,559 Look at these with me if you would. First attempt at reconciliation we could describe 71 00:07:20,559 –> 00:07:26,980 as love without justice. And the prime mover here in the first attempt is Johab who you 72 00:07:26,980 –> 00:07:33,660 may remember was the commander of David’s army. Verse 1, Johab knew that the king’s 73 00:07:33,660 –> 00:07:35,700 heart went out to Absalom. 74 00:07:35,700 –> 00:07:39,820 He knew that the father loved his rebel son. 75 00:07:40,179 –> 00:07:41,600 We’re not told why it was 76 00:07:41,600 –> 00:07:45,380 that Johab got involved here perhaps it was simply that he wanted to see 77 00:07:45,380 –> 00:07:50,399 David happy and wanted to give him something that he wanted. I suspect 78 00:07:50,399 –> 00:07:54,760 though and from what we know about Johab and his own maneuvering in various ways 79 00:07:54,760 –> 00:08:00,799 I suspect that because David is now in the later period of his life. We’re 80 00:08:00,799 –> 00:08:06,799 within 10 years of the death of David at this point. I suspect that Johab who had 81 00:08:06,799 –> 00:08:10,920 always been David’s man was beginning to think that there’s gonna be a time when 82 00:08:10,920 –> 00:08:14,679 David’s gone and who’s going to be the successor. I’d better position myself in 83 00:08:14,679 –> 00:08:18,760 a way that carries favor with someone who might be his successor and you know 84 00:08:18,760 –> 00:08:24,279 Absalom seemed at this point the most likely one. He was likely to be the 85 00:08:24,279 –> 00:08:29,179 successor because if you look in verse 27 there was no one so much to be praised 86 00:08:29,179 –> 00:08:34,640 in Israel for his handsome appearance. He was a celebrity. He was a rock star we 87 00:08:34,659 –> 00:08:38,960 would say today as far as the people were concerned they loved him. Even 88 00:08:38,960 –> 00:08:44,919 though he was off there in exile and Joab, being David’s man I suspect that he 89 00:08:44,919 –> 00:08:49,780 was interested in carrying the favor of Absalom and so he he takes this 90 00:08:49,780 –> 00:08:55,880 initiative to see if some reconciliation can be brought about. And the way that he 91 00:08:55,880 –> 00:09:00,520 does it, it’s explained at length in the first part of chapter 14, is that he 92 00:09:00,559 –> 00:09:07,539 finds a woman from a place called Tekoa who comes to the king and spins a story 93 00:09:07,539 –> 00:09:12,960 to him. The story is to the effect that our son has committed a particular crime 94 00:09:12,960 –> 00:09:19,900 and she asks the king for a pardon. The king grants this pardon with regards to 95 00:09:19,900 –> 00:09:26,440 her son. And then in a flash the woman turns on David, verse 13, the woman said 96 00:09:26,479 –> 00:09:32,500 why have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving 97 00:09:32,500 –> 00:09:37,960 this decision that is, the decision that David gave in regards to clemency for 98 00:09:37,960 –> 00:09:44,159 the son in her story, in giving this decision the king convicts himself in as 99 00:09:44,159 –> 00:09:49,479 much as the king does not bring his banished one home. In other words, what 100 00:09:49,479 –> 00:09:57,820 she says is this. Look, you have a son and your son is banished. Actually, he 101 00:09:57,820 –> 00:10:03,200 fled, but there are many inaccuracies in this woman’s story. But this is what she’s 102 00:10:03,200 –> 00:10:09,900 saying. Your son is banished. So why don’t you just forget about justice and act in 103 00:10:09,900 –> 00:10:16,960 love? Bring him back. Now she gives two reasons for forgetting justice and 104 00:10:17,799 –> 00:10:24,219 love, and both of them proved to be completely false. The first is she says 105 00:10:24,219 –> 00:10:28,280 it’s in the best interest of the people. Why, verse 13, have you planned such a 106 00:10:28,280 –> 00:10:32,479 thing against the people of God? Look, by hanging on to justice David, you’re not 107 00:10:32,479 –> 00:10:36,539 doing any good for the people. The best thing you can do is simply forget! Let 108 00:10:36,539 –> 00:10:40,020 bygones be bygones, bring him back. That’ll be good for the people of God. 109 00:10:40,020 –> 00:10:45,099 Wrong. bringing Absalom back led the country 110 00:10:45,099 –> 00:10:53,679 to the verge of civil war That’s how bad that advice was. Secondly, she says this 111 00:10:53,679 –> 00:11:02,239 is what God does, verse 14, God will not take away life and he devises means 112 00:11:02,239 –> 00:11:07,900 so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. You see what she’s saying. 113 00:11:08,559 –> 00:11:16,020 God forgives, so why don’t you? God’s not going to take life. God forgives and 114 00:11:16,020 –> 00:11:20,460 because God forgives David, why don’t you just bring the boy back home. 115 00:11:20,460 –> 00:11:25,799 Well, you see, again she’s misleading because yes God forgives but God does 116 00:11:25,799 –> 00:11:31,559 not forgive by turning a blind eye to justice. That’s why there had to be a 117 00:11:31,599 –> 00:11:37,000 cross. And that’s where this story is going. 118 00:11:37,000 –> 00:11:46,799 But David is persuaded by this woman from Tekoa and he calls in Joab, who he 119 00:11:46,799 –> 00:11:51,700 discerns was actually behind this, setting her up to spin this whole story 120 00:11:51,700 –> 00:12:00,280 and he says to Joab okay bring the boy back. And so verse 23, Joab arose and went 121 00:12:00,299 –> 00:12:09,380 to Geshure and brought Absalom to Jerusalem and so now Absalom is back in 122 00:12:09,380 –> 00:12:13,340 the Promised Land. He’s back in the city of Jerusalem but now here’s the problem 123 00:12:13,340 –> 00:12:20,739 there is now another great unaddressed injustice that lies as a stain at the 124 00:12:20,739 –> 00:12:28,159 heart of David’s kingdom. And of course the problem for Absalom is that 125 00:12:28,200 –> 00:12:33,320 while he has been brought back he is effectively living under a suspended 126 00:12:33,320 –> 00:12:40,200 sentence. He’s come home but justice has not been done and the question is when 127 00:12:40,200 –> 00:12:46,500 will it be done? He lives under the Prospect the fearful prospect that at 128 00:12:46,500 –> 00:12:52,679 some point in the future he has to face justice and it is all was hanging over 129 00:12:52,679 –> 00:12:59,159 him that’s a dreadful position to be in by the way and this may have been part 130 00:12:59,159 –> 00:13:07,239 of Joab’s interest in the case. Joab was in precisely the same position himself 131 00:13:07,239 –> 00:13:13,679 because if you remember from our study at last year earlier in the story Joab 132 00:13:13,679 –> 00:13:21,280 had also committed a cold-blooded brutal premeditated murder when he killed Abner 133 00:13:21,460 –> 00:13:27,460 You have that story in 2nd Samuel in chapter 3 and he never faced justice for 134 00:13:27,460 –> 00:13:32,820 his crime. David looked the other way, another case where he did that and so 135 00:13:32,820 –> 00:13:38,580 this was all was hanging over Joab, Joab lived with a sense one day my own crime 136 00:13:38,580 –> 00:13:43,020 is gonna catch up with me and indeed it did right at the very end of The Life of 137 00:13:43,020 –> 00:13:49,539 David and I wonder actually if Joab’s interest in the case may have included 138 00:13:49,679 –> 00:13:56,919 this, perhaps if David will offer amnesty to Absalom perhaps that’s an indication 139 00:13:56,919 –> 00:14:03,739 that there may also be an amnesty for me. Well whatever that motivation may 140 00:14:03,739 –> 00:14:12,900 or may not have been, Absalom came home, he remained a rebel at heart, unchanged 141 00:14:12,900 –> 00:14:17,380 that reminds us by the way of something quite important that it is possible to 142 00:14:17,479 –> 00:14:27,280 be among the people of God and loved by the people of God and to have a heart 143 00:14:27,280 –> 00:14:36,840 that is far from God. That was Absalom’s position and there’s no reconciliation 144 00:14:36,840 –> 00:14:45,359 because while there is surely love David loves his son, there is no justice. 145 00:14:45,460 –> 00:14:51,679 Second attempt that does not succeed I’ve called this one Mercy Without 146 00:14:51,679 –> 00:14:57,760 Access it will you look at verse 24 and the king said so here the son the 147 00:14:57,760 –> 00:15:03,359 dearly loved son comes back and the king says let him dwell apart in his own 148 00:15:03,359 –> 00:15:14,539 house he is not to come into my presence So Absalom lived apart in his own house 149 00:15:14,760 –> 00:15:19,960 and did not come into the king’s presence Isn’t this extraordinary? The 150 00:15:19,960 –> 00:15:25,479 king loves Absalom his spirit longs for Absalom but when Absalom comes back the 151 00:15:25,479 –> 00:15:30,200 king doesn’t even see him he doesn’t say oh bring him into the palace let me give 152 00:15:30,200 –> 00:15:36,059 him a hug no let him live in his own house he cannot come into my presence I 153 00:15:36,059 –> 00:15:42,119 think that must have been a thousand agonies for David don’t you? and why 154 00:15:42,119 –> 00:15:45,500 would he have said such a thing well surely for this reason if the man comes 155 00:15:45,500 –> 00:15:51,739 into my presence he has to face justice so the only way in which he can live at 156 00:15:51,739 –> 00:16:00,200 all is at a distance from me David shows mercy to Absolom he does not 157 00:16:00,200 –> 00:16:05,400 enforce the penalty of the law that condemned his son and would have taken 158 00:16:05,580 –> 00:16:14,719 life but Absolom has no access to the father who loves him he is not punished 159 00:16:14,719 –> 00:16:25,760 nor is he pardoned and there is no reconciliation my guess too is that 160 00:16:25,760 –> 00:16:34,000 David discerned the heart of his son and refused to allow his son to think that 161 00:16:34,960 –> 00:16:39,299 was well so long as he continued in rebellion against God Matthew Henry 162 00:16:39,299 –> 00:16:43,200 makes this point I think very perceptively David had reason to think 163 00:16:43,200 –> 00:16:47,919 that Absalom was not repentant and therefore put him under this mark of his 164 00:16:47,919 –> 00:16:53,960 displeasure that he might be awakened to the site of his sin and might make his 165 00:16:53,960 –> 00:16:57,580 peace with God you see what he’s saying son I cannot 166 00:16:57,580 –> 00:17:03,380 pretend that all is well so long as you are far from God that’s a loving father 167 00:17:03,919 –> 00:17:15,520 I cannot pretend that all is well so long as you are far from God so here is 168 00:17:15,520 –> 00:17:21,859 this man and he is dearly loved by his father he lives a very comfortable life 169 00:17:21,859 –> 00:17:30,060 among the people of God but he is as estranged from his father as he would 170 00:17:30,099 –> 00:17:37,500 have been if he had remained in the far country and after two full years where 171 00:17:37,500 –> 00:17:42,819 he has not seen the face of his father there is still no fellowship there is no 172 00:17:42,819 –> 00:17:50,060 access there is no peace and there is no joy. 173 00:17:50,180 –> 00:17:55,699 You get a little bit of a taste of the character of Absalom you say well what 174 00:17:55,699 –> 00:18:00,000 then was he doing if he was not then drawing near to the father you get a 175 00:18:00,060 –> 00:18:03,520 bit of a taste of the character of this man we’re gonna see more of it in the 176 00:18:03,520 –> 00:18:09,040 coming weeks he seems to have spent much of these two years cultivating 177 00:18:09,040 –> 00:18:15,880 celebrity the cult of his own personality he was as I said earlier a 178 00:18:15,880 –> 00:18:23,040 rock star as it were in the minds and hearts of the people of Israel and he 179 00:18:23,040 –> 00:18:27,239 had some of the sort of celebrity trappings particularly he had this 180 00:18:27,359 –> 00:18:33,599 samson-like hair that we are told about in the story it’s fascinating he would 181 00:18:33,599 –> 00:18:37,079 grow this hair for a whole year I mean that would attract a lot of attention 182 00:18:37,079 –> 00:18:45,959 and then once a year he would cut it a full years worth of hair and then verse 183 00:18:45,959 –> 00:18:53,239 26 he made a great occasion about weighing this hair that was cut I guess 184 00:18:53,260 –> 00:18:59,099 this was presented as a kind of sign of his manliness or whatever the hair 185 00:18:59,099 –> 00:19:05,839 would have been oiled of course and that would add to its weight and Josephus 186 00:19:05,839 –> 00:19:11,599 the Jewish historian suggests that it may have been actually powdered with 187 00:19:11,599 –> 00:19:15,839 gold dust can you imagine that but I guess if you’re the king’s son then 188 00:19:15,839 –> 00:19:19,040 money’s no object you powder your hair with gold does that would sure add to 189 00:19:19,040 –> 00:19:23,079 its way I suppose that’s an early way of doing highlights you might think you 190 00:19:23,119 –> 00:19:34,939 know where are hair highlights in the Bible there you go and no touch as this 191 00:19:34,939 –> 00:19:39,800 was a great spectacle the weighing of the hair of the King’s son you know this 192 00:19:39,800 –> 00:19:44,020 is the kind of story that you would get on the front page of the magazine that 193 00:19:44,020 –> 00:19:49,400 sits near the checkout at the grocery store you know speculation how much does 194 00:19:49,599 –> 00:19:54,739 we here if the King’s son wait this year you know and will it be more than last 195 00:19:54,739 –> 00:19:58,760 year let’s run a little sweepstakes on that way you know this kind of thing 196 00:19:58,760 –> 00:20:07,420 he’s cultivating the cult of personality it’s all about himself 197 00:20:07,420 –> 00:20:13,380 and we’ll see and those of you who know the story knows where it goes that it’s 198 00:20:13,380 –> 00:20:17,160 going to lead actually to him sir asserting himself against God’s own King 199 00:20:17,859 –> 00:20:24,180 and seeking to seize the kingdom for himself 200 00:20:24,180 –> 00:20:31,540 verse 25 in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome 201 00:20:31,540 –> 00:20:37,619 appearance as Absalom from the soul of his foot to the crown of his head there 202 00:20:37,619 –> 00:20:44,339 was no blemish in him think of this not a single blemish on his body but all 203 00:20:44,339 –> 00:20:51,939 kinds of ugliness in his soul and Absalom’s celebrity just keeps on 204 00:20:51,939 –> 00:21:00,839 growing the people love him but he is far from repentance and he is far from 205 00:21:00,839 –> 00:21:11,239 God and he’s still living under a suspended sentence love without justice 206 00:21:11,319 –> 00:21:18,859 mercy but without access and then there’s a third attempted reconciliation that 207 00:21:18,859 –> 00:21:26,359 also fails which is pardon without repentance you might think that Absalom 208 00:21:26,359 –> 00:21:32,099 would have been really grateful for the kindness that had been shown to him he 209 00:21:32,099 –> 00:21:37,660 had been brought back when there was every reason for him to be kept out he 210 00:21:38,560 –> 00:21:43,979 marvelous home and was enjoying an extraordinary lifestyle in the city of 211 00:21:43,979 –> 00:21:48,699 Jerusalem here’s a man whose own actions have 212 00:21:48,699 –> 00:21:55,040 forfeited his light rights to live but he has been kept from facing the full 213 00:21:55,040 –> 00:22:01,359 penalty of the law he is blessed in so many ways but here’s something to note 214 00:22:01,359 –> 00:22:07,079 from the story an unrepentant heart is never thankful 215 00:22:07,579 –> 00:22:14,640 the unrepentant heart is never thankful never thankful it’s never enough it’s 216 00:22:14,640 –> 00:22:23,400 always I’m owed better than this that’s the unrepentant heart and you see it in 217 00:22:23,400 –> 00:22:33,160 Absalom and he takes an initiative he calls on Joab to act as his intercessor 218 00:22:33,180 –> 00:22:37,660 to speak to the King on his behalf remember Joab was the one who had 219 00:22:37,660 –> 00:22:42,099 brought him back and so he goes back to Joab for this second initiative this 220 00:22:42,099 –> 00:22:46,839 time Joab is reluctant I think he’s seen the character of this man he’s seen how 221 00:22:46,839 –> 00:22:51,839 he’s been cultivating his own celebrity and maneuvering his own position and so 222 00:22:51,839 –> 00:23:00,000 forth and Joab’s pulling back he doesn’t want to intercede for this man and so 223 00:23:00,079 –> 00:23:06,239 Absalom in Absalom’s way says well we’ll deal with that and he sends his servant 224 00:23:06,239 –> 00:23:12,479 out and says burn Joab’s cornfield that’ll bring him to my door so he burns 225 00:23:12,479 –> 00:23:14,920 the cornfield and sure enough Joab shows up at his 226 00:23:14,920 –> 00:23:20,599 door why do you burn my cornfield and then we’re down to verse 32 behold I 227 00:23:20,599 –> 00:23:25,479 sent word to you Absalom says come here that I may send you to the King and ask 228 00:23:26,040 –> 00:23:29,880 in other words I want you to ask the King this why have I come from Geshur it 229 00:23:29,880 –> 00:23:33,599 would have been better for me still to be there now therefore let me go into 230 00:23:33,599 –> 00:23:38,619 the presence of the King and if there is guilt in me let him put me to death. You 231 00:23:38,619 –> 00:23:44,599 see what he’s saying and this is the heart of the unrepentant I’ve done 232 00:23:44,599 –> 00:23:52,140 nothing wrong I’ve done nothing wrong I’m actually the one who’s the victim of 233 00:23:52,140 –> 00:23:57,079 the great injustice of course in Absalom’s eyes he had every right to 234 00:23:57,079 –> 00:24:04,680 take the life of Amnon and so Johab reports this to the king 235 00:24:04,680 –> 00:24:09,680 in verse 33 then Joab went into the king and told him and he summoned 236 00:24:09,680 –> 00:24:18,479 Absalom and so he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground 237 00:24:18,699 –> 00:24:30,540 before the king and the king kissed Absalom the king kissed Absalom. Now of 238 00:24:30,540 –> 00:24:38,040 course the significance of that is that this kiss was the sign of pardon and 239 00:24:38,040 –> 00:24:47,640 what you have here is pardon without repentance, a pardon that leaves Absalom 240 00:24:47,780 –> 00:25:00,540 plotting even more rebellion against the king and the kiss is in so many ways a 241 00:25:00,540 –> 00:25:04,099 kiss that is ultimately a kiss of condemnation because here’s what it 242 00:25:04,099 –> 00:25:11,060 means there’s not going to be justice for Absalom in this world therefore it 243 00:25:11,060 –> 00:25:15,599 remains in the hands of God to bring justice for this unrepentant man in the 244 00:25:15,599 –> 00:25:22,640 next that’s the tragedy of the story of Absalom 245 00:25:22,640 –> 00:25:28,140 and what’s very striking about this is the king gives the case the kiss on the 246 00:25:28,140 –> 00:25:37,760 cheek that is the indication of pardon but there isn’t a flicker of joy in this 247 00:25:37,760 –> 00:25:45,300 story at all there isn’t the slightest whiff of reconciliation you take two 248 00:25:45,300 –> 00:25:52,640 stories about a son coming back to a father this one and Our Lord’s wonderful 249 00:25:52,640 –> 00:25:59,339 story about the prodigal son and the contrast could not be more striking the 250 00:25:59,339 –> 00:26:03,780 prodigal son who comes back to his father comes with humble confession he 251 00:26:03,880 –> 00:26:09,239 says I’ve sinned father against you and against God I’m no longer worthy to be 252 00:26:09,239 –> 00:26:16,040 called your son there isn’t anything like that from Absalom no I’ve done 253 00:26:16,040 –> 00:26:23,099 nothing wrong and when the prodigal son returns you remember the father rejoices 254 00:26:23,099 –> 00:26:31,260 what a scene of reconciliation what an overflow and communication of love but 255 00:26:31,780 –> 00:26:35,079 on his back put the ring on his finger put these shoes on his feet kill the 256 00:26:35,079 –> 00:26:39,180 fetid calf we’re gonna have the greatest celebration we’ve ever had it’s just full 257 00:26:39,180 –> 00:26:44,400 of joy but there isn’t a flick out of joy in 258 00:26:44,400 –> 00:26:51,420 the scene with David and Absalom a kiss of pardon to a son who has not changed 259 00:26:51,420 –> 00:26:58,920 it’s heartbreaking the Sun is pardoned as far as legal process in this world 260 00:26:59,199 –> 00:27:05,300 concerned but the division in the royal family remains and as we follow this 261 00:27:05,300 –> 00:27:09,839 story what David has done here will lead the whole nation to the brink of civil 262 00:27:09,839 –> 00:27:19,859 war and it will lead to Absalom ultimate destruction so this chapter raises then 263 00:27:19,859 –> 00:27:25,699 a profoundly important question and it is this how then is reconciliation 264 00:27:25,900 –> 00:27:33,500 possible you look at David’s dilemma and it boils down to this is there a place 265 00:27:33,500 –> 00:27:43,339 where love and justice can meet and David cannot find it as a father he 266 00:27:43,339 –> 00:27:50,060 loves his son as a king he must uphold justice love desires life for his 267 00:27:50,099 –> 00:27:56,959 son the law demands death for his son he cannot resolve that dilemma and because 268 00:27:56,959 –> 00:28:02,939 he cannot resolve that dilemma there is in the story no 269 00:28:02,939 –> 00:28:06,979 reconciliation whatsoever because reconciliation can only come about if 270 00:28:06,979 –> 00:28:14,900 that dilemma is so so in these last moments I want simply to come back to 271 00:28:14,900 –> 00:28:20,739 some words that the woman from Taqoa spoke, she said very many misleading 272 00:28:20,739 –> 00:28:28,739 things but she also said something very wonderful. Verse 14 she says this God 273 00:28:28,739 –> 00:28:37,800 devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. There she 274 00:28:37,800 –> 00:28:42,400 spoke a wonderful truth that points us forward to what God has done in Jesus 275 00:28:42,520 –> 00:28:51,819 Christ in the very heart of the gospel. God you see is a loving Father and yet 276 00:28:51,819 –> 00:29:05,020 God is also the king. God loves sinners but the wages of sin is death. So God 277 00:29:05,020 –> 00:29:15,260 does what David could not do. He devises means to solve this great dilemma. And 278 00:29:15,260 –> 00:29:21,219 how does he do this? This is what we celebrate around the Lord’s table today. 279 00:29:21,219 –> 00:29:31,199 He sent his son into the world. And his son stood in our place. And the justice 280 00:29:32,079 –> 00:29:39,719 that was due to us fell on him so that the love of the Father could stream 281 00:29:39,719 –> 00:29:45,040 unhindered and unfettered into our lives, and we should have access into his grace 282 00:29:45,040 –> 00:29:51,719 and presence forever and forever. And, you know, if you think about David’s pain 283 00:29:51,719 –> 00:29:56,199 and try and get inside what it was for David to live with this awful, 284 00:29:56,660 –> 00:30:03,380 dilemma, David’s pain gives us some shaft of light into the very heart of God 285 00:30:03,380 –> 00:30:12,900 himself. David loves his rebel son and he will not let him see justice. You can 286 00:30:12,900 –> 00:30:22,180 understand that. David’s saying, he’s my son, I can’t do it. I can’t give him up, and I 287 00:30:22,219 –> 00:30:29,500 want to say that’s how God loves you. That’s how God loves you at your worst. 288 00:30:29,500 –> 00:30:37,819 God says of his own people, Ephraim, how can I give you up? I can’t give you up. I 289 00:30:37,819 –> 00:30:44,979 can’t give you up to justice. I can’t give you up to hell. 290 00:30:45,719 –> 00:30:51,900 So here’s what I’ll do. I’ll stand myself in the place of the justice that is due 291 00:30:52,040 –> 00:30:58,219 to you I’ll take it in my own self. I’ll take it in the person of my own dearly 292 00:30:58,219 –> 00:31:12,500 loved son. God gave him up for us all, and he loved us, and gave himself for us. So 293 00:31:12,500 –> 00:31:18,099 that in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ love and justice meet together. 294 00:31:18,300 –> 00:31:25,979 This is God’s love for us and this is God’s perfect justice. God did not abandon justice 295 00:31:25,979 –> 00:31:33,180 for the sake of love, and he did not withhold love for the sake of justice. He brought them 296 00:31:33,180 –> 00:31:41,020 together at the cross, where his own son stood in our place. God was reconciling us to himself 297 00:31:41,140 –> 00:31:49,560 in Jesus Christ, and Jesus faced the justice so that we should enjoy the father’s love. 298 00:31:49,560 –> 00:31:54,500 Jesus was shut outside. My, God, my God, why have you forsaken me, so that we should have 299 00:31:54,500 –> 00:32:02,300 access into his Grace and into his presence forever and forever. 300 00:32:02,300 –> 00:32:07,079 Brother sister, when God forgives you, he will not keep you at a distance. He will not 301 00:32:07,380 –> 00:32:13,359 have you living under a suspended sentence, wondering what and when will be the final 302 00:32:13,359 –> 00:32:19,859 justice that will come upon you. No probation, no exclusion, no justice has been satisfied 303 00:32:19,859 –> 00:32:25,339 as far as you, at your worst, are concerned at the cross. 304 00:32:25,339 –> 00:32:37,060 And so God embraces you in His everlasting love. And to every person in Jesus Christ 305 00:32:37,060 –> 00:32:43,479 offers this amazing full and free forgiveness and reconciliation and access to grace to 306 00:32:43,479 –> 00:32:52,099 all who will come to Him in faith and in repentance. Let’s pray together. 307 00:32:52,500 –> 00:32:59,819 Father even the slightest glimpse of Your love has us marvelling, that You would not 308 00:32:59,819 –> 00:33:08,859 give us up, that Your love for us should be that strong, that You gave Your own Son and 309 00:33:08,859 –> 00:33:19,839 He gave Himself for us. Father we pray that this will bring fresh repentance in our hearts, 310 00:33:19,839 –> 00:33:25,819 fresh peace in our hearts, fresh joy in our hearts and that we may truly love You more 311 00:33:25,819 –> 00:33:31,640 than we have ever loved You before. In these things we ask in the Saviors name and everyone 312 00:33:31,640 –> 00:33:32,359 together said Amen.