1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:06,820 Well, please open your Bible at 2 Samuel and chapter 18. This is the last message 2 00:00:06,820 –> 00:00:14,400 in this series on David for now, for now. We are in 2 Samuel chapter 18, clearly 3 00:00:14,400 –> 00:00:19,299 that is not the end of the life of David, and God willing the plan is to come 4 00:00:19,299 –> 00:00:24,920 back to this series for a further four weeks during the summer of this 5 00:00:25,559 –> 00:00:34,560 year. But today, 2 Samuel and chapter 18 one of my memories of English classes in 6 00:00:34,560 –> 00:00:39,220 high school back in Scotland, we didn’t call it High School there, but let’s not 7 00:00:39,220 –> 00:00:44,080 get into that, one of my memories of English classes was of being given two 8 00:00:44,080 –> 00:00:50,439 stories or two essays and then being given the assignment, as many of us will 9 00:00:50,439 –> 00:00:56,099 remember the same thing, compare and contrast the one with the other. The word 10 00:00:56,099 –> 00:01:02,419 compare meant observe the similarities. The word contrast meant of course point 11 00:01:02,419 –> 00:01:08,320 out the differences. And really throughout this series we have been 12 00:01:08,320 –> 00:01:14,120 putting the story of David and the story of Jesus alongside each other in order 13 00:01:14,120 –> 00:01:19,260 to compare and contrast. Some things we have seen are very strikingly similar. 14 00:01:19,519 –> 00:01:24,559 Other things are very obviously different. And think for example about 15 00:01:24,559 –> 00:01:29,199 some of the comparisons that we have seen, places where David points very 16 00:01:29,199 –> 00:01:34,379 obviously, wonderfully and directly to the Lord Jesus and almost anticipates 17 00:01:34,379 –> 00:01:40,720 the Lord Jesus with remarkable precision. I mean David is God’s anointed king. 18 00:01:40,720 –> 00:01:46,519 He is the man after God’s own heart and Jesus is the anointed one. The exact 19 00:01:46,519 –> 00:01:53,940 representation of God’s being and the image of God Himself. David we have seen 20 00:01:53,940 –> 00:02:00,699 was despised and he was rejected, he was driven out of Jerusalem. We’ve seen him 21 00:02:00,699 –> 00:02:05,900 be an anticipation of Jesus, as he crosses the Brook Qidran and as he 22 00:02:05,900 –> 00:02:12,419 weeps his way up the Mount of Olives. All of these things our Lord Jesus also did. 23 00:02:13,020 –> 00:02:15,460 And later in the story when the great 24 00:02:15,460 –> 00:02:21,720 rebellion of Absalom is finally crushed, David is brought back in honour and 25 00:02:21,720 –> 00:02:27,440 restored as the King, as Jesus Christ, when the great rebellion of sin and of 26 00:02:27,440 –> 00:02:32,580 evil is finally crushed. Our Lord Jesus comes back in power and in glory, and 27 00:02:32,580 –> 00:02:42,100 what a day that will be. But as wonderful as the comparisons are, there is perhaps 28 00:02:42,559 –> 00:02:48,479 more that we can learn from the contrasts. The Holy Spirit uses both in 29 00:02:48,479 –> 00:02:53,440 the way that Scripture is weaved together in order to shine a light on 30 00:02:53,440 –> 00:02:59,360 Jesus Christ. And today, very simply, I want us, as we prepare to come again 31 00:02:59,360 –> 00:03:06,419 around the Lord’s table, for us to see how the glory of Jesus Christ shines out 32 00:03:06,839 –> 00:03:16,100 from the contrasts between David and his greater Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And so 33 00:03:16,100 –> 00:03:20,759 I hope you have your Bible open. I want to point out a number of these. We begin 34 00:03:20,759 –> 00:03:27,820 then with David being a king who obviously has many sins. We began, as we 35 00:03:27,820 –> 00:03:32,940 reflect on these last eight weeks, with the story of David and Bathsheba. Remember 36 00:03:33,059 –> 00:03:39,380 back in chapter 11, verse 2. This whole third and troubled period of David’s 37 00:03:39,380 –> 00:03:43,919 life begins when we’re told the one afternoon David gets up and he’s walking 38 00:03:43,919 –> 00:03:48,940 on the roof of the King’s house and he sees this woman, a beautiful woman, and 39 00:03:48,940 –> 00:03:57,139 she has been bathing. And we have been following the painful chain of events 40 00:03:57,380 –> 00:04:04,940 followed David’s sin with Bathsheba. Let me just remind you of six repercussions 41 00:04:04,940 –> 00:04:12,759 that press home to us the pain and the destruction that comes from sin in the 42 00:04:12,759 –> 00:04:19,600 life of one of God’s children, as David certainly was. From David’s adultery with 43 00:04:19,739 –> 00:04:28,179 Bathsheba, flow first the death of Uriah. You remember that David gave to Joab a 44 00:04:28,179 –> 00:04:34,420 sealed letter that was carried to him by this man, Uriah himself, Bathsheba’s 45 00:04:34,420 –> 00:04:40,100 husband and in the letter David instructed Joab the commander to put 46 00:04:40,100 –> 00:04:45,820 this man, Bathsheba’s husband Uriah, at the very center of the battle, to put him 47 00:04:45,839 –> 00:04:51,239 in the way of harm and then to pull back so that he’d be left at the mercy of the 48 00:04:51,239 –> 00:04:57,799 enemy. And so effectively David not only took your Uriah’s wife, he also took 49 00:04:57,799 –> 00:05:07,040 Uriah’s life. Second, you have the audacity of Joab. Think about this the 50 00:05:07,040 –> 00:05:14,380 letter that David sent to Joab, addressed to Joab, this sealed letter with these 51 00:05:14,459 –> 00:05:21,019 instructions about put Uriah in harm’s way. That letter explains in large 52 00:05:21,019 –> 00:05:25,760 measure why it was that Joab became more and more of a thorn in David’s side in 53 00:05:25,760 –> 00:05:32,859 his later years. You see, Joab knew David’s secret. Nobody else knew the 54 00:05:32,859 –> 00:05:38,579 instruction that David had given to put Uriah in the line of fire but Joab knew 55 00:05:38,579 –> 00:05:43,500 he had the letter. someone having a letter and said I could publish this at 56 00:05:43,500 –> 00:05:50,019 any time and it’s very clear, as the story goes on, that Joab uses this with 57 00:05:50,019 –> 00:05:55,980 increasingly devastating effect to wield power over the man who God has 58 00:05:55,980 –> 00:06:01,880 anointed as King and he does it to increasingly destructive effect as we’re 59 00:06:01,880 –> 00:06:07,079 going to see in the passage before us today. Joab becomes increasingly a 60 00:06:07,359 –> 00:06:13,739 wild card. Unpredictable, and in large measure it seems it goes back to this 61 00:06:13,739 –> 00:06:20,559 that he feels free to follow his own policy because he has something that he 62 00:06:20,559 –> 00:06:26,820 holds over David and then we’ve seen that there was the loss of Ahithophel, 63 00:06:26,820 –> 00:06:32,100 this man who was the fount of wisdom, David’s right hand person who had been a 64 00:06:32,100 –> 00:06:36,859 strategist and a close adviser, his counsel remember had been, as the very 65 00:06:36,859 –> 00:06:43,000 word of God and we saw that one of the effects of David’s sin was that he lost 66 00:06:43,000 –> 00:06:50,779 the support of this most trusted friend and advisor. And then we saw the tragedy 67 00:06:50,779 –> 00:06:56,700 of the suffering of Tymar, David’s own daughter, horribly abused by her own 68 00:06:56,700 –> 00:07:06,179 step-brother Amnon. And David’s sexual sin repeats itself in his own family and 69 00:07:06,260 –> 00:07:14,359 in a far uglier form. A father could have no greater sorrow than to see his own 70 00:07:14,359 –> 00:07:21,059 sins being repeated in the lives of his children. And David knew that sorrow, and 71 00:07:21,059 –> 00:07:27,859 then as we followed this story there was the death of Amnon. Absalom, David’s son 72 00:07:27,859 –> 00:07:31,459 who’s the focus of this part of the story where we are now, takes vengeance 73 00:07:31,799 –> 00:07:37,920 on Amnon for what he had done to their sister. David had ordered the 74 00:07:37,920 –> 00:07:43,600 elimination of Uriah. Now Absalom orders the elimination of Amnon, and the Word of 75 00:07:43,600 –> 00:07:50,459 Nathan the prophet is coming true. The sword shall never leave your house. 76 00:07:51,559 –> 00:07:57,640 David found that he was living under the discipline of God as these repercussions 77 00:07:57,739 –> 00:08:04,660 just tore through his family. And we’re beginning to see now in the story, tore 78 00:08:04,660 –> 00:08:10,980 through the entire nation. And repercussion number six is where we are 79 00:08:10,980 –> 00:08:18,640 with the rebellion of Absalom. Here’s this son Absalom. David loves him 80 00:08:18,640 –> 00:08:22,579 with all of his heart but Absalom does not love David. 81 00:08:22,839 –> 00:08:29,239 Absalom’s a rebel. He hates his father and he hates God. And he lures the people away 82 00:08:29,239 –> 00:08:35,059 from their loyalty to David. And he leads this great rebellion that splits 83 00:08:35,059 –> 00:08:42,940 the nation. So think about this. All that has come from David’s indulgence and his 84 00:08:42,940 –> 00:08:50,700 lust and that sexual sin back in chapter 11. The repercussions, the waves that are 85 00:08:50,799 –> 00:08:56,640 going on, the death of Uriah, the audacity of Joab, the loss of Ahithophel, the 86 00:08:56,640 –> 00:09:01,719 suffering, the awful suffering of Tamar, the death of Amnon. The rebellion of 87 00:09:01,719 –> 00:09:08,080 Absalom. It’s a devastating trail of destruction. Why is it in the Bible? 88 00:09:08,080 –> 00:09:17,239 It’s to say, when you are tempted, think so carefully and see that sin brings a 89 00:09:17,299 –> 00:09:25,520 trail of destruction always in its wake. Now, here we are we’re looking at the 90 00:09:25,520 –> 00:09:31,820 story of David, and David surely is one of the heroes of the Old Testament, and 91 00:09:31,820 –> 00:09:35,039 yet what we’ve been seeing throughout this last part of his life is how 92 00:09:35,039 –> 00:09:41,099 disappointing he really is. You read these chapters in 2nd Samuel, you 93 00:09:41,099 –> 00:09:47,880 inevitably come away saying we need a better King than this. And after all the 94 00:09:47,880 –> 00:09:52,679 wonderful ways in which David points to Jesus and anticipates Jesus, we’re seeing 95 00:09:52,679 –> 00:09:57,520 now that we learn much more by way of contrast. We look at David’s life and we 96 00:09:57,520 –> 00:10:04,239 say, we need a better King than the one that we’re seeing here, who would have 97 00:10:04,239 –> 00:10:09,400 thought that the young hero had killed Goliath. The skilled leader who we saw 98 00:10:09,440 –> 00:10:14,099 wonderfully brought God’s people together. The one who had pushed back 99 00:10:14,099 –> 00:10:18,400 their enemies and had achieved so much, who would have imagined that this man, 100 00:10:18,400 –> 00:10:22,080 who at one time had been filled with the Holy Spirit to the point where he was 101 00:10:22,080 –> 00:10:27,960 writing Scripture and laying down these Psalms, that this man, David, would turn 102 00:10:27,960 –> 00:10:33,119 out to be the one who would lead his family into disaster and bring the 103 00:10:33,179 –> 00:10:40,320 people of God to the very brink of division? Well you know that hope springs 104 00:10:40,320 –> 00:10:44,500 eternal in the human heart and after David, how does the story go on? Well then 105 00:10:44,500 –> 00:10:50,359 there’s Solomon. How does he start? Really well! So wise! Oh now we’ve got the king 106 00:10:50,359 –> 00:10:54,440 that we really need and that we’re looking for, except you read his story 107 00:10:54,440 –> 00:10:58,479 and it follows exactly the same trajectory. Bright beginnings, very sad 108 00:10:59,080 –> 00:11:03,820 endings. And if you read through the rest of the history of the kings of Israel in 109 00:11:03,820 –> 00:11:07,700 the Old Testament, you’ll find that from David and Solomon onwards, it’s pretty 110 00:11:07,700 –> 00:11:12,099 much downhill for the rest of the Davidic kings. None of them come close to 111 00:11:12,099 –> 00:11:18,239 the achievements of David or Solomon and all of them carry exactly the same bent 112 00:11:18,239 –> 00:11:24,599 to sin. So you read through this story and it brings you to the place of saying 113 00:11:24,659 –> 00:11:31,400 where will we ever find a king who is all that God calls us to be? And that, of 114 00:11:31,400 –> 00:11:36,900 course, gets to the heart of the human problem. This is the central message 115 00:11:36,900 –> 00:11:42,059 really of the Old Testament, it opens up the problem to which Jesus Christ is the 116 00:11:42,059 –> 00:11:48,039 answer. And what is the problem? It is that none of us can or ever will fulfill 117 00:11:48,039 –> 00:11:53,739 the life that God has called us to lead. The most gifted person in this room 118 00:11:53,760 –> 00:12:03,340 cannot do it, and the most Godly person in this room has not done it. We are 119 00:12:03,340 –> 00:12:12,500 sinners by nature and by practice. We are sinners in thought and word and deed. All 120 00:12:12,500 –> 00:12:19,679 have sinned and fall short of the glory of God that is the human condition. It is 121 00:12:19,719 –> 00:12:23,780 true in every culture. It is true in every generation. It is true of women. It 122 00:12:23,780 –> 00:12:27,859 is true of men. It is true of the rich. It is true of the poor. It is true of 123 00:12:27,859 –> 00:12:30,859 black and white and churched and unchurched. 124 00:12:30,859 –> 00:12:36,599 It is true of every person, of every inclination and every disposition. It is 125 00:12:36,599 –> 00:12:41,020 the universal truth to which the Old Testament Scriptures bear witness and 126 00:12:41,020 –> 00:12:48,659 the new. That not a single one of us has lived the life to which God has called 127 00:12:48,960 –> 00:12:55,960 us not even close. Not even David. And so here is this king with many, many 128 00:13:01,099 –> 00:13:08,099 sins and his story leaves us looking for a better king. 129 00:13:09,539 –> 00:13:16,200 The second observation by way of contrast, this is also a king who 130 00:13:16,260 –> 00:13:21,059 cannot save. If you have your Bible open it chapter 18 now as 131 00:13:21,059 –> 00:13:24,020 we take up the story and move it forward after that brief 132 00:13:24,020 –> 00:13:28,580 review David has now mustered together, gathered together 133 00:13:29,099 –> 00:13:33,900 thousands and hundreds in an army that is standing with him 134 00:13:33,900 –> 00:13:37,500 in verse 1. You remember how this happened? we looked at it 135 00:13:37,500 –> 00:13:42,179 last week. Ahithovel had advised Absalom to pursue David 136 00:13:42,179 –> 00:13:44,880 immediately on the very day that he left Jerusalem. 137 00:13:45,179 –> 00:13:48,580 And David just had a very small band of supporters at that time 138 00:13:48,580 –> 00:13:52,039 and if absalom had done as he done as he had been advised he 139 00:13:52,039 –> 00:13:58,080 surely would have succeeded. But then God used this Spy a man 140 00:13:58,080 –> 00:14:02,359 by the name of Hushai who came up with some alternative advice 141 00:14:02,359 –> 00:14:06,280 and advised a delay in order to gather a huge army from north 142 00:14:06,280 –> 00:14:09,559 south east and West and Absalom, you should be the one 143 00:14:09,559 –> 00:14:14,520 that’s at the center leading it all. And that’s delay but 144 00:14:14,760 –> 00:14:18,320 David’s time and in the grace of God during the delay there 145 00:14:18,320 –> 00:14:22,760 were not only hundreds but thousands who came to my name 146 00:14:22,760 –> 00:14:26,440 where he had retreated and they took their stand with him. 147 00:14:28,140 –> 00:14:31,479 And so now at the beginning of chapter 18 you have two armies 148 00:14:31,479 –> 00:14:32,900 that are ready for battle. 149 00:14:33,520 –> 00:14:39,479 David has three commanders job, a Bisha and a tie whose loyalty 150 00:14:39,520 –> 00:14:44,619 which we noted before David wants to go into the battle 151 00:14:44,619 –> 00:14:49,919 himself and he says verse two I myself will also go out with 152 00:14:49,919 –> 00:14:54,200 you but his loyal people simply will not let him go and I love 153 00:14:54,200 –> 00:14:55,219 this in verse 3. 154 00:14:55,359 –> 00:15:00,320 He said they say to him You are worth 10,000 of us. 155 00:15:00,840 –> 00:15:01,700 They’re beautiful. 156 00:15:02,500 –> 00:15:03,419 There’s loyalty. 157 00:15:04,260 –> 00:15:06,159 You’re worth ten thousand of us. 158 00:15:06,359 –> 00:15:09,940 They say to the king Your life is so valuable. 159 00:15:10,000 –> 00:15:12,039 It cannot possibly be put at risk. 160 00:15:13,479 –> 00:15:15,340 And David accepts their counsel. 161 00:15:16,020 –> 00:15:21,179 And next he tells us why he was so eager to go with the army 162 00:15:21,179 –> 00:15:21,979 into battle. 163 00:15:22,200 –> 00:15:23,320 And this is the key verse. 164 00:15:23,359 –> 00:15:23,960 Verse five 165 00:15:24,359 –> 00:15:29,859 Deal gently for my sake with a young man. 166 00:15:30,440 –> 00:15:31,719 That’s why he wanted to be there. 167 00:15:32,580 –> 00:15:35,359 I know there’s going to be a battle and I know that there’s 168 00:15:35,400 –> 00:15:36,859 an enemy that has to be defeated. 169 00:15:37,179 –> 00:15:39,859 But I want Absalom coming out of this alive. 170 00:15:40,140 –> 00:15:43,359 And I’m saying to you my commanders you make very sure 171 00:15:43,539 –> 00:15:46,900 you deal gently with Absalom. 172 00:15:46,900 –> 00:15:48,719 If I’m not gonna be there to keep an eye on you, 173 00:15:49,099 –> 00:15:51,919 I’m giving you this command. 174 00:15:53,219 –> 00:15:58,960 Now David could hardly have made this instruction clear that 175 00:15:58,960 –> 00:16:00,559 the order that he gave. 176 00:16:00,559 –> 00:16:02,099 Look at what it says here. 177 00:16:02,119 –> 00:16:03,440 He ordered. 178 00:16:04,320 –> 00:16:07,979 He ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai. 179 00:16:08,039 –> 00:16:11,900 In other words this is face to face, eyeball to eyeball. 180 00:16:11,960 –> 00:16:13,260 Are you getting this Joab? 181 00:16:13,460 –> 00:16:14,799 Are you getting this Abishai? 182 00:16:14,960 –> 00:16:16,119 Are you getting this Ittai? 183 00:16:17,080 –> 00:16:18,719 Could not have been clearer. 184 00:16:19,640 –> 00:16:24,599 Whatever happens I do not want any harm to come to Absalom. 185 00:16:24,640 –> 00:16:26,400 That’s the King’s priority. 186 00:16:28,340 –> 00:16:32,739 Not only did he make this order clear, he made it public. 187 00:16:33,919 –> 00:16:34,580 Verse five. 188 00:16:34,799 –> 00:16:41,119 All the people heard when the King gave orders to the commander’s about Absalom. 189 00:16:41,159 –> 00:16:43,039 So it wasn’t just the three commanders who heard. 190 00:16:43,239 –> 00:16:43,979 They all heard. 191 00:16:44,000 –> 00:16:45,359 The whole army was aware. 192 00:16:45,559 –> 00:16:50,539 What ever happens nothing is to cause harm to Absalom. 193 00:16:52,820 –> 00:16:59,820 And then notice that the King gave the highest possible reason for this clear order that he gave so publicly. 194 00:17:00,080 –> 00:17:06,680 He says deal gently for my sake with Absalom. 195 00:17:07,040 –> 00:17:11,540 In other words he’s saying to his commander now look this is personal. 196 00:17:11,920 –> 00:17:20,079 This is for me and I’m asking this one thing of you as you go into battle you make sure you don’t mess up on this. 197 00:17:20,540 –> 00:17:25,060 I want Absalom coming back alive. 198 00:17:25,579 –> 00:17:26,420 So verse six. 199 00:17:26,439 –> 00:17:31,719 The army went out into the field against Israel and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. 200 00:17:31,959 –> 00:17:34,040 The battles passed over as if it were nothing. 201 00:17:34,060 –> 00:17:36,479 The whole focus is on what happens to Absalom. 202 00:17:38,280 –> 00:17:40,239 And in the course of this battle we are told. 203 00:17:40,260 –> 00:17:46,939 Verse 9 that Absalom happened to me the servants of David. 204 00:17:47,079 –> 00:17:54,680 So here now as the retreat is happening on the part of Absalom’s forces there’s confusion in the forest. 205 00:17:54,739 –> 00:17:57,099 People are moving in all kinds of different directions. 206 00:17:57,219 –> 00:18:02,459 And it so happened that Absalom met the servants of David. 207 00:18:02,920 –> 00:18:06,000 Now what’s Absalom going to do as soon as he sees the servants of David. 208 00:18:06,180 –> 00:18:09,199 He is going to flee as fast as he possibly can. 209 00:18:10,219 –> 00:18:11,939 And that is exactly what he did. 210 00:18:12,579 –> 00:18:14,640 He clearly turned and he fled. 211 00:18:14,839 –> 00:18:15,839 And verse 9. 212 00:18:37,380 –> 00:18:39,420 Have you got that clear in your mind? 213 00:18:39,900 –> 00:18:44,719 So Absalom was hanging on a tree. 214 00:18:44,719 –> 00:18:47,180 Think about that. 215 00:18:47,180 –> 00:18:49,680 His head clearly had been caught. 216 00:18:49,680 –> 00:18:53,119 Perhaps this even had something to do with his hair that’s been suggested. 217 00:18:53,119 –> 00:18:57,099 Which was such a feature, you may remember before he was proud of it. 218 00:18:57,099 –> 00:19:02,959 But what we’re told here is that his head was caught perhaps in a forked branch of this oak tree. 219 00:19:02,959 –> 00:19:04,920 The lower-lying branch. 220 00:19:04,920 –> 00:19:08,599 He’s on the mule, and perhaps he was looking back as he’s fleeing. 221 00:19:08,619 –> 00:19:10,479 He runs into this thing, and he’s caught. 222 00:19:10,479 –> 00:19:17,680 The mule keeps going, and there he is suspended between heaven and earth. 223 00:19:18,880 –> 00:19:25,520 Then we’re told that a certain man, not named, but some unnamed person. 224 00:19:25,520 –> 00:19:32,400 Verse ten, saw him and then went to Joab to report what he saw. 225 00:19:32,459 –> 00:19:39,439 And he told, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak. 226 00:19:39,439 –> 00:19:43,540 Now, the significance of the tree, this is very important. 227 00:19:43,540 –> 00:19:51,920 The significance of the tree is simply this, that in the New Testament we read, 228 00:19:51,920 –> 00:19:57,020 cursed is anyone who hangs upon a tree. 229 00:19:57,020 –> 00:20:01,839 That’s Galatians, chapter 3, verse 13 and it’s citing an old law from Deuteronomy 230 00:20:01,839 –> 00:20:04,459 in chapter 21. 231 00:20:04,459 –> 00:20:10,579 And here’s Absalom, and he’s the rebel son of David and he clearly is under the curse 232 00:20:10,579 –> 00:20:16,599 of God for his own multiple sins. 233 00:20:16,599 –> 00:20:24,459 And when this unnamed person sees Absalom hanging there, and reports this to Joab, 234 00:20:24,459 –> 00:20:28,319 Joab says to him, in effect, well, I hope you finished him off. 235 00:20:28,319 –> 00:20:31,900 I hope you struck him to the ground. 236 00:20:31,900 –> 00:20:37,339 He says, I would have given you 10 pieces of silver if you’d done that. 237 00:20:37,339 –> 00:20:46,319 And then this unnamed man says these remarkable words in verse 12, even if I felt in my hand 238 00:20:46,359 –> 00:20:53,599 the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the 239 00:20:55,260 –> 00:20:58,420 king’s son. 240 00:20:58,420 –> 00:21:05,640 For in our hearing, the king commanded you and Abishai and Eddai, for my sake protect 241 00:21:08,280 –> 00:21:14,000 the young man Absalom. 242 00:21:14,239 –> 00:21:20,739 My king wants his son protected and I would not betray him for a thousand pieces of silver. 243 00:21:20,739 –> 00:21:24,640 That’s what he says. 244 00:21:24,640 –> 00:21:25,640 Extraordinary. 245 00:21:25,640 –> 00:21:27,719 Well, Joab has absolutely no time for that. 246 00:21:27,719 –> 00:21:32,560 Verse 14, in effect he says, get out of my way. 247 00:21:32,560 –> 00:21:37,640 I’ll not waste any more time with you, he says, absolutely despises this man’s loyalty 248 00:21:37,640 –> 00:21:40,040 to the king. 249 00:21:40,040 –> 00:21:42,359 Now Joab is the commander. 250 00:21:42,359 –> 00:21:46,040 But he’s got the king’s letter about Uriah, he’s got it over the king. 251 00:21:46,040 –> 00:21:50,939 What does he care about the word or will of the king? 252 00:21:50,939 –> 00:21:56,819 And so pressing the unnamed young man to the side, Joab goes forward with his ten armor 253 00:21:56,819 –> 00:22:00,380 bearers and puts Absalom to death. 254 00:22:00,380 –> 00:22:01,979 And here’s the point. 255 00:22:01,979 –> 00:22:06,760 David can do nothing to stop it. 256 00:22:06,760 –> 00:22:09,140 He’s the king. 257 00:22:09,239 –> 00:22:12,719 And Jerry cannot even save his own son. 258 00:22:12,719 –> 00:22:22,160 Then, Joab and his men throw Absalom’s body into a pit that evidently was nearby there 259 00:22:22,160 –> 00:22:24,020 in the forest. 260 00:22:24,020 –> 00:22:32,979 And verse 17, raised over him a very great heap of stones. 261 00:22:33,060 –> 00:22:42,780 Jewish writers actually speak of a tradition that in the following years emerged in which 262 00:22:42,780 –> 00:22:47,479 when people went past that area and saw the pile of stones, they would throw another one 263 00:22:47,479 –> 00:22:50,099 on the top. 264 00:22:50,099 –> 00:22:54,640 And they would say, cursed be Absalom and any other child who rebels against his or 265 00:22:54,640 –> 00:22:56,219 her parents. 266 00:22:56,219 –> 00:22:59,000 Now, think about this. 267 00:22:59,400 –> 00:23:04,020 David is a powerful King. 268 00:23:04,020 –> 00:23:09,599 He can slay Goliath, but he can’t save his own son. 269 00:23:09,599 –> 00:23:15,239 Even when he gives the clearest, strongest, most public command and instruction, a personal 270 00:23:15,239 –> 00:23:18,839 order for my sake, he can’t do it. 271 00:23:18,839 –> 00:23:22,560 He’s a King who cannot save. 272 00:23:22,560 –> 00:23:27,339 So, you read this story and you think, we need a better King because this King, his 273 00:23:27,420 –> 00:23:30,420 life is just riddled with sin. 274 00:23:30,420 –> 00:23:36,859 And you say, we need a more powerful King because this King doesn’t have the ability 275 00:23:36,859 –> 00:23:43,319 even to get His will done when He seeks some good thing in regards to His own. 276 00:23:43,319 –> 00:23:48,180 And then there’s one more thing that I want you to see and it is so plain in the passage 277 00:23:48,180 –> 00:23:54,839 that was read to us, that David is a King who cannot become a substitute. 278 00:23:54,839 –> 00:24:00,599 He is a King who cannot become a substitute. 279 00:24:00,599 –> 00:24:06,239 In the story that follows, the one that was read for us a little earlier, we hear how 280 00:24:06,239 –> 00:24:11,239 the news of the triumph in the battle came to David. 281 00:24:11,239 –> 00:24:16,959 There was a man by the name of Ahimaz and he was a loyal servant of David and a very 282 00:24:16,959 –> 00:24:21,319 fast runner, we picked up references to him and his running a couple of times in this 283 00:24:21,839 –> 00:24:26,439 before and as a fast runner and loyal to David he wanted to be the one to bring the marvelous 284 00:24:26,439 –> 00:24:32,780 news that David’s forces had prevailed over the forces of Absalom and that the great rebellion 285 00:24:32,780 –> 00:24:35,680 was finally done. 286 00:24:35,680 –> 00:24:41,839 But Joab, very interestingly, does not want this man Ahimaz to go. 287 00:24:41,839 –> 00:24:46,260 Joab knows that David is going to have more sorrow over the death of his son than he has 288 00:24:46,280 –> 00:24:51,719 joy over the victory of his army and he wants to protect Ahimaz from being the one that 289 00:24:51,719 –> 00:24:54,819 brings the bad news. 290 00:24:54,819 –> 00:25:04,319 So Joab sends a cushite, an African, who becomes a hero of the story. 291 00:25:04,319 –> 00:25:09,739 Ahimaz will not take no for an answer and so after the cushite has gone on his way and 292 00:25:10,099 –> 00:25:14,119 also has toasted a cup of drink and he also is running with the news for the king, Ahimaz 293 00:25:14,119 –> 00:25:18,780 persuades Joab that he also will go and so, although he leaves later, he goes by another 294 00:25:18,780 –> 00:25:25,420 route and he’s a very fast runner and he actually manages to get there first. 295 00:25:25,420 –> 00:25:27,560 And he announces the good news to the king. 296 00:25:27,560 –> 00:25:28,560 Verse 28. 297 00:25:28,560 –> 00:25:32,099 All is well! 298 00:25:32,099 –> 00:25:37,219 Blest be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my 299 00:25:37,219 –> 00:25:38,219 LORD the king. 300 00:25:38,219 –> 00:25:40,140 Oh it’s good news, David. 301 00:25:40,140 –> 00:25:41,140 Everything’s fine. 302 00:25:41,140 –> 00:25:42,140 All is well. 303 00:25:42,140 –> 00:25:48,219 The battle is won and the rebellion is over and David cares only about one thing. 304 00:25:48,219 –> 00:25:50,180 Verse 29. 305 00:25:50,180 –> 00:25:53,339 Is it well with the young man Absalom? 306 00:25:53,339 –> 00:26:00,540 Now, Ahimaz knew that Absalom was dead because if you look back at verse 20, that’s the very 307 00:26:00,540 –> 00:26:04,540 reason that Joab gave him for not being the one to go as the runner. 308 00:26:04,540 –> 00:26:05,699 You don’t want to be telling that news. 309 00:26:05,699 –> 00:26:10,520 So, he knew for sure that Absalom was dead. 310 00:26:10,520 –> 00:26:15,119 But here’s something about Ahimaz that speaks to us today. 311 00:26:15,119 –> 00:26:20,719 He was very keen to be the announcer of good news but he sure bottled out when it came 312 00:26:20,719 –> 00:26:26,160 to telling the truth that was difficult for David to hear. 313 00:26:26,160 –> 00:26:32,400 I saw a great commotion, he says, but I really don’t know what happened, verse 29. 314 00:26:32,400 –> 00:26:36,140 When they noticed the response of David, David says turn aside and stand here. 315 00:26:36,140 –> 00:26:42,319 In other words, David instinctively knows, I’m never going to get the truth from you. 316 00:26:42,319 –> 00:26:44,359 You don’t have the courage to say it straight. 317 00:26:44,359 –> 00:26:48,560 You’re the kind of proclaimer of good news that always wants to say what people want 318 00:26:48,560 –> 00:26:49,560 to hear. 319 00:26:49,560 –> 00:26:54,400 You don’t want to bring the stuff that is difficult to hear. 320 00:26:54,400 –> 00:27:00,540 The supreme irrelevance of a messenger who announces good news but does not have the 321 00:27:00,579 –> 00:27:05,760 courage to speak the truth when it is uncomfortable to hear. 322 00:27:05,760 –> 00:27:11,619 And then the Cushite shows up and he tells the whole story. 323 00:27:11,619 –> 00:27:14,579 The victory is won. 324 00:27:14,579 –> 00:27:17,459 The rebellion is over. 325 00:27:17,459 –> 00:27:20,579 And Absalom is dead. 326 00:27:20,579 –> 00:27:22,979 And then we come to verse 33. 327 00:27:22,979 –> 00:27:24,380 And I want you to see this. 328 00:27:24,380 –> 00:27:27,800 And the king was deeply moved. 329 00:27:28,680 –> 00:27:37,400 And he went up to the chamber over the gate, and he wept, and as he went, he said, 330 00:27:37,400 –> 00:27:44,660 Oh my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom, would I had died instead of you. 331 00:27:44,660 –> 00:27:51,760 Oh Absalom, my son, my son, do you see what David is saying here? 332 00:27:52,560 –> 00:28:00,420 Oh Absalom, if only I could have taken your place, if only I could have been the one hanging on the tree instead 333 00:28:00,420 –> 00:28:07,479 of you, if only I was the one who was under the pile of stones, if only I was 334 00:28:07,479 –> 00:28:13,040 able to take your death and you could have my life. 335 00:28:13,040 –> 00:28:19,459 But David cannot become the substitute for the Son he loves so much. 336 00:28:19,459 –> 00:28:26,400 So put the story together, and what do you have? You have in David Israel’s greatest king. 337 00:28:26,400 –> 00:28:30,839 They don’t come any better than David, for all his flaws, his achievements, 338 00:28:30,839 –> 00:28:35,199 and his greatness – without question! 339 00:28:35,420 –> 00:28:44,579 But here is a king with many sins, and here is a king who does not have the power to save, 340 00:28:44,579 –> 00:28:52,319 and here is a king who cannot take the place of the rebel son that he loves. 341 00:28:52,319 –> 00:29:00,119 And the story just leaves you saying, We need a better king than this! 342 00:29:00,359 –> 00:29:07,000 And so do you see how powerfully this story points by way of contrast to our lord and 343 00:29:07,000 –> 00:29:08,579 savior Jesus Christ? 344 00:29:08,579 –> 00:29:14,979 Let me just try and gather this together in these last few minutes for you in this way. 345 00:29:14,979 –> 00:29:21,140 Here are five contrasts from this story that show the unique glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. 346 00:29:21,140 –> 00:29:23,640 First there’s the contrast over the sin. 347 00:29:23,719 –> 00:29:26,839 David, a king with many sins. 348 00:29:26,839 –> 00:29:34,160 Roll the story forward a thousand years and David’s greater son is born, the Son of God 349 00:29:34,160 –> 00:29:37,060 is born into the line of David. 350 00:29:37,060 –> 00:29:41,920 That’s very important in the bible, he comes into this line of descent and here is the 351 00:29:41,920 –> 00:29:47,140 contrast, David is the king with many sins. 352 00:29:47,140 –> 00:29:51,979 But as Jesus comes into the world and then lives that perfect life in obedience to the 353 00:29:51,979 –> 00:29:59,699 Lord, he committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth. 354 00:29:59,699 –> 00:30:07,000 Jesus was the only person in human history who ever perfectly fulfilled the life that 355 00:30:07,000 –> 00:30:11,579 God calls all of us to live. 356 00:30:11,579 –> 00:30:15,859 That means that his life is infinitely precious. 357 00:30:16,780 –> 00:30:22,959 And think about this by way of contrast, while David stayed back from the battle because 358 00:30:22,959 –> 00:30:31,739 his men said you are worth more than ten thousand of us, Jesus whose life is infinitely precious 359 00:30:31,739 –> 00:30:36,660 goes into the battle and lays down his life for us. 360 00:30:36,660 –> 00:30:45,479 Then think about the silver, a certain man who was loyal to the king and he said even 361 00:30:45,619 –> 00:30:52,619 for a thousand pieces of silver he would not give up the son of David. 362 00:30:52,900 –> 00:30:59,900 And we know about another man who professed to be loyal to Jesus but gave up for just 363 00:31:00,160 –> 00:31:06,280 thirty miserable pieces of silver the very Son of God. 364 00:31:06,280 –> 00:31:13,280 And then think about the tree. Anyone hanging on a tree is under God’s curse. 365 00:31:16,160 –> 00:31:23,160 Absalom was hanging on a tree. Jesus was hanging on a tree. 366 00:31:24,959 –> 00:31:31,959 But here’s the contrast. Absalom was under the curse on account of his own sin. 367 00:31:33,579 –> 00:31:40,579 Why was Jesus on a tree? He was under the curse on account of our sin. 368 00:31:41,319 –> 00:31:46,420 He was there for you and He was there for me. 369 00:31:46,420 –> 00:31:51,760 The apostles often refer in the New Testament to the cross as a tree, and the reason that 370 00:31:51,760 –> 00:31:55,920 they refer to the cross as a tree is precisely to make this point, to tell us what was happening 371 00:31:55,920 –> 00:32:01,540 when Jesus died on the cross. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a 372 00:32:01,540 –> 00:32:07,420 curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. 373 00:32:07,420 –> 00:32:10,420 We say, why would Jesus be under the curse? 374 00:32:10,420 –> 00:32:18,680 Here’s why, He bore our sins in His body on the tree, and that takes us to the fourth 375 00:32:18,680 –> 00:32:23,660 great contrast, Jesus is our substitute. 376 00:32:23,660 –> 00:32:29,180 What David wished he could do with Absalom, if only I could change places with you, if 377 00:32:29,180 –> 00:32:33,280 it could be me that suffered that end, so that you might live. 378 00:32:33,280 –> 00:32:34,280 I would do it. 379 00:32:34,280 –> 00:32:35,280 I would do it. 380 00:32:35,280 –> 00:32:36,280 I love you so much. 381 00:32:36,280 –> 00:32:39,219 But he couldn’t do it. 382 00:32:39,219 –> 00:32:43,520 And what David could not do for his son Jesus Christ, has done for you and for me, brother 383 00:32:43,520 –> 00:32:46,660 and sister. 384 00:32:46,660 –> 00:32:52,699 What was due to us actually went on Him. 385 00:32:52,699 –> 00:33:00,520 He really did die the death that was coming to rebels like you and like me. 386 00:33:00,520 –> 00:33:05,680 David would say to Absalom, oh that I would have died instead of you. 387 00:33:05,680 –> 00:33:11,579 And Jesus can say to us, I did die instead of you. 388 00:33:11,579 –> 00:33:16,859 And then, I moved just by pondering these stones. 389 00:33:16,859 –> 00:33:26,619 Absalom buried, what a scene that was under this enormous pile of stones. 390 00:33:26,719 –> 00:33:33,619 And when the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross, it was laid in a tomb, and 391 00:33:33,619 –> 00:33:35,640 what was done to seal the tomb? 392 00:33:35,640 –> 00:33:43,920 A grey stone was moved over the entrance to the tomb. 393 00:33:43,920 –> 00:33:46,900 Here’s the contrast. 394 00:33:46,900 –> 00:33:53,380 The body of Absalom remained under that awful pile of stones. 395 00:33:53,619 –> 00:33:57,939 It never moved. 396 00:33:57,939 –> 00:34:02,680 But Jesus rose from the dead and when he did, the stone was rolled away, right? 397 00:34:02,680 –> 00:34:11,639 A living Savior, that’s our Jesus, and it is because of Jesus, our risen Savior, that 398 00:34:11,639 –> 00:34:18,580 there is hope for sinners like David and there’s hope for sinners like you and me. 399 00:34:18,659 –> 00:34:26,899 The king with many sins, David was actually able to say, nonetheless, the Lord is my shepherd. 400 00:34:26,899 –> 00:34:29,899 The Lord restores my soul, there’s hope for David. 401 00:34:29,899 –> 00:34:30,899 Why? 402 00:34:30,899 –> 00:34:34,179 Because of his greater Son, Jesus Christ. 403 00:34:34,179 –> 00:34:38,060 That’s why there’s hope for you and for me. 404 00:34:38,060 –> 00:34:41,959 Jesus Christ saves sinners. 405 00:34:41,959 –> 00:34:46,820 He does that because he is able to do, and has done, what David was never able to do, 406 00:34:46,879 –> 00:34:50,399 even though he would have wanted to do it. 407 00:34:50,399 –> 00:34:52,699 He stood in our place. 408 00:34:52,699 –> 00:34:55,500 He became our substitute. 409 00:34:55,500 –> 00:35:01,699 He bore the curse for us in his body on the tree. 410 00:35:01,699 –> 00:35:09,379 And when it was done, he rose from the grave in triumph, leaving the stone behind him. 411 00:35:09,379 –> 00:35:11,600 Let’s pray together, shall we? 412 00:35:11,719 –> 00:35:18,080 Father, our hearts are lifted as we think of the glory of your son, Jesus Christ, who 413 00:35:18,080 –> 00:35:21,300 loved us and gave himself for us. 414 00:35:21,300 –> 00:35:27,719 And we thank you that we now draw near to him, around the table, this savior who loves 415 00:35:27,719 –> 00:35:34,979 us, his one who saves us, this substitute who put himself in our place so that the life 416 00:35:34,979 –> 00:35:39,879 that belongs to him may be ours forever and forever. 417 00:35:39,879 –> 00:35:46,060 Read out our hearts in thanksgiving, praise, confidence, faith, worship towards your son, 418 00:35:46,060 –> 00:35:47,800 Jesus Christ. 419 00:35:47,800 –> 00:35:54,179 And as he offers himself, grant that for every person we may embrace him as our savior, our 420 00:35:54,179 –> 00:35:58,679 Lord and our King, for these things we ask in his name and everyone together said, amen.