2 Samuel 15:13-37

2 Samuel chapter 15 reading verse 13 I’m going to read verses 13 to 17 but we will be looking at the entire rest of the chapter tonight let me do it in sections and I’ll begin with verses 13 to 17 and there came a messenger to David saying the hearts of the men of Israel are after absalom and David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem arise, let us flee, for we shall not else escape from Absalom, make speed depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. The king’s servants said unto the king, behold thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. The king went forth and all his household after him and the king left ten women which were concubines to keep the house. The king went forth and all the people after him and tarried in a place that was far off. One of Esop’s fables has to do with an eagle that was set perched high up on a lofty rock keeping a sharp lookout for prey. But there was a hunter who had concealed himself in a cleft of the mountain looking for game, and he spied the eagle and trained his bow upon it and shot an arrow. The arrow went right through the eagle full in the breast, pierced him through and through. He lay there in the agony of death. The eagle turned, and he looked at that arrow that was sticking in him. And he cried out how cruel that I should perish this way. But oh, how much more cruel still that the arrow which kills me should be winged with eagle’s feathers. It was a terrible blow that David should face a revolt and the overthrow of his kingdom. But how much more cruel it was that his own son would be involved in this situation. born of David himself. We have already studied how Absalon has craftily stolen away the hearts of the people in the first six verses of this chapter. And deeming it now the right time, we saw in verses 7 to 12, Absalom sets in motion his plan to snatch the kingdom away for himself. David feels the need to leave the city of Jerusalem. and he does so here in shame and in sorrow. All God’s children know something about what it means to be at the bottom of the barrel, what it means to be at the end of one’s tethered. What do you do in such situations and how do you respond? Well, the answer, I think, lies here in our text. And I’ll begin by saying that first, God grants you wisdom in a crisis. Here in verses 13. to 17, you see David’s strategically sound decision here to withdraw from Jerusalem. During a crisis, it’s easy to lose your head to not think clearly about what is the best course of action. People often make critical mistakes, sometimes even fatal mistakes. And yet God bestows upon him. his people the wisdom that they need in the time of Christ’s and he guides their steps. Even when God is chasing you for your sin, and that is the case with David, you notice that God does not abandon David here, but he gives him some wisdom on how to respond to Absalon’s attack. Now, David sees clearly that it’s best militarily not to get trapped inside of the enemy, a walled city. Because if he gets trapped inside the city, then it will be besieged by Absalom. So if he remains in Jerusalem, not only will the city be surrounded, but probably in the process of the conquering in the city, a lot of destruction is going to take place and a lot of loss of human life. So David wisely, I think, realized that if he remained there, it was going to be a problem. It’s interesting by leaving the city, he actually could tell who was on his side and who wasn’t. Who was going to be loyal to him and who would not. By going into exile, David could be sure that only Advent supporters would accompany him. So it was a brilliant move, I think, and it gained time for David to respond to Absalom’s rebellion. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had time to do it. So you see David’s strategically sound decision to withdraw from Jerusalem. Now, God grants you wisdom to make the right decisions in a crisis. And during the Reformation in Germany, Martin Luther ran a file of men of great political power and clout in the community. Often it seemed that Luther stood alone against all these powerful foes. who supported the Roman Catholic Church, and of course they were out to silence Luther. And yet Luther would say that he realized that the heavens stood unsupported but by God alone. And he said the same is the case with the child of God. When told that the fearsome Duke George was going to oppose him, Luther responded and said, if it rained Duke George’s, I wouldn’t care so long as I have God with me. I don’t care how many people were against me. I don’t care how much power they have. As long as God is with me, I’ll be all right. We can always be assured that God is with us in our crisis, that he never leaves or abandoned his people. And that he’s able to grant you the wisdom that, that indeed can confound the greatest minds that the world has the offer. Scripture teaches when the wicked rise, when they seize political power, men hide themselves. Proverbs 28, 28. It appears from Scripture that there are times when it’s wise to flee and hide, when evil men would harm you. Remember Jesus. himself taught the new disciples in the New Testament when they persecute you in one city, flee to another in Matthew 10, 23. And when you see Jerusalem come past about with armies, then know that the desolation is nigh, then let them which be in Judea flee to the mountains, let them which are in the midst of it depart out, Luke chapter 21, 20, and 21. Remember in the book of Rehury, revelation when the dragon is about to attack the woman that has given birth to the manchild who would rule and reign with a rod of iron. This referred to some type of satanically controlled political power, in my opinion, the Roman Empire, versus the church at the time, the Church of Christ. So what does she do? She is given wings by God to flee into the wilderness and to hide from her enemies. When the great persecution broke out against the early church, in Acts chapter 9, what did the people God do? They fled in all different directions to escape the persecution. So there are times when it’s wise to just get out of harm’s way and hide till the storm of persecution passes over. And you see that with Elijah in the Old Testament. And when he finds out that King Ahab is going to try to kill him, God sends him to the Brook Cherath, and he’s hiding out. They can’t find him. They’re looking all over the place for Elijah. Can’t find him because God hit him. So God wants you to grant you wisdom in a crisis, and I think this is what we find, David, given really the back. course of action here by the Lord. He’s guided here in this. Secondly, tonight, God grants you faithful friends in a crisis. Now look at verses 18 to 23. And all his servants passed on beside him and all the charitites, and all the pelothites, and all the Gittites, 600 men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the Lord, or before the king. Then said the king to Ittai, the Gittite, wherefore goest thou also with us, return to thy place, and abide with the king, for thou art a stranger, and also in exile. Whereas thou cameest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go, whether I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren, mercy and truth be with thee. And Ittai answered the king, and said, as the Lord liveth, as my Lord the king liveth, surely in what place my Lord the king shall be, whether in death or in life, even there also, will thy servant be. David said to Ittai, go and pass over, and Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him. And the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over, the king also, passed over the brookidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness. You see here, Ittai’s unwavering commitment to David. David paused at a distance from the city, according to verse 17, and as he looked at all the people that were following out, you know, in the parade outside the city here, of his supporters, as they filed past him, he stopped Ittai to get tight. Now, Ittai, the Gittite is from Gath. And you remember that Gath was the city of the Philistine giant, Goliath. In other words, he’s not an Israelite. He’s a proselyte. He’s a proselyte. And his hometown is in Philistia. But David here tries to dissuade Itai from going along with him, though he surely could use his military expertise and help. But Ittai was more than a mercenary soldier. He says, he was not in this for the money. He is dedicated to David. He was a proselyte, it seems, that truly believed in the true God. And thus David bids him farewell with a divine blessing, mercy and truth. Be with me. But David doesn’t want Itai to fight out of compulsion here. He says, well, you only got, you know, you’re really a foreigner. and you’re getting dragged into this civil war between us, my son and I. And so he was trying to give him a way out if he would like to leave. He could. But Itai has no hesitation about staying with David. He’s unwaveringly committed. Abslon is not the king, but he classifies David as his king. And so he’s going to stay. He’s sort of an unwaveringly committed. island of fidelity in a sea of treachery. A friend in need is certainly a friend indeed. And Ittai is going to be a friend in deed here. And so you see his commitment and the people with him, his whole, you know, his wives, his children, and other men that came along with him. Those men were going to stay with David. Notice that crises test the loyalty. of those closely associated with you. You want to really know who’s on your side? Go through a rough time and see who stands by you. And then you’ll know. In your life, you find those circumstances, reveal your true friends. And God often grant you loyal friends to help you in a time of crisis. Some may even be unexpected. Some may Isle of the Blue help you. You never expect it. to help you. What commonly passes itself off as friendship today is rather brittle. Hardship or trouble comes along and people desert you or are indifferent like Job’s friends. But a true friend, the Bible says, loves it all times. In the good times and the bad times. They’re not going to change when circumstances change. A lifelong friend is a brother, indeed a brother in the Lord. because the Bible says a friend loveeth at all times and a brother is born for adversity. You, this person was created, raised up by God, just for this time to help you out. God had a special purpose in raising this person up. In the Old Testament, you see in the book of Ruth, a destitute Naomi. She’s lost her husband. She lost her two sons with her while. there was a famine in Israel. They went to Moab trying to escape it. She wants now to be called Mara, meaning bitter, for the Lord hath dealt bitterly with me. Her two daughters-in-law, Orpa and Ruth, are told to stay in Moab and try to find a husband. You know, you might as well remarry and stay here. I can’t offer you anything, she says. Orpa decides she’s going to remain. But Ruth, clings to Naomi. She’s not going to leave. God has raised up Ruth just for this time of adversity in Naomi’s life. And treat me not to leave thee, or to return from following thee. For whether thou goest, I will go, and where thou lodgest, I will lodge. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God, my God, my God. Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. And the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death, part me and the… That’s pretty dedicated, isn’t it, that we see in the case of Ruth. And we find that Ruth, by God’s grace, becomes the deliverer of Naomi, the helper in her trial. And through Ruth, the line is continued. And Naomi’s family’s family is not completely. completely wiped out. And it’s prospered because we know David eventually comes from this from this family line. In the New Testament, you remember, Paul was arrested for preaching the gospel and he ends up in Rome because he has to appeal to Caesar. And so he stands before the emperor. And he has to defend him himself and his actions. people were rightly fearful of being on the wrong side of the emperor. If you know anything about the Caesars at all, they were kind of ruthless guys. They’re not people that put up with much. And you get on the wrong side of Caesar, you may find yourself at the arena, facing lions or torture of some sort. So many who profess Christ turned away from Paul. The Bible says they deserted him. him. He writes to Timothy and says, all in Asia had abandoned him during his crisis. It was shameful. However, there was one man who did not, and his name was Onesophores, according to the scripture. He boldly went to Rome, sought out Paul, provided for the needs of Paul, didn’t care what the emperor thought about him. He was going to support Paul, his true friend. He was dedicated to helping Paul. And so we see here is a case where true friendship stands out. Who is really going to help me? Onessa Forrest was on his side. Regardless of who else deserted him, Anessa Forrest was going to help. Of course, the greatest friend you can have in the time of need is Jesus Christ himself, who was a true friend. The friend of the friend of you can have in the time of need is Jesus. of sinners. While he may be despised by all men, he will be by your side and help you. He will never leave you nor forsake you despite all your failures and all your inconsistencies. He’s the older brother who loves at all times. He’s touched with the feelings of your infirmities. He provides help and grace in the time of need. So God grants you faithful friends in a crisis. We see that with it tie here. The third thing is that God grant you confidence in his sovereign favor in a crisis. And we see that in verses 24 through 29. And Loseidok also and all the Levites were with him bearing the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God and Abyathar went up until all the people had passed, had done passing out of the the city. And the king said unto Zadok, carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he shall bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation. But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee, behold here am I. Let him do as to me as seemeth good unto him. Then the king said also unto Zadok, the priest, art thou not a seat. here, return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, a hymn as thy son and Jonathan, the son of Abiodar. See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, till there come word from you to certify me. Zadok, therefore, and Abyathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem, and tarried there. Here we find, you see that David, you know, relying on divine favor to bring about good results. He enjoys the solid support of the clergy, if you would. Zadok, Abiathar, and the priest. They’re ready to share in David’s banishment. They’re not alone. The Levites also are acting under Zadok’s orders, and they have brought the ark of the covenant with them out of the city of Jerusalem. may have the city, but he does not have the priest, nor does he have the token or the sign of Jehovah’s presence here. However, David rejects the idea that having the ark is equivalent here to guaranteeing God’s favor and blessing. While it is a sign of it, it’s no guarantee of it. We look back to the mistake of 1st, Samuel, Chapter 4, when the Israelites thought if they just took the ark of the covenant, the battle against it. Philistines that everything was going to be successful and lost the ark of the covenant at that time. So David looks beyond the ark to God’s favor here, to the covenant of grace. His confidence is not in the ark itself, but in the God of the ark, and the covenant that God has made with him as the means as an ultimate triumph and victory. He doesn’t rely on gimmicks or superstitions here are rabbits’ foot religion, if you would, but in what God has promised. Look at 2 Samuel chapter 23, if you would, verses 1 to 5. As David sums up his life, said, now these be the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse said, and the man who raised up on high, who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the son of Jesus, sweet psalmist of Israel said, the spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake to me. He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, and when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds, as the tender grass springeth up out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God. Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for this is all my salvation and all my desire, although he make it not to grow. Whatever happens to his family, and he’s had a lot of problems in his family, a lot of corruption, a lot of evil. The one thing he’s confident in, and he’s depending upon, is God’s covenant relationship with. him and we see here that David trust in God and he’s not reluctant to use the opportunity at his disposal here to have the Levites go back and Zadok and Abhythar and send messages to him through their sons so that he could see what’s happening and sort of have some spies in the city. So you see David relying on divine favor here. You should be encouraged by the fact that God’s favor rest upon his people. Whatever happens to you, our confidence is in God’s unchanging favor and grace toward us. This is an anchor for your soul. in the storms of life. Who can tell what God will do? And while we can’t predict the outcome, we can know this, that whatever happens, a sovereign God is working all things for our good as one of his covenant people. And this is what enables you to be submissive to him in the darkest circumstances of life. As David puts it, let him do to me as seemeth good to him. All is well. with what God does, where it’s based upon his wisdom and the love of his people. And I know that he has this covenant relationship with me. You know, it’s no means pleasant when you read in an article in a magazine, and you get to the end of the article, and they have those words to be continued. You realize, oh, no, I need next month’s magazine in order to finish the story. and I was watching a historical reenactment of two brothers who were exploring in this very deep canyon, way away from all civilization in this wilderness. And the sides of this deep canyon were so steep and so rocky and so slippery that one of the men fell, one of the brothers fell, and he broke his leg severely. It was a compound fracture, and he couldn’t move. So here he is laying out here in the middle of nowhere. His brother had to go for help. And because it was such a remote area, they didn’t even have any cell phone service. So here there was no way to get help unless the one brother went to do it. Well, the sun was going down. It was getting dark. And as the younger brother goes back, trying to find his way, it was like a maze. And he says, the more I’m going down. I was going through this. He said everything, all these canyons looked the light to me and I lost my way. He didn’t know where he was. And at this crisis situation, all of a sudden, I saw the words to be continued. You know, I never did get to see the end of that what happened. I don’t know what happened. But it’s dismaying when we have to be continued situation. But in the spiritual realm, the one blessing. The one blessing. of being in God’s covenant is the words to be continued means that it will never be terminated. It continues on. No matter what happens, it continues. And there’s always a future hope for the people of God because of that. God’s mercy and loving kindness is endless. It’s a constant stream that follows us all through life. So, So God grant you confidence in his sovereign favor in a crisis. The fourth point tonight. God grant you a spirit of prayer in a crisis. Let’s look at verses 30 and 31. David went up by the ascent of the Mount all of that, and wept as he went up and had his head covered. And he went barefoot. And all the people that was with him covered every moment. in his head and they went up weeping as they went. And one told David saying, Hithrafel is among the conspirators with Absalon. And David said, O Lord, I pray thee. Turn the counsel of the Hithrafel and the foolishness. You see, David is moved to pray here. We can certainly see the downcast spirit of the people with the mourning that they’re engaging in on the ascent to the mount. of all of us. It’s a sad time. You know, it was David’s son. He was attempting to overthrow the kingdom. That is a severe blow. The nation is about to enter into a civil war. A lot of people’s lives are going to be lost. That is a severe blow. God’s chasing hand was heavy upon David. He has a wounded conscience. As Matthew Henry said, a wounded conscience makes troubles lie heavily upon you. And he’s right. And then news comes to make matters worth that Hithrafell has joined into conspiracy. Hithrafell is that extraordinary counselor that David had. This was a man that was sharp and savvy and successful and given his advice. There was no peer that he had. There was nobody like him. Is all lost. Is this the final straw that’s going to break David’s back here? What’s going to cause him to give up in despair? No. But what it does do is it drives David to pray. It’s a short prayer that we have before us. Nothing else can save him but God alone. And so he prays to the Lord. And he prays that God will somehow undermine the counsel of the Hithrafell, turn it in the foolishness, take away his wisdom. So you see David move to pray. In a crisis, you’re great. The greatest resource is always going to be prayer. What a wonderful example. David leaves us here. There’s never a time when prayer won’t help us. The enemy may have all the best minds on their side, but you have something better. God has all hearts in his hand. And he can turn those hearts whatever way he wishes to accomplish his purpose. And he can take away. the understanding of the aged and make judges fools according to Scripture. and Isaiah 3, 2, and 3, Job 12, 17. We can always pray and I often do this that God would so confusion into the hearts and minds of the enemies of the people of God. and those that would oppose the truth. That the counsel of the wise would be turned into foolishness. Good example for us here. Prayer is the means by which a desperate situation can be turned around when all looks hopeless. Spurgeon once said those who deny the effectiveness of prayer have never really prayed. There once was a prisoner who was on trial for murder half a dozen people swore that they had seen him do the crime. However, when he had his chance to speak, he said to the judge, Judge, I could bring 10 times as many people in here, it didn’t see me do the crime. Yes, of course. But as the judge said, that’s no evidence at all, there are plenty of people who did see you do it. I mean, there may be 10,000 people who didn’t see him do the crime. That means nothing. If there’s six people who saw him do it, that’s enough. In the same way, people are foolish enough to base their theory about prayer on no better grounds than the fact that they don’t actually pray and God does not actually hear them. Well, what do you expect? Prayer is always your greatest resource in a crisis. Now, you can’t read this little section and can’t read this story without seeing here David is portraying Christ in this event. If you want to make sense, of the Old Testament teaching and the New Testament age, we have to always look and see how much of it points forward to Christ himself and the good news of salvation in him. Without undue speculation here, you can certainly see how David’s humiliating experience reminds you of our king, the Lord Jesus Christ. How Christ left Jerusalem. One evening with a few of his followers, crossed the Kidron, and he ascended to the Mount of Olives. His soul was agitated as he praised to the Lord. His heart is moved. He too is betrayed by a close associate. That Judas that we find who has joined his enemies. The son of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, is clearly foreshadowed here by David. Psalm 1.10 speaks of Christ as king, as high priest. And it ends with this somewhat mysterious statement in verse 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up the head. This is a reference to the time of Christ’s humiliation. And on the night of his betrayal, how he will cross the Brook Kidron, on his way to the Mount of Olives, on the way to his death. But of course, God will lift up his head because he’ll be resurrected from the dead and he will reign as king over the nations. And all his enemies shall be defeated before him. And made his footstool. So God grant you a spirit. of prayer in a crisis, and hopefully we see a little bit about Christ here as well. Fifthly tonight, God grants you a means of escape in the crisis in verses 32 to 37. It came to pass that when David was come to the top of the Mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai, the Archite, came to meet him with his coat rent and the earth upon his head. unto whom David said, if thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king, as I have been thy father’s servant, hitherto. So will I now also be thy servant. Then mayest thou, for me, defeat the council to Hithra Thel. And thou, and hast thou not there with the Zadok and Abbas, of the priest. Therefore it shall be that what thing soever that thou shalt hear of the king’s house, out of the king’s house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abarthard of priest. Behold, they have there with them, their two sons, Ahimeaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, a biothar’s son, and by then you shall send unto me everything that he can hear. So we’re shy, David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem. Now, you see David’s hopes are raised when he sees Hushai, the Archite. As David is praying, as he is worshipping God, he gets an answer immediately. And the person of Hushai. God’s providence brought this man. Here is the man that will undermine a Hithrafell. Hushai was David’s royal confidant. He also provided advice to the king and counsel. Apparently, David senses that Hushai may be God’s answer, and so he says, I’m going to use you. You’re better off if you go back into the city and help me by spying and giving the information. So he informed Hushai of the information highway that he already had set up, verses 35 and 36. And he was not needed for companionship, but I want you to be my espionage agent, if you would. So Hushai thus instructed, returns to Jerusalem, and he gets there just as Absalom is passing into the city. And he has this opportunity to try to defeat Ahithrafell’s counsel. It wouldn’t be an easy task, but he’s going to try to do it. you see David’s hopes raised when he sees Push-Eye, the Archive. Now, what we learn from this is that God often provides a way of escape for us in our trials and difficulties of life. In any crisis or trial, remember the promise, there hath no temptation or trial taking you, but such is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tested or tempted above that ye are able to bear, but will with the temptation or trial also make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it? 1 Corinthians 10.13. Faith, none, it requires us to pray, but also to look to providence, to see what God may provide as an answer or a way of escape. God doesn’t always answer in a miraculous manner. You know, God doesn’t send a stroke and strike down a hill. Raphel. He doesn’t get in a chariot accident on the streets of Jerusalem and get killed. He’s not poisoned by anyone. You know, at the Red Sea, Israel had a unique, spectacular escape because God divided the Red Sea so they could pass through. that was their way of escape. That was special. That took a miraculous event. Here, in this situation, God delivers in a more normal manner. And it’s going to be a way of a way, that is going to be unique in some ways, but he just causes Absalom to choose the worst possible counsel in this situation when there’s competing counsel between Ahithrafal and Hushai here. So we’ll have to trust that the Lord here will deliver. So always look for a way of escape in your trial. Sometimes, how. God enables us to escape is just to give us more grace to bear the trial. Well, let me close tonight by saying, sometimes like the eagle shot with an arrow, winged with eagle’s feathers, we can’t believe that we foolishly aided our enemy. David here sees that he’s aided Absalom. But we can be assured of divine provision in crisis as aiding child of God in these various ways that I mentioned here tonight. God will give you wisdom. God will give you faithful friends. God will give you confidence in sovereign favor. God will give you a spirit of prayer and God will provide a way of escape. Well, let us close with a word of prayer tonight.