2 Samuel 19:31-40

2 Samuel chapter 19 reading verses 31 to 40. In Barzilli, the Gileonadite, came down from Rogelam and went over Jordan with the king to conduct him over Jordan. Now, Barzilli was a very aged man, even four-score years old, and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Maheha. Niam, for he was a very great man. And the king said unto Barzili, come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem. Barzili said unto the king, how long have I to live, that I should go up with the king under Jerusalem? I am this day fourscore years old, and can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat, or what I do? drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king, and why should the king recompense it me with such reward? Let thy servant, I pray thee turn back again, that I may die in my own city and be buried by the grave of my mother and of my father. But behold thy servant Chimham. Let him go over with my lord the king, and do to him what shall seem good unto thee. And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee. And whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee. And all the people went over Jordan, and when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzilli and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place. Then the king went on to Gilgau, and Chimham went on with him, and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel. May God bless to us the reading of His sacred and holy word this evening. You know, one of the most beautiful and fascinating times of the year is what we call Indian summer. It comes after the heat and the warmth of the summer when the fall of the year arrives. The air begins to get chilly, and often you can taste the first signs of the coming winter. Maybe there are cold temperatures or snow flurries or something of that nature. you see the leaves turning crimson and gold and red, and they begin to drop off the trees. And then suddenly it’s almost as if God grabs the reins of the horses that are galloping toward the nice mantled winter. And for a week or so, it’s almost as if summer has returned. And the earth, the air, and the sky return to the warmer days of summer. And the autumn wears the golden crown of Indian summer. In some ways, God has designed old age to be the Indian summer, if you would, of life. There are still good, useful days available before the winter of life sets in. And a case and point is this man that we read about in. our text, Barzilite. Now you recall that David and his men have suppressed Absalon and his army. And the king hopes now to re-night the entire kingdom again that’s been broken. David is returning back to Jerusalem, the capital city, from exile, on the eastern part of the Jordan. He has been greeted by various people at the Jordan. river. We talked about Shimiye and Ziba and Maphibisath all greeting him. And now we have a fourth individual that we read about in connection with this chapter. And his name is Barzilli, who lives on the east side of the Jordan. In fact, he has kindly supplied the needs of David and all his men during the time of exile. And he escorts David the king back to the Jordan before returning. to his own home. Now, the major feature about Barzilli, which is emphasized here, is that he is aged. He’s an old man, as verse 32 indicates, 80 years of age. And what stands out is how valuable he is to the king, because his service is certainly greatly appreciate. The king may greet a lot of people, but he kisses. This is Barzilli, you know, when he sends him back. That’s a real sign of affection toward the man who really stepped up to the plate and helped him during his time of need. Let’s talk about serving your king in old age. Now, you’ll notice, in your old age, honor your king and look for an opportunity to support his kingdom. Versus 31 and 32 of our attacks says, and Barzilli, the Gileadite, came down from Rogelum and went over the Jordan with the king to conduct him over Jordan. Borzoli was a very aged man, even four-score years old, and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahaniam, and he was a very great man. Now, you find Barzolai’s service to his king in his old age here. Rogelum here was very close to Mahaniam, David. David’s headquarters while he was in exile, so he was very close to where Barzilla had his estate. And he’s been very kind to David in his distress, and at some considerable risk to himself that he would provide. If Absalom had won the battle, he probably would have been a persona non grata. He might have lost all his estate. But he was loyal and dedicated, and this shows great respect for David here. It’s touching to see him here in the feebleness of his old age, making this journey to conduct his beloved king over the Jordan. He makes sure that he gets over the Jordan before he returns. God had given him a large estate. It was a very great man, we’re told him. But he obviously had a very generous heart. So he’s going to use his abundance to help the king and advance the true kingdom of God. there he took a huge amount of food. You can imagine how much it would take to feed David and his army. But Barzilli willingly used his largest state in a way that would please the Lord because he provided for the man after God’s own heart. And Israel’s true king. And it becomes obvious that David has a deep love and affection for the man, for this age citizen of the kingdom, as verse 39 indicates. So David wants to take Barzilli back to the palace with him, and he wants to care for him, I guess during his final years. Give him the royal treatment, if you would. So you find Barzili’s service to his king in old age. Let’s talk about your service to your king in old age. Barzili couldn’t fight in David’s army. He wasn’t young enough to, to, to, to, wield the sword. He’s past his prime for when it comes to military action. In trying to help his king, Barzillai considered what he could do, and one of the things he could do was provide for the food for the king’s army. So he has wealth. He has a very fruitful estate. So he uses his abundance to advance the kingdom of God. When the Apostle, he has a very fruitful estate, he uses his abundance, he uses his abundance to advance the kingdom of God. He can John writes his epistle. He divides the people of God in the three categories. There are those who are children, who are young men, and there are what he calls the fathers or the aged among the people of God. We know that the children are young believers in the Lord. the young men we read about, as 1 John 2.14, I have written unto you young men because you are strong. In the Word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the world. wicked one. During the prime of your life, you are strong enough to be in the forefront of the battle with Satan. But as you’ll grow older, you become more like the aged Levites. Remember the Levites were only allowed to serve a particular period of time. When we reached a certain age, they could no longer serve. But they could render help to their brothers. They could help, but they couldn’t actually do the heavy lifting and things. things like that that the Levites had to do. And so, as Christians, as we get older, we realize we may not be able to do all the things we used to do and all the activities we engaged in previously. But we can supply needs. We can render support. We’re through prayer, through encouragement, through financial assistance, and so forth. So your old age doesn’t mean that you’re useless to Christ. in his kingdom. There is still much you can do. You need to consider what can be done. George Mueller, the famous orphanage man, the man that had all the orphanages, Great Prayer Warrior, was always a person of fragile health. In fact, as a young man, he had frequent and serious illnesses which disqualified him for military. service. He couldn’t serve in the army. Many thought Mueller would succumb to disease and he would die early, but he didn’t. Surprisingly, he began an evangelistic tour at the age of 70 years and continued it for 17 years, traveling the equivalent of eight times around the world. That’s pretty amazing. He continued to carry much of the responsibility for his orphanages until he reached the age of 90. And he was a little bit beyond that where he had to start shifting responsibility to someone else. Mueller attributed his productivity for so long to three things. One, he was careful always to have a conscience void of offense toward God and man. Two, his love of the Scriptures. He said that by constantly being in the Scriptures, He said it had a recuperative power that was like nothing else that strengthened him. And it seemed to have a powerful effect on his whole being, he says. And that third thing, he said, is the happiness he felt in serving God in his kingdom. He said, I was happiest when I was serving. So why should I stop? So he keeps serving as long as he could. And so he seemed to be relieved of the anxiety and the, wear and tear in his labors because of the happiness he had in serving the Lord. So in your old age, you don’t have to wither on the vines, so to speak, in your service to Christ, your king, but find something of some way of serving in some capacity the king. If God gives you the strength, why not serve in some capacity in some service to advance Christ’s cause? So in your old age, Honor your king, look for opportunities to support God’s kingdom. The second thought I have is this. In your old age, reflect upon the realities facing you. And we see that in 33 through 37, the first part. Now, you should reflect upon the reality of advancing sorrows, verses 33 and 34. And the king said unto Barzilli, come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem, and Barzilli said unto the king, how long have I to live that I should go up with the king under Jerusalem? David deeply appreciates the loyalty and generosity of Barzili. He wants to reward him in some fashion. So he invites him in his age subject of his to participate in some type of feast here. They’re going to have a celebration when he gets back and reenites the kingdom and so forth. And that would mark David’s restoration. He wants to lavishly provide for the man out of his royal abundance. But Barzilli has other thoughts. He says here that he felt, and rightly so, he said, I’m so near death. Shouldn’t I engage in more serious and solemn exercises than festive celebrations and lavish living at this time of my life. If a man lived many years and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness are coming. Ecclesiastes 11-7. Now keep in mind that the days of sorrow are days you’re going to have to face. There may be a sickbed. There may be some sense in which we are confined as we await death. This should put you in a serious frame of mind. there’s sober reflection here and preparation, if you would, of yourself for what lies ahead. Does your soul better to be in the house of mourning than in the house of mirth, as Ecclesiasties 7-4 tells us. Not that we can’t enjoy life. Not that we can’t laugh and enjoy the things of life, but the scripture calls for us to be of serious mind as we reach older age. In fact, the scripture says this in Titus chapter 2. That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in the faith, in charity and patience, the aged women likewise. Sober, grave, temperate, things of this nature. So you should reflect the the reality of advancing sorrows, we’re going to die, and we should prepare for that moment. You should reflect upon the reality of declining faculties. Verse 35. He said, I am this day fourscore years old. Can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore, then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king? Brazil I here pleads the ravages of age here. He said, I really can’t, I’m not going to enjoy all this festive activity. If I were younger, I would, but I’m at that age now where he says, can I really enjoy the common pleasures of eating and drinking? The food doesn’t taste the same as it used to. It’s blander than it once was. Can I enjoy your exceptional entertainment with all the singers and male and female singers that you’re going to have? My ears aren’t what they used to be. I can’t hear as well as I used to. His taste buds are no longer what they used to be. His hearing is greatly diminished. He’s saying, you know, what’s the use in me engaging in all this activity? when I really can’t enjoy it. I have declining faculties. Look with me at Ecclesiastes chapter 12, verses 1 to 7 here. Scripture says this. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, or the years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them. When the sun or the light, where the moon or the stars be not darkened, when the clouds return after the rain. The day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, and the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low. Also, when they shall be a friend. afraid of that which is high and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail, because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets. Wherever the silver cord be loose, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Solomon here defines the diminishing capacities of the human body here. This is highly poetical language, but he’s talking about old age. He says, now remember your crater when you’re young, when you can really use, can you really serve him, because you’re going to get to the point when you’re going to be limited and what you can do. The sun, moon, and stars growing. dark refers to sorrow, darkness, disaster coming into your life, the demise of the physical frame that we have. The keepers of the house here are the hands and the arms. They begin to shake. You begin to lose your strength, where once they were able to work steadily through a long day on the job and lift heavier things, you just can’t do what you used to do. The strong men are the leg muscles. they weaken. You find yourself bent over or bowing as you get older. The grinders cease. And here he talking about your teeth and as you get older, at least in these days, we didn’t have the dentist that they have today. They can try to preserve your teeth and, you know, giving you various ways to replace teeth and so forth with, you know, you know, plastic teeth and caps and everything else we have today. But eventually in those days, your teeth, you know, you have them taken out if they go bad or you eventually lose them. And so obviously, you can’t chew like you used to. Those that look out the windows here are the eyes. And your eyes, whether it be cataracts or whether it just be the fact that of old age in your eye, your revision gets reduced. Your hearing is diminished, he talks about in verse 4. Your sleep isn’t long. You don’t sleep like he used to. You become more fearful of every little noise. Your hair turns gray. The almond here, you know, you’re talking about the hair turning gray in verse 5. Small things bother you. Your desire for things fails. Whether it be food or drink or life or pleasures your desire fails. Internal organs begin to fail. The silver cord and the golden bowl and the pitcher and so forth these are seem to be referring to some type of internal organs of the body that just give out. And you lose that mysterious bond between soul and body. And your soul returns to the Lord but your body goes into the ground as he says in verse 7. Now because of you to declining physical capacities, you can no longer enjoy the things once associated with your senses like you used to. What you can taste, what you can hear, what you can smell, touch, see, begin to lose some of that value. There was an old woman who picked up an empty wine jar, which once contained a rare and costly wine, and all that remained was some traces of the equipment. exquisite bouquet of the wine. The woman could no longer enjoy a glass of wine, fine wine in this case, but she still raised the jar to her nose and she sniffed it. She tried to remember how good it once tasted, but alas those days were long gone. This is one of the stories in Esau’s fables. And the lesson is some people try to cling to earthly pleasures which they can no longer enjoy. They’re trying to cling to them as long as they can, but obviously you can no longer enjoy them as you once did. The Christian realizes the pleasures of time and sense are passing. They’re not going to last forever. So the Christian preserves what’s good ultimately for his soul as death approaches. His focus is on that. So you should reflect upon the reality of declining fact you should reflect upon the reality of your coming death. Look at verse 36 in the first part of verse 37. Back in 2 Samuel 19. The servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward? Let thy servant I pray thee turn again that I may die in mine own city and be buried by the grave of my father and my mother. Morzili realizes he’s dying. He’s begin to thinking of the long journey that he has to take his removal out of this world. Now he tells David, talk no more of going to the royal court. Let me just go home. Let me die in my hometown. Let me be buried in the grave that I saw my plot next to my mom and dad. So he wants to die where he’s planned to die. Let me go home. Let me be ready for that day. it’s good for all of us but especially as we get older to think about death and to be prepared for that occasion. Most people try to avoid thinking about death. You’d be surprised I once was at a funeral and I ended up going to the gym immediately afterwards and I had my suit on. I had a suit and a suit and a tie on there. Oh, I’ll nice your dress and I said some of the people I knew they would say as soon as I said I was at a funeral that was it. They don’t want to talk to me anymore. They don’t have any connection with death whatsoever. But the Christian looks at death differently than the world looks at that because we’re not looking at it in a morbid sense. You know, the world sees nothing good in death. So they try to put it out of their mind. The Christian, however, sees death as the doorway. The portal, if you would, from this old world in which we’re living into a new and glorious world to be with the Savior. To go beyond this life, to go to paradise. To die is gain. There’s something glorious for us beyond this life. So we want to depart and to be with Christ. It’s not the end of the world for us to die. You join your Savior in heavenly glory where there are pleasures and joys forevermore. So it’s not to be necessarily dreaded. Yes, no one, you know, because it’s a new and experience we’ve never gone through before, it’s somewhat frightening to face death. But for the Christian, we’re looking beyond the grave. We’re looking beyond this. And our hope is in the glories of heaven. The angels of God will transport us into the very presence of heaven, as Luke 16 talks about, where you’ll be welcomed by the king and all the saints of God. So if you wish to be prepared for death, you have to think about these things. We have to fortify our soul for that day to be prepared to depart and be with Christ. So now is the time, if you would, to put your house in order. Now is the time to prepare for your final journey. Be prepared is the Christian motto also when it comes to spiritual things. During the days of the martyrs in England, Bernard Gilpin was privately informed by the authorities, or excuse me, that the authorities were targeting him. And his enemies had written 32 articles that were drawn up against him and presented them to the Bishop of London. Gilpin said that as he talked to his favorite servant. At last they have prevailed against me. I’m accused to the Bishop of London from whom there’s no escaping. This is the end. God forgive them for their malice. Grant me strength to undergo the trial. Then he ordered his servant to obtain a long robe for him in which he may go decently, he said to the stake, and be burned as a martyr. He wanted the robe to be made as soon as possible. He says, I don’t know how soon they’re going to come for me. And then he would wear that rope every day. For every day, he put that robe on, he was ready to go. As soon as they come in to arrest him, he had his robe on, he was ready to go to the stake. It would be wise if you and I realized the closeness of death and were daily prepared for our departure from this world. Be prepared is what we should be. So in your old age, reflect upon the realities facing you here. And we listed three of them. Lastly, thirdly tonight. In your old age, do what you can for the next generation. Now, verse 37 to 40, the second part of verse 37 says this. But behold thy servant, Chimham, let him go over with my lord the king, and do to him what shall seem good unto thee. And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee, and whatsoever thou shalt require me that will I do for thee. And all the people went over to Jordan, and when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzili and blessed him, and he returned to his place, and the king went over to Gilgau, and Chimham went on with him. And all the people Judah conducted the king and also half the people of Israel. Now you see Barzili’s concern here for Chimham. We don’t know exactly who Chimham is. I think he may be his son or his grandson, one or the other. While Barzilli can no longer enjoy the common pleasures of food and drink and entertainment that would be provided by the king, he’d be glad if David did it for Chimham instead. You know, it’s easy in old age, I think, to be self-centered, perhaps even to be crabby. But Barzillai, life is coming to an end and he sees an opportunity to help this young man Chimham and says, well, do it for him. What you do for me, do it for him. David, it once falls in with Barzilli’s suggestion, and he’s anxious to do whatever Barzilli suggests here. And David kept his word. Look with me at First Kings Chapter 2 and verse 7, if you would. When David gives his charge to Solomon, David’s about ready to depart and die and Solomon is now taking over his king. One of the charges he gives to Solomon is this. But show kindness unto the sons of Barzilli the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table, for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother. So this suggests us that this must be one of the sons of the sons of of Barzilli or grandson. It’s a relative of his, it’s close relative, perhaps indeed his son. And it’s not just Chimham. Evidently, it was other of his sons also that were welcome to the table here of David here. And he tells Solomon, you take good care of these people because he helped me out. And if you would, look at the Jeremiah 4117. This is a little phrase that we find here. in the middle of Jeremiah. And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which was by Bethlehem to go down to enter into Egypt. There is a territory here that’s called Chimham, near Bethlehem. Remember Bethlehem’s David’s birthplace. That’s where his holdings, his land holdings are. And next to him is land given to Chimham. and we see that David must have rewarded him with some type of land grant, right next to the king’s land grant. So this is sort of out in the middle of nowhere in the middle of Jeremiah, but it gives a little hint of something that was provided for this particular man. So Chimham is honored in a special way by David, has preferment in the royal court, and he’s sort of treated like one of the sons of David in that sense. so you see barzilai’s concern for chimham now what i would speak about is your concern then for the next generation when old age comes upon you it’s easy to to just turn all your attention to yourself and your ailments and your problems and your physical decline and say woe is me you may even be jealous of the younger people who have health and they’re not enduring the personal sufferings that you are you may begrudge them lawful earthly pleasures because you can’t enjoy them any long. You can be any longer. Maybe you become bitter or envious or self-absorbed. It’s best, however, for you to think of how you can be of help to the next generation. Because that’s what Borzilli does. Our text speaks of the material benefits bestowed upon Chimham, which greatly promoted him in David’s kingdom. and this was because Barzilli spoke up for him. Instead of taking care of me, take care of him. You can help assist the next generation. You can do so with regard to material things in giving them assistance. It’s interesting that David, even though he wasn’t not allowed to build the temple, if you read First Chronicles chapter 22, he saves up this massive amount of silver and gold. gold for Solomon. He said, I’m going to get all the stuff ready for him that I can, so that he’s ready to build all the materials here. I’m not allowed to build it. God says that you fought the bloody wars and you’re not to do it. Your son will do it. He says, okay, but here’s what I can do. I can’t do. I can set aside stuff to help them out. However, as a Christian, we should be thinking beyond just helping people materially. We should think about helping them spiritually. Passing on spiritual wisdom, the younger believers, is of great value and have helped to them. Look at the book of Titus, if you would, chapter 2, verses 3 to 5. It says here, the age women likewise, that they be in behavior as be cometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they may teach the younger women to be sober. to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chase, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blaspheme. Here he talks to the aged women and here’s what you can do. Here’s how you could be of help to the younger generation if you engage in these activities so that the word of God is honored and not blaspheme. So you ask yourself, well, how can I be helpful to others? In what way can I be helpful to others? Well, Indian summer is the most beautiful and fascinating time of the year, it seems. It’s that last part of summer, if you would, before the winter sets in. In some ways, God has designed old age to be the Indian summer of life. There are still some good and useful. days that you have available to serve your king before the winter sets in, so to speak. Are you wisely using your old age? That is the message I think we can gain from this text tonight. Let us close.