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"Offense And Defense"
• 2.21.16 •
Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro
- It hasn't been long since David had secured
Israel's willing agreement to return him to his rightful throne. All of the
work had been done, except for the physical return to Jerusalem.
- Incredibly, as the procession moves toward
Jerusalem, everything that has been worked for, falls to pieces! Verse 40.
Text
•
II Samuel 19:40-43 : "Now the
king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. And all the
people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the people of Israel. Just then all the men of Israel
came to the king, and said to the king, 'Why have our brethren, the men of
Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David’s men
with him across the Jordan?' So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, 'Because
the king is a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter?
Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?' And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said,
'We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David
than you. Why then do you despise us—were we not the first to advise bringing
back our king?' Yet the words of the men of
Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel." : David, with Chimham alongside of him, walked with the people of
Judah and half the people of Israel, presumably those who had not sided with
Absalom.
-
There were several people from Israel, even from Saul's tribe who supported the
King during his exile, especially after witnessing Absalom's actions on David's
rooftop.
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Here, these people of Israel join David's tribe and are walking peacefully back
toward Jerusalem. And then comes this odd and sudden interruption signaled by the
phrase "just then."
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Out of the blue and out of nowhere, all the men of Israel, those that the King
had negotiated with and who were newly reconciled, arrived with this strange
accusation.
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They are upset that they have been left out of the "Welcome home"
parade! They thought that Judah was attempting to sneak David away without
involving them.
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Judah's actions were entirely reasonable. David was a member of their tribe.
"He is our family member. Why should you be angry about that?"
-
They are asking if they wouldn't do the same if their brother had been in
exile. Certainly they would have. This was a normal enough scenario.
-
But then, Judah decided to pour gasoline on the burgeoning flame. "Have we
ever eaten at the King's expense? Has he given us any gift?"
-
Apparently they had not yet read Proverbs
15:1 and the soft answer that turns away wrath or Ephesians 4:29, and the foregoing of corrupting speech for the
blessing of grace to the hearer!
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The men of Israel lived with the suspicion that they were uninvited because
they were outsiders. Judah lived with the resentment that accompanied David's
conciliatory acts toward them.
-
David had just gifted the people of Israel, the rebels, with a position within
his army for Amasa. At this point, with the accusations flying, Israel
responded with further escalation.
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They had 10 shares, ie. 10 tribes that had invested in David's Kingdom.
"There are more of us and we had the idea to bring him back first!"
-
As things digressed, Judah remained resolute, not giving an inch. The sense is
that none of these people were willing to be sensible! They had the King they
all wanted. Why not just relax?
-
With their arrangement teetering on the edge, it only takes one man to tear at
the string that held them together. Verse 1.
• II Samuel
20:1,2 : "And there happened to be
there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite.
And he blew a trumpet, and said: 'We have no share in David, nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!' So every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba
the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem,
remained loyal to their king." : We noted
the "just then" in the last section. Note here that "there
happened to be there a rebel!" How about that!?
- And such are the Kingdoms of men, who are
subject to the "just then" circumstances and the coincidental
"happenings."
- Just like that, this bitter disagreement
devolved into a full blown rebellion and it only took one rebel, a man of
Belial to blow a trumpet for division!
- Sheba, a Benjamite, made a proclamation which
finally polarized the opposing sides. "We aren't included by them. They
aren't for us!"
- In typical mob rhetoric, Sheba says "We
have no share in David." Wait a minute? They had just said that they had
10 shares in David? All of a sudden there isn't any share?
- The NLT puts it like this: "Down with the dynasty of David! We have no
interest in the son of Jesse." With this simple rallying cry the
troops that had celebrated David, deserted him!
- Every benefit that they believed to possess
in David, was forgotten in this moment.
- If they could not have what they wanted in
that moment, they would have nothing at all! How petulant and fickle!
- This is why one should never build their
lives or their call upon the opinions of people! These people loved David just
a few verses ago! A few sentences later and they are in rebellion!
- We don't have any interest in David, the son
of Jesse. He's not even the King in their eyes! He's just the son of a farmer!
Every man to his tents, the cry to separate from the King.
- When they did separate from the King, they
immediately joined themselves to Sheba!
- What qualifications does he have? What will
he build with? All he has proven is that he is good at tearing at the unity of
this people. He has no acumen to lead.
- But let there be no surprise: When God has
affected a reconciliation, know that the enemy will send a rebel to ruin it!
Thankfully, we don't have to focus on that. Note the next phrase.
- "Judah remained loyal to David." They
were not the majority, but they were on the right side.
- They had not chosen the clear winner, but it
is recorded that they never changed their allegiance. Your obedience in a world
of rebellion is worth far more that you could ever imagine!
• II Samuel
20:3 : "Now David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the
ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in
seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up
to the day of their death, living in widowhood." : With a full blown rebellion outside, David returns to his home
to find his legal mistresses still in the throes of their sadness.
- David's concubines bore the scars of
Absalom's rage issuing in certain grief and trauma.
- The text lets us know that David placed them
under protective custody, away from the public eye for the sake of their shame.
- One translation suggests that David set a
guard over them, which is likely true, but misses the sentiment. There is
tenderness and sensitivity in David's action.
- He did not want them exposed to any more
shame. He honored them by assigning sentries to them who attended to their
comfort.
- David cared for and sheltered them but never
re-established relations with them. Some of his previous sin had found
expression in these women. Here, David shows that he is making a break.
- Concubines existed for sexual pleasure and
increasing the royal family. David has made the decision not to return to that
particular sin.
- He owned up to his responsiblity, assigning
their care to their death, but he would remove himself from the temptation. Once
that is setled, he turns his attention back toward Sheba.
• II Samuel 20:4-7 : "And the king said to Amasa, 'Assemble
the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.' So Amasa went to assemble the men
of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed
him. And David
said to Abishai, 'Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than
Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself
fortified cities, and escape us.' So Joab’s men, with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the
mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba
the son of Bichri." : David made good on making
Amasa, Absalom's captain, his captain. That post had been a necessary concession.
- Israel wanted a sincere gesture from David and
David simultaneously, wanted to replace Joab, who had killed his son. Here is his
first recorded command to Amasa.
- Amasa is to assemble the troops in Jerusalem
in three days time, but it seems that he had some trouble doing so and delayed
beyond the Kings' appointed time.
- We are left to speculate as to why Amasa
failed in his first duty. I believe that the text will bear out that the troops
were hesitant to fall in behind Amasa.
- For Amasa's part, he seems to be in over his
head from the very beginning of his narrative. He had led an offensive and
lost, despite drastically outnumbering the opposing side!
- In an embarrassing, but necessary move, the
King had to ask Abishai to mobilize the troops and move out toward Sheba. Notice,
he's still not talking with Joab. Abishai gets the promotion.
- David, like Ahithophel before him, knew that
swift action would be needed to stop Sheba. If he got himself into a fortified
city, they would have a great deal of trouble extraditing him.
- If Sheba was given the time, he would prevail
over David as he had prevailed over Absalom! Abishai didn't need to be told
twice.
- He took Joab's men, the special forces of the
Cherethites and Pelethites, and went out to pursue Sheba.
•
II Samuel 20:8 : "When they were at the large stone
which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle
armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as
he was going forward, it fell out." : A short
time after Israel's special forces left, Amasa presented himself before David
and found out that the hint had already begun without him.
-
Amasa finally catches up with Abishai's men at Large Stone Ave.
-
The tension was palpable. This conflict was inevitable. This was about as
ackward a moment as one could have. Without anyone talking, Joab went forward
to meet him.
-
Joab was fully dressed, but allowed his sword to fall to the ground before him
as he came closer to his cousin.
•
II Samuel 20:9-10a : "Then Joab
said to Amasa, 'Are you in health, my brother?' And Joab took Amasa by the
beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not notice the sword
that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails
poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died." : "Are you in health my brother? Are you sure!?"
-
Joab didn't care about David's appointment. Amasa was a traitor in his eyes. The
fact that was unable to follow a simple order, disqualified him from service
and justified his action.
-
Joab's right hand was lethal, but so was his left hand. Amasa didn't see it
coming and the author summarizes that he died from his fairly gory wound.
•
II Samuel 20:10b-13 : "Then Joab
and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. Meanwhile one of Joab’s men stood
near Amasa, and said, 'Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David—follow
Joab!' But Amasa
wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that
all the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and
threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted. When he was removed from the
highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri." : Abishai stepped right aside and let Joab take the lead. Who
wouldn't? The man just left his own cousin to die there in the middle of the
street!
-
Joab had to leave a man there by Amasa as he lay dying to keep people from
holding up the traffic. He ralled the arriving troops to Joab, but eventually
had to move Amasa to the side of the road.
-
With Amasa put to the side, the leadership structure was clear and the pursuit
continued.
•
II Samuel 20:14,15 : "And he
went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maachah and all the
Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after Sheba. Then they came and besieged him in
Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it
stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall
to throw it down." : Joab's led a systematic
search and landed at city of Abel.
-
This was a stronghold area of the Berites, who are only mentioned here in
scripture. We don't know for sure who they are, but Joab knew who they were.
-
Without hesitation and without communication, the General went on the
offensive. He sought to break down the city wall.
•
II Samuel 20:16-19 : "Then a
wise woman cried out from the city, 'Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come
nearby, that I may speak with you.’ When he had come near to her, the woman said, 'Are you Joab?' He answered, 'I am.' Then she said to him, 'Hear the words of your
maidservant.' And he answered, 'I am
listening.' So she spoke, saying, 'They used
to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and
so they would end disputes. I am among the
peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in
Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?'" : During the fierce attack upon her city, one woman rose up to
communicate with Joab.
-
She received a personal audience with the General and explained the history of
her city. In the distant past, her city was known as a place to seek guidance
and wisdom.
-
She embraced that heritage and that cultural identity. Her city was a place to
end disputes, not begin them! She was a peacemaker and a lover of God!
-
Joab looks at her and listens to her as she accuses him of destroying a city,
an inheritance from the Lord. He's taken aback! All he's doing is destroying
their wall!
•
II Samuel 20:20-23 : "And Joab
answered and said, 'Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or
destroy! That is
not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by
name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only,
and I will depart from the city.' So the woman said to Joab, 'Watch, his head
will be thrown to you over the wall.' Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they
cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he
blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab
returned to the king at Jerusalem." : Joab
looked at the woman and said, "Me? Violent? C'mon nobody would believe
that!?" Yet, he was resolute in letting her know that he would raze her
city to the ground for Sheba.
-
Joab issued the ultimatum which would bring his action to a peaceful
resolution. "Bring out the rebel and we'll leave!" Deliver him, bring
him out to us.
-
You can almost see the light go on in this woman's eye. "Is that
all?" She tells Joab to give her a moment and watch as she gives him the
ultimate "heads up!"
-
You have to wonder how long this took. What did she have to do? We know that
she took all of her wisdom and went to her people.
-
The woman didn't go out and force the people, but in her wisdom, went to all
the people. She had to persuade, to reason, to share her instinct with her
fellow citizens.
-
She explained the situation and likely negotiated the man's surrender from
wherever he had hidden himself, then she cut off the man's head and she threw
it to Joab!
-
I just see Joab wanting to get her phone number! "That's my kind of
woman!"
-
Their quick decisive rational action saved their city. Joab blew his trumpet,
the army withdrew and Joab returned with news of victory to the King.
-
One man had begun a rebellion and one woman brought it to an end! One
commentator offers us an insight that is worth considering.
˚
"Every man's breast is a
city enclosed. Every sin is a traitor that lurketh within those walls. God
calleth for Sheba's head, neither hath he any quarrel to us for our person, but
for our sin. If we love the head of our traitor above the life of our soul, we
shall justly perish in the vengeance."
John Trapp
•
II Samuel 20:24-26 : "And Joab
was over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites
and the Pelethites; Adoram was in charge of revenue; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud
was recorder; Sheva
was scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests; and Ira the Jairite was a chief
minister under David." : The author takes a moment
to roll the credits on the lead players within David's government. He begins
with Joab returning to his previous position. David is stuck with him.
-
Benaiah led the special forces. For the first time in the history of the
Kingdom, Adoram took charge of the tax system. All these rebellions and
internal strivings cost money to deal with!
-
Official records were taken care of by Jehoshaphat, while Sheva was in charge
of care for the replication of God's Word.
-
Zadok and Abiathar, the men who had given aid to David during his exile,
remained in their priesthood. But then comes this final appointment which
represented a new office in Israel.
-
Ira the Jairite was a chief minister under David. The word represents a
personal ministerial charge, perhaps even a chaplaincy that David submitted
himself to.
-
Earlier, we noted that David cared for his concubines, but never resumed
relations with them. Likewise, here, David by this appointment, admits his need
for personal accountability.
-
All that he has just gone through, either with Absalom or with Sheba, had been
a consequence of David's sexual sin.
-
Removing temptation from your presence is a very effective method of combating
temptation on a per temptation basis. Recognizing the need for true
accountability helps to make it a habit!
-
David, the Psalmist of Israel. David, the man after God's heart. David, the
sinner recognized that it wasn't enough to simply quit sinning. He needed a
brother to help him to live right.
-
Is there an Ira the Jairite in your life who you submit yourself to? If the
King of Israel felt the need, we might rightly follow his lead!
Conclusion
- As we close, do
you see the symmetry? David has just put down one rebellion and here comes
another, both the result of his sin with Bathsheba.
-
There are two fronts with the same goal in mind. On the public front, there is
militant external fight with rebellion which is swift, focused and brutal, not
willing to leave Sheba alive.
-
The other is the the private front, which provides distance from sin and opens
the door to wise and godly friends. Neither works without the other!
-
Let us receive that wisdom and walk in it today! Let us focus on our Lord
Jesus, who never rebelled against His Father, but was delivered up for our sin.
-
When God poured His wrath against sin out on Him, Jesus didn't just save a city
or His own countrymen in time, but every believer that would trust in Him
forever!
-
Is there a sin that's worth betraying that love? I think not!