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"The End Of Absalom"
• 2.7.16 •
Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro
- Absalom's chief counselor had committed
suicide in the wake of Absalom's choice to honor Hushai's advice. This was
quite a blow psychologically.
- Ahithophel's action was an acknowledgment to
the fact that David would eventually emerge from this moment in victory.
Absalom had sealed his own fate.
- At the crossroads of a choice, Absalom will
choose to continue, to fight until the last man. The numbers favored him and
the time was now to seize control of his own fate. Verse 24.
Text
• II Samuel
17:24-26 : "Then David went to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed over the
Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. And Absalom made Amasa captain of
the army instead of Joab. This Amasa was the son of a man whose name was
Jithra, an Israelite, who had gone in to Abigail the
daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. So Israel and Absalom encamped in
the land of Gilead." : Mahanaim, meaning
"Double Camp," was on the East side of the Jordan river, north from
Jerusalem and at the edge of the forest of Ephraim. Josephus calls it a
"beautiful and solid city."
- David's forefather Jacob returned to Mahanaim
from his journey into Padan Aram. He called it "God's camp" because
the angels of God met him there. (Genesis
32:1,2)
- David arrives as Absalom crossed the Jordan
in pursuit with all the men of Israel, as well as with a new captain of the
army, Joab's cousin Amasa, whose name means "Burden."
- It seems that the family tie further
underscores the deep rift that Absalom was able to create.
- When they crossed over the Jordan river, they
set up their camp to David's south in Gilead and began to strategize their next
move.
• II Samuel
17:27-29 : "Now it happened, when David had come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the
son of Nahash from Rabbah of the people of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from
Lo Debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, brought beds and basins, earthen
vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and
parched seeds, honey
and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with
him to eat. For they said, 'The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the
wilderness.'" : On the other side of the
story, David's supporters continued to come to his aid, here in the form of
these Gentile ambassadors.
- Shobi, the son of Nahash from Rabbah, the
Ammonite. His brother Hanun had sought to humiliate David in chapter 10.
- Presumably, Shobi had taken Hanun's place as
the leader of the Ammonites and made a different choice relative to David. He
chose to honor the King of Israel.
- Machir from Lo Debar had been the caretaker
of Mephibosheth until David's men came and found him. His presence is likely a
matter of honor and respect for David's care for Mephibosheth.
- Barzillai is a Gileadite that we have no
information on as of yet, save his association with these men and his
partnership in bringing supplies.
-
The Holy Spirit takes time, as we have just read, to list through all of
these items. The large items, like the beds and basins, all the way down to the
beans and seeds, are accounted for.
- What a wonderful lesson to remember: The Lord
remembers everything that is done for His people! Nothing is too insignificant
in His eyes! Their hearts were simply responding to the need.
- "The people are hungry and weary and
thirsty in the wilderness." Their charity and compassion is noted by
heaven! It certainly is a witness to us.
• II Samuel
18:1-4 : "And David numbered the
people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of
hundreds over them. Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of
Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and
one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people,
'I also will surely go out with you myself.' But the people answered, 'You shall
not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us
die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you
are now more help to us in the city.' Then the king said to them, 'Whatever seems best to you I will
do.' So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds
and by thousands." : Once they established their
camp in Mahanaim, David organized his troops.
- Absalom is said to have made Amasa his
captain. His first battle will be against David and Joab! This is not an
enviable position to be in!
- Additionally, you can see from the text that
David's complement has dramatically increased from hundreds of men to thousands
of men organized under experienced leadership.
- Joab, Abishai and Ittai the Gittite were
veterans of war, with a long tenure under David's rule. David even states his
intention to go out!
- He's an older man, but he had sit a battle
out before. He wasn't going to make that mistake again! But this time, David's men advise him
otherwise.
- This battle wasn't for territory. It was
waged for the sake of killing David. David's friends knew that he was the most
valuable of them all.
- Perhaps they wanted David to be held in
reserve in case they went down in defeat.
- David wisely listened to his generals and
resigned himself to their wisdom. The men went out in their ranks to face
Absalom with one explicit command to follow. Verse 5.
• II Samuel
18:5 : "Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, 'Deal
gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.' And all the people heard when
the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom." : David ordered his generals to perform their duty with surgical
care.
- Absalom's goal was to kill David, but David's
goal was to allow Absalom to live. They were to deal gently, quietly, peaceably
with Absalom.
- Notice that he says to deal gently with him
for his sake. David wanted them to remember their loyalty to him and to extend
the grace that they would extend to him to be extended to Absalom.
- This wasn't an isolated or private command.
This was common knowledge among the people. They had heard the King's commands
and understood their orders regarding Absalom.
- There wasn't room in David's heart for
vengeance. Like Saul before him, Absalom had made himself David's enemy, but
David hadn't returned the favor.
• II
Samuel 18:6-8 : "So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel.
And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. The people of Israel were
overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty
thousand took place there that day. For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole
countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword
devoured." : They went out into the field of
battle, which was in the woods of Ephraim. No matter what advantage Absalom had
numerically, David carried the tactical advantage.
- A forest location naturally
funnels the opposing force into smaller attacking numbers. You could not rush
in en mass and those who rushed first exposed themselves to deadly reprisal.
- Absalom's impetuous nature
coupled with Amasa's relative inexperience made this a rout from the beginning,
to the tune of 20,000 people lost. Can you imagine that sight?
- You wouldn't have seen bodies
strewn across a literal field but it's an enormous loss of life.
- Absalom's rebellion had cost
Israel 20,000 men, whose lives were given in a fruitless and godless campaign.
The victory was as decisive as it was divine!
- You know that David didn't want
to fight his own people, and he wasn't real keen on fighting his own son. This
was forced upon him,
- He could not have wanted his men
to have the responsibility. Therefore, the Bible says that the woods devoured
or consumed more people than the sword.
- God did for him what he might
have been hesitant to perform. When Moses was accused of taking too much
responsibility upon himself by Korah, it was nature that settled the dispute!
- The ground opened up underneath
him and he went down alive to the pit! (Numbers
16:32)
- In Joshua 10, the Amorites, led by Adoni-Zedek fought against Israel
and eventually fled before them. There again, God provided divine assistance.
• Joshua
10:10,11 : "So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter
at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them
down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the
descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as
Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the
children of Israel killed with the sword." :
While it is not said explicitly here in II
Samuel, the sentiment has been stated before. God had purposed to bring
catastrophe upon Absalom. (II Samuel
17:14)
- Here, as David's troops confront
Absalom's force, their fight is not nearly as difficult as one would have
expected. The woods did most of the damage!
- God was on David's side, using
nature as his weapon! Men fled and ran headlong into low hanging branches. They
tripped over roots protruding from the ground and broke their necks.
- However many other ways there
were, and I can certainly imagine a few more, Absalom found heaven working
against him, while David found heaven working for him!
- If God be for you, the numbers
and the circumstances cannot change the outcome!
•
II Samuel 18:9-13 : "Then Absalom met the servants of
David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great
terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging
between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on." : After Absalom's forces were scattered, Absalom was left alone
and unexpectedly found himself among David's men.
-
All of Absalom's planning and his rebellion have led to this moment. Just days
ago, he reveled in the glory of all of Israel's support. He led an impressive
number across the Jordan.
-
Hours ago, he was on the offensive with presumably thousands more troops than
David had and walked forward into what was an assumed victory.
-
I would suggest that this is why he is on a mule. He wasn't thinking that there
would have been much of a fight. He was there to present himself as the King!
-
That mule couldn't carry him fast enough away from the troops that came to
secure his capture! All of his confidence and hatred have melted and given way
to fear.
-
He is now discovering too late that God was going to preserve David. As those
thoughts flood his mind and fear takes a hold of his soul, his head tangles in
a tree.
-
We aren't told that he is caught by his hair, but by his head. Two thick
branches may have taken him by the neck.
-
There are a few Bible versions, the NLT and NIV particularly, which foreward
the concept of Absalom's hair being the cause of his being tangled. This idea
seems to originate with Josephus.
-
Biblically speaking, I feel more safe thinking that his head somehow became
caught in the branches and he hung helplessly between heaven and earth.
-
It's hard to imagine the pain that this must have caused, coupled with the
panic to remain alive. With each new attempt to free himself, the hold on his
head tightened and squeezed.
-
Even his mule abandons him there, as does any hope of escape. Absalom is every
man who plots against the King.
-
Soon, he will find himself caught by his own head and doomed without anything
to carry him on! Absalom has only moments left, as his fate is about to fall
upon him. Verse 10.
•
II Samuel 18:10-13 : "Now a
certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, 'I just saw Absalom hanging in a
terebinth tree!' So Joab said to the man who told him, 'You just saw him! And why
did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels
of silver and a belt.' But the man said to Joab, 'Though I were to receive a thousand
shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son.
For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying,
‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ Otherwise I would have dealt
falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you
yourself would have set yourself against me.'" :
-
The man who came to Joab was struck with amazement. "I just saw Absalom
hanging over there!" He is offering the information to his superior
officer thinking that he can now be captured.
-
Joab will have none of it. "Why didn't you kill him?" Joab knew David's
order as well as anyone else, but he also knew that Absalom was always going to
be a source of trouble.
-
He tells the man that he missed out on a reward. "10 shekels of silver and
a belt" may have been indicative of a raise commensurate with a military
promotion.
-
With a simple stroke of the sword, he would have won immediate favor with his
general and been personally enriched. To those obsessed with such things,
listen now to his wisdom!
-
"You could have given me 100 times that amount and I wouldn't have taken
it!" There wasn't a price high enough to make him raise his hand against
Absalom, the King's son.
-
He knew who he was dealing with and he knew his King's order! Notice how he
restates it. David had said to deal gently with Absalom. This man interpreted
it to mean that he was untouchable!
-
Had he committed the act, he would have been rewarded by men, but would have
acted against his own life. Hear his words: I would have dealt falsely against
my own life!
-
I like the YLT which says, "I had done a vain thing against my life!"
What powerful words. He would have gained the prestige and the momentary honor,
but he would have lost his very life!
-
The King would have discovered who disobeyed his command and Joab himself would
have ratted him out! This man is no fool!
-
If you can be moved by money, that is your Master. If you can be moved by the
pressure of personnel, then that person is your Master. Learn now that you have
one Master, your Lord and King!
-
This man certainly saved his life by keeping his priorities in check! Joab
however, has a job to perform. Verse 14.
•
II Samuel 18:14-17 : "Then Joab said, 'I cannot linger
with you.' And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through
Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. And
ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed
him. So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel.
For Joab held back the people. And they took Absalom and cast him into a large
pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all
Israel fled, everyone to his tent." : Joab
isn't one to struggle with ethics and matters of conscience! "I don't have
time for this!"
-
I wonder what went through Absalom's mind as Joab's presence became known to
him? I wonder if he regretted setting his field on fire?
-
Joab showed no mercy, plunging each of the three spears into Absalom's heart,
one after the other while Absalom clung to life.
-
The General did what was necessary, but not what was necessarily right! Joab's
armor bearers made sure that Absalom was dead and Joab's horn brought an end to
the battle.
-
After they killed him, they removed his body from the tree and laid him in a
pit with a large heap of stones over the top of him. This sort of treatment is
one of utter disdain.
-
When you read your Bible, you'll note that people were buried in their Father's
tombs, in their hometown signaling an honorable death. This was how you treated
your trash in the ancient world!
-
Joab considered Absalom to be a piece of trash to be left out in the field. But
then, there is the matter of the heap of stones.
-
Deuteronomy 21 speaks of the
stubborn and rebellious son who will not reform his ways, but continued on in
gluttony and drunkeness.
-
Verse 21 states that such a man was
to be stoned by the elders of the city so that the evil would be put away from
them. Joab may have considered this passage as part of his action here.
•
II Samuel 18:18 : "Now Absalom in his lifetime had
taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King’s Valley. For he
said, 'I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.' He called the pillar
after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument." : This last verse is a bit of a mystery. Absalom put up a pillar
for himself in the Kidron valley because he had no son to keep his name.
-
In reality, II Samuel 14:27 tells us
that Absalom had three sons. It's possible that none followed in his footsteps,
but more likely that they died early in their lives.
-
What else do you do but set up a momument to yourself? Josephus tells us that
it was a large marble statue, the replica of which exists today and is spit
upon by every Jew who walks by!
-
That is the legacy of this man who sought to make his own name last above God's
annointed!
Conclusion
- In the end,
Absalom forefeited his own life reaching for position and prestiege. He is the
Anti-type of Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for His people.
-
Absalom built a monument to himself because he had no son. Jesus Christ built a
church and brought many sons to glory!
-
Absalom was trapped by a low hanging tree and it was his shame. Jesus Christ hung
on a cross between Heaven and Earth for you and me because of our shame!
-
To Absalom the way up was up! Jesus revealed that the way up is down! Let us
follow Jesus!
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