King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024
Chapters: II SAMUEL 18-19, PSALMS 3-4,12-13
Message: The Love of Jesus Sustains Us
Hello My Friend,
Yesterday was not the best of days, but I praised God anyway because he gave me a better paycheck that I deserved and I spent the day with my oldest nephew. The whole day I kept telling myself that I need to be happy about fighting traffic and thunderstorms just because God gave me this job. I am terrible at my job as for the first time in my life I am not putting two hundred percent into it and yet my supervisor vouches for me with the constant reminder that I have messed up so many times and my job is on the line. With that said, I am so glad that when Jesus vouches for me that I have accepted Him as my Saviour that He does not keep bringing up my past. I actually do that enough for the both of us, but at least He tells me that my sins are forgiven, [Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.]
Let me tell you, God’s mercy is astounding and quite long in that He gives everyone the opportunity to change their hearts and repent. Remember, God, knows the intents of our heart, well before we do. We could question why God would not open someone’s heart to seeking His Son, but then we do not know what they are capable of. And that is where Jesus comes in, after all, He really does have more mercy on us than we truly deserve.
[Psalms 13:1-6 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. 6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.]
[How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?] It is the sorrows in our heart that not only keep us from doing our best, they also keep others from seeing that hope that is in us. Paul, said this when he did not go visit the Philippians when they needed some reassurance, [Philippians 2:27-28 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.]
You see, if we walk around feeling defeated all the time that is going to reflect off the rest of us. I imagine that this was how David felt after his own son conspired against him. When Absalom conspired to take the throne from his father he managed to get most of the tribes (other than Judah and the Levites) to follow him. And now, under the advice of Hushai, who was there to assist David, Absalom, and his men were coming after them. As they were preparing for this civil war, David says this prayer.
[Psalms 3:1-8 A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. 3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah. 5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. 7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.]
[I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people] Did you know that with all your faults, fear, and failures, ypu are worth more to Jesus than all the people the world who reject Him? Jesus died for you, He gave His very life to save your soul from death and hell. So there is no need to fear those who come against us, even family. As we return to the reading of 2 Samuel, when word got out that Absalom was coming after David, he divided the army into three groups and was ready to lead them in this battle, but they people stopped him.
[2 Samuel 18:1-3,5 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. 3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city. 5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.]
[But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth:] Talk about safety, even when things seem like they are out of control, they are actually falling right into place as it is God who sustains us. Faith without works may be dead, but sometimes it is best to stay behind and allow someone else to help us, [John 13:14-17 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.]
[Deal gently for my sake with the young man,] David, urges the men not to kill his son, but this is a reminder that we are responsible for our own soul. We can train up a child in the way that they should go and we can say the prayers for God to lead them that way, but we cannot save them ourselves. We may be sinners, but we are God’s sinners and because we are His He will sustain us. While David is sitting there by the gate, and with the only thing that he really could do at this point is pray, he did start praying.
[Psalms 4:1-4 To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer. 2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah. 3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him. 4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.]
[the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself:] This sounds like what Jesus said, [John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.]
There is a difference between a sinner that lives for God and one that lives for themselves. The ones that live for God feel deep sorrow over having sinned against Him, they may even distance themselves from God for a while because of their shame, but He never leaves nor forsakes them. Meanwhile, the civil war between Israel and Judah was intense, while not one of David’s men lost their lives, twenty thousand men of Israel died. Not all of them died from the hands of men though, most of them actually died by trying to pass through the rough terrain of the woods they were in. Then here comes Absalom in those very woods riding on a mule of all things.
[2 Samuel 18:6-10 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; 7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.]
[and his head caught hold of the oak…and the mule that was under him went away.] Absalom, was pretty arrogant and conceited, I do not think that killing him would have been ideal, but Joab thought otherwise. While he was not the one to actually kill him, he did thrust some darts through his heart as he hung there.
[2 Samuel 18:14-17 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him. 16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.]
[Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee.] Joab, severely reprimanded the man as though he had neglected his duty. In some ways Joab may have had David’s best interest in mind, but there was still no regard in their killing him at that point. Now, had their lives been threatened, then this would have been the right call. Nevertheless, these people did not hesitate to finish the job and get rid of his body, yet no one wanted to be Joab right now as they did not want to know what David would do once he found out that his son was dead. Joab, did not actually tell David himself, he sent one of his men.
[2 Samuel 18:19-22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. 20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead. 21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?]
[seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?] Because Joab knew the tidings of Absalom’s death would not be acceptable to the king; and Ahimaaz being a good man, and the son of a priest, for whom Joab had a respect, he would not send the tidings by him and that was why he sent Cushi, but Ahimaaz insisted on going and outran Cushi to tell David what happened.
[2 Samuel 18:24,27-29 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. 27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.]
[He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.] David, knew Ahimaaz was a man of courage, and therefore must be a messenger of good news. This is why he was not the one to actually tell him, while he was trying to get the words out, Cushi came and told him.
[2 Samuel 18:31-33 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!]
[my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee,] No one wants to see their children die under unfortunate circumstances let alone such tragic events, even if they brought them on themselves. When we see our loves ones fail, we feel as though we have failed them and God. At first, David did not see God’s hand in Absalom’s death, in fact, their victory turned into great mourning when David just could not get over the fact that he son was dead. This was actually the point that David lost his respect for Joab and this would also show Joab’s true colors. Joab, literally reprimands the king for mourning over his sons death.
[2 Samuel 19:1-3,5-6 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. 2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. 3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; 6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.]
[Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants,] the soldiers returned from battle expecting to be welcomed by a glorious celebration. Instead, they get a king crying, and deeply mourning the death of his son. David’s actions were so great that it made him incapable of making any decisions. There was even strife as to whether or not David should remain as the king.
[2 Samuel 19:9-13 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom. 10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back? 11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house. 12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? 13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.]
[if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.] Even though David did realize that Joab was right and it was time to move forward and get the kingdom back in order, he was still upset with Joab and literally removed him from being in charge. Nevertheless, David, headed back to Jerusalem and had several supporters with him and as he passed by Shimei, the one who cursed him and Ziba showed up.
[2 Samuel 19:15-19 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan. 16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king. 18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; 19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.]
[Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me,] We all need to start counting our blessings for not having the iniquity of our sins imputed upon us. If God took everything to heart that we said out of anger or grief, then none of us would here today. When we become distant with Him He knows it has to do with the circumstances we are facing, He knows everything we are going through and that we will find our way back to Him. Now, David, assures Shimei that he will not take to heart what he had said.
[2 Samuel 19:23-26 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him. 24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace. 25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth? 26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.]
[Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.] Do you remember what Jesus said when the people questioned who He is, and actually had the nerve to say that He was of the devil? [Matthew 12:30-32 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. 31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.]
If God took everything to heart that we said out of anger or grief none of us would be saved today. When we become distant with Him He knows it has to do with the circumstances we are facing, He knows everything we are going through and that we will find our way back to Him. We found this out as Mephibosheth also showed up, [2 Samuel 19:28-30 For all of my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king? 29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land. 30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.]
[Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace] Mephibosheth, did not even care that he had been deceived by Ziba nor did he care for the land that was his fathers, all he cared about what that his king was safe. There is absolutely nothing on this earth worth fighting over including jobs that have no value other than a paycheck, [Matthew 6:31-33 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, thank You for having my back, for keeping me close to You, no matter how many times I mess up. It is only through You and Your strength that I can even stand let alone walk through the rough terrain of family, friends, and those who are determined to put a wrench in my faith. Lord, give me Your strength to endure, the discernment to know how to handle all matters and people, and Your grace to suffice what Your will not remove. Give me Your power to trust, and wait for Your timing. Keep me to looking to You for guidance and direction in all my steps so that I can do what You call me to do effectively and even though I grieve, live and care for those You entrust me with. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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