More than a List of Names...

II Samuel 20:23 Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 and Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 and Sheva was secretary; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite was also David's priest.

This brief paragraph at the conclusion of the chapter is much more than a list of names. It represented the fact that things were now back in order at the palace. The bulk of the chapter deals with one last rebel that tried to organize an uprising against David but was quelched by Joab. The historian wants us to know that things are finally running smoothly again militarily, economically, socially, and spiritually in Israel. Everyone is on the same page, each doing their part to keep things moving forward.  This will set us up for the final few chapters of the book.

A Place of Pardon

II Samuel 19:24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. He had neither taken care of his feet nor trimmed his beard nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came back in safety. 25 And when he came to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me, for your servant said to him, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king.’ For your servant is lame. 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. 28 For all my father's house were but men doomed to death before my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to cry to the king?”

After the insurrection by Absalom, David had a lot of relationships to set in order. This chapter deals with some of them, like: Joab, whom David had put in the middle of his problems with Absalom; some from the tribe of Benjamin, who had chosen the other side; Shimei, who had cursed David; and Mephibosheth, who did not go with the rest of David's household when he left Jerusalem. David had a heart to forgive all, regardless of how deep their guilt or lame their excuses. How easy or hard is it for you to forgive?

Waiting for Good News...

 II Samuel 18:24 Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he drew nearer and nearer. 26 The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.” 27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man and comes with good news.”

The strife in David's family had resulted in an all-out war.  As the dust settled, David waited for news on two fronts: how the battle had been decided and how his rebel son Absalom had fared. There was good news and bad news. As the account goes on to share, David was victorious, but his son did not make it. David was stricken with grief. As we have seen, the longer things go on without our attention, the harder resolution will become.  God will give us good news mixed with bad, but also the grace to go on.

Everyone Gets Drug into the Fight

 II Samuel 17:24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite, who had married Abigal the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. 27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28 brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils, 29 honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

"Family Feud" would well describe what was going on in the house of David.  The tribes of Israel were set to follow Absalom, with all sorts of in-laws and out-laws pulled in to fight for each side.  Various clans of surrounding nations were called upon by David to join him to fight to regain the kingdom. People were away from their families and homes trying to get this over with. That's where things lead when we do not work hard to maintain health family communication and forgiveness.  One side might win the "battle", but overall, it will make things weaker and divided. Let's not drag everyone else into the fight.

Seeking God in Sad Days

25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. 26 But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there. 30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 

As we have seen the fallout and consequences of David's sin, he has tried to return to life as usual, while at the same time ignoring problems, hoping they will go away. Instead, his popular son Absalom has come back and taken over the kingdom. David is forced to flee, wondering if his rejection by his family and people will be forever. After he sends messengers to bring him a response, David and his followers go to the Mount of Olives to watch and wait.  What a picture pointing us to Christ struggling and praying on the Mount of Olives. Only He knew the future. He would face much sorrow and rejection, but in the end, have His kingdom.  Sad times are times to seek Him. He knows and cares and can bring new hope and a future.

Trying to Ignore the Issue

II Samuel 14:25 Now in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king's weight. 27 There were born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman.
28 So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king's presence. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab would not come. 30 Then he said to his servants, “See, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.”

As we have seen, David's family life was beginning to unravel. After issues of rape, boiling bitterness, and murder, there was a definite lack of communication. This caused was uncertainty and mistrust. Joab had been instrumental in getting Absalom back to Jerusalem, so Absalom hoped he would intercede and help open the way for conversation with David. Not wanting to get caught in the middle, Joab stayed away.  As you can imagine, this fire got Joab's attention and he did make the meeting happen, but like bitterness, mistrust becomes engrained and hard to remove. Trying to ignore the issue does not make it go away. What are you ignoring today?

The Pot Boils Over

II Samuel 13:24 And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

We saw yesterday that after David's sin against Bathsheba things seemed to get back to "normal," with the couple having another child after losing the baby and David getting back to work as king. But there were long-lasting consequences to David's fall.  His son Amnon had a more deeply rooted lust towards his half-sister Tamar and he shamed her. David was angry and Tamar's full brother Absolom was angry, yet no one did anything, for a while. Finally, things get to a boiling point, Absalom kills Amnon, creating a division in the family, which will further fracture the family in days to come.  What is there in your heart and life that is ready to boil over? How can you turn the heat down before it's too late?