2 Samuel Chapter 18:1-33

What does God want to give you? God wants to give you mercy and forgiveness. And it's interesting because in this story, what happens? This King's son dies because of his rebellion. But Thomas Thomas, the picture and the parallels because in the New Testament, what happened? The king's son died because of our rebellion. Jesus never rebelled. Jesus even went to the garden and said, Father, there's any other way. I don't want to go across, but not my will.

But years be done. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David Magee, the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Today in the studio, we have one of David's associate pastors, D.A. Brown. Welcome, brother.

Hey, Bob. It's great to be here. We want to take a minute to pray for some cities in our listening audience. Hope everyone prays with me. Holbrook Pace and Pinetop Winslow, Yuma, Arizona. Bentonville, Fayetteville, Arkansas. God, we pray that many in these cities would tune in and listen today. Got it. We pray that summer under the weather. Sick not feeling will that you would heal them, God, for your glory. Well, we also pray that some would give their lives to you. Receive your grace and mercy to Jesus Christ. We pray that these cities would get excited about following you and the churches would fill up. And you give the pastors wisdom and discernment on how to expound upon your word for your glory in Jesus name. Hey, man.

Hey, man. Pastor D.A., we appreciate your prayers. And if you are in one of the cities he mentioned or anywhere else in the country, please feel free to contact us and tell us what God is doing in your life now today as we're going into the teaching. It's a very sad time for King David and there's some very important lessons that we can learn in life. D.A., can you share some of that with us?

Hey, Bob, today past today was going to remind us that God is full of mercy, grace and compassion. We have the opportunity to share that with others.

That's definitely something all of us can use. So. So let's just jump in. As David Magee continue sharing verse by verse, finishing up second Samuel, chapter 18.

We'll pick it up. Second Samuel, chapter 18. And this is 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 Julep, one third under the hand of ABA QAI, the Center's Ariah Joe Epps brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai. That gets high on 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 a flee away. They will not care about us, nor have half of us. Dad, 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 than 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. Verse five.

Now the king and commanded Joab Abshir Shine NTSA and deal genitally for my sake with the young man Absolom and all the people heard when the King gave all the Captain's orders concerning Absolom.

So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel and the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. And the people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place 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. First none. Then Absolom met the servants of David, and Absolom rode on a mule, and the mule went under the thick bows of a great terabits tree and his head caught in a terrible. So he was left hanging between heaven and earth, and the mule which was under him went on. This is interesting verse.

And you may remember there was a verse prior that talked about Absolom had a lot of pride about his hair.

Those kind of interesting that it was his point of pride that snagged him.

And we have the verse that talks about the pride comes before the fall in this versus so rich in pictures because let's look at something.

He Absolom was on a mule, a mule. And he remember Jesus came into town, the triumphant entry ran on a mule. And that was the day his kingship, as it were, was announced. Wow. Well, in part because what he was riding on so it was a I know we don't think of a mule as a as a royal animal, but it is so it's interesting that Absolom is on this mule. But in his rebellion, he loses his seat on this mule because there's a picture going on. He's prance. He could very well be destined to be king at this point. But because of his rebellion, he's going to lose that authority. He is going to lose that prince. And this, if you will, through his rebellion.

First ten thou certain Mansoor and told Joab and said, I just saw Absolom hanging in a terabits tree. So Jim said to the man who told him, you just saw him. Why did you not strike in there to the ground? I would have given you 10 shekels a silver and a belt. The man said, Did you do our work to receive 1000 shekels of silver in my hand? I would not raise my hand against the Kingside for an hour hearing the king commanded you and Abshire enticing. Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absolom. Otherwise I would have dealt forcefully against my own life through. There is nothing hidden from the King and you yourself would have set yourself against me.

So the guy saying, you know, even of about I've done that. I want to come back to you. He probably would kill me for it.

And now you're asking me why I didn't do it then Joe upset. I cannot linger with you. And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absolom, his heart, while he was still alive. In the midst of the terabits three and 10 young men who board jabs Jobe's armor surrounded Absolom and struck and killed him. Less noticed something. Joab is the first to strike Absolom.

Now he knows that he was not supposed to do this, but he did it anyway. And notice what happens.

The other men that are with Joab enter into the thing with him. We need to recognize something when a person is a leader. There's more of a responsibility to be careful in submitting yourself to God. Why? Because if someone falls, it's it's always a bad thing. But if a leader leads other people astray, it's not just him. It's those other people.

And we see Joab believing these other people into something that the king said not to do.

Now, was it the right thing to do? You know, you can build a pretty strong case for it was the right thing to do because Absolom is at war with David. Joab understands that while both of them are alive, there's going to be a war and job realizes the moment one of them dies that the battle's over.

So we can come up with reasons why Joe did this. But still, David had spoken and given a command verse 60. So Job blew the trumpet in. The people returned from pursuing Israel for Joab, held back to people, and they took Absolom 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. Now I absolom in his lifetime and taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the Kings 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 date is called Absolom Monument. This monument is still there at the foot of the Mount of Olives. It was rebuilt in the days of Herod, but it's still the same place. Verse 19, then a hymn as the son of Zadok said. Let me run now and take the news to the King how the Lord has avenged him of his enemies. And you have said to him, you shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news because the King's son is dead.

Why did Joab not want the son of the priest to take this news to David? It's more than just that part of the news was Joab smoke. Absolutely. Let's remember other times when other messengers came to David. One of the times was when the guy came talking about how Saul had been killed. And how did David respond? David killed the guy. And then another time, a guy, a messenger, came talking about the death of Ishbel Schiff and what happened to that messenger. David killed him.

So Joab is like, you know what? You're the son of a priest. I'm not going to send you to David with a message because it might not go that well. So you wait another day.

And there does seem to be some recognition in Joab that even though Absolom was an M an enemy. He was the king's son.

And I think it tells a lot about us, about how we treat our enemies or how we react to our enemies when we hear that they're going through a tough time or misfortune or something. Tell us a lot about us, not about them, but about us. And Jesus actually points us out in the New Testament, talks about egos, you know. Pray for your enemies.

Bless them. I understand. Bless them. You understand the concept of blessing. Bless your enemy. Pray and wish them well. That's tough. It got to have the supernatural power of God to wish your enemy well. Or when you hear that, you're going through a tough time not to go. Well, they really deserved that.

I mean, I hate it for him, but I'm gonna glad. And it's all that common, you know. I mean, there's, you know, there's ways to do that. And we speak our own special language of Christian.

These, you know, they're just reaping what they're selling first. Twenty one, then, Joe, I've said to the Khush, I go tell the king what you have seen. So Kushayb bout himself to Joe and ran verse twenty two. A man has the son of Zadok said again the Joe. But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Kushayb. So Joe, I said, why will you run my son, since you have no news ready? Verse twenty three. But whatever happens, he said, let me run. So he said, let him run. Then Emma has ran. By the way of the plane and outran the cushion.

So you get the pigeon. This guy's gonna let me run. Let me run. Let me run. And John says you got nothing. They say, well, let me run anyway. And so finally, job goes, OK, go, run. Guy interesting. The man doesn't have a message, but he wants to run.

There's a spiritual analogy there. Lot of times when we first get saved, we don't even really know what happened to us.

But we try to run and we don't really yet have a message.

You know, we just kind of run. I just want to run. Well, you don't really know what you're gonna say. But I got to run. I can do some.

And it's good for us to sit and get a message before we take off running, because what we're gonna see is when this guy gets to David. He does not know what to say. Why? Because he doesn't have a message. He's running. Now, the flip side is some of us have a message and we don't run.

So it's important to have a message and to run.

And the balance that I think that any church that is not engaged in Bible teaching, it's kind of like this guy, they're running, but they don't really have a message.

And that's the life lesson here. It is important to have a message and also to run.

It is important to have a message and also to run, run but run with a message, have a message and run with that message, because this guy, he's not going to know what to say when he gets to David.

The second Timothy chapter two, verse 15, says it's been diligent. The present yourself approved the guy to work or who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, the King James, the study study to present your self approved under God.

What we're doing here tonight, Bible study, verse 24. Now, David was sitting between the two gates and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked and there was a man running alone.

Then the watchman crouched down, told the king and the king said, if he is alone, there is news on as well. And it came rapidly and drew near. Then the watchman saw another man running and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, There's another man running alone. The king said he also brings news. There's twenty seven, the watchman said. I think the runner of the first is like the running of Amos has the son of Tzadok, and the king said he is a good man and comes with good news.

So this is the way they got their news around. They sent and they sent a message with money and they ran to the next town and gave them the message. And then somebody else took that message and ran again. This is where we got our relay races of modern track also. That's al years and years and years ago, there was a God that ran with the news of victory from Marathon Greece to Athens, Greece. And he ran the whole way and it was twenty six miles. And after he ran that whole way from Marathon to Athens to tell the king what was going on, then he he died. It's kind of weird that we have marathon races now because it's like people forgot the end of the story.

He ran twenty six miles and he died.

You know, it's not like, you know. Oh, great. Let's go run 26 miles. I don't get that. But if you're a marathon runner, no offense intended, it's just your body goes through serious changes when you do stuff like that.

You're listening to Pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge. He'll be back with more in just a moment. But first, if you haven't been to our Web site at Cross the Bridge dot com yet, what are you waiting for? Go to cross the bridge dot com. To learn more about how listeners like you are helping get the life changing truth of God's word to more people through the radio, internet and mobile technologies at cross the bridge dot com. You can also check out our broadcast schedule. Listen to more teaching from Pastor David. And sign up for Pastor David's free daily devotional. And there's more there, too. So visit. Cross the bridge dot com today. Now, here's Pastor David as he continues sharing verse by verse, verse 28.

So Amy has called out instead of the king. All is well. Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king and said, Blessed be the Lord, your God who delivered up the men who raised their hand against my Lord, the King. Now, this is good because he's given glory to God. I mean, God did use brave men that day who were skilled, but they wanted to give the victory, the brave men one to give the glory to God in life lesson here. It's important that when God uses us to give him the glory, it's important when God uses us to give him the glory. Verse 20 on the King said, is the young man Absolom say a man has answered when Joe upset the King's servant and me, your servant. I saw great turmoil, but I did not know what it was about. It would seem that this is an untruth. But again, we see he really doesn't have a message. He ran but really didn't even think about what he was gonna say, which is bizarre because he is run. And all that way it seems like he would have figured out what he was going to say when he got there.

But apparently then verse 13, the king said, turn aside and stand here. So he turned us on and stood still. Verse 31, just in the khush, I came in the Kushayb. It said, there is good news. My Lord, the king for the Lord has avenged this day of all those who rose against you.

And the King said to the Khush, I was the young man at some safe the Kush. I'd answered me, the enemies of my Lord, the King, and all who rise against you to do harm. Be like that, young man. The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept.

And as he went, he said this Oh, my son Absolom, my son, my son Absolom. If only I had died in your place. Oh, Absolom, my son. My son.

There's certain passages of scripture and this is one of the Santa versus in the Bible.

And I'm not sure that anyone who's not a parent can really understand what David is saying here. I think David wonders.

Well, it's interesting because when the baby died, David said, well, I'm gonna see him again. There wasn't the deep grief that you see in this verse.

And I think David is very much concerned about the soul of Absolom that died in rebellion and perhaps without a knowledge of God. And David is not so sure is going to see Absolom again. Perhaps there's somebody here tonight who's sad over a rebellious child or about children. There's that's a sadness that goes straight to the soul, straight to the heart. And, you know, you need to continue to ask God to touch that child. Maybe some brother sister. Maybe you're the child and it's your mother or father who's far from God and in rebellion.

We'll pray with you. As a matter of fact, let's just pray right now. As Bauer heads Imus tonight, you've got a child who's far from God who's in rebellion to God. I want to pray with you. We want to agree in prayer with you. So do me a favor right now. Just raise your hands. Yes. I've got a child who's far from God. God sees us hands. And we pray for you right now, Lord. You see those hands. You see the lives that those hands represent.

Lord, you see the heart of the mother. You see the heart of the father that it is extended towards their child. And Lord, you see their heart towards this child. And they would cry out to you tonight, Lord. Deal gently. Deal gently with Moccia. Lord, they've done wrong things there in the midst of wrongdoing even now. But Lord, deal gently with them. Be merciful with them as you draw them back to yourself. Lord, we know because we have seen you draw rebellious people to yourself. Myself included, Lord. And you will continue to draw people to yourself. And so Lord of the people that have their hands raise. Lord, may we hear awesome testimonies about what you've done in their lives going forward from tonight? And Lord, we ask that you would continue to increase the faith of that mother to continue to increase the faith of that father as they cry crowd for their child that their child will come to you.

We thank you for that. In Jesus name. Everybody said he meant David's heart was to protect Absolom from the effects of his rebellion.

And David couldn't do that.

And that's a painful thing to realize as a parent, as you cannot protect your child from the fruit of the rebellion. But let's see something here.

Let let's understand the heart of David George Absolom. Maybe we realize the heart of God towards others who are in rebellion or who've gone astray. And may we get a little better, closer glimpse of God's heart towards those?

Maybe you're here tonight and you've wandered off a little bit and maybe you've wandered off a lot. And you're thinking, well, will God's just so angry at you.

You need to see David in this and, you know, deal gently with my child, because that's God's heart towards people.

And if you've wandered off God's hand, God's heart, God's spirit is extended toward you.

Now, you don't have to wait till something bad or horrible happens to come today. The interesting thing is David's comment says, if only I had that in your place. So we see David's willingness to die for his rebellious child.

And we're reminded that not only was Jesus willing to die for his rebellious children, but he died for them in their place while we were yet sinners.

That's what the Book of Romans, Romans, Chapter five or Saints was. But God demonstrates his own love towards us and that why we are still senators. Christ died for us. Now I read commentaries and I'm sure some people say, well, Absolom just simply got what he deserved.

I'll give you that. David did not want Absolom to get what he deserved. God in his mercy does not want you to get what you deserve. We deserve eternal separation from God.

We deserve the full wrath of God on our shoulders for the things that we've done. God doesn't want to give us what we deserve. God in His mercy doesn't want to see that on you.

And he's done all that he can to keep you from having that upon your shoulders. He gave his son to die for us so that that wouldn't have to happen. Life lesson here. The heart of God is filled with mercy, grace and compassion. The heart of God is filled with mercy. Grace and compassion. What does God want to give you? God wants to give you mercy and forgiveness. And it's interesting because in this story, what happens? This Keen's son dies because of his rebellion. But Thomas Thomas, the picture and the parallels because in the New Testament, what happened? The king's son died because of our rebellion.

Jesus never rebelled. Jesus even went to the garden and said, Father, there's any other way. I don't want to go across, but not my will. But years be done.

May we weep for those that are still in rebellion against God?

May we hear the tears of a broken hearted father weeping over the children that are straight from him?

May we realize our father in heaven sheds tears for us and for the world in which we live?

David, sitting at the gate waiting, I'm reminded of the story that Jesus told about the man waiting for the prodigal. The father was waiting for the sun to come. He wouldn't have seen him from a long ways off if he wouldn't have been standing there waiting for it.

The sad thing is some prodigals may never come home. Still, as a father waits. And even tonight, the father's waiting again. Maybe there's some people in here that have strayed. Some. The father would say. My son. That in your place.

And I just wonder, as I was looking at this chapter. I just wonder if David's heart at the end of this and some commentaries and some pastors would condemn as art at this point.

I just wonder if this isn't what God was talking about when he said David's a man after my own heart. When David says Absolom, I would have died for you, but you wouldn't have it.

It's interesting because a hit the film and Absolom dad on three's his AFL hung himself. Absolom in the tree as we read about tonight.

But let's remember the book of Deuteronomy said anybody that hangs on a tree is cursed. Again, you look at the life of his offill, you look at the life of absolute. We say, well it's sad but they kind of decided their fate.

But let's remember, Jesus died on a tree. Jesus said, You know what? I'll take your cursing. Oh, hang on a tree for you. I'll die for you. I'll die for your rebellion, for your sins. I'll take them on myself.

Galatians Chapter three says this. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For this written curse is everyone who hangs on a tree that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of this spirit through faith.

Don't miss the parallels because in this story, the son of a king died on a tree for his rebellion. Years later, the son of a king with down a tree for your rebellion and for my rebellion.

And as I look at this, I wonder, as individuals in those churches, who are we like?

Are we like David, looking at the world gone mad?

We'd been forum having the heart of Paul. Remember the past. Only Paul looking at say, you know, I wouldn't even be a stranger cut off in Christ if it meant you could come into a knowledge of Jesus. Is that our heart towards the world?

Because as I read this chapter, something occurred to me. Sometimes that's my my heart at all. Sometimes, friend. And I think if you're honest, you'll admit this to have the heart of Joab. Oh, there's the sinner hanging on a tree. I'll get him. I'll do the king a favor. I know the king said the deal with ungraciously and mercifully, but I'm going to take him out. All too often think that describes the church. That's not what God intended. Think God wants us to have the heart of David. Because I know my Heavenly Father looks out over this world as so sin stained and messed up and in rebellion. Guys, this is important.

And he weeps. Do we leave when things happen? The people that are bad and evil. May the Lord give us his heart for this world. May we weep with those who are in rebellion and are hurting? And may we be much more like David than Joette friend?

Do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven? You can know right now. I want a legion, a short, simple prayer, simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now.

Dear Jesus. I believe you, Dad, for me, that I could be forgiven. And I believe you were raised from the dead. I could have a new life. Now, I've done wrong things. I have sinned. And I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name.

A man friend of you prayed that prayer. According to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him. And he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations, friend. You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you.

If you pray that prayer with David for the first time. We'd love to hear from you. You can visit. Cross the bridge dot com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can right to cross the bridge at P.O. Box 12 515. Winston-Salem, North Carolina two seven one one seven. And share how God is working in your life. Well, D.A., before we go.

What are some ways that we can bless our listeners if you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday? Why not join us for our livestream at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time or on Thursday nights at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time? Does visit cross the bridge dot com and click on our livestream link? There you experience a live service from David's home church, the bridge in North Carolina. Again, that Web site is Cross the Bridge dot com.

That sounds good. Pastor Day. And again, it's been great to have you with us on the program today. But tell us, what else can our listeners find on Cross the Bridge dot com?

Each day you can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day from the heart of David Magee. Those are terrific. And it's easy and it's free. So folks sign up today at Cross the Bridge dot com. And thank you for listening. We hope you'll join us again next time as we continue studying verse papers through second Sam.