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MAY 30
2 Samuel 15:23-16:23
2 Samuel 15:23-37
Vs. 23-29 It had been a moment of great personal joy when David brought
the ark into the city. Now, it must have broken his heart to see these well
meaning priests taking it out of the city with him. David's heart is rightly
humbled. David knew he had brought this situation on himself and was willing to
submit himself to God's will and judgment. He sent the ark back into the city,
hoping that the Lord would bring him back.
What comes from this is that both priests had sons who could bring him
information.
Vs. 30-37 Jesus would one day weep on the Mount of Olives, but for a
very different reason. He would be entering Jerusalem to die for sin. These
people, with David, were leaving Jerusalem because of sin. I wonder why they
were weeping. I wonder if anyone was thinking in the back of their mind that
this was the result of what David did to Bathsheba and Uriah.
David’s heart falls when he learns that Ahithophel was in league with
Absalom. At that moment, it seems God sent David the answer to his prayer.
Hushai would become the secret weapon against Ahithophel. Isn't it interesting
that up until now, we've never heard the name of Ahithophel. Now we're afraid
of him. If this guy was such a great counselor and such a wise guy, why did he
turn against David and side with a foolish man like Absalom? What would cause a
wise man like Ahithophel to oppose David and God and do something so
irrational? Did you figure it out?
2 Samuel 16
Vs. 1-4 So here is Ziba, bearing gifts. I know he wasn't Greek, but the
old adage applied to him too. Maybe this was just "old world"
kindness. Maybe he knew the story of how Abigail’s gift had touched David's
heart. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, but no one sees this yet as we
will understand it in chapter 19.
Look at v. 3. All I want to say here is this, both in the law and in
dealing with elders in the NT, God says, Do
not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three
witnesses. I know I’m jading you, slanting your thinking a certain way, but
I have not read one commentary that catches what is happening here. This is
where reading year after year allows the Spirit to give you insight deeper than
studying a passage for only a few hours will give you.
So here you have the word of Ziba, that the crippled son of David's
best friend, a godly friend, has said, "Good, now I'll become king."
Especially knowing that all Israel was following after that handsome, fully
functional, "dude's dude," Absalom. Really? A cripple was going to
put himself forward as king?
V. 4 To me this ranks as a very sad verse in the Bible. David just
broke the law of God by accepting the testimony of one man against another. And
look what he did. He gave Ziba everything, and he never even asked Mephibosheth
if this was true. I mean, seriously. Obviously, I know what's coming in chapter
19, but suffice it to say that David's judgment was damaged by his sin and his
guilt. There is one other little point to observe. According to “old world”
custom and cleverness, if you accepted the gift of a man, you were indebted to
him.
Vs. 5-14 This guy was wrong and ranted at David for all the wrong
reasons. Now, if he had said something about killing Uriah and taking
Bathsheba, that would have been true and instructive, especially because, as
you will see, God’s judgment on David for his actions against Uriah and
Bathsheba is being fulfilled here. Back to Shimei. God will judge him for this,
but God used him to provide some "mood music" for David's march to
the Jordan. David's words give us the idea that he understood that God was
motivating Shimei. Interestingly enough, as David dies, he will give Solomon
two assignments: one is to kill Joab and the other is to kill this guy, but of
course, to do it legally. Sounds like a mafia movie.
Vs. 15-23 So now we look at the other side of this civil war. Hushai is
in place to try to save David, but Absalom looks to Ahithophel for counsel.
Ahithophel's first word to Absalom is that he should rape David's ten
concubines (servant wives). Verses 20-23 are a summary that he actually did
this, probably the next day. Presently however, the meeting isn't over.
Now, who was Ahithophel?
When we first
heard about Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11:3, we learned “Is not this Bathsheba, the
daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” This
should have made David stop immediately. Why?
If you do a search on the name "Eliam," you'll find it coming
up later in 2 Samuel 23. The name is found in the list of David's mighty men.
David's mighty men were a select group of outstanding warriors and fighters,
who were deeply loyal to David, probably having joined David when he was still
serving Saul. David would have been very close to these men. These men were
with him through all the ten years of running from Saul. Now as king, some of
them would have been David's personal bodyguards. They would have been the men
who ate daily with David at his table (as we see Mephibosheth doing). He would
have known them and been close to these guys and their families. In putting
together a government back then, you went to your family and your friends and
their families. You chose men whom you knew and could trust. The world was
small, and so you surrounded yourself with your trusted, proven friends and
their families.
So, in 2 Samuel
23:34 you’ll see that Eliam, one of David's mighty men, was the son of
Ahithophel. So if Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam, she would be the
granddaughter of Ahithophel. She was Ahithophel's granddaughter! Look at the
end of the list of David's mighty men. The last hero listed is Uriah the
Hittite. Uriah was in this select group and known by David. Both
Eliam and Uriah were members of an elite group of soldiers, friends and
loyalists of David, known as David’s “mighty men.” Ahithophel was David's most
trusted counselor. These men sat at the table with David.
Did David really not know who Bathsheba was? He knew she was the
granddaughter of his most trusted counselor, the daughter of one of his closest
and most loyal men, and the wife of one of his closest and most loyal men. He
also knew they were away from Jerusalem fighting a battle. David wasn't stupid,
but what he did was.
What would cause a wise man like Ahithophel to join Absalom to oppose
David and God and do something so foolish? Ahithophel saw how David had
sexually forced his granddaughter, killed his "grandson-in-law,"
destroyed his family and violated the trust and loyalty Eliam and Uriah had
shown him when he was running from Saul. How sad. Then notice that Ahithophel
tells Absalom to rape his father’s concubines. I don’t think Ahithophel was an
evil man. He just wanted justice in kind. David had raped his granddaughter,
now David’s son raped his wives. Poetic justice, just as God had promised to
judge David. And since David had killed Ahithophel's grandson-in-law, now Ahithophel
hoped to kill David.
When David says in Psalm 51:4, Against You, You only, have I sinned…, I have to respectfully
disagree. David should have had long talks with Ahithophel and Eliam and their
families and apologized until his voice was hoarse and he couldn't cry another
tear. I don't think David did this. Look at how David communicated with his own
sons. David wrote songs, but he was a basket case when it came to discussion
for restoration.
Ahithophel became a bitter man and will rightfully pay for his
bitterness. His new great grandson, Solomon, will become king; but where hearts
are bitter, where there is no justice, and where there is no repentance and
honest communication, there is seldom forgiveness or peace. David should have
begged for their forgiveness. When that didn't come, Ahithophel needed to have
left Jerusalem and his service for the king and gone to God and found solace in
Him alone. I don't think he did that.
So, Ahithophel's first word of counsel to Absalom is to go and do
publicly to 10 of David's wives, what David had done secretly to Bathsheba.
Remember too, that this "just" punishment is exactly what God
promised as judgment for what David had done in secret (2 Sam. 12:11-12). And
as if that weren’t enough, Absalom did this on the rooftop where David had
been watching Bathsheba.
David is still a great man of God, but this should be a caution for us
to take God’s Word seriously. This is a divine testimony to the corrupting
power of sin in the soul of a godly man and in the group that was around him.
As disciples, not only do we need to be in the Word daily, but we need to live
in the fear of the Lord. As a man sows, so shall he reap. And there is no
partiality with God.
John 18:25-19:22
John 18:25-40
Vs. 25-27 It is interesting that all four Gospels record that Peter,
who was a leader in the church when these accounts were written, had failed
Jesus. Isn’t it ironic that a relative of the guy whom Peter “van Goghed” was
present? God's record of redemption includes a lot of failed men saved by
grace. That men like Peter and Paul ended well should be an encouragement to us
all. It’s odd that we are reading this about Peter, as we are dealing with the
fallout of David’s hormonal rampage.
Vs. 28-32 Pilate wanted to set Jesus free. He really didn't like the
Jewish leaders. In the process of Pilate’s journey he will say some immortal
words. Almost everything Pilate says is noteworthy.
V. 28 During this time in Israel's history, the Passover meal could be
celebrated on two days. Some say it was because of some technicality in the
calendar. It might have been because of the large number of people and the
large number of lambs that needed to be sacrificed. It might also have been
because of the scarcity of rooms in which to celebrate. Jesus and the disciples
celebrated on the early day. The Pharisees celebrated on the later day.
Vs. 33-40 Pilate was working to try to let Jesus go. It seems from
Pilate's attitude that he didn't take this very seriously, yet.
V. 38 This famous quote comes from an arrogant ruler speaking to a
Jewish peasant. Pilate was an embattled, bitter, unpopular ruler. The Jewish
lobby in Rome had made his life miserable. What
is truth? is both the expression of Pilate’s bitterness and his mocking of
this unfortunate, uneducated Jew. Everything Jesus says to Pilate here will
come back on Pilate as the eerie events of this morning unfold. Apparently
Pilate hadn’t drunk enough coffee yet and gotten his other brain cell going.
John 19
Vs. 1-5 This beating was actually for show and was meant to make Jesus
look broken and humiliated. It was not the pre-crucifixion beating. Pilate
still wanted to release Jesus and make the Jews feel sorry for Him. Jesus would
have been maimed for life by this. Behold
the man is another one of Pilate’s memorable quotes.
Vs. 6-11 Pilate is not very arrogant now. This event is shaping up to
be very "spooky" for him. According to the other Gospels, his wife
has even told him to distance himself from this. While he wasn't a believer in
Jesus, he was a believer in divine forces.
V. 11 Notice that Pilate isn't laughing at Jesus any more.
Vs. 12-16 Caesar's friend was
a political designation of being in good standing. The Caesar in Rome was
mentally imbalanced and Pilate already had several strikes against him. When
the Jews threw this statement at Pilate, he knew he had lost. This event would
go straight back to Rome. Pilate still could have let Jesus go.
The irony here is bitter. “Behold
your King!” “We have no king but
Caesar.” What infamous statements.
V. 16 At this point, Pilate hands Jesus over to his soldiers for the
normal pre-crucifixion beating. The effect of both of these beatings, humanly,
explains why Jesus couldn't carry His cross and why He died so quickly.
Vs. 19-22 God uses even the evil of men for His purpose. Pilate put the
sign above Jesus out of his hate for the Jewish leaders. He wanted to be ironic
and irritating. Yet, what was written, regardless of his motive, was exactly
true and a statement of judgment.
V. 22 When I was in seminary with a full load and a family and a job,
having way too many papers to write, this was my key verse and biblical
justification for never writing a second draft of a paper. The first draft had
to do the trick.
Psalm 119:113-128
These verses, written by David and the Holy Spirit, are absolutely
true, and absolutely sobering. I hope they are as sobering for you as they are
for me, knowing that when David was close to God because of adversity and in
the Word daily, this is what his heart looked like. This should be a lesson for
us all. David’s success and busyness as an executive ruined him, because it
took him from the Word and from needing the Lord every day.
Vs. 113-120 If this were written during the time of the civil war with
the house of Saul, you could understand David’s frustration with the
double-minded. This was like Saul and others who swore to the Lord and promised
something and then reneged. God’s Word and God’s promise were sure and steady.
David learned to put his hope in God and His Word rather than in the word of
men.
Vs. 121-128 David’s oppressors were still on his mind. I identify with
vs. 123-125. In all of the troubles the Lord leads us through, we all come to
the same place. We learn to find hope and comfort in His Word, which is
actually the sure and certain expression of His heart and character. I can
falsely imagine a lot of stuff about God because of my fear or emotions, but
His Word is the expression of the reality that is true about Him.
Proverbs 16:10-11
Before David fell, his judgments, it is said, were like the words of an
angel, meaning He had keen insight. These verses would have been true of him at
that point. Sin, guilt, and the consequences of murder changed all that in
David. As disciples, we would be wise to learn from what the Lord is showing us
from David's life.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church, that is, groups of 3-4
disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to
reach out and make disciples, who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most
universal and important discipleship manual we have and it is the key to our
growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here,
or what we are to be doing, or whom we are to be following. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us, as disciples, focused on Christ and our role in His
harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be
willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their
growth as disciples, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
Anyone reading along with us is
welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own
observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition
or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any
point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as
I understand it. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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