2 Samuel 16, Psalm 7, 2 Samuel 17
Moving
David is in a crisis. His son Absalom has rebelled against him and gained support of the majority of Israel. David had to leave Jerusalem and is now headed to the wilderness. News of the rebellion has traveled fast and many people are coming out to meet David on his journey. Some support him and help him but not all of the people are friendly. The truth hidden in the heart tends to come to the surface in a crisis. In most cases it is evident but not always. David needs to determine who is for him and who is against him. Sometimes the hardest one to figure out is the guy who is only for himself and is using the crisis for his own advantage. It wasn’t hard to figure out where Shimei stood but David is going to have to use wisdom before he knows where Ziba, the servant of Mephiboseth, who is conspicuously absent, stands.
Back in Jerusalem, Ahithophel, who has a reputation of wise godly counsel, has sided with Absalom. He is the grandfather of Bathsheba and apparently has an agenda that he has kept hidden until the time was right. He thinks now is that time. Absalom seeks his counsel about what to do next. What Absalom doesn’t know is that Ahithophel’s counsel is now based on his own agenda. Ahithophel has made a switch regarding whom he will really serve in this crisis. He is going to serve himself as he serves Absalom and abandon God and David. God will use him to carry out a part of God’s plan for David, but as David said in Psalm 7, he is digging a pit that he will fall in.
The crisis David was going through was much of his own making because of his sin with Bathsheba and poor decision making. God is disciplining David and has already told him these events were going to happen back in Chapter 12:10-12. David, I believe, is well aware of what God is doing. It is not easy to go through what he is going through but it is clear David is still trusting in God and seeking him in prayer.
It is a sad day when a believer turns from God in a crisis rather than to Him. Unfortunately, that is the case many times. The goal of the enemy is to isolate believers. He wants believers to think God has abandoned them or he is punishing them for what they have done. The truth of the matter is God loves us, is for us, and will never leave us no matter what we have done. But God will also discipline His children.
When David left Jerusalem leaving behind the kingdom, and pretty much everything else, he crossed the brook Kidron and made his way to the wilderness. There was another King who did the same. Jesus our King, left everything behind and crossed over the brook Kidron and went on to the cross to pay for the sins that brought on our crisis and threat of death. He died that we might live because of His love for us. What He did for us on the cross will never change. He will never abandon us nor forsake us. So, if we think someone has moved it wasn’t Him.
In a crisis we need to move closer to Him. That is what David does. He prays that Ahithophel’s counsel will be foolishness. He trusts God in the situation with Shimei, sparing his life, when the voices around him want to put Shimei to death. David’s situation didn’t change immediately but God’s discipline is changing David. That is the same goal God has in mind when He disciplines us in our crisis. God wants to move us closer to Him. The devil wants to move us away from God. Which way will you go?
If you are feeling the pain get closer to the one who gave His life for you. If you see others going through a crisis lead them to the one who loves them and knows exactly what to do.
Pastor Dave