Down But Not Out

Down But Not Out

2 Samuel 16:1-14

 

Illus. Battle back!

 

Recap:  2 Samuel 11 to 15

 

            After David’s great sin in chapter 11, he was confronted and forgiven in chapter 12, but learned there would be consequences in his life and fallout in his family. Things went from bad to worse and after a series of terrible events, one of David’s son’s Absalom, had turned on him. He set himself up to go after David and take the thrown by posturing himself as better than David before the people, and manipulation. As we closed chapter 15, we learned that he had made people to believe that he was now king, and David learns that Absalom had plans to attack David in the city of Jerusalem. Hearing the news, David chooses to leave Jerusalem with his family, friends, and soldiers. It was sad scene as he crossed over the Kidron valley and a procession of those with him passed before him. He and all who were with him were weeping as they went up the Mount of Olives and toward the wilderness. He would send one of his counselors and some priests back into the city, and we pick up the story as he get to the descent of the mount of Olives continuing toward the wilderness on the run from his son Absalom.

 

2 Samuel 16:1(a), Now when David had gone on a little beyond the summit…

           

            The summit of a mountain is the high point. The mount of Olives is just over 2,600 feet above sea level and David is headed toward Jericho which is nearly 900 feet below sea level and in the Dead Sea area which is the lowest point on earth. The direction David was headed in physically, from the highest of highs in the land, to the lowest of lows, is a picture of what he was going through personally.

            He was head down the mountain, he was out of Jerusalem, he was headed into the wilderness. It was plain for all to see, but not in God’s eyes. David was still the king God had chosen, there was still a plan for him, there was still hope for him, he was down, but he wasn’t out.

            This morning, as we study David’s descent down the mount, has he journey beyond the summit, we will see people trick him and kick him while he is down. But as we are given those details, we also see David again hold onto God and put his faith and trust in him despite what was happening or had happened. Through these verses then we are given great lessons from him for our times of difficulty or even doubt, that we may be down, but we are not out!  

 

2 Corinthians 4:8-9, We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

 

1. Remain on Call

 

2 Samuel 16:1-3, Now when David had gone on a little beyond the summit, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a team of saddled donkeys, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and a jug of wine. And the king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these?” And Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine, for whoever is weary in the wilderness to drink.” Then the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’”

 

• As David heads down the high mountain and gets beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, a man by the name of Ziba, noted here as the servant of Mephibosheth, approaches him.

 

• We were introduced to both Ziba in 2 Samuel 9 and Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 4 and more on him in chapter 9.

 

• Mephibosheth was the grandson of Saul and the son of David’s friend Jonathan. He was disabled in both beet, unable to walk and after Saul and all his sons were taken out, the only male left from Saul’s lineage was Mephibosheth, his grandson.

 

• David had made a covenant with Mephibosheth’s dad Jonathan that he would show kindness to Jonathan’s family once he became king. True to his word, once he became king, he showed kindness.

 

2 Samuel 9:1-3

 

• Ziba had been given charge over Saul’s estate, and he knew of Mephibosheth. So David sent for him, brought him in from Lo-Debar. David showed kindness and compassion to Mephibosheth, he gave him everything that belonged to his grandfather Saul, he would also eat at the kings table regularly, like a son.

 

• Ziba and his 15 sons were given the call to serve Mephibosheth. They were to cultivate the land and make sure he had everything he needed (2 Samuel 9:9-13).

 

• That seems to be the way it is all going until now. As David leaves town, Ziba leaves Mephibosheth.

 

• He puts together a care package of sorts for David and David asks him, “why do you have these?” in other words, “what is this all about?”

 

2 Samuel 16:2, And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean to do with these?” (NKJV)

 

• This is a good question because we will learn that Ziba is up to something, but David is asking, “what is this all about?”

 

• Ziba tells David it is a care package for him and his people to eat as he knew they would be weary in the wilderness.

 

• David asks, “where is Mephibosheth?”

 

• Ziba tells David that Mephibosheth has turned on David.

 

• By his gesture, he is expressing loyalty to David, but his gesture was a trick, a lie, to get David to believe Mephibosheth had turned on him.

 

• He told David that Mephibosheth was back in Jerusalem and was seeking the throne. He leads David to believe that Mephibosheth declared that the kingdom was going to be restored to the house of Saul and that it was all going to Mephibosheth.

 

• We will learn later that Ziba is lying. He was making it all up.

 

• In Ziba’s eyes, it looked like David was finished as king…and Ziba tries to capitalize on David’s difficulty and Mephibosheth’s disability and makes up this story.

 

• It is like he is saying, “David’s leaving town? I am going to get all I can get out of him!”

 

• Ziba, however, had a call given to him by the king. To care for Mephibosheth, to serve in his house, and Ziba at that time expressed a commitment to that call…But here it all changes.

 

• It isn’t clear the exact reason he was doing this. Maybe he was tired of serving Mephibosheth and with things falling apart he could prey on the situation. Perhaps he saw it as an opportunity for self-preservation, or perhaps exaltation…The reality is, however, that he left the call he had been given and was on this deceptive mission.

 

• We know this because in chapter 19, Mephibosheth will speak with David…He will reveal to David that Ziba was lying.

 

2 Samuel 19:24-26, Then Mephibosheth the grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; but he had neither tended to his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes since the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. And it was when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” So he said, “My lord the king, my servant betrayed me; for your servant said, ‘I will saddle the donkey for myself so that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ since your servant cannot walk.

 

• Ziba ends up being known as a manipulator and a liar rather than a servant.

 

• When you are down, or you see others are down, look at it as another opportunity to carry out your call rather than preying on another person’s difficulty.

 

Psalm 24:1-5

 

Illus. Known!

 

Proverbs 2:7, He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless.

 

1. Refrain from Rash Decisions

 

2 Samuel 16:4, So the king said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.” And Ziba said, “I prostrate myself; may I find favor in your sight, my lord, the king!” 

 

• Turning the attention back to David, it is interesting that as soon as David hears the story, he makes a favorable decision for Ziba.

 

• David was disheartened, discouraged, and people were leaving him left and right.

 

Psalm 3:1-2; Lord, how my enemies have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.”

 

Psalm 3:6, I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

 

• David’s enemies had increased, people were rising up against him, ten thousands of people had set themselves against him all around.

 

• Here comes this story about Mephibosheth, and David believes the story. He had people against him in the tens of thousands, including his own son, what’s one more?

 

• In response, David made a decision regarding the situation…All that once belonged to Saul and was given to Mephibosheth, would now be given to Ziba.

 

• David was at his lowest, and the lesson we learn here is surrounding the decisions we make when we are down.

 

Illus. In the past, 2 Samuel 1.

 

Proverbs 18:13, One who gives an answer before he hears, it is foolishness and shame to him.

 

Proverbs 18:17, The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.

 

Proverbs 19:2, Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, and one who hurries his footsteps errs.

 

Illus. Bad Decisions.

 

James 1:5, If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

 

Illus. Wisdom given!

 

• The scene ends with Ziba bowing before David, paying homage to him and David will go his way.

 

• The reality is however, that Ziba was not honoring David, but was lying to David. He was trying to get what he could while David was down.

 

• This leads us then to the next scene beyond the summit for David and another encounter David had, this person is not seen tricking David, but rather, “kicking” David while he was down.

 

III.   Rely on God, Not Revenge

 

2 Samuel 16:5, When King David came to Bahurim, behold, a man was coming out from there from the family of the house of Saul, and his name was Shimei, the son of Gera; he was coming out, cursing as he came.

 

• Bahurim was on David’s way down the mount of Olives in the direction of the wilderness.

 

• One the way down the mountain, a man comes out who belonged to the family of Saul, specifically, he was from the family line as Saul, the tribe of Benjamin.

 

• Shimei bursts on the scene, coming toward David, cursing as he came.

 

2 Samuel 16:6, He also threw stones at David and all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left.

 

• He is cursing and throwing stones at David, as well as everyone surrounding David.

 

2 Samuel 16:7-8, This is what Shimei said when he cursed: “Go away, go away, you man of bloodshed and worthless man! The Lord has brought back upon you all the bloodshed of the house of Saul, in whose place you have become king; and the Lord has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. And behold, you are caught in your own evil, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

 

• David is leaving Jerusalem and he wants to make sure David doesn’t land in his city. It seems he had been holding onto to some things.
• It seems he was ready for David to fall and wanted to make sure to kick him while he was down.

 

Illus. Interpretation.

 

• He called David a man of bloodshed. And though David was a man who had shed blood, David was not guilty of what Shimei was accusing him of.

 

• His accusation was that David was guilty of the bloodshed of the house of Saul, which was not true. In fact, it was far from the truth.

 

• David, though he had faults, could not be faulted in the case of Saul. David served Saul, spared Saul’s life multiple times, was grieved with Saul died, and showed extraordinary kindness to his family line.

 

• It was the Philistines who put Saul to death, not David.

 

• NKJV reads that he called David a “bloodthirsty” man, which helps paint the picture, David had shed blood, but he was not bloodthirsty.

 

• Though David spared Saul at many points, he had shed blood and not always for noble reasons. That said, there was some true to his words, but they were misapplied.

 

2 Samuel 16:9,  Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Now let me go over and cut off his head.”

 

• Abishai was one of David’s warriors. He was the brother of David’s army commander and also David’s nephew. He was one of the sons of David’s sister, Zeruiah.

 

• Though cursing and condemnation were coming from Shimei, and Abishai has his plan in mind, David changes the conversation from what was happening to him to what God could bring to him.

 

1 Samuel 16:10-12, But the king said, “What business of mine is yours, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses, and if the Lord has told him, ‘Curse David,’ then who should say, ‘Why have you done so?’” Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out of my own body seeks my life; how much more now this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him.

 

• So this guy is throwing rock and cursing and David just keeps on walking. He did nothing about being cursed, nothing about being pelted with rocks.

 

• David knew the truth about his situation with Saul, he was not guilty regarding the house of Saul. But David let Shimei continue as in that moment he thought, maybe the Lord is using this in my life and in his somehow.

 

• David knew who he was, and knew who the Lord was, and he trusted the Lord was looking on, seeing it all and could do something about it if he wanted to…

 

1 Samuel 16:12 Perhaps the Lord will look on my misery and return good to me instead of his cursing this day.

 

• In verse 12, when David says, perhaps the Lord will look on my misery, that word “misery” is translated “affliction” in several other translations.

 

• I mentioned last week that there are several Psalms that scholars associate with this situation in David’s life, one that we aren’t certain of but most associate with this particular time is Psalm 25.

 

Psalm 25:3, None of those who wait for You will be ashamed; those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

 

Psalm 25:16-21, Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Look at my misery and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Look at my enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with violent hatred. Guard my soul and save me; do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in You. Let integrity and uprightness protect me, for I wait for You.

 

• In 2 Samuel 16 David says, perhaps the Lord will look upon my misery, my affliction…And in Psalm 25 he asked the Lord to “look upon his affliction and trouble.”

 

Romans 12:17-19, Never repay evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all people. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

 

Luke 6:27-28(a), I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you…

 

• Jesus prayed, “Father forgive them, for the do not know what they do” in Luke 23:34 as he was being crucified on the cross.

 

• And in verse 46 of Luke 23, Jesus would say “Father into your hand I commit my spirit.”

 

• David was committing his situation into the hands of the Lord as he moved beyond the summit and down the mountain.

 

2 Samuel 16:12,  Perhaps the Lord will look on my misery and return good to me instead of his cursing this day

 

1. Remember He Can Still Return Good to You

 

2 Samuel 16:13-14, So David and his men went on the road; and Shimei kept going on the hillside close beside him, and as he went he cursed and threw stones and dirt at him. And the king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted, and he refreshed himself there.

 

• David was reaping what he had sown. He had sown to the wind and was reaping the whirlwind.

 

• But he also believed that he could sow a new seed and that God would look upon him and his situation, that God would see!

 

Galatian 6:7-8, Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. Let’s not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.

 

Illus. Doing right.

 

• David couldn’t see his whole story…But we can.

 

• For David, the day will come when he will be back in Jerusalem and restored before the people as king.

 

• And David will be escorted back into the city by the men of Judah, and in 2 Samuel 19:16 we read more on the story of David and Shimei…

 

2 Samuel 19:18-23, And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan. 19 And he said to the king, “May my lord not consider me guilty, nor call to mind what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king went out from Jerusalem, so that the king would take it to heart.  For your servant knows that I have sinned; so behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” But Abishai the son of Zeruiah responded, “Should Shimei not be put to death for this, the fact that he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” David then said, “What is there between you and me, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be an adversary to me today? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?” So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” The king also swore to him.

 

• David was able to free himself from taking it to heart because on that day, he had taken heart in the Lord!

 

John 16:33, In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

 

Psalm 33:18, Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who wait for His faithfulness.

 

Illus. Not out!

 

Psalm 3:1-3, Lord, how my enemies have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” But You, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head.

2 Samuel 16:1-14