Revolt Quelled

 2 Samuel 20:1-26

 

Good morning Saints. Before we start, I want to take a minute and ask the Lord to bless this message and also bless our breaking of bread and sharing time afterwards.

 

Now we are continuing our series titled “David: Kingdom Builder”.  Last week we learned how David replaced Joab as commander-in-chief of his army with his former enemy Amasa who was the commander of his rebel son’s army. David did this in order to reunite all the tribes of Jacob and once again be recognized as King over all of Israel. Today we are going to examine passages in 2 Samuel 20 to see how this plan to replace Joab as commander-in-chief worked out. Before we do that let’s first look back at how Joab originally obtained the battlefield promotion to the rank of commander-in-chief for bravery by reading 1 Chronicles 11:6

 

David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander-in-chief.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command. – 1 Chronicles 11:6

 

Fast forward a bit from here to the time period just after Joab murdered David’s former enemy Abner who commanded Saul’s army. David had just that day made an alliance with Abner. In the alliance Abner agreed to help David bring all the tribes of Israel under David’s reign as King. Does that sound familiar? It should because we learned just last week that David made a similar arrangement with his former enemy Amasa for the same reason. David was so upset with Joab for murdering Abner that he cursed Joab, his father’s house and Joab’s future generations saying in 2 Samuel 3:28-29:

 

I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. May his blood fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house! May Joab’s house never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food. – 2 Samuel 3:28-29

 

Fast forward again to Joab murdering Bathsheba’s husband Uriah the Hitite in 2 Samuel 11:14-17.

 

In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In it he wrote, “Put Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest. Then withdraw from him so he will be struck down and die.” So while Joab had the city under siege, he put Uriah at a place where he knew the strongest defenders were. When the men of the city came out and fought against Joab, some of the men in David’s army fell; moreover, Uriah the Hittite died. – 2 Samuel 11:14-17

 

Fast forward again to Joab murdering David’s son Absalom despite the fact that David had given Joab a direct order to deal gently with him.

 

“Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this for you.” So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree.” And ten of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him. – 2 Samuel 18:14-15

 

Now let’s begin where Carl left off last week in our series to see if Joab’s pattern of murdering David’s enemies and former enemies continues.

Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted, “We have no share in David, no part in Jesse’s son! Every man to his tent, O Israel!” So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem. – 2 Samuel 20:1-2

 

It is amazing how one troublemaker can change a happy event into a very sad event. Just like David’s sorrow and grief initially caused what would have been a celebration including a victory parade to be a sad shameful event where the returning troops had to sneak back into the city. As Carl pointed out last week, had Joab not pressured David into doing the right thing it would have remained a sad shameful event. In last week’s message all the tribes of Jacob were gathered at the Jordon ready to bring David back to his palace in Jerusalem and re-proclaim him King of all the tribes of Jacob but, Sheba ruined it. So then instead of the planned triumphant return, David returned to Jerusalem with only his native tribe (that is the tribe of Judah) proclaiming him King again.

 

When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but did not lie with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows. – 2 Samuel 20:3

 

I want to pause here to compare the treatment of these 10 concubine women who were abused by one of David’s sons (Absalom) to the treatment of David’s daughter Tamar after she was abused by a different one of David’s sons (Amnon). Recall how Tamar was silenced by her brother Absalom.

 

Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman. – 2 Samuel 13:20

 

Now after Absalom abused David’s 10 concubines in public. They had no voice and no recourse and were silenced by him similarly to the way that he had silenced his sister Tamar. David continued Absalom’s silencing method by putting these 10 women under guard. They were confined in a house separate from the palace. Essentially each of these women was under house arrest for the rest of her life. The dictionary defines desolate as “A state of bleak and dismal emptiness.”. As Tamar lived in her brother’s house a desolate woman so each one of these 10 women lived the remaining years of her life in a house as a desolate woman. The ruined life of each of these women can be directly attributed to the collateral damage that was caused by David’s sin with Bathsheba years earlier and the collateral damage caused by the sins of his sons Amnon and Absalom. The message here is: “Sin has severe consequences, even to those who are innocent of any wrongdoing like Tamar and like these 10 women.”

 

Now continuing in 2 Samuel 20:4-5

 

Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.” But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him. – 2 Samuel 20:4-5

 

Here David orders Amasa the new commander of his army to assemble all of the men of Judah in 3 days supposedly to pursue Sheba. It should not have taken more than three days to do this. Remember David had spent years in the field with his army and he knew how long it should have taken to assemble the men of Judah.

 

David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bicri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master’s men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us.” So Joab’s men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri. – 2 Samuel 20:6-7

 

This is a strange command “Take your master’s men and pursue him.” It appears that David has already demoted Joab from being commander-in-chief over all of the army and replaced him with Amasa. Now in Amasa’s absence David appears to give temporary command over all the army to Abishai. It is not recorded whether Amasa ever appeared before David as he was commanded but we read in 2 Samuel 20:8-9a.

 

While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath. Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” – 2 Samuel 20:8-9a

 

I want to pause again here and take note of Joab’s greeting. This is a strange way to greet your new commander-in-chief. May be it was meant to put Amasa at ease so that he would lower his defensive guard with Joab. This probably would not have worked had it not been for the fact that both Joab and Amasa were closely related to each other. Hence normal military formalities could be relaxed a bit between them. The fact that they were closely related can be verified in 1 Chronicles 2:13-16.

 

Jesse was the father of Eliab his firstborn; the second son was Abinadab, the third Shimea, the fourth Nethanel, the fifth Raddai, the sixth Ozem and the seventh David. Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. Zeruiah’s three sons were Abishai, Joab and Asahel. Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite. – 1 Chronicles 2:13-16

 

Because of this close relationship, King David could have been literally addressed as Uncle David by both Joab and Amasa at their family re-union instead of the official title of “Your Highness” that would have been typically used to address him in the king’s court. Now back to today’s passage where Amasa is at ease with his guard down.

 

Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab’s hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri. – 2 Samuel 20:9b-10

 

After Joab murdered Amasa 2 Samuel 20:11-13 says,

 

One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!” Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. After Amasa had been removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri. – 2 Samuel 20:11-13

 

Mean while 2 Samuel 20:14 says,

 

Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel Beth Maacah and through the entire region of the Berites, who gathered together and followed him. – 2 Samuel 20:14

 

Now here is a map showing Jerusalem, Judah, Gibeon, and Abel Beth Maacah. As you can see Abel Beth Maacah is a little over 100 miles north East of Gibeon and it probably took several days for Joab and the army to reach it but when they did,

 

All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maacah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down, a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he answered. She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.” “I’m listening,” he said. She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the LORD’S inheritance?” “Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy! That is not the case. A man named Sheba son of Bicri, from the hill country of Ephraim, has lifted up his hand against the king, against David. Hand over this one man, and I’ll withdraw from the city.” The woman said to Joab, “His head will be thrown to you from the wall.” Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bicri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem. – 2 Samuel 20:15-22

 

So what was David’s response upon Joab’s return when he found out that Joab had murdered Amasa? Well we don’t know what his initial response was but we do know from the next verse that describes the administrative offices that David setup in his regained kingdom that he gave Joab his job back as commander-in-chief of his army. 2 Samuel 20:23 reads:

 

Joab was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; Adoniram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest. – 2 Samuel 20:23-26

 

Now the pain, suffering, strife, death, murder, and abuse between David’s family members can all be attributed to the consequence of David’s sin of taking Bathsheba as his wife. This is because God said in 2 Samuel 12:10-11

 

Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’ “This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. – 2 Samuel 12:10-11

 

Now we are all kids of the King Of Heaven And Earth but just as King David’s kids and family members were not exempt from the consequences of his sin (even those that were innocent of any wrong doing like his daughter Tamar and David’s 10 concubines), neither are we exempt. The take a way here is this: The Lord forgave the eternal punishment due for David’s sin, but He did not remove the serious consequences that accompanied his sin. What were the serious consequences of David’s sin? Pain, suffering, strife, death, murder, and abuse. The Lord has forgiven the eternal punishment due for our sins, but He has not removed, and He will not remove the serious consequences that accompany our sins. Therefore, we should avoid sinning at all cost!

 

However, if you are suffering from the consequences of sins committed by others, the Lord does not want you to suffer like Tamar in desolate silence. Talk to me or Carl or John or if you are just tuning in today from a different city talk to your local pastor there. We can help you take the appropriate steps to protect yourself and help you find the road to recovery.

 

Let’s pray.