The Notes

This coming Wednesday night, October 15, 2025, is the final week of our Bible study series called, "Journey with King David."   This week, week 15, we look at the final words of David and his appointment of his son Solomon to be the next King.   Join us at 6:30 p.m. for worship (we are online only this week) and some mid-week encouragement for the soul.

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This past Wednesday night, October 1, 2025, our Bible study series "Journey with King David" focused on the rebellion of Absalom whose mother was Maakah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur.  This was David's third son, and as we covered last week, he avenged the rape of his sister Tamar, and then experienced five years of distance from his father. The way David treated Absalom directly led to feelings of bitterness, pride, and ambition in Absalom.  

This week's story focuses on 2 men (David and Absalom) who take 2 different paths. One was arrogant, the other humble; one was godless, the other led by God.  One life is a warning, the other is exemplary.

Absalom had an apparent moment of reconciliation with David, but his desire for power grew in those years of distance.  Absalom had taken matters into his own hand, and it led to a desire for power.  Absalom had lived in the shadow of another king (his grandfather) for 3 years, and his bitterness against David grew.  This is what bitterness will do in our lives. 

In 2 Samuel 15, Absalom sets out to strategically gain a following; he wins people over by lying to them, suggesting that King David won’t give justice, “but I would.” 

Absalom plays politics, stages drama, and uses his charm and good-looks to build a following.  (Sounds a lot like today's politics, doesn't it?)  He even bought a chariot and horses, and hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him, making him look important.  He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would meet them, talk with them, hear their problem, and then say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it.  I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!” When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel." - 2 Sam. 15:2-6.

It would appear that this is the beginning of Absalom's rebellion, but the truth is - this rebellion starting much earlier . . . after David’s abuse of Bathsheba.  Recall that the prophet Nathan confronted David  and told him the story of a rich man and a poor man and the rich man took the poor man's only sheep.  He told David,  “You’re that man.”  The consequence of David's actions was that “from this time on, your family will live by the sword.”  Nathan said, “This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you.  I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” – 2 Samuel 12:11-12.

Our sin always has consequences, and here is how it played out for David, many years later.

Absalom lied to the people, and then he lied to his father, too.  In verses 7-8 of 2 Samuel 15, David told David, "I promised to sacrifice to the Lord in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem.”  “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your vow.”  So Absalom went to Hebron, but while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. “As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read, “you are to say, ‘Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’” - 2 Sam. 8-10.  Absalom also sent for a man named Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors.   Pretty soon, David becomes aware of the plan and the effort of his son to overthrow the throne.  David is forced into action and decides to flee Jerusalem to save his own life, as well as the lives of his household.  David leaves 10 concubines to take care of the palace, but flees with his wives, children, and 600 men who are loyal to David.  David won't give up the throne without a fight, however, so he sends his trusted friend Hushai back to Jerusalem, and tells him to tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’  David's plan was to have Hushai frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice.  Additionally, Hushai could send word back to him as to Absalom's plan of action.  

So Hushai returned to Jerusalem, just as Absalom arrived.  David prayed that Ahithophel’s advice to Absalom would be bad.

While David flees to the Mount of Olives, he has 2 notable encounters.  The first is with Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth (the son of David's best friend, Jonathan).  He lies to David, and tells him the Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem to get back his kingdom.

Here is life lesson #1 – people lie.  People will lie to your face in an effort to bribe & butter you up.  As much as we hate to admit it, people lie.  They did it 3,000 years ago and they still do it today.  Far too often, people are willing to accept or excuse lies.  We should not, however, excuse what God expressly commanded - "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Ex. 20:16).  God's people should speak up and condemn lies, not silently tolerate them.

Ok, here is the second encounter - David is greeted no so warmly by a man named, Shimei.  He curses David, throws stones at him, and yells, “Murderer, scoundrel, you stole Saul’s throne."  David responds in an exemplary way - 

he ignores it.  He has two thoughts about the situation.  First, if God told him to curse me, then I need to leave him alone.  Second thought is that perhaps God “will bless me because of these curses today.”  David literally takes the high road and walks away.  Life Lesson #2 - leave revenge to God.  Be mature.  Don't get distracted from your own journey and purpose.  Stay focused on what’s really important.  

To sum up the story of Absalom, he has been plotting and planning and Absalom asks Ahithophel, what should I do next?

2 Samuel 16: 21-22 tells us that Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.  Life lesson #3 – God can use anyone to accomplish His Word.  That action fulfilled God’s punishment on David for his acts with Bathsheba.  Years have gone by … but this fact is true: we reap what we sow.  David - and us - learn that what God says will happen will, indeed, come true.

And the people would see this as Absalom then hears 2 different plans, and he said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” But notice what scripture says - "For the LORD had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!" - 2 Sam. 17:14.  We may not understand why things happen as they do, but God’s providence is in all things.  God either designs it or allows it, and if He is allowing a situation to happen in your life - know that God has a plan for it, a plan to bring down an enemy and lift us up.

As the story goes, David is warned and knows Absalom's plan.  Two armies go to war and David gave 1 command: deal gently with young Absalom.  But as the battle rages in Ephraim, 2 Samuel 18:7 says that 20,000 died.  And David’s men come across Absalom in the forest – find him dangling from a tree because his long hair caused him to get stuck.  His horse went out from under him, and Absalom is literally hanging from a tree.

David's men report this to Joab, and Joab then does what the men did not do - Joab took 3 daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart.  Then 10 armor bearers surrounded him, and killed Absalom.  Joab sends a messenger to David with the news.  And then 2 Samuel 18 tells us the immense grief of David; he burst into tears and cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”

The conclusion of this story is that David returns to Jerusalem as King, and the people welcome him back.  Mephibosheth also greets him, and says that Ziba slandered him.  David - now likely unsure of which story to believe - decides to divide the land between Ziba and Mephiboseth.  And for his part, Mephibosheth tells David to give it  all to Ziba, he is just glad to have the King back.

So from this story, we learn 3 important spiritual truths.

1.  Sometimes, our family will reject us, but God never will.   God didn’t reject David, even after his very serious transgressions.  And know that God gives us what we need.  If people walk away from you, then you don’t need them.  God will provide the right loving, supportive, encouraging people in your life. 

2.  God knows how to bring us home again.   Accept that God will do it His way, and in His time.  Now usually we wish that we never had to leave in the first place, but journeys give us wisdom.  Journeys help us appreciate the ones who fight for us, who walk with us, who stay.  Appreciate those people in your journey, and trust God to bring you home.

3.  Even the chosen servants of God are not saved from heartbreak.  David wasn't; he had heartbreak in his life.

Mary was chosen, highly favored to be the mother of Jesus.  But she would watch Jesus die an agonizing death on the cross.  Paul was chosen to be God's messenger to the gentiles, but he would spend years writing letters from prison.

We’ll have suffering and struggles in this life.  But the cause of Christ is too great to give up.  “Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine.” – 2 Cor. 4:17.

So hang in there.  Your heavenly Father loves you and is preparing your way, jour journey, your place to shine as you serve Him.