Oct 17, 2021. II Samuel 18:6-8

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THE PRICE OF LUST.  II Samuel 18:6-18.  10/17/2021.  #41.

II Samuel 18:6-18 [New King James Version]

6 So the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. And the battle was in the woods of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.  Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on. 10 Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!” 11 So Joab said to the man who told him, “You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.” 12 But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.” 14 Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. 15 And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him. 16 So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

  1. Bloodbath of sin
    1. Due to David’s sin, there is rape, murder, and bloodbaths within his family and kingdom
      1.  Exodus 34:4-6 the impact of sin passes on to succeeding generations
      1.  Many suffer for our errors
    1. In the battle between David’s forces and Israel, 20,000 Israelites are killed due to judgment upon David
      1.  More men died in the tangle, drop-offs, and shifting loose rock and dirt in the woods than by battle
      1.  This is another incident in Scripture where God fights directly for one side of the other
      1.  The death of 20,000 men was due to the judgment upon David by God for violating Bathsheba and having Uriah killed
    1. David later numbers the fighting men and another 70,000 people die in a plague due to David’s indiscretion
  2. Ending the threat
    1. Just as the battel would be over once David was killed, so it was over if Absalom would be killed
    1. Joab’s main objective was to find Absalom
      1.  Joab knows that as long as Absalom lives = trouble
      1.  One of Joab’s men finds Absalom dangling by his hair from a great terebinth (pistachio) tree
    1. The soldier heard David’s instructions to the 3 commanders to spare Absalom
      1.  David is king and Absalom is his son
      1.  The soldier is obedient to the king, despite whatever he feels toward Absalom and the situation
        1.  It was not up to him to go counter to order
        1.  Loyalty demands obedience unless some great moral principle is violated (Exodus 2, Acts 4-5, Josiah 2…)
    1. Joab chastised his soldier
      1.  Joab would have rewarded the man for killing Absalom
      1.  The soldier would violate the king’s orders in return for a payoff (money)
  3. The battle ends
    1. Joab takes matters in his own hands by killing Absalom
      1.  Once Joab thrusts 3 spears into Absalom, other soldiers join in the kill
      1.  Joab takes matters into his own hands
    1. Joab is a loose cannon
      1.  Joab only obeys David when he deems that it is the best interest of Israel
      1.  He does not consult David before he acts
      1.  As long as Absalom is alive, David’s kingdom is in jeopardy (many have died for this cause)
    1. Joab blows the trumpet to signal an end to the battle
      1.  With Absalom dead, there was no longer any need to continue the fight
      1.  Without their leader, the rest of Absalom’s army retreats to their encampment, eventually to disperse and renew allegiance to David
    1. Joab throws David into a large pit in the woods and covers the body with stones (a disgraced burial with no honors)
    1. Absalom had set up a pillar to himself in Jer. (he had no sons)
    1. Joab disobeyed David, but spared Israel further division