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2Samuel
CHAPTER 18

1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. 3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city. 4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

David had been running; but he had a plan. He was running to where he and his seasoned men knew how to fight best - in the WOODS!
He divided the warriors among three captains: Joab, Abishai, and Ittai. And he sent the to meet the army of Israel under Amasa's direction. David said he would also go to battle. He, being a great warrior, would not send people to go where he wouldn't.
When Jesus sends Christians, He promises His PRESENCE!
David's men all agreed that he was worth 10,000 warriors. They had a tremendous respect for him. Notice what he said. Though he is the king, and the Commander in Chief, he respected their judgment. Now THAT'S why they respected David so much! He loved them; he admired them; he honored them, and he respected them.
If we want others to love us, we must first love them.

5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

David requests "gentle" treatment for Absalom. The men took this as a COMMAND (see verse 12). WHY would David ask this of them? David is typifying our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Absalom is a son. Absalom is a traitor, and after the kings own crown and prominence; and he would even murder his own father and king to have his way. But he is still David's SON!
Are we not ALL God's children by creation? Have we not ALL become traitors by sin? Have we not all crucified Jesus, our Christ and King? Do we not ALL desire to have our OWN way above God's way?
But Jesus loves us so much He sacrificed His own body for our sins! And he pled with the Fater, "...forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
When Christians are sent into the battle, it is not to KILL the enemy; but to bring others to Jesus, the King!

6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; 7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. 10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.

The warriors of David put the army of Israel to shame in the battle that day (verse 7). They were capable warriors in the woods, but the army of Israel was not experienced in this manner of fighting. Friends, Christians ought to be experienced in spiritual battle. People of the world, without Christ, are NOT experienced in that kind of warfare.
While Absalom's troops chased David's men, the "...wood devoured more people that day than the sword.." (verse 8).
Chasing after someone, an inexpereienced Israelite warrior would fall in a ravine, or a horse would slip and a rider was crushed, or some might have been killed with limbs striking their heads.
Absalom himself was caught in the limbs. His hair was caught and he was suspended between the tree and earth.

11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle. 12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me. 14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

Joab wanted to know why the man didn't kill Absalom. But the man defended his position saying that if he had, even Joab would have turned on him because David had requested that Absalom not be harmed.
This man KNEW Joab, and he knew Joab's loyalty to David.
Joab himself killed Absalom. Then his armor-bearers beat Absalom to make sure he was dead (verses 14-15).
Now the question is WHY? WHY did Joab kill Absalom? Well, let me just say this in his defense. Joab would've allowed harm to come to Absalom AND David if he had NOT killed Absalom! Absalom had proven to be traitorous TWICE, and David had proven he could not force himself to discipline the young man in the proper way.
Joab is a "cut and dried" type of warrior. That may be a calloused attitude. But what he did was save David and Israel from future trouble.

16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

Joab blew the "recall" trumpet. Now the leader of the revolt was dead, so the army should be gathered together. There is no more threat.
My friends, let me say that Jesus our Captain of the Hosts of the Lord, has conquered the "revolter" (Satan)!! He has in fact put him to DEATH -- ETERNAL CONDEMNATION!
The trumpet is blown in ZIon today calling men to be gathered to Jesus! There is no more fear and dread of Satan, IF we have surrendered our lives to Jesus!

19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. 20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead. 21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. 22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? 23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

Joab commanded Cushi to carry the news to David. Perhaps he was fearful that David would react in violence. Cushi was an Ethiopian, and perhaps one of Joab's servants.
Ahimaaz, Zadok's son, was eager to carry the news to the king whom he loved. He wanted to be the one to carry what HE THOUGHT was good news.
But what he didn't understand, and Joab did understand, was that the last two times news of death was carried to David, David killed the messenger!
David killed the messenger that bragged of Saul's death, and the mesengers who bragged of killing Ishbosheth.
David was NOT happy that ANYONE should die! Not even his enemies. We as Christians, should not desire hurt or harm to come to anyone - even our enemies! We should simply desire that God's WILL be done!

24 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone. 25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near. 26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. 27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings. 28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. 29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. 30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. 31 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. 32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is. 33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Ahimaaz received permission to run - and he beat Cushi to the gates. David was anxiously awaiting the news. He had obviously prayed, and was awaiting God's answer.
Ahimaaz gave the report, but was wise enough at least not to give details. The messengers of God are gentle as lambs, meek as doves, but wise as serpents (Matthew 10:16).
Cushi was, however, quite base in his statement. He stated that his desire was that ALL David's enemies would meet with death. Cushi shared the fierce loyalty of Joab.
The news sent David into a mourning frenzy. He was grieved beyond comfort.
WHY? Perhaps the reason David grieved so much for Absalom was because he knew it was HIMSELF who was responsible for the death of his son! He could blame no one else. For God had promised him that this would be the consequence of his sin with Bathsheba.
OH! What GRIEF we bring upon ourselves when we allow lust to conceive and bring forth sin!! (See James 1:15)
Parents, have YOUR sins caused pain and suffering in your children's lives? Take a message here from David. Die to self NOW, and be what your children NEED while they are young.

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