CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
His Stay at Mahanaim
2 Samuel 17
We have seen how God made use of Hushai, Davidłs friend to defeat the counsel
which Ahithophel had proposed to Absalom. This meant a short breathing space
was afforded the fugitive king. Hushai at once took steps to acquaint his
master with his success (17:15, 16). The two priests who served as messengers
were obliged to take refuge in a farmerłs house at Bahurim, biding in a well,
which his wife coveredhow many strange and unexpected places have sheltered
the servants of God from their enemies only the Day to come will fully reveal.
Incidentally, let us note how this episode teaches us that so far from acting
rashly and presumptuously, we should always avail ourselves of any lawful means
which a merciful providence supplies for us. True faith never leads to
fanaticism or fatalism, but moves us to act with prudence and with good
judgment.
It was well that the two messengers had taken this precaution, for they were
pursued and tracked to the place where they were hiding, but through the
womanłs prevarication their enemies were sent on a false trail. "And it came to
pass, after they (the pursuers) were departed, that they came up out of the
well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass
quickly over the water; for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you. Then
David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over
Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone
over Jordan" (17:21, 22). "This was a remarkable instance of Godłs providential
care over His servant and his friends, that not one was lost, or had deserted,
out of the whole company; and he was in this a type of Christ, who loses none
of His true followers" (Thomas Scott). For the antitype see John 18:8, 9.
It was at this time, most probably, that David wrote Psalms 42 and 43. They
were composed at a season when he was deprived of the benefit and blessing of
the public means of grace. This loss he felt keenly (42:4), but hoping in God
and earnestly supplicating Him, he looked forward to the time when he would be
again permitted to enter His holy courts with joy and thanksgiving (43:3, 4).
These Psalms bring before is in a most blessed way the exercises of soul
through which David passed at this season, and the persevering efforts he made
to retain his hold upon God. They show us that though a fugitive, pressed
almost beyond endurance by sore trials, nevertheless he maintained his
intercourse with the Lord. They reveal the grand recourse which the believer
has in every time of troublesomething to which the poor worldling is a
complete strangernamely, the privilege of unburdening his heart unto One who
is of tender mercy, great compassion, and who has promised to sustain (Ps.
55:22) when we east our burden upon Him.
The first two verses of Psalm 42 express the deep longing of a spiritual heart
for communion with God in the house of worship: it is only when deprived of
such privileges that we come to value them as we shouldjust as a parched
throat is the one which most relishes a glass of water. In verse 3 he tells the
Lord how keenly he had felt the mocking jibes of his blasphemous foes. Then he
recalls the vivid contrast from previous experience, when he, though king, had
gone with the multitude to the tabernacle and joined in celebrating Godłs
praise. Challenging himself for his despondency, he seeks to raise his spirits.
But soon dejection returns and he cries, "O my God, my soul is cast down within
me" (v. 6). Then it was he added "therefore will I remember Thee from the land
of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar." Yes, though cut off
from the public means of grace, though plagued with sore trials, he will not
forget his best Friend.
In the remaining verses we find the Psalmist freely unburdening himself to God.
As Spurgeon said, "It is well to tell the Lord how we feel, and the more plain
the confession the better: David talks like a sick child to his mother, and we
should seek to imitate him." So closely is Psalm 43 connected with the one
preceding, that in one or two of the older manuscripts they are coupled
together as one: that it was written during the same period is evident from
verse 3, 4. In it we find David begging God to undertake for him, to "plead his
cause against an ungodly nation," to "deliver him from the deceitful and unjust
man"the reference to Ahithophel or Absalom, or both. He is distressed at his
own despondency and unbelief, prays for a fresh manifestation of the divine
presence and faithfulness (v. 3), asks for such a deliverance as would permit
his return to Godłs house, and closes with an expression of assurance, that, in
the end, all would turn out well for him.
"And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass,
and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in
order, and hanged himself and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his
father" (2 Sam. 17:23). Unspeakably solemn is this. What a contrast is here
presented: in the preceding verse we see the temporal deliverance of David and
all his men; here we behold his chief enemy flinging himself into eternal
destruction by his own mad act. Significantly enough "Ahithophel" signifies
"the brother of a fool," and none exhibit such awful folly as those who are
guilty of self-murder. Ahithophel did not commit this unpardonable crime on the
spur of the moment, but with full deliberation, journeying to his own home to
accomplish it. Nor was he bereft of his senses, for he first duly settled his
affairs and arranged for the future of his family before destroying himself.
But why should Ahithophel have proceeded to such desperate measures? Ah, my
reader, there is something here which needs to search our hearts. That upon
which he had chiefly doted was now turned to ashes, and therefore he no longer
had any further interest in life: his household "gods" were, so to speak,
stolen from him, his "good thing" was gone, and therefore his temple lay in
ruins. Hitherto his counsel was regarded "as if a man had enquired at the
oracle of God" (16:23), but the advice of Hushai was now preferred before his.
The high esteem in which he had been held for his political acumen, his wisdom
in the affairs of state, was everything to him, and when Absalom passed his
advice by (17:14) it was more than the pride of his heart could endure. To be
slighted by Davidłs usurper meant that he was now a "back number"; to be thus
treated before the people was too humiliating for one who had long been
lionized by them.
Do we not behold the same Satanic egotism in Saul. When Samuel announced to him
that the Lord had rejected him from being king, what was his response? Why,
this: "Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the
leaders of my people, and before Israel" (1 Sam. 15:30). At, it was the praise
of man, and not the approbation of God, which meant everything to him. Thus it
was with Ahithophel: an intolerable slur had been cast upon his sagacity, and
his proud heart could not endure the idea of having to play second fiddle to
Hushai. What point this gives to that exhortation, "Thus saith the Lord, Let
not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his
might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth
glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which
exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in
these things I delight, saith the Lord" (Jer. 9:23, 24). Observe the justice of
God in suffering Ahithophel to come to such an end: he plotted the violent
death of David, and now was fulfilled that word his mischief shall return upon
his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate" (Ps.
7:16).
O that we may really take this to ourselves, so that we honestly examine our
hearts, and ascertain upon what it is, really, chiefly set. What did anything
avail Haman, while Mordecai sat at the gate? is another illustration of the
same evil principle. What a solemn lesson all of this reads to us! Have we, my
reader, some earthly idolbe it riches, honor, fame, or even a loved onearound
which the tendrils of the soul are so entwined that if it be touched, our very
life is touched; if it be taken away, life is for us no longer worth living?
Where is our ruling passion fixed? On what is it centered? Is it some object of
time and sense, or One who is eternal and immutable? What "treasure" are we
laying up day by day? Is it one that the hand of man or the hand of death may
soon take from us, or that which is "eternal in the heavens"? Seek to answer
this question in the presence of the Lord Himself.
"Then David came to Mahanaim" (v. 24). This was one of the cities of the
Levites in the tribe of Gad (Josh. 13:26). What sacred memories were associated
with this place we may discover by a reference to Genesis 32. It was at this
very place that Jacob had stopped on his return from sojourning so long with
Laban. He was on his way toward the unwelcome meeting with Esau. But it was
there that "the angels of God met him"! With faithłs discernment, Jacob
perceived that this was "a token for good" from the Lord: And when Jacob saw
them, he said, I his is Godłs host, and he called the name of that place
Mahanaim" or ętwo hosts"if God were for him, who could be against him! It was
this place, then, that David now made his headquarters, where he increased his
forces, and gathered together an army with which to oppose the rebels.
By this time the first force of the disaster bad spent itself, and when David
had succeeded in getting his forces safely across the Jordan, on the free
uplands of Bashan, his spirits rose considerably. Psalms 42 and 43 reflect the
struggle which had taken place within him between despair and hope, but as we
have seen, the latter eventually triumphed. Now that Mahanaim was reached, he
determined to make a definite stand. No doubt the sacred memories associated
with this place served to further hearten him, and when the news reached him of
Ahithophelłs defection from Absalom and his subsequent suicide, he had good
ground to conclude that the Lord was not on the side of his enemies. As the
time went on, it became increasingly evident that the leaders of the rebellion
were lacking in energy, and that every day of respite from actual fighting
diminished their chances of success, as the astute Ahithophel had perceived.
"And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him . . . so
Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead" (vv. 24, 26). At last the
perfidious Absalom proceeds to carry out his vile designs. Not content with
having hounded his fond parent from Jerusalem, and driven him to the utmost
corner of his kingdom, nothing will satisfy him but removing David from the
world itself. See to what fearful lengths Satan will lead one who is fully
yielded to his sway. He was guilty of high treason. With eager mind and brutal
heart he determined to deprive his father of his life. His awful conspiracy had
now reached its consummation. He set his army in battle array against David. He
was willing to play the part of patricide, to stain his hands with the blood of
a loving father who had been too long-suffering with him.
"And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a
mans son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the
daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joabłs mother" (v. 25). Joab, the
commander-in-chief of Israelłs army (1 Chron. 20:1), had remained loyal to his
master, so that Absalom had perforce to appoint a new general to take charge of
his forces: the wicked are not allowed to have everything their own waydivine
providence generally puts a cog in their wheel. There is some difficulty in
deciphering the details of this verse; as the marginal readings intimate. The
one selected by Absalom as captain of his host was, originally, "Jether an
Ishmaelite," who had seduced the half-sister of Davidsuitable character for
the present position! Later, he was known as "Ithra an Israelite," Matthew
Henry suggesting that he had become such by "some act of statenaturalized."
Such a selection on the part of Absalom was fully in accord with his own rotten
character.
"And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of
Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of
Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, brought beds, and basins, and
earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans,
and lentils, and parched pulse, and honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of
kine, for David, and for all the people that were with him, to eat: for they
said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness" (vv.
27-29). Here the scene changes again, and from the malice of Davidłs foes our
attention is directed to the kindness of his friends. With what vivid contrasts
these chapters abound! And is it not thus in all earthly life? How can it be
otherwise in a world which is ruled by Satan but overruled by God.
There is something striking and touching in connection with each of the three
men mentioned here, who brought such a lavish present to David. "Shobi was the
brother of him, concerning whom David had said, "I will show kindness to Hanun
the son of Nahash" (10:2) so, with the measure he had meted out to this
Gentile, it is measured to him again. Ah, has not God promised that he who
watereth others, shall himself be watered! "Machir the son of Ammiel of
Lodebar" was the man who had given shelter to Mephibosheth (9:5): the king had
relieved him of this trust by giving Mephibosheth a place at his own table
(9:11), and now Machir shows his gratitude by providing for Davidłs table.
Concerning "Barzillai" we read that he was "a very aged man, even four score
years old" (19:22), yet he was not too aged to minister now unto Davidłs needs.
He will come before us again in the sequel.
Weary from their long march, ill provisioned for what lay before them bountiful
supplies are now freely given to them. As Matthew Henry pointed out, "He did
not put them under contribution, did not compel them to supply him, much less
plunder them. But, in token of their dutiful affection to him, their firm
adherence to his government, and their sincere concern for him in his present
straits, of their own good will, they brought in plenty of all that which he
had occasion for. Let us learn hence to be generous and open-handed, according
as our ability is, to all in distress, especially great men, to whom it is most
grievous, and good men, who deserve better treatment.
How often it falls out that God moves strangers to comfort His people when they
are denied it from those much nearer them. There is a law of compensation which
is conspicuously exemplified in the divine government of human affairs. A
balance is strikingly preserved between losses and gains, bitter
disappointments and pleasant surprises. If an heartless Pharaoh determines to
slay the children of the Hebrews, his own daughter is constrained to care for
Moses. If Elijah has to flee from Palestine to escape the fury of Ahab and
Jezebel, a widow at Zarephath is willing to share her last meal with him. If
the parents of Jesus Christ were poverty stricken, wise men from the East come
with a gift of "gold," which made possible their flight and sojourn in Egypt.
If a manłs foes be those of his own household, friends are raised up for him in
the most unexpected quarters. Let us not, then, dwell unduly upon the former;
and let us not fail to be grateful and return thanks for the latter.
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