You shall not die

2 Samuel 19:1-43

Key Verse 19:23

“So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.”

Good morning. Last week God really blessed our Spring Bible Conference with his amazing work. This week many coworkers offered thanks prayer. Some coworkers offered thanks prayer in the morning and in the evening twice a day. So we are very thankful for all the great work of God through our Spring Bible Conference. Today we come back to the study of 2 Samuel chapter 19. The title for today’s message is ‘You shall not die.’ The key verse comes from verse 23. Let’s read this verse together. Let’s go. “So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.” Let’s pray. (Prayer)

One senior servant of God told me that in doing the ministry, unity is very important. He said, “whether it is the right direction or wrong direction you have to go together.” So his point is ‘what is right or wrong’ comes second, and ‘going together’ comes first. Between husband and wife, think about it. If husband and wife do not go together, one thinks this is right and other thinks other think that is right. Then the house cannot stand. It is the house divided. Jesus also knows the importance of unity among all believers. So his ultimate prayer for all believers is to form complete unity according to John chapter 17. he really prayed that all of believers may for a complete unity. In today’s passage, king David, after the rebellion of Absalom, tried to unite his people and his kingdom as much as possible because unity in his kingdom is the most important matter. So today we would like to see how king David tried to unite his kingdom and his people.

Part I. Now go out and encourage your men. (v. 1-8)

In the first part, verses 1-4, king David cried over the loss of his son Absalom. He covered his face and cried aloud. “O Absalom, my son, my son.” And Joab and all the soldiers heard about it. So that day all the soldiers stole into their houses as like shameful men running from defeated war. Joab heard about it and Joab got upset. So he went to the king and this is what he said. Verses 5-7. Let’s read responsively. I will go first. 

^“5 Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. ⁶ You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. ⁷ Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.”

What Joab said was right. But king David could respond to Joab in this way. “Hey, don’t you know you are the one, the source of my grief? You disobeyed my order to save Absalom and you brutally murdered him. Now you are accusing me. Now you are condemning me and rebuking me. Get out! I will chop your head off!” He could have responded that way. But he didn’t do it. He accepted his rebuke instead of rebuking him back, and went to the gateway and encouraged his men. In doing so, he united Joab. He embraced Joab and embraced his soldiers together. So it was the first effort of king David to unite Joab and his soldiers together. 

After the war was over what happened in verses 1-8, the first part is what happened is in the city of Mahanaim. Imagine in your heart the land of Israel. This is the Jordan river. This is the city of Mahanaim where Joab rebuked David. This is Israel. The northern part is the tribe of Israel and southern part is the tribe of Judah. After Absalom was dead these northern part of people were arguing and discussing because some of them were not sure how David would respond to them. Would David be harsh against them punishing them harshly? Or would David be very generous. So they were arguing and discussing. But they were thinking about taking king David from Mahanaim to Jerusalem, crossing over Jordan River. And the news of their intention reached David. But David’s problem was the tribe of Judah. David belonged to the tribe of Judah. And this tribe of Judah, although it is only one tribe of Judah, had numerous soldiers, and a lot of population, very important tribe. We don’t know why the tribe of Judah was so silent. But David knew and felt that he could not go back to the land of Israel without the invitation of the tribe of Judah. So this is what kind David did. 

¹¹ King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Ask the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? ¹² You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ ¹³ And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.’”

¹⁴ He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.”

He sent two priests, Zadok and Abiathar and encouraged them to take him back. “Why don’t you to be the last to invite me back when the tribes of Israel are talking about taking me back?” Furthermore, David said to Amasa in verse 13. Let’s read verse13 together. “¹³ And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.’” Amasa belonged to the tribe of Judah and he was the commander-in-chief of the whole army of Absalom. So Amasa could be the number one enemy of David after Absalom. And maybe because the tribe of Judah felt so bad when they rebelled against king David and especially Amasa was the commander-in-chief of the whole army of Absalom they were so silent. We don’t know the reason. But David forgave Amasa and fully trusted him and offered him the position of the commander-in-chief for life. There is physical evidence that Amasa would not be rebellious king David. But David first forgave him and trusted him fully and offered the position of the commander-in-chief for life. It is not the commander-in-chief for several years and change, but the commander-in-chief for life. What David was saying was, “Amasa, you rebelled against me. But I forgave you and I trust you to the end of your life. You will be my commander-in-chief for my entire army.” The people of Judah were really moved. Let’s read verse 14 together. “¹⁴ He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.”

They really became one in mind and invited king David. So some people of the tribe of Israel and all the people of Judah came to the place of called Gilgal. This is the place of Jordan River and Gigal is the few miles away from Jordan River. This is the place you need to stop by before crossing Jordan River. And because the tribe of Judah invited David, David left the city of Mahanaim and he moved to the near the Jordan River. But David and his company did not cross over. They just stopped by the River. And the people of the tribe of Israel and the tribe of Judah who stopped by Gilgal crossed over to take David and his men to Gilgal and Jerusalem. 

Part II. The king returned, crossing over the Jordan (v.9-43)

So these people came to cross over Jordan and came to David’s side. Now before crossing over Jordan David had to meet three people and had a conversation. The first person is Shimei. Let’s read verses 15-23 responsively. I will go first.

^“15 Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan. Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. ¹⁶ Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. ¹⁷ With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. ¹⁸ They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king ¹⁹ and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. ²⁰ For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.” ²¹ Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the LORD’s anointed.” ²² David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” ²³ So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.

Several chapters ago when king David was running away from Jerusalem and his son Absalom chasing after him entering Jerusalem king David was running away on bare foot. And there were some soldiers guarding him. This guy Shimei came out and threw out dust and pelted David and called him scoundrel and murderer. That moment is the lowest moment of David’s entire life. And this guy came and cursed him. If David wanted he could sent special guards and killed him. But David did not do that. Now Absalom was dead and king David was going to return to Jerusalem as the king again. And Shimei knew he was in big trouble. 

So he came across Jordan and he came to David. According to what he said he knew he was guilty. He knew he did wrong. He knew he had sinned. He openly confessed all his sins and asked the mercy of king David. He was asking forgiveness of David. He asked David not to remember what he did. It would be nice for him. And Abishai, one of David’s generals of David, I think he did the same thing in several chapters ago, “Shouldn’t Shimei put to death because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” And he was right. Shimei deserved to die. But David opposed him. And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” But that was not all yet. In addition the king promised him on oath. So Shimei’s life was completely secured. It was the best news for Shimei. As long as king David was alive he would never die with this crime. 

So Shimei was wicked man and deserved to die, but David forgave him. David gave him the promise, “You shall not die.” There was one thousand Benjamites together with him. If he punished Shimei what would other Benjamites and others would feel? They would feel that David would punish them too. So David forgave Shimei and united his people and his kingdom. We know for the purpose of uniting his kingdom he forgave him but personally why do you think king David forgave Shimei other than the reason of uniting people? Why did the king forgive Shimei? (Someone said, “A man after God’s own heart.”) Okay. What else? You are right. (Someone said.) “Can you speak louder?” (After listening) “He received God’s forgiveness.” That is what I was looking for. King David is a murder. He killed an innocent person, general Uriah. But he received God’s forgiveness. He was not killed when he repented. God forgave him. So he personally experienced God’s forgiveness. And he was able to live because of God’s forgiveness. So he was not able to punish him because Shimei did the same thing, sinning. Shimei at least did not kill someone. He just cursed him. So he promised him, “You shall not die.”

“Forgiveness” is one major way to unite people together and bring people together. “Unforgiving spirit’ brings divisions. If one person say to us, “I cannot forgive that person because that person hurt me so much” what could be our answer? “That person hurt me so much, you cannot even know, I cannot forgive that person” what could be our answer? “No matter what happens I am not going to forgive that person. He hurt me so much.” Anyone try? (Someone said) Yes? Could you speak a little bit. Oh, he said, “That person hurt Jesus so much.” Yes? “We hurt Jesus so much.” So including that person we hurt Jesus so much. I think it is a very good answer. So that person hurt Jesus so much. Other than Jesus what or whom does that person hurt also? (Someone said something). Herself? Himself? 

Mother Barry once told me, “Not to forgive someone is like ‘you drink a poison and you wait and see other person to die.’” (Laughing). It was very interesting expressions. So I thought about it. Okay I drink the poison and waiting for other person to die? The other person didn’t drink poison. I drank. (Laughter) So who dies? I instead of that person. That person is fine. That’s the unforgiving spirit. That person cannot forgive others because that person hurt him or her so much also need to know that that person also hurt others not only Jesus. No one is perfect. We all hurt each other. Can anyone claim that I do not hurt anyone? Raise hand? Can anyone claim “I am perfect and I do not hurt anyone?” Please raise your hands.

If another person says, “My relationship with that person is so bad, there is so much unforgiving things messed up that the more we try to talk the more we mess up and the more our relationship is broken” what could be our answer? “David Lantow”? He said, “Human answer I don’t have. But God has answer.” His answer is ,”It is impossible with men but it is possible with God.” What an answer is! He is sitting on the front row. So God gave him wisdom. So it is possible with God. It’s not possible with men but it is possible with God. Any one more person try to answer?

So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” When the king said to Shimei, he said with the authority of the king. So it is a proclamation, “You shall not die.” If you committed terrible crime and you deserve to die, when a ten year old boy and say to you, ‘You are not going to die” it doesn’t mean anything. But the judge who has authority over your case say “You are not going to die.” Or ‘You shall not die” you would be very happy. 

Jesus said while he was on earth, ‘The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So Jesus has authority on earth to forgive sins. And if Jesus says, “You shall not die.” “You are forgiven” we are forgiven. King David knew it. So he fully forgave Shimei, “You shall not die” with an oath. 

So in order to serve God better because the kingdom of God is complete unity and Jesus’ prayer is for us to be united completely we need to remember what Jesus has done for us. He has paid all of our sins and hurting of others. So we have been forgiven and we can forgive each other, and that is possible with God in the Lord. Good job, David!

I was thinking about the answer. But I couldn’t find such an answer. Very good answer. So I asked him. Everything is possible with God. 

There is the second person David had to deal with. He is Mephibosheth and Ziba. Let’s read verses 24-30 responsively. I will go first. 

^“24 Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. ²⁵ When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” ²⁶ He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba my servant betrayed me. ²⁷ And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. ²⁸ All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?” ²⁹ The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.” ³⁰ Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

When king David was running away from Jerusalem Ziba came to him with hundred bags of bread of bread and wine and things like that. And David asked Ziba at that time, “Where is your master Mephibosheth?” He said, “He is staying in Jerusalem expecting that people of Absalom would make him king again.” So at that time king David gave him all the land that belongs to Mephibosheth. Now this time the story is totally different. According to Mephibosheth, Ziba was a really wicked man. Mephibosheth wanted to follow king riding on a donkey. But Ziba betrayed him. So Mephibosheth could not follow the king David. In addition, Ziba slandered Mephibosheth to king David. So all Mephibosheth can say to David was ‘you are like an angel’ which means you know everything. But there was a physical evidence that can support Mephibosheth’s words. He did not take shower or wash his clothes and did not take care of his mustache. It was evidence. He did not wait to be a king. He was sorrowful when king David was in exile. 

And in verse 22, he deserved death. Actually when a new king comes the new king kills all the old king’s people so that his throne and kingdom would be secure. But king David didn’t do it. He invited Mephibosheth to eat at this table like his sons. Do you remember the special son “In his table” Greg Newmaster sang during our last November conference? Was it ‘at his table’? ‘To his table’ (Greg said) ‘Carried to the table.’ ‘carried to the table’. It was a very moving special song. Sometimes I still remember that. It really demonstration of God’s grace. And we are all carried to the table of God through the grace of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. 

So Mephibosheth was saying, “But I got such a blessing from you. So I don’t need anything.” And the king said, ““Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.”

What do you think about his judgment? “I order you and Ziba to divide the land” “Half and half”. Is this judgment fair and just? What do you think? This judgment is always one of interesting and amazing judgment I remember. “Wow!” If I were David, I would say this, “Humm! One of you is telling me a lie. And I am very interested in finding out who heis. Okay. Come on both guys. Let’s have a talk among us and I will find who is telling a lie and punish him, and give the other guy the whole land.” That’s what I would do. What do you think? What would you do? Don’t you feel like doing that way? I felt like doing that way. And I was amazed to hear, “Why say more?” “I even do not need to hear the story more” It is so simple. “I order you and Ziba to divide the land.”

Missionary Philip, do you like his decision? (laughter) “Ya, I like that!” (laughter) “Why do you like it?” (Msn Philip said) “Both of them sided with David. So they are not enemies.” So both of them sided with David. So they are not David’s enemies. So it is right to have half and half. Sounds right. Do you agree though? Maybe he is right. But Ziba lied and he betrayed Mephibosheth and slandered him. Ziba lied to king David.

The reason king David ordered him and Ziba to divide the land is for the purpose of unity. It is not for the purpose of justice. If we talk about his judgment in terms of justice it is questionable. It is arguable. Is it just? Well, maybe just and maybe not. But it was to embrace both of them. It was to accept both of them. In that way missionary Philip was right. Both of them were on the side of king David and king David rewarded them by dividing the land. Very interesting judgment! 

And there is another person, Barzillai. He is an interesting person. In the course of uniting his kingdom and people it is easy to focus on trouble makers. They are called ‘vocal minorities.’ Small number of people make a lot of troubles and it is easy to focus on them. But we should focus on good people, majority of good people who are doing good things. And king David did this for Barzillai. Let’s read verses 31-39 responsively. I will go first.

^“31 Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. ³² Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. ³³ The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.” ³⁴ But Barzillai answered the king, “How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? ³⁵ I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? ³⁶ Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? ³⁷ Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish.” ³⁸ The king said, “Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And anything you desire from me I will do for you.” ³⁹ So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bid him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his home.”

Barzillai was a very wealthy man. And while the king and his people were in exile he provided all their needs. So king David was very grateful. But he was so old so that he did not want to go with the king. Then he sent Kimham. Probably Kimham is the son of Barzillai. So king David wanted to reward Barzillai who was very good to him at the time of his big trouble. So king David not only take care of trouble makers but also people who have been doing good for him as well. And king David’s heart to reward Barzillai was not superficial. In his death bed this is what he told his son Solomon. 

Let’s read 1 Kings 2:7 together. Let’s go. “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.” 

King David remembered the good thing Barzillai did. He wanted to honor the sons of Barzillai even at the time of king Solomon, eating at the table of Solomon like princes of Solomon. King David was really thankful. He remembered those who were good for him, those who were kind to him at the time of his crisis.

We all remember how much missionary Isaac and Rebekah did for all of us. And we shed a lot of tears when we had a farewell party for them. One servant who had been with them for 30 or 32 years told me. They (missionary Isaac and Rebekah) came to my installation service. One of my church members told me. She was murmuring. She was saying to herself. “I am so thankful for them. I wanted to treat them for dinner but I am not able to.” When I heard that word I was deeply moved because of her heart.

Spending 32 years together with someone it is easy to find fault with the other person. But she was so thankful. Without realizing what she was saying, her thankful heart was spilt out. “Oh, I am so thankful for them that I wanted to treat them for dinner but I cannot do it.” 

King David is the king who remembered the thankfulness of Barzillai. According to God’s revelation to me personally this is what Jesus’ heart for missionary Isaac Kim. And I had a trouble with missionary Isaac. I basically complained to God. But this is what Jesus put in my heart. “Although I am the Lord and owner of missionary Isaac, I never take anything for granted from him. Even the smallest thing he brings for me I have been always thankful.” King David is the shadow of Jesus Christ to come. Today’s passage has 43 verses. Do you know how many times the word ‘the king’ is repeated in today’s passage?

54 times. Today’s passage is about the king. It is about the king David who is the shadow of the true king Jesus Christ. He was very thankful for Barzillai to the end of his life. He was asking his son to take care of sons of Barzillai even after his death. The thankful heart of king David was the thankful heart of Jesus Christ for all of us. Jesus Christ does not take anything for granted from our hands, one cup of water, one second of prayer, one act of devotion, Jesus is very thankful. That is our king. That’s the king of kings and the Lord of lords.

To unite people and unite the kingdom is such a challenging job. Despite all of David’s hard work still there was a division between the tribes of Israel and the tribe of Judah. Let’s read verses 40-43 responsively. 

^“40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over. ⁴¹ Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?” ⁴² All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?” ⁴³ Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.”

Verse 40. “⁴⁰ When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.” So half of troops of Israel participated in taking the king over the Jordan River. But if you look at verse 41, “All the men of Israel were saying to people of Judah” Actually they came to David and said, “Why did they steal?” “Stealing” means without proper notice. “Our brothers, Judah, without proper invitation, they were stealing the king away.” So the people of Israel, the tribe of Israel and the tribe of Judah are like two sons fighting each other for the favor of their father, king David.

It was so challenging to unite the kingdom and unite the people. Because of this division it is all the more true that the kingdom of God comes when we are united together. And it is Jesus’ ultimate prayer that all believers form a complete unity.

In conclusion, the king David tried to unite people, first by embracing Joab instead of rebuking him and encouraged soldiers. And secondly he forgave Amasa and trusted him to be the commander-in-chief for life, and for Shimei he forgave him with an oath so that he cannot break it. And also he accepted Mephibosheth and Ziba together by dividing the land in half. He also recognized the good man who provided him at the time of crisis;  Barzillai, promising a special favor even for his sons. 

One word: You shall not die.

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