Joab Initiates Absalom’s Return

2 Samuel 14:1-33

Key verse 14:14

“Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.”

Good morning! How are you? Last week many things happened. We know the winter Olympics is going on. There is a big turn around in Kiev, Urkrain. The revolution was successful. And the old president ran away and we don’t know where he is. I never imagine that revolution could happen even now in these days. In our ministry missionary Isaac Kim left for Redding last Friday, and missionary Philip Lee and David Park went there to support them. They arrived around midnight of Friday and now they are all safe and they are coming back. 

Today’s passage, the title of today’s passage is, “Joab initiates Absalom’s return.” And the key is verse 14. Let’s read the verse 14 together. Let’s go. “Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.” 

So the topic of today’s passage is “restoring of a banished person.” If you have someone  whom you do not want to have intimate fellowship, spiritually speaking, that person is a banished person from your point of view. One person told me that he never wanted to restore his relationship with another person because the another person harmed him so much that to restore relationship with him is like against justice. So he could not offer restoration with the person because he feels it is against justice. So another person is like a banished person.

To restore relationship with banished person is not that easy because it usually involves forgiveness and justice issue. I also had one trouble with one banished person. He hurt people so much that we had to banish him. So to restore him and bring back to our ministry was not easy because I know he will hurt people again. So bringing him and restoring a banished person increases harm to others and increases injustice then what is the way? I also know one husband banished himself from his wife. He claimed that he cannot bear his wife anymore. So he banished himself from his wife. So all these things boils down to one question, “How can we restore banished person in the right way?” That is the question we can think about. We can think about the question based on two questions. The first question is “What is Joab’s devised way for a banished person?” The second question is “What is God’s devised way for a banished person?”

Part I. Then go to the king and speak these words to him. (v.1-20)

Let’s read verses 1-3. I will go first.

“Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. ² So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. ³ Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.”

So Joab was a son of Zeruiah, and Zeruiah was king David’s sister. So Joab was a nephew of David and he is the commander-in-chief of the army. So he is one of very close people of David. So Joab knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. As you knew Absalom ran away to Geshur, his grandfather’s place after murdering Amnon who raped his sister Tamar. So Joab thought it would be a good idea to bring Absalom back because he would do a favor to king David and Absalom who is a candidate of crown prince. Amnon was the first son of David but Amnon is gone. The second son is not mentioned. So probably he died at the age of young. And Absalom was the next line in crown. So Joab thought that maybe it is good to bring Absalom back and “I can secure my position at the time of king David and possibly Absalom. There could be there that motive too. Now in bringing Absalom Joab did not go to king David and spoke to him. Rather he brought one wise woman from Tekoa and used her. He sent someone to Tekoa, a town known for wise people and had a wise woman from there. Then he said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. ³ Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.”

So Joab specifically put the words in her mouth. Now verses 4-14 shows how the conversation between this wise woman and the king went. 

Verses 4-14. “4 When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”

5 The king asked her, “What is troubling you?”

She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.’ They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”

They said, “then we will get rid of the heir as well.” It sounds like they want to get rid of the heir so that they can take possession of the property of the heir. And she claimed arose and tried to put the murder to death according to the word of God because one of the Ten Commandments is ‘do not murder’. And this brother killed another brother. So he should be sentenced to death. So the whole clan has risen to uphold justice. They wanted to kill the son in order to hold justice. But the claim “They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”

What she is claiming here, “They are trying to kill my only son left and nothing will be left. My husband will not have any name or descendant and no properties left.” 

Do you think this statement is true? According to God’s law this statement is not true. If they killed the remaining only son of the woman the next kinsman, next close relative, will inherit the land. He will work as a descendant. So his property and his name will continue. This is how God set up among his people so that Jesus Christ may come from the line of the Israel people. So what she is not correct. But she said this to deliver the point. Her point is. “They are trying to kill my only son left. And if they kill in the name of holding justice nothing will be left. So please do something. King, please do something so that this may not happen.” That was her point. And the king said to the woman, “Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf.”

But the woman from Tekoa did not leave. She could have said, “Thank you” and leave. But she wanted to make sure, she wanted to confirm that the king would go through his answer. So the woman said in verse 9.

9 But the woman from Tekoa said to him, “Let my lord the king pardon me and my family,and let the king and his throne be without guilt.”

What she was saying is “if something goes wrong, blame will be on me and my family instead of the king.” But the king replied (v.10) “If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.”

What the king says, “Don’t worry. I will take care of them.” Then in verse 11, this is what she really wanted to say. Verse 11 “She said, “Then let the king invoke the LORD his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed.”

What she was saying was “King, can you swear in the name of the Lord? King, can you make an oath in the name of the Lord so that I may be sure that you will really mean it.” And the king says, “Or course.” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he said, “not one hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”

He swore in the name of the Lord. So the matter is set up and nothing can change. Then the woman said, ““Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.”“Speak,” he replied.” (v.12)

She said in verse 13a.

13 The woman said, “Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God?” Don’t you think this sentence is very strange? So far she asked the king to devise a thing like it. So she begged him. She pleaded with him. “Please devise a thing like this to protect my son!” Now the king says, “I will devise a thing like this to protect your son.” And she said, “Why did you do that?” Very deceptive. “Why did you do that?” “Please do this.” And when the king says, “I will do it.” And she says “why did you do that against the people of God?” You are harming against the people of God. You are violating the law of God.

But the point is verse 13b. “When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son?”

This is what she is trying to say. If you apply this to me you should apply it to yourself as well. You have a banished son Absalom and you should apply it and you should bring back your banished son. That was her point. She even said God does the same thing in verse 14. Let’s read verse 14 together. 

“Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.”

When we die no one can be recovered like water spilled on the ground. And God does not like people perishing. God wants everyone to live. So God devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him. The word ‘banished’ appeared in Genesis chapter 3 when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sinned against God. They were banished from the Garden of Eden. Adam’s descendants like you and me are all banished from God because of our sin. And we are in banished status. But God devises ways so that all of banished people may not remain banished from him but be restored to him and live a life or be saved. And that is indeed what God did it. And God did it through Jesus Christ. 

Let’s read John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

So Jesus is the way not only going to the Father but also the way to be restored from our banished position. 

Romans 3:21-26 explains this a little bit more detail. It is small. Can you read it? Let’s read responsively. I will go first.

“21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

So apart from the law, the law was the way to gain righteousness. It was the way to restore banished position. But no one could keep the law or obey the law completely. So apart from the law God devised a way to be righteous and restored from our banished position. That is faith in Jesus Christ and this faith in Jesus Christ is God’s devised way to restore us from our banished position. It is equal to all who believe. So according to verse 26 God is just and also God is justifier. It shows God is just and God is justifier. He justifies everyone who believes in Jesus. 

So God’s devised way to restore banished people comes with complete satisfaction of justice. 

Let’s read Romans 8:1-4 responsively. I will go first.

 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

So when we believe in Jesus, not only we are restored from our banished position but also there is not condemnation. Because when we believe in Jesus and when we are in Jesus Christ, all the righteous requirements of the law is fully met in us. That is why there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

Jesus also clearly said in Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” So when Jesus came he completely fulfilled the requirements of the law when he offered himself as a atoning sacrifice. 

Let’s read 2 Peter 3:9

 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

So the woman said, “That is not what God desires.” She said, “Like water spilled on the ground which cannot be recovered’ so we must die. But that is not what God desires. Obviously God does not want anyone to perish. God wants everyone to be saved but everyone come to repentance. The major repentance is our unbelief in Jesus Christ. We believe many things but we must make sure that repentance in our unbelief in Jesus and make sure that we believe in Jesus. 

Now verses 15-20 is epilogue a little bit and here the woman flattered the king David and David found out that the whole idea came from Joab. 

Now this is verse 15. “15 “And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid.”

Of course this is a fake story but she kept on saying. People made her so afraid that they made her come and tell the story. She thought I will speak to the king directly and the king may grant her request. Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’ (v.15-16)

Then she was saying in verse 17. “And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance.”

This is flattery. “for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil.” Is he? No. He made a huge mistake with Bathsheba. “May the LORD your God be with you.’”

Then the king sensed something. So “18 Then the king said to the woman, “Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.” “Let my lord the king speak,” the woman said. 19 The king asked, “Isn’t the hand of Joab with you in all this?”

Now she got all she wanted. So she freely confessed. “Yes, it is.” But she flattered first, though, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. 20 Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation.”

This is flattery. “My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God—he knows everything that happens in the land.” Does he? I don’t think so. She flattered.

Part II. Go, bring back the young man Absalom (v.21-33) 

Verse 21. Let’s read verse 21. “The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

Joab must be right there. So the king didn’t speak to the woman anymore. Instead Joab was right there. So he said to Joab, “Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”

Now Joab flattered the king in verse 22. “Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king.”

He blessed the king. Why? Because the king listened to him. And Joab said to the king. “Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.”

Basically he was saying, “I am very happy because you listened to me.” I got a credit from both you and Absalom and I am happy. 

So verse 23, “²³ Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.” So far so good. So Joab said, ‘everything is fine.” But verse 24. Let’s read verse 24. “But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.”

Why did the king say Absalom should not see his face? Why did he say so? Why didn’t he forgive him completely and take him in? But the king says, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So basically he was not allowed to the king’s court. 

Why did he say so? When you look at these 3 people, Joab, king David, and Absalom, there is one thing in common. What is one thing in common? Joab, David, Absalom. What is one thing in common? (wait) “Uh” “Try for dinner?” No. (laughter). What is one thing in common? (Someone says ‘they are all murderers.) Yes, they are all murders. Seriously true though. 

Joab murdered general Abner in the name of avenging the blood of his brother Ashael. But Abner killed Ashael during the battle. Ashael was trying to kill general Abner. So general Abner had to kill Ashael. Otherwise he would be killed. So it was a faire self defense. But Joab murdered Abner in a peace time pretending to kill him and stabbed him to death. He was a murderer. King David killed Uriah through the hands of Joab. Absalom murdered Ammon, of course. So these are 3 murderers. And they have relationship right now.

But there is difference between David and these two murders, Jaob and Absalom. What is the difference? This is a little bit difficult. But I am going to try anyhow. What is the difference? David repented. Someone said that. Who said that? Thank you. You got the right answer. When Nathan challenged him this is what David said, “I have sinned against the Lord.” He confessed.

Did ever Joab say “I have sinned?” Did Absalom ever say “I have sinned?” No. They never said that. They never did anything. But God accepted the confession of David as sacrifice and forgave him. 

Let’s read Psalm 51:17 “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”

David’s broken and contrite heart, his repentant heart, was a sacrifice before the eyes of God and God accepted it as his sin offering and forgave him.

So why did the king say, “He must go to his own house. He must not see my face”? Because he was the king and he wanted to give Absalom the time to repent. Although he had to bring back Absalom because of his oath he knew Absalom didn’t repent. The king. You know when I read today’s passage I found very interesting thing.

Another question. How many times is the word ‘David’ used in today’s passage? The word ‘David’ in this passage. “Zero?” Who said that? How did you find out? Not even one time the word ‘David’ is used in today’s passage. All the time the word ‘the king’ was used. Do you know how many times ‘the king’ is used? You don’t need to count. I will tell you. (Laughter). There are 33 verses and the word ‘king’ is repeated 33 times. So average wise, every verse has the word ‘king’. Why does God use the word ‘king’ instead of ‘David’ or ‘father’? What does the word ‘king’ signify? What does God want to say by using the word ‘king’? The king in those has one important function. Okay in our government there is executive branch and judiciary branch. In those days the king is the chief justice. He is the head of both ‘executive branch’ and ‘judiciary branch.’ He is like chief justice of supreme court. That is why the woman brought her story to the king. Final judgment belongs to the king. 

So king represents justice. So although David as a father longed for Absalom, his son, he could not bring him back because it was against justice. Now when he had to bring his son back he still put this restraint. “He must not see my face” giving Absalom chance to repent, trying to establish justice. 

But next bible verses show who Absalom is. In the previous chapters we know something about Absalom. First of all, when Amnon raped his sister Tamar he did not say any word to Amnon for two years, neither good or bad. Completely silent and two years later he executed the plan and killed Absalom. What does it show? Absalom was very ‘able’ man. He knows how to take care of things. He finished him up. No problem. And then he ran away to his grandfather’s place because he knew he committed sin. 

Then verses 25-27 says something about Absalom. We can know something about Absalom. Let’s read these verses responsibly. I will go first.

^“25 In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.²⁶ Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard. ²⁷ Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.”

Absalom was the most handsome guy in all Israel. There is even a man who is so highly praised for his handsome appearance like Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his sole there is no blemish in him. Who is the most handsome man these days by the way? In the past I heard “Tom Cruize”. But is he still the most handsome guy? Women population should answer. (Laughter). Let’s say “Tom Cruize is the most handsome man.” But I found that from the newspaper that he is not perfect. There is one thing that is not good in him. Do you know what it is? (Someone said ‘short’). “That’s right!” Who said that? (Laughter). One blemish. Short. He is short man. But Absalom was perfect. There is no blemish from the top of his head to the sole of his foot. “Perfect guy”. Such a handsome guy! And he had a great pride in his hair.

The guy loves his hair. “creepy”. He cut his hair once a year. Why? Because he loved his hair so much. His hair was the evidence of his pride in his physical handsome appearance. So he tried to cut his hair once a year. Why? It became too heaven for him. When he weighed it after cutting his hair it became 200 shekels by royal standard. I tried  to find in references. It is like 3-6 or 7 pounds. Somewhere around. He carried 3 to 7 pounds in his head. The evidence of his physical beauty, the evidence of his handsome appearance was his hair. But mysteriously when we read the chapters in 2 Samuel more his hair became the direct cause of his death. When he was running from David’s men his hair was caught by a tree and he was killed. How said! The very source of his pride became the very source of his death. 

So by appearance, by physical appearance, by our appearance he was such a perfect guy. There was no blemish from the top of his head to the sole of his foot. And he had 3 sons and one daughter. But later as we read more he established monument for himself saying that there is no one who can remember his name, meaning his 3 sons must have died at their young age. Interestingly he named his daughter as Tamar and she became a beautiful woman.

His sister Tamar was so beautiful. Absalom was so beautiful. Absalom’s daughter is so beautiful. What does it say? Absalom’s mom, David’s wife, must be very beautiful like miss universe.

Now we know Absalom is perfect outside. What about his inside? There is something that shows his inside. 

Verses 28-29 reads, “²⁸ Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face. ²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. ³⁰ Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.”

This guy is the one who asked his servants to set the field on fire. “Fire” is very dangerous. Sometimes it is un-controllable and it can take men’s life too. So I feel that Absalom is a person who does whatever he wants to do in order to achieve his purpose. That is how I feel about his inner person. 

When Joab went to Absalom and said, ‘Why did you do that?” ³² Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!”’ Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.”

He said, “If I am guilty of anything.” He said, “I am not guilty.” “I am not guilty, man.” So if I am guilty of anything let him put me to death. So for 2 years he could repent his sin and bring his offering, sacrifice to God, which is contrite and broken heart and be forgiven by God but he only developed bitter roots. “I am not guilty, man!” “If I am guilty of anything let him put me to death!” 

Outwardly he was such a perfectly handsome guy but inwardly he was not that handsome. So verse 33. Let’s read verse 33 together. “So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.”

Absalom bowed down with his face before the king. Was his heart submissive to the king? I don’t think so. And David reluctantly kissed Absalom. 

In conclusion, “What is Joab’s devised way for a banished person?” “What is God’s devised way for a banished person?” And I will ask you one question, final exam question. 

Joab’s devised way for a banished person is ‘just to restore him ignoring justice and without proper repentance.’ God’s devised way for a banished person is through Jesus and with complete justice. God’s devised way for banished people like us is through faith in his atoning sacrifice for our sins. God is just and he is justifier.

This is the final question for you. “How can we restore banished person properly?” “How can we restore banished person properly?” Excuse me, someone says something. “Through Jesus”. What else? Through Jesus. That is the answer. That is correct answer. Can you make a little bit longer, few more words? Excuse me? (Someone said, “Broken heart and repentance.”) Correct. Now in order to help a banished person properly we need to help the person to believe in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for him. He needs to bring ‘broken and contrite heart’ as Troy says. And the perfect contrite and broken heart is the atoning sacrifice of Jesus and we need to bring it to God. So the best way to restore a banished person is to help the person to believe in Jesus as his atoning sacrifice. This is what I realized for a person banished from us and also a husband who banished himself from his wife. 

One word: Rather he devises his ways

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