Education in False Men

Hard times reveals who a person really is. David is going to find out who is real and who is fake.

Absalom

2Sa 15:7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron. :8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD. :9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron. :10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

Israel & Ahithophel

2Sa 16:15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

John 6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. 6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? 6:68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Education in Faithful Men

2Sa 15:15 And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.

Ittai and the Gittites

2Sa 15:18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king. :19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. :20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. :21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

When I read these verses my mind immediately went back to The Book of Ruth. I want to believe that Ittai had heard the story of Ruth's determination to go with Naomi. Maybe in the cave one night around the fire Daid shared the story of his Great Grandmother and her dedication to God and those words stuck in Ittai’s heart. When given the chance to do the same he jumped at it.

Rth 1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? :12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; :13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me. :14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. :15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. :16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: :17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me. :18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.

Hushai the Archite

2Sa 16:15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. :16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. :17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? :18 And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. :19 And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.

2Sa 17:14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

Psa_101:6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? :68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. :69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

Education in Forgiving Men

Absalom

2Sa 18:31 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!

Shemei

2Sa 16:5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. :6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. :7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: :8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. :9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. :10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? :11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. :12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. :13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

Luk 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. :29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. :30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. :31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. :32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. :33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. :34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. :35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. :36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Shemei Forgiven

2Sa 19:18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; :19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. :20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. :21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD'S anointed? :22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? 19:23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

David had heard these words before. Because he had been forgiven he is more apt to forgive himself.

2Sa 12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

Mat 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? :22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. :23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. :24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. :25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. :26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. :27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. :28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. :29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. :30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. :31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. :32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: :33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? :34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Forgiven people forgive people.