Temporary or Eternal Gain? • 2 Samuel 16
56:47 Teaching begins
Notes
Cheap things don’t last. Costly things are difficult to get. Which is better?
You may have seen the buildings collapse in the earthquake in Turkey. They were supposed to be built according to earthquake-proof specifications. But for a fee the specifications could be waived. They were seen as a difficulty that got in the way of getting what one wanted, which was an economical building. Now hundreds of buildings have collapsed because the builders cut corners. And the builders are being investigated for fraud.
There was one city where the mayor refused to take fees for waiving earthquake specifications. None of the buildings in his city fell down. What was seen as a difficulty and hardship turned out to make his buildings permanent.
Cutting corners and cheating for quick gain results in advantage that doesn’t last. Living to please God looks like a disadvantage that keeps you from getting what you want and it makes life harder, but the results last forever.
Temporary gain or eternal gain? Which do you want?
I’m reading in 2 Samuel 16.
1. Ziba works hard to impress the king, vv. 1-4.
A. David is at the summit of the Mount of Olives, outside Jerusalem. He walked up barefoot and weeping and met Hushai the Archite, his friend and sent him into the city to thwart Ahithophel’s counsel. David is now going away from Jerusalem.
B. Coming towards Jerusalem, towards David, is the servant of Mephibosheth, Ziba. Here’s a quick recap of who he is.
1. Ziba was the steward for King Saul, managing Saul’s estates as if he were Saul himself. That’s a steward’s job. Take care of my stuff for me.
2. When Saul died, Ziba and his 15 sons and 20 servants evidently kept things going on the estate, as if he were Saul. He got to live as though he owned those estates. Take care of his stuff for myself!
3. David remembered his covenant of the Lord that he’d made with Jonathan, Saul’s son. He asked around, looking for any descendant of Jonathan, so that he could bless him according to the covenant. His men found Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet. David gave Mephibosheth everything that belonged to Saul, all the estate, and commanded Ziba and his 15 sons and 20 servants to work for Mephibosheth.
4. Ziba was working for himself. Now he has to work for Mephibosheth.
C. But the situation has changed, opening up an opportunity for Ziba to show his loyalty to the king and serve him with all his might. He gets donkeys, food, wine. He tries hard to think ahead to what might be useful in the situation to help as many people as he can. “Here you go. Your obedient servant.”
D. David naturally asks, “Where is your master’s son? Why isn’t he here?”
E. Ziba lies that Mephibosheth actually thinks he’s going to be restored to his father’s kingdom.
F. David’s reaction is shock and anger.
1. Shocked because of Mephibosheth’s betrayal. “That guy has been eating at my table like one of my sons. If this was a kingdom of the world’s standards he would have been executed so he could never claim a right to the throne. I show lovingkindness and truth in the name of the Lord, and the first chance he gets he stabs me in the back.”
2. In anger David makes a hasty decision. “Everything that belongs to Mephibosheth now belongs to you.” David strips Mephibosheth completely and rewards Ziba.
G. Ziba bows low in humility. “O may I continue to find favour in your sight, my lord, O king.” Inside Ziba is doing a victory dance. He’s just hit the jackpot beyond his wildest dreams.
1. See, you never know what happens if you take the opportunity, make yourself look good, make the competition look bad. Mephibosheth isn’t there to defend himself. David doesn’t really know if Ziba is telling the truth. But he’s being betrayed already, so this betrayal is believable. So Ziba hears the news, scrambles for supplies, tells an outright lie, and now everything of Saul’s now officially belongs to him! He doesn’t have to work for anybody! And he’s a favourite of the king! Who knows to what heights this might lead?
2. To get there Ziba abandoned his master, stole the supplies from him, and made him look bad before the king. He cut corners for gain and he got it.
2. Shimei speaks his mind, vv. 5-14.
A. David reaches Bahurim, in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin, the tribe of King Saul.
B. Shimei is related to King Saul. You could imagine Shimei had it pretty good to be related to King Saul; some of the perks of Saul being king came his way. When the kingdom went to David, the perks went away. Shimei blames everything on David.
C. Shimei is outrageous here to accuse David of murder, or any of these insults.
1. David never touched Saul, he protected his life. The Philistines killed Saul.
2. David didn’t take over the kingdom. Judah asked him to become their king. Seven years later the rest of Israel asked him to be their king. David executed no one, didn’t purge the family of Saul or his friends. As we just noted he actually found a survivor of Jonathan’s children and blessed him and favoured him like one of his own sons.
3. If David had acted like other kings Shimei would have been executed for being related to Saul. You always kill families and supporters so no one is upset when you take over the kingdom. Everyone is happy, or else.
D. Normally Shimei would find it difficult to tell the king what he really thinks of him. But the situation has changed. Now it’s easy to take advantage of this opportunity to hit a guy when he’s down, to pour bitterness and hatred on a guy when he is vulnerable and doesn’t retaliate.
E. See, he gets away with it because David is not retaliating. He’s humbling himself before the Lord.
1. Abishai is like me. He wishes David would let his kill Shimei. He’s irritated just listening to it. It’s beyond all standards of what is right or decent.
2. David says his life is in God’s hands. He’s receiving this as a rebuke from the Lord. He is responding in lovingkindness and truth, trusting in the Lord to work everything out for good.
3. Is this easy or difficult for David? Difficult. It would be easy to kill Shimei. But before God he says, “I receive everything You send to humble me.” That is costly. That’s difficult. Being meek and humble is worth something to God. God gives grace to the humble.
3. Hushai remains loyal to King David in Absalom’s presence, vv. 15-19.
A. Remember, David asked Hushai to go back and somehow thwart Ahithophel’s counsel. He’s the most dangerous man in this rebellion because he is wise and knows what to do. But Hushai says, “Okay, I’ll do it for you.” Lovingkindness and truth towards David is costly, inconvenient, dangerous. This finds grace with God.
B. He meets Absalom saying, “ Long live the king, long live the king.”
C. Absalom is naturally sceptical. “Really? This is your loyalty to your friend? The word there translated “loyalty” is “chesed”, lovingkindness. If you’re friends with someone, you are loyal to them, you love them. Even Absalom the immensely self-centred knows that. So this is a little sketchy.
D. Hushai tells Absalom the truth:
1. “I belong to the guy whom the Lord has chosen, this people, and all Israel has chosen. His I will be, and with him I will remain. As I have served in your father’s presence, so I will serve in your presence.”
2. Who did the Lord choose? Who has all the people chosen? Not Absalom. Absalom put himself into the position of king. The Lord chose David. He said nothing about Absalom. All the people came to David and chose him. Absalom is deceiving the people that he is king.
3. So Hushai is telling Absalom he is still working for David. It’s not a lie.
E. But Absalom and Ahithophel accept Hushai’s defection. “Okay, well, that makes sense. All right, you’re on board now.” Just like that. Why do they believe him?
1. Ziba, Shimei, Absalom, and Ahithophel are all serving themselves. That principle never changes on the inside, though it might look different on the outside depending on the circumstances.
2. They figure Hushai is just like them after all, that he’s not necessarily serving David, he’s serving himself by being David’s friend for what he can get out of it. But hey, if the opportunity presents itself, if it’s costlier and more difficult to serve David but it’s easier to serve Absalom for the same benefits, jump ship and join with the winners. You stay a winner. That’s easy.
3. Makes sense. They move on.
4. Ahithophel counsels a radical break with David, vv. 20-23.
A. The next step is to sleep with your father’s concubines. You send the signal that the kingdom is mine, his wives are mine. This is completely offensive and outrageous. There is no reconciliation possible after this move. All Absalom’s supporters will know there is no turning back and they will give their all in the rebellion. If David succeeds in returning they are all dead men.
B. Great advice, says Absalom. I get to be radical and also intimate with ten women. It’s easy and convenient. It’s a good opportunity.
C. It’s part of God’s discipline of David in 2 Samuel 12:11-12 Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’ ”
D. This breaks God’s commandment “Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” This also breaks Leviticus 18:8 “You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness.” If you break the law of Moses you break yourself. This unfaithfulness to God and man is easy, convenient, and it gets Absalom what he wants but it isn’t right.
5. So what?
A. If you go the right way in life it will always be more difficult and costly. You might feel like a dope for sticking to trusting in Jesus instead of cutting corners.
1. It’s difficult to trust in Jesus and walk with Him. It doesn’t look like an advantage, it looks like unnecessary burden. You’re making life harder for yourself. Prayer meetings, reading your Bible, telling people about Jesus. Man, that’s hard.
2. Some people opt out of Christian living thinking they’re getting it easier. It’s no advantage at all. Whatever gain you get is temporary and you will lose it. It’s temporary!
B. If we were thinking about this life alone, being a Christian would mean being a dope. The reality is we are building our lives looking to the judgment to come. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
C. It’s easy to get temporary gain, just throw out the rules. That doesn’t cost anything. It’s cheap. That’s like building with wood, hay, and stubble. In the country of Turkey.
D. Persevering in doing what is right is always costly, in time, in effort, in depending on Jesus Christ to establish your works. There are no easy advantages to be had. There is no visible advantage that you can see with your eyes.
E. But look to the future when all our works will be tested by fire. Everything cheap and easy will burn. Everything costly will remain forever.
F. There is no advantage to throwing out lovingkindness and truth for temporary gain. Trusting in Jesus is the only advantage. If you find that difficult that is the point. It’s costly and many times gives no quick advantage. But it does give an eternal advantage.
Let’s pray.