2 Samuel 18:19 – 33 “Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!”
“My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him.
So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone. So he called out and told the king.
“If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.”
As the first runner drew near, the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!”
“This one also brings good news,” said the king.
The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”
“This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”
Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king.
He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?”
And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”
“Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.”
So he stepped aside.
Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”
The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?”
And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.”
The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber (the room over the gate) and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Having killed Absalom, Joab is now responsible for notifying King David. How will Joab break this news, considering that David has specifically ordered everyone to preserve Absalom’s life? Ahimaaz, one of the sons of Zadok, the priest, begs to be the messenger; however, Joab chooses a young Cushite man from the area of Lower Nubia or Ethiopia. Obviously, Joab is worried about what David will do to the person who brings the news of Absalom’s death and does not want to risk the life of the high priest’s son. Ahimaaz gets permission to run anyway and beats the Cushite to the city where David is lodging.
Notice the wording of the messages that Ahimaaz and the young Cushite man use. Neither man baldly states that Absalom is dead. Ahimaaz simply says, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.” The man from Cush says, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.” Certain customs prevail and one does not openly tell a king bad news.
When David realizes that Absalom is dead, he immediately begins wailing over Absalom. David is so distraught that he openly wishes that he had died instead of Absalom. Why would David behave like this? While Absalom was alive, he did everything he could to undermine David and to seize the throne by force; yet, now David is wishing that he had died in Absalom’s place. David realizes that it is his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah that has brought about this terrible consequence. Had David never sinned with Bathsheba and had he never arranged for Uriah’s death, Amnon might never have raped Tamar, Absalom might never have murdered Amnon, and Absalom might never have rebelled. David is fully accepting responsibility for all these tragedies.
APPLICATION: SIN HAS CONSEQUENCES! EVEN WHEN WE REPENT, THOSE CONSEQUENCES DON’T GO AWAY! Proverbs 4:23 reminds us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” In this day when we can access all kinds of media on cell phones, tablets, and computers, it is far too easy to become enticed with evil masquerading as information. David’s problems began when he failed to accompany his forces to the battle field, even though it was the time of year when kings went to war. If David had gone with his men, he would never have seen Bathsheba in the first place.
So many times, we focus only on ourselves, forgetting that whatever we do will affect our families in ways we cannot imagine. The focus on self – realization and self – development is leaving the most vulnerable members of our society at risk. Even seemingly routine activities have become places of danger for our children! Recently, the news described the kidnapping and trafficking of a fifteen – year – old girl who accompanied her father to a basketball game. The girl was seized when she went to the concession stand. So far, eight people have been arrested over this incident. What could possibly cause so many people to do something so monstrous? It’s possible that these people were abused or neglected in some fashion when they were children. Those who have been previously abused can become abusers, unless they turn to God.
We need to search our hearts! Are there evil things hiding in dark corners that will sway us to put those we love in danger? May God help us, so that we will never have to grieve over our children as David did over Absalom.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and for caring for us. Lord, help us to allow you to shine the light of Your Holy Spirit into all the dark corners of our hearts, so that we will never put our loved ones in danger as David did. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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