2 Samuel 15:1-16:14 | Seek First the Kingdom of God

We will trace two threads through this section of the Absalom saga. First, what about David? We’ve seen sin after sin in recent chapters. Will David simply go wayward as he gets older? On the contrary, here we see him return to his faith. David is at his best in the wilderness. In suffering, he is further sanctified. Second, how do you respond when the kingdom of God looks weak? In this text we see a variety of responses to the true king and his kingdom.

Open Rebellion: Absalom 15:1-18

Loyal Followers 15:19-37

    Ittai the Gittite (19-23)

   Zadok and Abiathar,              Faith submits and strategizes, but
   the Priests (24-30)              does not give in to superstition.

   Hushai the Arkite (31-37)        Faith prays (and often receives mundane answers).

Ambiguous Challenges 16:1-14

   Ziba, the opportunist (1-4)      A faith-forgetting moment?

   Shimei, the opponent (5-14)      Faith accepts, and even takes comfort in, God’s gracious discipline.

A Final Word on David’s Faith: “But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high. …I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.” (Psalm 3:3,5)

A Final Word on the Kingdom: “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.” (15:21)

Read Ahead: 2 Samuel 16:15-18:18