Initiate reconciliation

Footnotes

[1] 14:26 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[2] 14:30 Septuagint, Dead Sea Scroll add So Joab's servants came to him with their clothes torn, and they said to him, “The servants of Absalom have set your field on fire.”
[3] 15:7 Septuagint, Syriac; Hebrew forty
[4] 15:8 Or will serve
[5] 15:12 Or sent
[6] 15:20 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks may the LORD show
[7] 15:27 Septuagint The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Look, go back

Michael Sisson

Re: 2Sam 15:2-6 c.f. Dt 16:18-20 Re: 2Sam 15:7 2Sam 15:7 (NASB) Now it came about >>>at the end of forty years<<< that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. 2Sam 15:7 (ESV) And >>>at the end of four years<<< Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. Re: 2Sam 15:18-22 Gittite = a native of Gath and of Philistine extraction Ittai and his 600 man cohort were Philistines (gentiles) loyal to David unto death, inspite of only being with the king a very short time. For this reason, Ittai is a personal hero of mine, and his loyalty and courage is reminiscent of other gentiles like Ruth and the Roman centurion of Lk 7:2-10. Re: 2Sam 15:24-25 2Sam 15:24-25 (NASB) Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him >>>carrying the ark of the covenant of God.<<< And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished passing from the city. The king said to Zadok, >>>“Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation.<<< Zadok seemly brought the Ark on his own initiative. Notice David does not make the same mistake as the Israelites of 1Sam 4:3 by treating the Ark as some kind of lucky charm which would deliver him from his enemies. Instead, David sends Zadok and the Ark back to the Temple where they belong, confident if his cause was just, G-d would be his Deliverer. SEASONAL BONUS: Though they will pass unnoticed by most Christians, today we find ourselves on the threshold of Judaism’s “High Holidays” (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot). Like all the biblical feasts, they are: rich in prophetic significance, a roadmap to G-d’s salvific plan, and find their ultimate fulfillment in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus). I’d encourage you to explore www.Hebrew4Christians.com to learn more about them. ROSH HASHANAH (Feast of Trumpets) sundown 9/15 - sundown 9/17 YOM KIPPUR (Day of Atonement): undown 9/24 - sundown 9/25 SUKKOT (Feast of Tabernacles): sundown 9/29 - sundown 10/6 “What do these things have to do with our Christian faith?” you may ask. To anyone who’d cite the Book of Hebrews to answer that question, I’d implore you to listen to the following 40 min., D. Thomas Lancaster, PhD sermon first. It frames the epistle’s historical context. More importantly, it challenges the premise Hebrews was written to Hebrew Christians “…in danger of backsliding into Judaism,” positing instead the epistle was intended to console and encourage Jewish followers of Yeshua recently put out of the Temple and increasingly facing pressure to renounce their faith in Yeshua. https://www.bethimmanuel.org/audio/solomons-porch

Hugh Stephenson

Good morning, Mickey!! All of us at Watermark are blessed by you and your family and the wonderful presence you all bring to us. And by your selfless and sacrificial service as one of our elders. Many, many thanks to you. I love the closing line of your devo, “Ignoring sin and conflict only leads to more significant problems down the road and missing out on an opportunity to demonstrate the love, grace, and forgiveness we each depend on daily from God through Jesus.” Q1. In parenting two prodigals my default reaction was to punt the problem to Amy. Unfair and not Biblical. Mainly, I was angry about having any hassle that prevented me from 100% control over my own time and energy. Q2. The Watermark Conflict Field guide is an invaluable resource. It has a shelf life of INFINITY. I was part of a team that used it just a couple of weeks ago to help some young men to move forward to resolve a very tough conflict. Q3. I have told my aunt’s forgiveness story many times. And my own forgiveness story. I’ll continue to do so as Gad calls me to “know Him and make Him known to others.

Hugh Stephenson

Flashback to November 2000. I was in eastern NC with my aunt. She is a genealogist and we were researching family genealogy as we went through small town churchyards writing down names and dates from tombstones of long deceased family members. It was fascinating but also exhausting. We were on a long, empty stretch of road in between towns in a rural area. I noticed her gas gauge was getting pretty low. I said, “Hey I notice we need some gas soon. If you’ll pull over at this Texaco station down the road, I’ll fill up your car.” Her gaze remained fixed on the road and she did not respond for about 30 seconds. I did not know what to do. She sort of gritted her teeth and without looking at me stated tersely, “We aren’t going to a Texaco.” We were several miles from any development and its was getting late and cold. I did not want to walk several miles to get gas. I said, “Why can’t we go to Texaco?” Again tersely, she said, “In 1964 they cancelled Robert’s credit card and never told him why.” 36 years of bitterness. Wow. (Robert was her husband who had died recently). I knew her well and knew that was the end of the conversation. But I also had come to understand over the years how powerful forgiveness was for both the giver and the receiver. It’s a key part of the process learned in re:gen- SIN-CONFESSION-REPENTANCE-FORGIVENESS-AMENDS-RECONCILIATION I was sad to see that my beloved aunt and godmother was unlikely to experience the blessing from this promise. My next move? Prayer. God was kind. After several more (nervous) miles He provided an alternative to Texaco. —————————————————————— I am taught that the amount of “real estate” a particular person or story is given is a “heads up” that God has something really important to tell me. Absalom’s rebellion has its roots in chapter 13 and goes all the way through to the end of chapter 19. The ripple effects go on for a very long time. Sin compounds on itself and leads to greater sin. That’s the story with David’s sexual sin which then leads into the story of Amnon’s sexual sin and all manner of sexual sin on through the end of 2 Kings until the final fall and exile to Babylon in 586 BC. So what is this story about? To me, the essence is the divergence from a total focus on obedience to the LORD to service of self. The truth of 1 John 2:55-17 is born out in the consequences. The notes criticize David for unforgiveness. Then for passivity. Then for failing to move towards reconciliation. Might have Absalom behaved differently? We’ll never know. But we do know that David, in obedience, was called to behave very differently. One of the key Biblical teachings in Prodigal is how to assess the other person’s behaviors and therefore how to respond. Accountability and justice are key. Even so, there are many times where some degree of forbearance and mercy are called for. David was just passive enough to not want to deal with it. As a son of Adam and a passive male who is the son of a passive male who is the son of a passive male etc etc etc I have a sense of how hard the task of discipline is. You just don’t want the blowback and the chaos. So you try to buy time with passivity and half measures. I learned the hard way, like everything else, an objective assessment and decisive action are what’s called for. It is God’s provision for the Prodigal ministry to have 30 leaders who all serve as “Nathan” to each other. Without them there is no way I could have moved forward as God calls me to do.

Hugh Stephenson

The notes provide great context and insights- https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/ot/2samuel/2samuel.htm “The crumbling of the empire in these chapters is far from anticlimactic. It is an outworking of the fertility principle which the author has been presenting throughout the entire book. Even David, the successful king, is not above this principle. When he disobeyed the covenant he was judged, and since he was the king the whole nation was judged with him. Sexual sin (related to the fertility motif) was the cause of David's downfall, and his fall was followed by sexual sins in his family." “David got into trouble when he stopped being humble before God and became arrogant. He was not as bad as Eli and his sons, or Saul, in this respect. Had he been, God would have cut him off, too, instead of giving him the Davidic Covenant. Chapters 9—20 show the effects of being arrogant before God.” “Chapter 15 teaches us a lot about friendship. Absalom is the negative example, and David's supporters as he left Jerusalem are the positive examples. David lost Absalom as a friend because he failed to reach out to him in genuine forgiveness. David won the friendship of many others in Israel because he had a heart for God that expressed itself in lovingkindness for people (cf. Matt. 22:37-39). This made people love David, and we see the marks of their friendship in their dealings with David in this chapter. The king's servants modeled true service by offering to do whatever David needed them to do (vv. 15-18). Ittai expressed his friendship by being a companion to David (vv. 19-23). Zadok and Abiathar became informants and made sure their friend had the information he needed to guarantee his welfare (vv. 24-29). Hushai was willing to risk his own safety to defend David in the presence of his enemies (vv. 30-37). These people proved to be "sheltering trees"[387] for their friend in his hour of need.” "Meanwhile David showed a commendable attitude very much in contrast to Absalom's arrogance. He was completely willing to submit to God's will (verses 25f.), whatever that might prove to be. Such willingness to surrender leadership at the right time is another hallmark of good leadership." “This entire chapter is the story of a father, and a king, caught between his responsibilities to be both just and merciful. Almost every parent and leader eventually finds himself or herself in David's position. God Himself had to find a solution to this dual responsibility.” “The chapter deals with how to discipline. David's solution was to compromise. He tried to punish Absalom by keeping him in exile, but not executing him. Then he allowed him to return to Jerusalem, but not to have fellowship with himself. Both of these compromises failed and only made the relationship worse. God's solution is to be merciful, to forgive and welcome back warmly and quickly (cf. 12:13; Matt. 6:12, 14-15; Luke 15:11-24).” “Perhaps David was reluctant to pardon Absalom because his son did not repent. At least the text says nothing about his doing so. Nevertheless, David's lack of true forgiveness bred a bitter attitude in Absalom that resulted in his organizing a revolution to overthrow his father (ch. 15). The law demands justice, but "mercy triumphs over justice" (James 2:13). A police officer who pulls you over for speeding can give you justice (a citation) or mercy (a warning). A murderer on death row can receive justice (execution) or mercy (a governor's pardon). The offender's attitude plays a part in the decision in every case, but ultimately the choice belongs to the person in power. A godly person will plan ways so the estranged may come back into fellowship (v. 14).”

Michael Scaman

I like the woman of Tekoa's advice on the mercy's of God. "We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. " Isolaton and alienation cause many problems, here it made Absolom implode. David did not talk to him. Joab did and he set Joab's field on fire.

Amy Lowther

1. If reconciliation is possible, I choose reconciliation. Anger, vengeance, and retaliation are are never the correct answers. 2. I find people have differing interpretations of biblical conflict resolution. I have found when someone calls conflict on me, it is best to simply let God guide me through it. It is best to let God’s ways justify everything for best results. It is best to do things God’s way with all personal opinions put to the side. God is a rock. I am very faithful to this. 3. I will tell God how the Spirit has moved me this morning. God helps and loves everyone unconditionally. I will speak to close friends and work associates too. We will go to God respectfully as needed.

Sue Bohlin

Thank you SO much for your excellent devo, Mickey, and for how you serve the body as an elder. Nobody but elders and their wives know how much time and energy it takes. But the Lord sees, and He rewards. Bless you! I am thankful for your observations about David's passivity. As I read Dr. C's commentary this morning, I was struck by numerous elements of these two chapters that connect with other stories in the Bible. David's passivity connects with Adam's passivity in the garden when Eve was being deceived. The wise woman from Tekoa's appeal to the king connects to Abigail's entreaty to David; both of them used the power of their influence as wise women to appeal to David's desire to be a godly man and leader, reminding him to invite the Lord into his situation. A powerful verse from the mouth of the wise woman: "But God does not take away life; instead he devises ways for the banished to be restored." This points forward to the beautiful truth of the gospel, the story of God devising a way to reconcile the world to Himself. Dr. C: "Absalom’s rebellion against God’s anointed king is similar to the reaction of the Jews to Jesus, the Lord’s Messiah." David crossed the Kidron Valley and went up to the Mount of Olives, exactly as his descendant Jesus would do the night before His crucifixion. (I still remember Todd telling us yeas ago that this was like walking from the service road north of LBJ, crossing the highway, and walking up to the Watermark building.) I love seeing how the Holy Spirit "drops pins" in one story that resonate with so many others, showing us how the Bible is a single, unified story that leads to Jesus (as the Bible Project reminds us).

Greg Jones

@Micky Friedrich great deeper dive. @Michael Sisson great link. Thank you The conversation between Ittai the Philistine and David sounds a whole lot like the conversation between Ruth and Naomi in Ruth chapter 1. Later Midrash from the events establish the tradition of recognizing Orpah Ruth’s sister in law as the mother of the Philistine Goliath and the genealogy from Ruth is where we’re told the Moabite woman Ruth is actually David’s grandmother. Interesting how negative as well as positive things take shape simultaneously as the “kingdom” David as been given develops.

Michael Sisson

That’s a good takeaway from the woman of Takoa, Michael Scaman. Romans 11:29 (NASB) >>>for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.<<< This also includes the gift of life. (See 2Sam 14:14) 2Sam 14:14 (NASB) “For >>>we will surely die<<< and are like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. >>>Yet God does not take away life, but plans ways so that the banished one will not be cast out from him.<<< G-d doesn’t take our lives; He gives us the choice of retaining the gift of life. (Dt 30:15-20) He has provided Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus), that we might live.

Jason Cromwell

I've never "Lost" anyone. They chose to leave of their own free will because they thought they could do better. Sometimes you just have to let people go for good. I'm the kind of person who does everything to try to save the relationship. So I'm very active.