A Rocky Return: Part 1 Rebukes and Ruptures
1. A reckless rebuke
5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, 6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 2 Samuel 19:5-7 (ESV)
A loving rebuke should be clear and specific, but Joab’s reproach of David was full of exaggeration. Proverbs 17:10; Proverbs 25:12
David is man of God enough to realize his mistake. He was teachable.
2. A Ruptured Reply
9 And all the people were arguing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?” 11 And King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house, when the word of all Israel has come to the king? 12 You are my brothers; you are my bone and my flesh. Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.’” 2 Samuel 19:9-13 (ESV)
It is easy to start bickering when a group finds themselves in a dilemma.
David appealed to the pride of Judah: why should they lag behind the rest of the tribes in restoring the king?
David appealed to their relationship: They were “his bone and flesh.”
David appealed to the anxieties of Judah: he appointed Amasa (Commander of Absalom’s army over his army)
We should practice the Biblical principles of submission, yielding, humility, and love in unity for the sake of the gospel. 1 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 1:27
41 Then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?” 42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?” 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. 2 Samuel 19:41-43 (ESV)
The Scriptures warn us of fleshly responses that can cause strife such as anger, malice, wrath, and outbursts of anger. Ephesians 4:31; Matthew 18:1-4; Matthew 23:10-12; Colossians 3:14