FBC Morning Light (4/20/2024)

Good Saturday morning, people of faith. We're looking at 2 Samuel chapters 14 through 18 this weekend, and I'm going to be concentrating on chapter 16, verses 5 through 14. So what's going on in 14 through 18 is the rebellion of Absalom, Absalom against King David.

Absalom is David's son, and how he gathers people together against the king, and eventually takes over the throne for a short time. And David is on the run away from Absalom and his armies, and eventually the story ends with Absalom's death and David mourning over Absalom.

Shimei's Cursing of David in the Rebellion of Absalom

But in chapter 16, starting in verse 5, while David and his men are on the run, I'll pick up the story in verse 5. It says, now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera, coming from there.

He came out, cursing continuously as he came, and he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. So first of all, notice that this is someone from the house of Saul, who is embittered at Saul losing his life and his kingdom, and is blaming David for that, and I might say unjustly, Saul met his own demise because of Saul's wrong behavior, says in verse 7, also Shimei said thus when he cursed, Come out, come out, you bloodthirsty man, you rogue!

The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son. So now you are caught in your own evil because you are a bloodthirsty man.

Now in one sense, there's truth in what Shimei is saying, but ultimately it's not true. He's blaming David for all the bloodshed that came upon the house of Saul and saying it's returning to him because of what you did to Saul.

Yet at the same time, David had been a bloodthirsty man, and he had Uriah the Hittite killed by the sword through his command. So there was a sense in which that was true. Verse 9,. Then Abishai the son of Uriah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?

Let me go over and take off his head. But the king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Uriah? So let him curse. Because the Lord has said to him, Curse David, who then shall say, Why have you done so?

So David, in the midst of everything that's happening, keeps his calm as Shimei is cursing and throwing stones and all these things and says, No, it could just be that he is a messenger of the Lord to me, that there's something for me to learn here.

Verse 11 says,. And David said to Abishai and all his servants, See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life? How much more now may this Benjaminite? So what he's getting at there is, look at how bad things are.

This, having this Benjaminite curse me while my own son seeks my life, so pales in comparison. Yet there might still be something here. Says let him alone and let him curse, for so the Lord has ordered him.

It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day. And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust.

Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary, so they refreshed themselves there. I want to look at just a couple of quick lessons here. First of all, doesn't it always seem that when you're down, that something else happens?

You may be depressed or inwardly, you may know you've done something wrong and that's it's that time when, when someone comes along with criticism and that criticism, you find stings just an extra bit much.

And that seems to be happening to David here as, as this Benjaminite is cursing David yet it's really his son that's after his life that matters so much more. And look at how David responds. He responds with, maybe it just is that this man is a messenger of God to reveal something that I've done wrong is kind of implied in what he is saying here.

And so perhaps if you're in that sort of situation where someone is coming at you unjustly with criticism that is unfounded at its base, but yet maybe the Lord would like to work in you something to learn from what that criticism is about.

So David, while, while not being directly responsible for Saul's death is at was, excuse me, at one point a bloodthirsty man. And so he listened to that criticism and he respond, responded in a godly way.

So perhaps today, if this is your situation, we, or you, or I could respond in that godly fashion and say, Lord, I don't understand this criticism, but yet it could be that you wish to show me what is it you would like to show me.

A Prayer for Receiving Criticism with Humility

Let's pray. Heavenly Father, in the midst of this world, there will be trials and tribulations, criticisms, both just and unjust. Help us to take these things in the light of your word and seek godly counsel in the midst of these things.

And yet look to you to be our teacher and our guide. If there's any criticism that we hear today, help us to listen for what you would have to teach us in its midst. It's in your son's name, Jesus, we pray, amen.

Have an excellent day, people of faith.