Good morning Everyone!
2nd Samuel chapter 16.
This account involves three men all of whom respond differently to David as the king. I want to focus on each one individually.
- Ziba = Faithful!
He was a servant to Mephibosheth, Saul's crippled son. He was a man of great respect for his authority. He was very faithful to King David and served David wholeheartedly. He was trusted through many trials and tribulations. This is the kind of man you want on your ministry team or at your place of work. He will be the best worker. He'll give 110%. When things get tough he doesn't abandon you.
- Shimei = Hater. He cursed the king and did so in the name of the Lord. I call him a false prophet or hater even though King David referred to him as a messenger of God. He's related to Saul and blames David for the loss of lives of Saul's family. He blames King David rather than Saul for his disobedience to God. David is feeling pretty low right now with his self esteem. Perhaps feeling as if he has failed as a father and a king. So when Satan attacked him through Shemei, David feels he deserves it and therefore feels it's from God. We do that sometimes. At our low moments, we let Satan beat us up. We act like we deserve it. Rather than rebuke Satan and his lies we walk along allowing satan to fill our mind with words that tear us down. We have Shimei type of people that pop up in our lives all the time. No matter what, you aren't good enough. It could be a parent, a boss, a spouse, or really a complete stranger.
- Ahithophel = Power Hungry. He was once considered a man of God who gave nothing but Godly or god-given advice. All of a sudden, he's no longer serving King David and his advice is evil. Why?? I call it “he was power hungry.” I feel he felt by serving Absalom he would have more power. So he surrendered a life of godliness and faithfulness and traded it in for a hopeful promise of increase power and fame. Once we become power-hungry we become susceptible to pride and arrogance. Once that settles in we become reliant upon ourselves and not to God. Our words then become focused on self. Our motives are for our own benefit and not for the Lord or others. It becomes all about me me me!
Lord help me to be faithful, first to you, and then to the calling you have on my life. That no matter where you have me serving, I'll give 110%. I'll be the best worker. I'll go out of my way to show respect to my boss or the board. As I'm being faithful to you, I know my authority will see my faithfulness.
Lord, help me not to beat myself up and help me not to let Satan beat me up with his lies. I'm tired of feeling inadequate. Build my confidence oh Lord!
And lastly Lord may I never become power-hungry. I'm want Ministry to be all about you and your glory and your name lifted up and never never never about me. Amen
I can see how the three men in this chapter can be considered as these three types of people as Pastor Blair has pointed out.
1. Faithful – I see this group as the true believers and those who are open to hearing the Gospel by allowing it to transform their lives to become believers.
2. Hater – This would be the nonbelievers who are opposed to the spread of the Gospel.
3. Power Hungry = The third group is wishy-washy as lukewarm individuals who are only interested in self. They might make it look like they honor God, but it’s just for show on the outside with their lips while their hearts are far from Him.
This third one makes me think of Revelation 3:15-16.
“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
Although David had lots of power and influence as king, just like him, we have all probably experienced having various people in our lives who were either a friend, an enemy or a faker to us. I like how David handles the situation in this chapter with self-control. He lets Shimei be mean to him without retaliating at all. It seems to me that the ‘old’ David is back in some ways. That’s the humble shepherd boy who didn’t hurt or kill Saul when he had the opportunity and while there were voices telling him to take Saul out. This time it’s the voice of Abishai who told David that he could eliminate the cursing dead dog, but David just chooses to put up with it. This David doesn’t seem like the same person who lacked self-control with another man’s wife and eventually sent that loyal soldier to die just to cover up his own sin. No, this David has felt the anguish and aching in his soul from losing child after child. Some cursing and rock throwing isn’t going to cause him to make any more poor decisions that he may regret later. He can take it like a man, a man after God’s own heart. David has become weary and discouraged though and Absalom just did some despicable things to humiliate him.
I’m reminded of Psalm 121:1-2.
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”