Second Samuel chapter 19. Nearing the end of second Samuel. Nearing the the end, just a few more chapters relating to the reign of David. The last several chapters have told a very sad story in many ways concerning David's son Absalom, his attempt to take the throne, from his father, his bitterness over the treatment of his sister, his lying in deceit and conniving against his father and behind his back, and the ignominious, ignominious, ignominious death of Absalom hanging from a tree by his hair. His in his case, his vanity on display as his pride and his bitter heart bring him to a very sad end.

But now now what happens? Well, now David has defeated Absalom, his son, has defeated his his son's army. He has won the battle. Okay? But is David in Jerusalem?

No. David is on the other side of the Jordan River. He's on the East Side in Gilead. And most of Israel had sided with who? Had sided with Absalom, particularly the tribe of Judah has sided with Absalom.

And so now David is over here on the other side of the river, separate from most of most of Israel. He's one. However, he left Jerusalem with his tail between his legs, at least apparently. It would seem that he did. And so now, his kingdom is is in great upheaval and and turmoil.

And David has to deal with the repercussions of all that and figure out how do I put this puzzle back together in a way that's going to bring peace and prosperity for the people of Israel and honor, to the Lord, and a continued reign for David and his son, to follow. And so that's where that's where David is. He's got some decisions to make. And I want us to see in this, in chapter 19 and some other passages, when we speak of a man after God's own heart, we're obviously not speaking of the parts where David royally messed up. But in places like this where we see the graciousness, the gracious heart of a king.

Oftentimes, would seem that kings, particularly in previous days, as we don't have a lot of kings today, so to speak, we have dictators, which are not much different than kings. They're definitely not good kings. But as kings were want to be, they're often bullies. They pride themselves in tightening down their authority and controlling and oppressing those under their power, of using their power to to show off and to often make decisions that are not God honoring decisions and certainly not one that show a care and concern for their people or wisdom in dealing with the situation. That is not David here.

We see more of a Christ like leadership and heart and attitude from David in this passage as he tries to resolve this very messed up situation that he and Israel find themselves in. The the first thing I want us to do is we're gonna look in chapter 19 and verse 31 at just a blip parenthetical passage in all of this that you probably if you were reading through the Bible, you just read through it and maybe not pay a whole lot of attention to it. But there is this this guy named Barzillai. Barzillai the Gileadite. Now you don't read about him other than, over in first Kings.

We'll look at that, in a second. It just mentions him briefly there. But as David runs from Absalom, he crosses the Jordan over into Gilead. Now Gilead was the area that had been given to Gad, Reuben, and the half tribe of Manasseh. This was on the Eastern Side of the Jordan River.

It wasn't called that initially, but later on, the entire area became known as Gilead and extended from East of the Sea Of Galilee down towards North Of The Dead Sea. Okay? And David had fled over the Jordan River over to Gilead to a city named Mahanaim. We read about in second Samuel 17. And while he was there, the people, the Gileadites on the other side of the Jordan, unlike most everybody on the Western side who was coming to kill him, the people there welcomed him, assisted him, brought refreshments for his his soldiers, and were a very big help to him.

Now, evidently, one of these people was this Gileadite named Barzillai. Before David heads back to Jerusalem, to deal with this situation, he stops to talk to this to this man that we really know nothing else about. And that's why, in a way, it's it's noteworthy because we don't know of the great feats of Barzillai or what he did. But what we do know is that who took notice of him? David and therefore, God.

Verse 31, Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim Rogelim and went over Jordan with the king to conduct him over Jordan. So I'm I'm expecting he was a man of some influence because it sort of sounds like he came down to meet David to help usher him back into across the Jordan to the other side. Now Barzillai was a very agent man, even four score years old. So that would be how old? 80 years old.

Four times 20, his score is 20. He's 80 years old. They had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim for he was a very great man. So he had provided the king sustenance. So in other words, he had been part of the group that had brought food and refreshment to a king who was running for his life.

The king said unto Barzillai, come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem. Barzillai said unto the king, how how long have I to live that I should go up with the king under Jerusalem? Yeah. I am this day four score years old, and I and can I discern between good and evil? Can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink?

Can I hear anymore the voice of singing men and singing women? Wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto the Lord my king? Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king, and why should the king recompense at me with such reward? Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again that I may die in mine own city and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham, let him go over with my Lord the king and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.

And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee. And whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee. And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned unto his own place. And so we just have this brief passage here about this man we know nothing else about other than he was a a a man of some renowned or authority and that he helped David when David was in distress running from his son.

And before David went back with everything else going on, David stops and he looks at the man. He says, you know, you helped me when I was was in need. If you'll come back with me, you can live in the what? You can live in the palace the rest of your your days. Now that's that's gratitude, and that's graciousness on the part of David.

Barzillai responds with, well, you know, I'm 80 years old. I'm not gonna get much out of it. So how about this fellow Chimham here? You take him and you do to him what you would have done for me. It would seem that Chimham was probably most likely his son, though it doesn't say it here.

If you'll turn over to well, you don't have to turn over. I have it up here. Second Kings, I think it's chapter two and verse seven, not chapter one. Yeah, it's chapter two and verse seven. As David is about to pass off the scene, he is turning the reins of the kingdom over to Solomon here in second Kings two seven.

And he's given some instructions to Solomon, and this is one. But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table. For so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother. And so David remembers this man even as he is on his deathbed and giving instructions to Solomon, he remembers out of gratitude and out of a gracious heart, David instructs Solomon, I want you to make sure that this man's sons continue to eat at the king's table. Now, that's not the first time David had done something like that.

Who else had David done that for? Mephibosheth. Okay? The sinning of Saul and and Jonathan. As God as David had promised, he took care of, the lame descendant of Saul and Jonathan and, made him to eat at at the king's table, as well.

And so unlike some, David was a man with a gracious heart and he exhibited something that is somewhat of a lost art, not just among kings but among people, and that's something called gratitude. How quickly do we forget those who do kind things for us? In the ministry, I am sometimes bewildered by the fact that you can have a a couple of fellow Christians, maybe even friends, and that have been so kind and helpful and and prayerful and to one another, and yet one little incident and everything what? And everything just goes up in smoke. Poof.

The friendship is destroyed. And how sad that is, for it should not be that way. We have a gracious Lord. We should be a gracious people. Our gratitude should not extend just for a matter of hours or days, but a little longer, you would think.

It used to be that thank you notes or letters were common. Somebody gave you something, did something for you, and and you'd send them a a thank you note in the mail. Today, with the advent of computers, email, texting, that's become less common because it's just easy to get on the phone and just say, thanks, send a text, over. Nothing necessarily entirely wrong with that. But not only because of techno technological advances, but also because of a decline in our culture, we see less and less expressions of sincere gratitude because everybody is only thinking about who?

Themselves. And we might be thankful for a moment, for an hour, for a day. We might be thankful enough to say thank you, but then it ends at that. And often time, it's not remembered no more. But that wasn't David.

This man had helped him days earlier. And when David found him, he said, I I owe I I owe you a debt of gratitude. Not only that, but years later when David was on his deathbed, David still remember this man and wanted to show his gratitude to him in the care of his children. These two men both showed a graciousness of heart and a character of thankfulness that we can learn from this evening. But this wasn't the only person that David showed a graciousness to, especially in regards to heading back from Gilead back to back to Jerusalem.

You see, one of the main tribes that sided with Absalom was Judah. Now, what's special about Judah? Jerusalem is in what? Judah. David is of the tribe of Judah.

When Saul was defeated, Israel, the northern 10 tribes did not accept David right away as king, only the tribe of what? Judah. And now Judah had betrayed David and gone with with Absalom. So now you have this rift between David and and the tribe of Judah that has to be put back together and mended. It can be mended by by force or it can be mended by a gracious heart as we will see here.

One of the people of Judah, a matter of fact, he is the nephew of David, sided with Absalom and became the commander of Absalom's army. Okay? His name is Amasa. Amasa is the son of David's sister. I came across that when I was reading through Chronicles this week, going through all of those genealogies, and you'll find that two of David's sisters are mentioned.

The one was the mother of Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Okay. These are Joab being the most well one because he was had been the commander of David's army. And then the other sister married an Ishmaelite. Now Ishmaelites were the descendants of guess it.

Ishmael. Okay? Generally speaking, the Israelites did not intermarry with the Ishmaelites. K? The Ishmaelites were not a God fearing people.

They had turned to paganism. However, David's sister married an Ishmaelite, they had a son, and his name was Amasa. And Amasa joined with Absalom in rebellion against his uncle David. And he led the army with Absalom from Judah against David. And so David David has to piece back this coalition that has been ripped apart by his son.

You look in, verse 11 of second Samuel. Second Samuel 19 verse 11. The king said unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priest, saying, speak unto the elders of Judah. Now, remember when David left Jerusalem, Zadok and Abiathar were going to leave with him with the ark. But David said, don't leave with me.

You stay in Jerusalem. The ark doesn't belong with me. The ark belongs in Jerusalem. So you stay there with the ark. So they were still in in Jerusalem.

So, anyway, he said unto them, speak unto the elders of Judah. He's using them as a go between. Saying, why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house, Seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king even to his house. Now, he's sending message via the priests, go to the elders of Judah, the rulers of Judah, and say, why have you not beckoned me to to return yet? As some of the other tribes had indicated.

He goes on to say, ye are my what? You're my brethren. I mean, if anybody should welcome me back, it should be who? It should be you. Well, I think maybe the people of Judah were a little bit afraid to welcome him back because, hey, they all sided with the the wrong guy.

Okay? And maybe they thought David was going to come back in not a very peaceful way. But he said to them, why have you not asked me back? Ye are my brethren. Ye are my bones and my flesh.

Wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king? And say ye to Amasa, art thou not of my bone and of my flesh? The answer to that is yes. He is David's nephew as Joab is David's nephew. God do so to me and more also if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room or in the stead of Joab.

So David gave an olive branch, offered an olive branch to Judah. What was it? I will accept a messah. I will make him the head commander of my army in place of who? In place of Joab.

Well, that that was quite the offer. This man had just led the army against him, and now David is offering him Joab's Joab's position. Why? Two reasons. One, because it was an olive branch to a Mesa and to Judah.

I am not coming back to kill you. I am not coming back to oppress you, to get back at you, to get revenge. I will demonstrate that by by this by this move. Also, who was it that killed Absalom? Joab.

Who was told directly to his face not to kill Absalom? Joab. And Joab did it anyway. And this kind of begins the end of this this the the rift becomes a bit too too great here at this point between David and Joab and will not end well for Joab here in just just a few chapters. But that must have taken a lot for David to swallow his pride and say, I'm going to accept the man that led the army against me as an olive branch, to demonstrate that I am not your enemy.

I am your king, and I am your your friend. Proverbs fifteen one, it says this, a soft answer, what? Turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger. I mean, David could have done what his grandson did later on in the story and made a bigger mess of things. You see, a lot of that has to do with pride and maybe a bit of insecurity.

So David turned the kingdom over to Solomon. Solomon died and turned the kingdom over to who? Anybody know? His son's name was I heard it. Rehoboam.

And Rehoboam came into his the kingship, And he had some decisions to make about how he was going to rule the kingdom. And the tribes came to Rehoboam and said, we will serve you with all of our heart. Just decrease our taxes. You see, Solomon had levied a lot of taxes and burden on the people in building the palace and the temple and and and many other things. And, the people said, we we feel that it's a bit too great of a burden if you'll just lessen a little bit on the tax burden that we have.

We will follow you to the ends of the earth, so to speak. So Rehoboam went to his father's counselors. And his father's counselors said, do it. Do it. Just just give a little.

Okay? And show them that you care about them, that you're you're listening to them. And they will serve you with a full heart. And then he went to the people his own age, his peers, the the the the brats that he grew up with in the palace. And he asked them, what do you think I should do?

And they said, don't let these people tell you what to do. You're the king. You go out there and tell them I am you don't have you can't tell me what to do. I'm gonna raise your taxes. Now does that work real well in politics?

Not usually. Not usually. It didn't work for Rehoboam. He lost the top 10 tribes. He was left with only the loyalty of of Judah.

And the kingdom was divided from that point going going forward. But that was not the decision of David. David could have split it wide open, but David didn't do that. No? Out of a heart of gratitude, a gracious heart, a a wise heart, David didn't come in pride and anger.

He came with a soft answer. A soft answer that resulted in him returning to to Judah and being welcomed. Verse 15, so the king returned and came to Jordan and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king to conduct the king over Jordan. So Judah this would be the elders of the Judah largely, but others as well came to meet him at the Jordan to escort him back to the palace in Jerusalem. And the rift, could have been catastrophic, did not end in catastrophe.

But instead it was mended by one with a gracious heart. You know, we're divided, we're separated from God by our sin, but there is one with a gracious heart that came and died on the cross to mend the rift, and that is Jesus Christ, our savior. As he hung there on the cross, he said, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. He could have come in great judgment and power, but he didn't come to judge the world this time. Came to what?

He came to save it by his death on the cross. In Ephesians four thirty two, it says, and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. You know, God expects the same thing of us. He expects us to have a gracious heart, a heart of gratitude, a heart that remembers, a heart that is willing to humble itself and do what is best, not only for who, for ourselves, but others. Think not only upon your own needs or on your own selves, But esteem other better than yourselves.

Look on the needs of others. In chapter 19, we also read about, Shimei. Do you remember Shimei? As David was leaving Jerusalem, okay, he's leaving Jerusalem, this descendant of Saul named Shimei came out to mock him as he traveled along the way. And David's friend Joab and his brother said, let's David, let us go kill him.

And David said, no. Let leave him leave him alone. Let him let him mock. Let him curse. And so they did.

And in chapter 19 and verse 18, guess who shows up on David's way back? Shimei. Alright? Verse 16. And Shimei, the son of Gerah Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him and Zebah, the servant of the house of Saul and his 15 sons and his 20 servants with him. And they went over they went over Jordan before the king, and there went over a ferryboat to carry over the king's household and to do what he thought good. And Shimei, the son of Gera fell down before the king and he's come over Jordan and said on the king, let not my Lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my Lord the king went out of Jerusalem that the king should take it to his heart. For thy servant doth know that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I am come, the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my Lord the king.

And so so Shimei shows up with a contingent of people that were related to who? They're related to Saul. So not only speaking for himself, he's speaking for the house of Saul. Okay? And he shows up to greet David at the Jordan River as he is coming across.

And what is he trying to do? Well, he is trying to save his what? His hide. That's what he's trying to do. He figured, well, he let me off the hook going over, but now, uh-oh, he's coming back.

So Shimei is foolish in some ways, but not entirely simple. And so he figured, I'm gonna go, and I'm gonna be there to greet him, and I'm gonna grovel and pray and pray that he doesn't kill me. Now it would have been so simple for David to take the advice of his nephews. Because once again, in verse 21, but Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, answered and said, shall not Shimei be put to death for this Because he cursed the Lord's anointed. And David said, what have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me?

Shall there be any there shall there any man be be put to death this day in Israel? For do not I know that I am this day king over Israel? Therefore, the king said unto Shimei, thou shalt not die and the king swear unto him. Why did David do this? Out of a gracious and merciful heart, but with a little bit of wisdom.

Because not only would he be getting revenge on Shimei Shimei, but he would have been instead of mending another bridge between the house of David and the house of what? Saul. He would have been he would have been destroyed. So once again, the man after God's own heart, a soft word, a gracious heart, and wise wise decision. And it serves him it serves him well.

And again, a type of Christ, so to speak, an example like unto Christ who, as he hung there on that cross, looked down at that crowd, instead of condemning them, he asked that they be what? Forgiven. And this we see reflected in the heart of David. As we should see reflected in whose heart? Ours as well.

We are so quick to judge, so quick sometimes to seek revenge, to retaliate, not turn the other cheek, so so quick to forget what others in God has done for us. And this is a reoccurring theme as we mentioned earlier with David. Absalom after Absalom initially turned on his father, went into exile, David eventually welcomed him welcomed him back even to his own hurt. Mephibosheth, we already mentioned earlier. David welcomed into his house the lame son of Jonathan.

Abner. You remember Abner? Abner was Saul's Joab. He was Saul's commander in chief. K?

When they were running after when Saul was chasing after David to kill him, who was Saul's right hand man? A guy named Abner. He was his right hand man. And, eventually, Saul died, but not Abner. And Abner made Ishbosheth Saul's son, the king in Northern Israel at first.

But eventually, Abner came to his what? His senses. And he came to David, and David was willing to forgive. And it's a lot to forgive, willing to forgive, Abner chasing him through the wilderness trying to kill him for the sake of mending fences with the northern 10 tribes. In second Samuel three, it says, so Abner came to David to Hebron and 20 men with him.

David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast. Abner said unto David, I will rise and go and will gather all Israel unto my Lord the king that they may make a league with thee and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. And David sent Abner away and he went in peace. Sadly, that was not the attitude of who? Keeps coming up.

Starts with a j. Joab. Joab conspired against Abner. And before Abner got back, Joab killed him. Sad story in that regard.

But but David was willing obviously to make amends with Abner for the sake of the kingdom. There were more important things at stake than a grudge, and we can certainly learn from that. Who was it that that sang that sang a song memorializing, extolling the virtues of Saul and Jonathan after their death? It was David in second Samuel chapter one. Who was it that spared Saul's life twice?

They could have killed him. It was David. Who was it that showed humility when a when a crazy man named Nabal disrespected David and and threatened him? Well, it was David who showed mercy at the bequest of Nabal's wife, who? Abigail.

Now some men and particularly in authority in that day would not have been so quick to take the advice maybe of a woman, but that wasn't David. He saw the wisdom and he listened, and he showed mercy on Nabal. Now, did Nabal live? No. Who took care of Nabal?

God did. God took care of Nabal. That reminds me of words in the New Testament in Romans chapter 12. Romans chapter 12. Probably familiar with the first two verses, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable in God, which is your reasonable service.

But later on in the chapter, the same chapter, Verse we'll begin in verse 17, though this begins actually in verses preceding that. But he says here, Paul writes in regards to our interactions with others, He says, recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lie within you, live peaceably with all men. That's exactly what David was showing here.

He was doing everything he possibly could to find what? Peace. Blessed are the the peacemakers. They shall is it called the sons of God or inherit the earth? I forget the end of that particular beatitude.

Obviously, Jesus came to make peace. David is making peace here. As much as lieth within him, he was making peace. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place under wrath for it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord.

Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing, thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. You want to see the right, the righteous, blessed, and victorious?

Put it in the hands of who? Put it in the hands of God. Don't take it into your own hands. Have a gracious spirit and a heart of gratitude. Be a peacemaker.

Endure some injury for the sake of peace and of the Lord and of what is right. And let God take care of the what? Let God take care of the rest. And will he take care of it? Yes, he will.

We can be assured that he will. And be the kind of leader that we see in this passage from David and that Jesus instructed his disciples to be in Mark chapter 10. They were arguing about who would be the what, the greatest. Who would sit on the right hand or the left hand? And Jesus said to them, no, you you get the you got this all wrong.

That's not what we're about. We're not like the Gentile rulers who take pride and bullying and oppressing the people. No. That's not the kind of of leader that God is looking for. He's looking for a different kind of leader.

One with a gracious spirit and a merciful heart and a heart of gratitude and wisdom. A servant. A servant like who? A servant like Jesus. So he concludes this passage here in Mark with this, but so shall it not be among you.

For whosoever will be great among you shall be your minister. Whosoever of you will be the chiefest shall be servant of all. For even the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. Why did Jesus come? For us.

And that guided and directed his path in this life to the cross, to the grave, to the skies where he intercedes, today for us. That is the kind of humility and love that he sheds on our hearts by his spirit, and he expects to be demonstrated in the lives of his people. As we learn to be ministers to others, not lords, but ministers. You'll notice a a pastor does have a certain responsibility to lead, to rule, so to speak. But pastors are often called what?

Ministers. That word is translated from same word often translated servant, which is diaconos. It's the same word that's translated deacon when it is referencing an office in the church. A minister. Not someone who controls others, but someone who what?

Ministers, gives, and serves others. That's what every husband should be in their home. That's what every pastor should be in his church. To an extent, that's what an employer should be to his employees as a child of God, a Christian. So that we might not just lift up who?

Ourselves, but that we might lift up others. For that's why why we are here, to lift them up and appoint them to who? And appoint them to Jesus. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you, Lord, for the opportunity this this week and next, Lord, to allow you to work in our heart, to give us a gracious heart and a a merciful spirit and a a heart of gratitude, Lord, as we, live and move within this world and interact with others, Lord, may we show an attitude of humility and love, the heart of Christ.

May we be people after God's own heart and may, through that, you bring people to peace with you and with one another. Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to be peacemakers in Jesus Christ and to show the world what you can do and what you have done and what you will do for them. In Jesus' name, do pray. Amen.