DIVINE WISDOM OPERATING AGAINST APOSTASY (4)
DIVINE WISDOM OPERATING AGAINST APOSTASY (4)
JT In considering these chapters as types of our own times — the people of God in the present dispensation — it should be noted that they do not present consecutive history, but rather different views of the saints, of our position and circumstances; so that in this chapter we have another viewpoint.
We have been considering David as representative of what is of God in the profession, marked on the one hand by exposure to deception through natural feelings and affections; and on the other hand, as a subject of the work of God, seen in times of trial and discipline. So that the work of God in David shines in the exit, or flight, from Jerusalem; it shines there more than elsewhere. There is a thorough acceptance of the discipline of God at the brook Kidron, at the ascent of Olivet, and in the worship of God at the summit. That is one view; it is a most delightful view because it shows what is possible, what God effects among His people.
And then we have still the capability of being deceived; when a true lover of Christ, Mephibosheth, was slandered by his servant, David accepted the slander. Over against that you have the railing of Shimei, who is of the house of Saul, which again brings out the work of God in David, who humbly accepted His governmental dealings.
In this chapter it is a question of conflict; how the people of God act under certain circumstances. We have a picture here of the saints in conflict, not with the external enemy, but internal foes — a family affair really. So that we see here humiliating things on the one hand, yet in spite of all the triumph of [p. 44] what is of God. What I think we should note is, the mixed motives that governed David, which necessarily caused weakness in the conflict, uncertainty and much unnecessary loss of life, a peculiarly sorrowful feature. That is to say, many of the saints of God are unnecessarily damaged and scattered because of the want of definiteness and clearness in the issues, and in those who take the lead.
Ques You mean that the conflict was unduly prolonged?
JT Yes; and then the leadership was indefinite.
Rem They lacked the clear voice of the trumpet.
JT Just so; “an uncertain sound” 1 Corinthians 14:8.
Ques Why do the sons of Zeruiah come so much to the front here?
JT Well, that is to be taken account of; there is nothing said of Joab since chapter 14. Abishai is mentioned, but not Joab. They were hard men, particularly Joab, an ambitious man, and he acquired the lead here, no doubt because of the want of definiteness in those whom God would use. The victories of David in his earlier days were under God marvels of military prowess, but here we have no definiteness, we have indeed the retirement of David from the generalship because the people wished it.
The position at the beginning of this chapter is to be well noted, because we are bound to have conflict, and the issues should be clear, and those who lead should be definite and free from natural considerations.
Rem I was struck by your remark as to the difference between David in his earlier days, and David in these later scenes. Perhaps you would give us some idea as to what brought about this extraordinary weakness. It starts with his being on the house-top.
JT I think his weakness dates from that point — “when kings go forth” chapter 11:1. He failed in not going forth.
[p. 45] Ques Has it something to do with that scripture, “No one going as a soldier entangles himself with the affairs of life, that he may please him who has enlisted him as a soldier” 2 Timothy 2:4? Do you think that David had got himself entangled?
JT Yes; I think he allowed himself to get into a low state of soul by want of self-judgment, so that God allowed him to be exposed to himself in falling into such serious crimes; and he never recovered from the effects of them as far as the Scriptures show. He never regained his former energy and strength. As I said before, I think it points to the great breakdown in the history of the assembly, so that you never have the same pristine power. Now, in the presence of conflict, that we can never hope to be free of, we are taught here to avoid mixed motives; to be clear in our motives, and to think only for God and not for our natural relationships.
Rem I suppose we have a picture of it in Pilate, he was influenced by the multitude. They said, “Away with him, crucify him” John 19:15 David was guided by what the people said. His attitude was the more unjustifiable in view of the readiness of the people to be beguiled by Absalom; it shows that their hearts were as weak as water. David should have learnt from that.
JT They are not to be relied on. It is not God’s way that the people should lead.
Ques Do you think we should take it to heart that the indefiniteness led to the slaughter of many?
JT Yes. David, left to himself, always thought of the people: “He fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and led them by the skilfulness of his hands” Psalm 78:72. He was a typical leader, but here we see failure in that which had characterised him. It is written down for us to see that in conflict we should be free from mixed motives.
[p. 46] Ques Is it not most important in assembly matters to get at right principles and right motives?
JT And think only for the Lord — how these things affect Him. Never mind how they affect you, or your children, or other relatives; think of how they affect the Lord, and then the issue becomes clear. You are definite; you are not hesitating.
Ques The conflict is very testing to us all; it finds out where we are. Would it suggest what we get in Ephesians: “our struggle is not against blood and flesh”? Ephesians 6:12 I was thinking of David at the time he slew Goliath — what he was to God then! We may be before God very well in our youth, but we may go back as we get older.
JT That is right; it will not do to start well and stop. David began well. “Ye ran well; who has stopped you that ye should not obey the truth?” Galatians 5:7. Many young men shine in the conflict, and later become engrossed in family affairs. One has known of cases where issues have been beclouded because certain families were involved. Abishai was unable to see that God was behind Shimei’s attack, and so he proposed what would take the matter out of His hands.
Rem Joab had an official position as chief and captain.
JT Well, David marshalled the forces. He was himself supreme. There could be no question about David’s rights in the matter. He marshalled the people that were willing; that was right. He took the initiative, but he did not follow it up, and so room was made for Joab. I think this chapter intends bringing to light the character of Joab, and the weakness and folly of David in being so partial to Absalom. David at the outset should have known the damaging influence of family feelings. His brothers were envious of him, “Why art thou come down? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?” they question him; 1 Samuel 17:28. Relatives are not to be trusted; they are, as such, useless in the things of God. But David says, “What have I now done? Was it not laid upon me?” 1 Samuel 17:29 There was a cause, and he took the field in the name of the God of Israel. Well, that is where he missed it here.
Rem You have touched the weak spot in every one of our gatherings, the lack of definiteness, occasioned largely through natural influences.
JT And even although David did not go with the army, it was their business to recognise what he said. And so Joab is exposed; he did not care for either David or Absalom, as the sequel shows. So, that we find certain hard men coming to the front but it is due to the fact that the subjects of the work of God are not wholly available. The door is thus often opened to hard ambitious men.
Ques Does it show the low spiritual condition of David, that God had to use men like the sons of Zeruiah?
JT God is, as it were, forced to use certain ones, because He takes up what there is — what is available. But why should not the product of the work of God be available? What is the matter? Why should unfit men be in the front? capable in their way, energetic, but unspiritual. They misrepresent God.
Why should any one whom God has fitted to serve hold back? Why should I let others do the work when the responsibility is mine? Why should I not go forward, free of mixed motives — family affairs? If I do not go forward, I simply leave the field open for unfit men. God will use what is available, for, after all, it is His business.
Rem And the saints have to accept what they do.
JT They have to; although God will ever look after His own interests.
Rem Paul withstood Peter to the [p. 48] face.
JT There you have a man wholly free from natural considerations. Paul might have said, Well, Peter is an old brother and has been in the Lord’s company, and it is not suitable that I should say anything. That would be accepted, no doubt, by the brethren; but he says, “I withstood him to the face, because he was to be condemned” Galatians 2:11. He sacrificed his feelings that the truth might remain with the brethren.
Rem He saved the position without great loss.
JT Quite so; and Peter was evidently helped and the truth maintained. Peter recognised Paul later, as we know, regarding his writings as Scripture; 2 Peter 3:15,16. Paul was face to face with a serious situation, but being free from natural considerations he acted for God and God gave him victory. David never lacked courage; his great weakness was susceptibility to natural influence — relatives, and others. God dealt with Absalom Himself; David was responsible to be there, but he had accepted the will of the people.
Ques. Who are the people?
JT The rank and file of the saints. I am not speaking of them as the assembly. The divine way is leadership in persons qualified. Israel were led like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron; and so also by David later.
Ques How do you regard Ittai?
JT He is in his place; he had no natural claim, but he loved David. What you notice is the prominence acquired by Joab through all this; he even dominates David. David’s weakness made way for this.
Ques You have spoken of natural influence — I was wondering what you meant.
JT Well, influence arising from the consideration of our relatives in the flesh; also special friendships. Love is indiscriminate; the Colossians and Ephesians [p. 49] loved ALL the saints — they were not partial. It is that sort of thing we have to guard against to be clear visioned, so that the issue becomes clear; we know what we are going to do, and we do it.
Ques What was the issue here?
JT It was an uprising against David of one in the relation of son. Absalom represents the present antichristian uprising. The uprising is against David — not yet against Solomon. It is a most serious conflict; we must perceive the seriousness of it; we cannot allow trifles to interfere with our part in it.
Rem If you withstand a brother “to the face” he is unlikely to hold anything against you afterwards.
JT That is right, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” Proverbs 27:6.
Rem There was no hardness on the part of Paul when he withstood Peter; it was in the spirit of Christ.
JT Now what you see here in David not coming forward is that the battlefield is badly chosen; it is the “forest of Ephraim” (verse 6), a most unsuitable place.
Ques The wood devoured more than the sword (verse 8). What is the thought?
JT Well, the selection of the battlefield is important. You do not want trees to do damage to people. The forest has not heart or conscience; it is a pity that people should fall by that means. If anyone falls, let it be on account of opposing the truth. There is no clear vision in the forest. And now what you find is that it was no credit to the servants of David that Absalom came into their hands; it was God’s doing.
Ques What part would you have in selecting the position?
JT If there is to be conflict you turn to God — so that the truth should be at no disadvantage [p. 50] in it.
Ques Would you say that the leaders were to blame?
JT I think that is how it stands.
Ques How would one recognise a right leader?
JT He goes forward definitely governed by divine principles and he has no mixed motives. Through godliness he has moral weight and so influences his brethren according to God.
Ques And should we not remember that true leaders are a special mark for the adversary?
JT Quite so. God provides the leaders. If you look at the book of Exodus you will be impressed with the patience of God in providing two men — Moses and Aaron — and God led the people by them.
Rem They speak to us the word of God, and they have Christ as their object.
JT That is what it says in Hebrews 13:7. And then we are told to obey our leaders and be submissive, for they watch over our souls as those who shall give account (verse 17).
Ques Would leaders come to light in local gatherings, as well as universally?
JT I think they qualify locally, as David did. Joab wished to climb to the top himself, for David becomes his servant. Returning to Absalom it says, “And Absalom was riding upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of the great terebinth, and his head caught in the terebinth, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. And a man saw it” verses 9,10. This man, I think, represents the work of God in the midst of all these things. Seemingly it was an accidental thing, and Joab says, “And behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground?” He answers in effect, I have respect for the king; that is the kind of spirit; how different if Joab had been possessed of that spirit! This man says, “For in our hearing [p. 51] the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care, whoever it be [of you], of the young man Absalom. Or I should have acted falsely against mine own life, for there is no matter concealed from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against [me]”. That is a right spirit — respect for what is said by the king.
Ques You referred yesterday to Absalom’s head and hair; is there any link with that in the way he is caught here?
JT The Spirit of God makes much of the product of his head; all that seems to be used in the government of God for his destruction. “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness; and the counsel of the wily is carried headlong”, Job 5:13. The power that had carried him failed him — the mule went away — “and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth”. All this expresses the humiliating judgment of God, as overtaking such a man.
Rem And in that way it did what David failed to do.
JT I think we ought to notice another feature here, the message-bearers. How am I to be a message-bearer? It brings out the desire of the young man to be running, come what may. Ahimaaz wanted to be running: “Come what may, let me run” he says, verse 23. It is a rebuke, I think, to young men who wish to run for running’s sake. Ahimaaz had already done well, and now he wants to run again, and he has no message. This is an exposure of what we often see in persons who wish to be active, whether they have a commission or not. Here we have another view of Joab; he is one in responsibility now to give a message, and Ahimaaz says, “Let me run” but Joab — representing what is right — says, “There is no news suited to thee” It is a principle that comes out here, that the messenger must be in keeping with [p. 52] the message. If God gives a message He gives it to a suitable vessel.
Ques Would not that apply even in preaching the gospel?
JT Surely.
Rem We have to realise, too, that we are to serve as under the Lord’s orders.
JT So that Joab here represents one in a position to give a message. He is able to tell, and he has discernment as to the kind of vessel that should take it; but still he lets Ahimaaz run — there is failure even there; the whole position is marked by weakness.
Ques What is in your mind in speaking of the messenger being in accord with the message?
JT Well, that the work of God is varied; everything emanates from God. Every vessel is to be hung on Christ; Isaiah 22:24. There are different vessels, but each is to be “sanctified, serviceable to the Master” 2 Timothy 2:21.
Rem Messengers, in the New Testament, are Christ’s glory; they are fitted; 2 Corinthians 8:23.
JT And then there is another thing, that in undertaking work that is not yours, you discredit yourself. David says, “He is a good man, and comes with good news” verse 27. But when he arrives he does not know anything; he spoke of a “tumult ... but ... knew not what it was”; it is all confusion. And the king says, “Turn aside [and] stand here. And he turned aside and stood still” Now that is a very humiliating thing — to stand aside as knowing nothing definitely of the matter to be reported. The next thing to note is that the other messenger is a Cushite; he has nothing to commend him, being of that stock, whereas Ahimaaz was of the priests. Here is a man who has no reputation at all, in that way, but he has a message; he knows all about what happened.
Ques “Go tell the king what thou hast seen” (verse 21); is there something in that?
JT Yes; he was a witness. That is the point the Lord stresses in Luke 24:48 “Ye are witnesses of these things” I must be a witness to bear witness.
Rem It was not a message that would appeal to David in a natural way.
JT No; he made no allowance for David’s natural feelings: “The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee for evil, be as that young man” He had a thorough judgment of the thing. Whereas Ahimaaz seemed afraid to tell the truth; though he knew it well enough, verse 20. We must not be afraid to wound people’s natural feelings in presenting the truth of God; we need faithfulness. The way the Cushite tells the thing shows that he had a thorough judgment of Absalom, and no one can preach the gospel unless he has a thorough understanding of the judgment of God on that man.
These scriptures are typical of what happens among saints today, in order that we may avoid the evils indicated.
Ques What is the thought in the “ten young men” in verse 15: “And ten young men that bore Joab’s armour surrounded and smote Absalom, and killed him”
JT These, I believe, are party men; they carry Joab’s armour. Elsewhere we read of Joab’s men. You can see what a type of man Joab was from that — he gathered people round him; there were ten young men. Men like Joab always have special persons to support them. Here they are thoroughly with him.
Ques They speak well of their leader, but not of Christ; is it not a very serious thing to have a combination among the people of God?
JT Quite so; David is not said to have armour-bearers, whereas Joab’s armour-bearers are spoken of.
[p. 54] Rem It struck me, too, in chapter 20, when Amasa was slain, it says, “And one of Joab’s young men stood by [Amasa] and said, He that favours Joab, and he that is for David, let him follow Joab” 2 Samuel 20:11. Joab comes first in his thoughts.
Rem I think Mr. Darby said he would not belong to a party for the truth any more than he would belong to one against it.
Ques How can a young man avoid getting under the influence of such a leader?
JT I should say, by keeping to the true Leader. There are leaders, of course. It says, “Remember your leaders”, but then it adds, “Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and today, and to the ages [to come]” (Hebrews 13:7,8); that is the balance.
Rem I suppose if we were loyal to the rejected One we should esteem highly all those who are truly serving Him.
JT Paul says, “Ye became our imitators, and of the Lord” 1 Thessalonians 1:6.
Rem So that a true leader would bring them to the Lord.
Ques Can we be rightly loyal to any one but Christ? People sometimes speak about being loyal to your brethren.
JT No doubt what is meant is fellowship; it is more that you are true to the fellowship. We have to respect the brethren; in all I am doing I must see that I do not compromise them.
Ques Would you say what “mothers in Israel” mean?
JT Persons who exercise maternal care over the saints. Deborah does not undertake the place of leadership; she says, “Hath not Jehovah the God of Israel commanded?” Judges 4:6.
Rem The New Testament does not refer to Deborah at all; it is Barak’s leadership (Hebrews 11:32) God leads by men.
[p. 55] Ques What is the thought of kings going forth to battle; 2 Samuel 11:1?
JT I suppose it refers to times of conflict, when you should not take your ease; as Urijah says, “The ark, and Israel, and Judah abide in booths; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields” 2 Samuel 11:11. What a rebuke to David. He should have been there himself; if he had been there he would not have fallen into sin.