WHY WE NEED THE DETAILS OF HIS DEATH

MF Blume
February 14, 2016


2 Samuel 18:5-10 ASV  And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.  (6)  So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim.  (7)  And the people of Israel were smitten there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men.  (8)  For the battle was there spread over the face of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.  (9)  And Absalom chanced to meet the servants of David. And Absalom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between heaven and earth; and the mule that was under him went on.  (10)  And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.

2 Samuel 18:14-15 ASV  Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.  (15)  And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

2 Samuel 18:19-33 ASV  Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that Jehovah hath avenged him of his enemies.  (20)  And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.  (21)  Then said Joab to the Cushite, Go, tell the king what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.  (22)  Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But come what may, let me, I pray thee, also run after the Cushite. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou wilt have no reward for the tidings?  (23)  But come what may, said he, I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.  (24)  Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.  (25)  And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.  (26)  And the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold, another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.  (27)  And the watchman said, I think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.  (28)  And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, Blessed be Jehovah thy God, who hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.  (29)  And the king said, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, even me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.  (30)  And the king said, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.  (31)  And, behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, Tidings for my lord the king; for Jehovah hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.  (32)  And the king said unto the Cushite, Is it well with the young man Absalom? And the Cushite answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise up against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.  (33)  And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!



Absalom was son of David who stole the hearts of the people.
•    He stirred a rebellion against his own father and sought to see the people rally to him and make him king.
•    This is the end of Absalom’s life and the end of the rebellion.

By this time David was on the run and put out of the kingdom.

Absalom was known to have a huge head of hair, over which he spent much time in proud care over it.
•    It seems his hair is what caught in the branches of the oak tree, and others note it was just his head caught between two branches.
•    At any rate, Joab shot three spears at him in his heart while he hung there still alive.

Ahimaaz (A-hee-mah’-atz) had been used in the past as a messenger for David during his time away from Jerusalem while Absalom ruled.

He would be near Absalom, and report to and tell David news upon occasion.
•    He was the son of a priest named Zadok.
•    He had the reputation of a good man.
•    And when Ahimaaz realized the rebellion was over, he once again wanted to serve the King faithfully and deliver the message.
•    But Ahimaaz did not see the death of Absalom and knew none of the details of that death.
•    And this death was the entire reason for the end of the rebellion.

BUT HE WAS TOLD ABSALOM WAS DEAD.

Joab did not want Ahimaaz to deliver the message because there was more involved than the rebellion’s end.
•    The king’s son was dead.

The entire reason for the end of the rebellion was the death of Absalom on the tree.
•    Ahimaaz simply knew the rebellion had ended.
•    We know this because of the words of verse 20 from Joab informing him that the king's son is dead.

David distinctly wanted Absalom treated gently, according to verse 5, calling him THE YOUNG MAN, rather than SON because of his rebellion.
•    And he called him the young man, also, perhaps due to the thought he tried to instill within the pursuers that Absalom ought to be pitied in part because of his youth.
•    After all, David's own sins of adultery and murder were only being reaped by him, through Absalom, and it was not entirely Absalom's fault.
•    David was told the sword would not depart from his house due to HIS SIN.

The story continues saying Absalom was found caught hanging in a tree and was killed by Joab using three spears.

Ahimaaz did not see this.
•    People can only report what they actually know about due to having witnessed it.
•    And Ahimaaz knew the rebellion was over, but could not say what happened to Absalom, although he knew he was dead, because he did not SEE IT.
•    Maybe Ahimaaz did not want to tell anything negative.

Even David saw him coming and said something good will be told.
•    Ahimaaz always had the reputation of telling only good.
•    But sometimes THE BAD must be told whether we want to hear it or not.
•    Maybe Joab knew he was like that.

Joab SENT CUSHI (COO-SHEE’).
•    Cushi was sent to talk to David.
•    Ahimaaz was forbidden.
•    He still volunteered to go anyway.
•    Joab reasoned with him and said he sent Cushi, so why go just for the sake of going?
•    He would have no message to give.
•    But Ahimaaz simply liked sending messages to David.
•    He pushed it so much that Joab let him go... NOT FROM COMMISSION, but PERMISSION.

I want to stress that Ahimaaz was a GOOD MAN.(v. 27)
•    But he was not SENT.
•    And the only reason he did run and go was because he wanted to and it was PERMITTED.
•    But permission is not commission.
•    When one is commissioned to do something and is sent, they are called.
•    When one is permitted it is only because they want to so much, not because they are called.
•    Preachers should be called and not just people who want to preach.

2 Samuel 18:21  Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

Cushi SAW THE DEATH.
•    Maybe Cushi was the man who said he would not kill him when he was asked by Joab earlier why did he not do so.
(10)  And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.

At any rate, Cushi saw the death.
•    Cushi knew why the rebellion ended, and not just that it ended.
•    So when he came to David, he told what he actually witnessed.

He used tact, by not simply saying Absalom was dead, for he knew the king was very much sensitive about it, to say the least.
•    He simply said he prayed all the king's enemies were in the state of Absalom.
•    Dead, in other words.

Ahimaaz simply said he saw a tumult.
•    He saw a ruckus and a skirmish but did not see anything.
•    He did not lie.
•    He knew Absalom was dead, but he did not see it happen.
•    But he only had half a message.

He ran through a short-cut to get to David.

(23)  But come what may, said he, I will run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
•    He raced Cushi.
•    Went by the PLAIN.
•    Cushi went through  mountains.
•    It’s easier to avoid mountains.
•    But the true message was coming through many mountains and obstacles.
•    The false message was by the easy route.
•    He wanted to give a message.
•    But he was not qualified.

People who take shortcuts and only have half a message are not the sort of people you want preaching to you.

Hanging on a tree is precisely the thought that Christ's crucifixion involves.
•    And the death of Jesus is the entire reason the rebellion of man's sin against God ending.
•    The enemy was defeated by the hanging on the tree.
•    Through DEATH Jesus destroyed the devil who had the power of death.

And simply preaching about the rebellion being over is half a message.
•    David put Ahimaaz aside to wait for the second messenger.

The details of the death are absolutely important and vital for you to hear.

Unless we know the details of why the rebellion is over, we will not inform people of what is VITALLY NECESSARY to enjoy true victory!
•    The details of the death of Jesus provide the information you need to have the confidence FOR YOUR OWN VICTORY.
•    The entire reason we have power with God is because THAT DEATH included us!
•    His death was in our places.
•    We had sin that demanded our deaths.
•    But Jesus took that sin upon himself so he could die the deaths we were supposed to experience.
•    That means the penalty for our sins was paid for, and therefore we are left as though our sin is gone.
•    And because it was sin that separated all the power and blessings of God, including God himself, away from us, and Jesus took it upon Himself, we’re back with God and all the power and blessing.
•    And when troubles come in life WE RELY ON THAT to claim help and power from God!

Someone might come along and preach to you about the victory of Jesus, but say nothing about the aspects of the death because they never really saw it themselves, anyway!
•    They know something about a ruckus being caused, and don't really want to talk about blood and nails and spears in His side, and blood want water flowing out.
•    But unless they preach to you about the details of the death and how that is the cause for the end of the war, then you know nothing hardly at all.
•    Put them to the side and listen to someone preach WHO WAS THERE.
•    And what better witness can someone be than a person who DIED WITH JESUS.
•   
We sing a chorus.

I'VE BEEN TO CALVARY
THROUGH THE WITNESS OF HIS WORD
EACH DAY AT CALVARY
WHAT A THRILL OF LOVE DIVINE
JUST TO KNOW THAT THE SAVIOUR IS MINE.

The details of the death are what we get involved in so as to be saved.

We united to HIS DEATH, and death is an ugly part of the story a lot of people don’t want to report.
•    Even David said Ahimaaz always says good things.
•    But the ACTUAL GOOD NEWS of the GOSPEL has to include the blood and the death of Jesus because after we unite to Him in HIS DEATH, we remained in Christ to follow through and be buried and resurrected with Him.
•    THAT RESURRECTION LIFE is where we get the power!
•    But you cannot have a resurrection power without a previous death!
•    So that’s how the negative news of the death is important.
•    No pain no gain.
•    No death, no resurrection!

Our sin Jesus took for us is the evil element that had to be destroyed by the cross.
•    That was the good part of the death.
•    The hard part was David’s son died.
•    Absalom was David’s son, as Jesus was Son of David.
•    Son of God.
•    David grieved over the loss of his son lie God grieved over His only begotten Son, but it was needful to end the rebellion.

You hear me talk a lot about this verse:

Romans 6:3 KJV  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

It is because that death in verse 3 that we get baptized into, puts us into Him so that we are in Him later in His burial and resurrection!
•    If you want to be in the power of His resurrection, there is the FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERING.
•    There is the COMMUNION of his suffering.
•    UNION TO HIS death.

And the Holy Ghost is the SPIRIT OF RESURRECTION!

Romans 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

All is associated with the details of His death and resurrection.

These cross-less and blood-less sermons are preached by GOOD PERSON, like Ahimaaz was!
•    And God has permitted them to carry on and preach what they do.
•    But we need COMMISSIONED messengers.

 John 17:20  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

Jesus said people would believe upon Him through the word preached by His Apostles.

Is there victory?
•    Yes!
•    But How and Why?
•    BY THE DEATH ON THE TREE!

We're so trapped in sin in this world that death alone can pay for it.

What, Ahimaaz?
•    You only know about victory?
•    You do not know about the fate of Absalom?

No.  I only know of a tumult.
•    I know more, but you do not want to hear that, though.
•    I didn’t not actually witness that part.
•    I have a reputation of only bringing good news, not like things about blood, nails, trees of hanging, etc.
•    And what I know is not from what I saw, personally.
•    I heard a brief explanation, and I beat Cushi to tell you first!

Step aside, Ahimaaz.
•    I need to know exactly what happened.
•    Not just about victory.
•    I need to know HOW I got victory.

The witness I have is better than Cushi's!
•    I DIED WITH JESUS!
•    I WAS THERE?
•    Are you kidding?
•    I participated!

Someone who died with Christ and rose with Him, simply has words that make a huge difference that you can actually tell mean more when they give you their message.

*Paul taught the details of the death and walked us through how that death became ours so we could rise with him in resurrection power, and when we come to God like someone who rose from the dead, God sees THAT WE FOLLOWED HIS ORDAINED PATHWAY to receive his blessings and power.

*When someone teaches you the details of what the bible says ended the rebellion, then when you need to stand on the grounds of that end, knowing exactly why the rebellion of sin is over, you have full confidence GOD NEEDS TO HELP YOU.
•    We must believe that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
•    And when you seek Him WITH UNDERSTANDING OF WHY HE CAN HELP YOU, you will not doubt he can help you!
•    He needs your complete confidence!
•    So He gave us the word to explain it and give us confidence.

David was moved.

2 Samuel 18:33  And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

When Peter preached about what he saw!

JUST AS CUSHI'S WORDS, PETER SAW IT ALL AND EXPLAINED IT:

Acts 2:31-38  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.  (32)  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.  (33)  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.  (34)  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,  (35)  Until I make thy foes thy footstool.  (36)  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 

JUST AS DAVID IS MOVED GREATLY, THE PEOPLE WERE PRICKED IN THEIR HEARTS AND SORROWED:

(37)  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 

(38)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The SON OF DAVID DIED FOR US!


SERMONS