John Martin - Class 5: The Tabernacle of David

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   My beloved, brethren and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ, and our dear young people. As a community, brethren and sisters and young people, we are indeed blessed. Not only are we overshadowed by the providence of God, but we move within the ambit of the power of his word. And not only so, brethren and sisters and young people, but of all the people upon the face of the earth, we have been permitted to understand and to know the times and the seasons to which we belong.

2. 0:32

   And at this present moment of time, there are things stirring in a part of the world to which our heart turns at every moment that it thinks of us to the land of Eretz Israel. At the present moment of time, that tiny nation, again in all its arrogance and pride, is defying the arm might of the world.

3. 0:54

   And there are five small gunboats, steaming about 600 miles away from Haifa, steaming towards Haifa, and they are going to pass through very shortly the Russian fleet in the East Mediterranean. And I wouldn't be surprised that the captain of that fleet wasn't Joab. You've never in all your life heard anything like it.

4. 1:17

   And we, brethren and sisters, who understand and believe and know and hope for the hope of Israel, ought to be stirred this evening as we consider the story of David. For as much as we understand the pride and arrogance of these people, there is something to be admired about these people. They have certain political principles.

5. 1:36

   They have certain scruples and they're going to stand by them, come what may. And we live under the shadow of tremendous events. And on tonight's radio, there were some prophecies that there could be war, that Russia, to save face with the Arab world, may interfere. And if she does, it means trouble in that part of the world.

6. 2:00

   And to that part of the world we look for trouble. And so as we go through our studies, let us appreciate, brethren and sisters, the privileges which are ours. And I believe in measure, as we appreciate the privileges of the truth, in measure we shall put that truth into practice, both in the sight of the world and in our relationships to each other.

7. 2:20

   And it's our relationships to each other that means more to us than life itself, brethren and sisters, because we need these days to stand together as a community of the book who love the truth for the truth's sake and for no other reason. And who are prepared to subordinate self for the interests of the brotherhood at large or wherever we may be.

8. 2:42

   And we have a man before us in the story of David who did just that. He subordinated self in every circumstance of life in order that Israel may become the people of God. And when he came to the throne, as we've read tonight, that when Yahweh had exalted his kingdom, David perceived, what did he perceive?

9. 3:04

   That God had so exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake. And every success we have in the truth, and we do have a few, and every personal triumph we may have in overcoming some aspect of the flesh, let us, brethren and sisters, in all humility, perceive that those victories are for the betterment of the brotherhood as a whole and not to us as individuals.

10. 3:30

    That was the heart of this man who was called a man after God's own heart. And these are the lessons we've got to learn. But we didn't leave Israel in a blaze of glory in our last consideration, did we, brethren and sisters? We left Saul and Jonathan dead on the slopes of Gilboa.

11. 3:50

    We went through the tragic, the mournful, touching lament of David in the second of Samuel 1. And we left this scene on a very sad note as Jonathan was passed off the scene, never again to be seen of David, until the kingdom is established. And all Israel in confusion and fleeing before their enemies.

12. 4:13

    And we read in the last chapter of the first book of Samuel, in verse 8 or verse 7, The dire consequences of the war with the Philistines.

13. 4:24

    And here in the last chapter, chapter 31 of the first of Samuel, and at verse 7, And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side of Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled.

14. 4:44

    And the Philistines came and dwelt in them. And this was the dire consequences, brethren and sisters, of defeat. Defeat in battle is one thing. But now we find the Philistines in streets in the north of Israel. Because when the men saw on the other side of the valley, and on the other side of Jordan, that Israel were beaten, they fled these cities in the north.

15. 5:04

    And the Philistines poured in and occupied these cities. And with the Philistines occupying the north, and with David coming in on the south, and with Adna taking the remnant of the people across to the east, there were three powers built up. And these three powers were now going to vie for supremacy in the land of Israel.

16. 5:25

    They were the power of the Philistines in the north, and of course on the west. There was the power of David, the growing power of David in the south, and the escaped Abner, with the remnant of Israel, across on the eastern side of Jordan. And the great drama of the ages was going to continue with the warfare of these three great powers, or two great powers, and one power that was fast fading, by which Abner would refuse to recognize that it was fading, and desperately tried to uphold the power of Ish-bosheth, king of Israel.

17. 5:56

    Now David, brethren and sisters, had sent presents into the men of Judah. You learned about that when he was at Zigglat. Saul is slain upon Mount Gilboa. So all is now in readiness for David, the shepherd boy of Bethlehem, to come into Israel and to take the crown. And of course, the way is paved for him.

18. 6:16

    The wheel has turned, the cycle has turned, and David is prepared now to walk into glory. But I want you to notice in the 2nd of Samuel chapter 2 and verse 1, the attitude of this man's mind at this present moment of time. I want you to notice the attitude of mind he adopted.

19. 6:33

    And in the 2nd of Samuel chapter 2 and in verse 1, and it came to pass after this, that is after the laying of Saul, that David inquired of Yahweh, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? What an attitude of mind, brethren and sisters and young people. If that had have been Abner, he would have been asking that question after he had been put upon the throne.

20. 7:01

    He wouldn't have thought of it until then in his eagerness to get across into Hebron or to some part of Judah. If that had have been Joah, if it had have been any perhaps of the 600 of David's servants, or any lesser man, they wouldn't have even bothered to inquire because things were so bright and rosy.

21. 7:18

    Why, it was obvious this was the next step to take. Why should we worry about inquiring of Yahweh? We're the anointed of Yahweh. We've been promised this. Here it is. It's all fallen out, as God has said. Saul has perished in battle, as David himself said that he would, or come to some other end.

22. 7:34

    Why, this is divine providence. But no, brethren and sisters, this man would have moved. And it was characteristic of him. But in a moment of triumph, he never forgot to ask God what his next step should be. And you know, brethren and sisters, I'm talking for myself now, and I suppose I'm speaking on behalf of you all when I say this, that I ponder my steps very carefully and prayerfully when I'm in trouble.

23. 8:01

    But I don't know how many times I've forgotten to give thanks when I get out of it. Nor can I ever remember, I suppose there have been occasions, but I can't bring to remembrance, and I was trying this evening, to bring to remembrance an occasion when I prayed fervently to God for steps that I should take in a positive direction.

24. 8:25

    But this man did. He never forgot Yahweh in adversity or in prosperity. And he sought him every step of the way, and there's a lesson in that. And when God said that he was to go up, well, I would have gone straight away. But David didn't. He wanted to know which city he would go into.

25. 8:47

    And so he asked God again. I wouldn't have cared. I'd have gone for the lick of me life across to the east, as fast as I could, to get amongst my friends, and to be congratulated because I was going to become king of Israel. But David said, where will I go? What city will I go to?

26. 9:02

    And God told him to go to Hebron. And I believe in that, brethren and sisters. There was a wonderful inspiration to David. Because the word Hebron means fellowship. And this is what David had been praying for all through the wilderness of Judah. He had been praying for fellowship. Fellowship with God. Fellowship with his fellow man.

27. 9:23

    Fellowship with Israel and Judah. Fellowship with his enemies, if they would. And God says, go, David, to fellowship. Hebron. And not only does Hebron mean fellowship, but at Hebron lay at rest the three great patriarchs of the nation. No wonder when David came there, as he stood in that place, brethren and sisters, and he saw the tombs of the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he perceived that God had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people.

28. 9:53

    No wonder he saw that. Because he saw there three great and glorious men laid to rest. And God is not a God of the dead, but of the living. As the Lord Jesus Christ said in respect of those men. And they were as much alive as David was. Not literally, of course. They were dead.

29. 10:09

    They were unconscious. But in the spiritual sense, those men were as much as alive as David was. For they would be the subject of a resurrection. Because God's promise to them stands sure. And because the seed of Israel had been preserved for their sake. And David perceived in that place that the purpose of God was on him as well.

30. 10:30

    And so he not only found fellowship, he found that, brethren and sisters, on the basis of the hope of Israel. And one of the first things that David did after the men of Judah had anointed him, we read in verse 5, one of the first things that he did was to send messages unto the men of Jabesh-Gilead.

31. 10:51

    The dry hill, as Jabesh-Gilead means. The dry hill of witness. And up into the dry hill of witness, David sent messages up here to Jabesh. And it's the first thing he did. And isn't that remarkable, brethren and sisters? The first thing David did. Now you take the difference between this man and ourselves off time.

32. 11:14

    I'm not saying we always act in an evil way. I'm not suggesting that. But I say that this man towers above us. Now you take the first thing he did when he came to the throne, and they put upon his head the crown over Judah only. Now the first thing he does is to remember the friends of Saul.

33. 11:32

    Men who had honoured Saul. not only by their allegiance and their loyalty to him in life, but by their courageous action in going across the river Jordan to bait Shan and to take the body of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth-Shan and to bury them at Jabesh. To give them an honourable burial.

34. 11:49

    And they jeopardised their lives to do that. And the first thing that King David did when he came to that throne was to send a message of congratulations to the friends of his greatest enemy. There's a real man before us on these pages, brethren and sisters. A real man. And yet even in that message of congratulations there was clearly implied that they should throw their lot in with David.

35. 12:15

    Verse 7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened and be ye valiant for your master Saul is dead. And also the house of Judah hath anointed me king over them. No reply came back brethren and sisters to that message to that plea. And it's obvious that the men of Jabesh Gilead were loyal to Saul to the very end.

36. 12:39

    And they weren't going to throw their lot in with David. All because right back many years before when Saul had come to the throne he had gone up there and had courageously delivered them from the hand of Nahash the Ammonite. And they'd never forgotten it. And David never forgot them for it. And that's the sort of man that's before us on this record.

37. 13:00

    And there's a lesson for you brethren and sisters a lesson for me. Remember people for what they do right not what they do wrong. Try as best we can to see virtue in somebody and to think on those things whatever their faults may be to whatever faction they may belong if I can use that term.

38. 13:19

    doesn't matter what their attitude of mind to us is be like David and try and see in them some virtue and it wasn't difficult to find a virtue in the loyalty of the men of Jabesh Gilead. Although of course it would have been to their advantage it would have been far better for them and for the truth in general for them to have thrown in their lot with David but to the very end they remembered the kindness of Saul under them and David remembered them for that.

39. 13:47

    But it wasn't the only reason why the men of Jabesh Gilead clung to the house of Saul for this Abner the father of light the man I believe that was the machinery in the last few years of Saul's life the machinery of hatred in that kingdom the man who thought he was going to be destined to be king of the world the man who thought he by the power of his arm could fulfill the promises to Yahweh the man who thought he could use the truth brothers and sisters in whatever circumstances either to build his own power up or when that was not possible to bring about the promises of God in respect to another man in the hope that he might overthrow him and a man with a turn of mind like that is eaten out with self to the extreme he's eaten out with self and we read in verse 8 that Abner the son of Ner captain of Saul's hope he took Ish-boshet the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim Ish-boshet the name means a man of shame the word Ish means a great man but he's a great man of shame how he got a name like that I've got no idea he got another name too he's also called Ish-bale which means a man of Baal he was the son of Saul and whatever we don't know about Ish-boshet we do know this that he was a very weak man and Abner knew that he was a weak man and for that reason Abner got him sat him on the throne and stood behind him and Ish-boshet

40. 15:19

    was scared stiff of Abner he was frightened out of his wits of Abner and Abner cracked the wits among the servants of Saul waiting his opportunity when he could remove that vassal and put himself in that man's place and take hold of the reins of government and that's what he had him there for brethren and sisters but I want you to notice something I want you to notice in particular where Abner set him up he set him up in Mahanaim which of course is over on the east here of Jordan and Abner having fled from the battle of Escalon across the Jordan with a few servants of Saul set up the king Ish-boshet at Mahanaim and Mahanaim brethren and sisters has wonderful historical relationships because it was at Mahanaim that Jacob saw God's host and he saw God's host combining with his host and he called the name of the place Mahanaim which means the two camps the camp of earth and the camp of heaven and the place means the name of two camps and although it has that historical relationship yet I believe in the story of Abner here it has another relationship for David has gone to Hebron what for?

41. 16:31

    what's he gone to Hebron for? to bring about fellowship between the two camps Israel and Judah and there's a man dedicated to keeping them apart dedicated to keeping them apart and doing all in his power to keep them as two camps and to put himself in between the great mighty Abner as David called him the greatest man in the nation but he hadn't done too well and this mighty Abner was going to stand between brethren and sisters the purpose of God to bring Israel and Judah together as the 37th chapter of Ezekiel prophesied I believe on the basis of the life of David that the two sticks were to become one and I will make them one nation upon the mountains of Israel and one king shall be king to them all and my servant David says Ezekiel shall be king over them and we know that's the Lord Jesus Christ and we know that Ezekiel calls him David not only because the word means beloved but because here before us is a typical story that God's determination was to bring fellowship between the divided houses of Israel and Judah and it was going to start in Hebron which means fellowship and there was Abner the father of light determined to keep them as two camps not that of course he would have went to Maonaum with that in his mind or that he would have associated the name of the city with that purpose but it seems to me in the providence of God that they should set their respective camps in those two places which became an index of their purpose David's to be fellowship

42. 17:59

    Abner's to be division and that was of course going to end in warfare because these two men were on different courses for different reasons David because he loved fellowship he loved his people and Abner because he loved himself he loved himself dearly and was prepared to sell everybody everybody else for the sake of Abner and so he puts this weak Ish-bosh on the throne and even though he put him on the throne as we learn in the second of Samuel chapter 3 and verse 9 that Abner knew the promise of God he knew the promise of God in respect to David and we read there so do God to Abner and more also as Yahweh has sworn to David even so I do to him to translate the kingdom from the house of Futsal and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan even to Beersheba and so there's Abner threatening Ish-bosheth that if he didn't keep under the sun look out he said I'll fulfil the promises of God I'll bring the kingdom to David and only a man who was blinded brethren and sisters by ambition could think like that and Abner started to take steps for the setting up of his power and back in that second chapter of the second of Samuel we read in verse 12 and Abner the son of Ner and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul they went out from Maenaim to Gibeon they went out from Maenaim to Gibeon now that was war now look where they went they went out from Maenaim they came down south across the Jordan

43. 19:42

    and they went to Gibeon that was war why brethren and sisters because Gibeon was one of the most strategic centers in the Judean hills and Abner knew that because you see Gibeon happens to be at the head of the valley of Agilon and the valley of Agilon dissects almost the Judean hills from east to west and they can come up through Beth Horon which means the house of hollows up the slopes of Beth Horon they can get through Gibeon and go past right through the Judean hills so that if anybody controls Gibeon they can control the Judean hills from east to west not only that however there's a valley which comes right up from below Jerusalem and which cojoins with that valley of Agilon at Gibeon so that there's a valley which runs straight south and Abner knew that and immediately he says he'd come from Maenaim to Gibeon David knew brethren and sisters that this was a challenge for whoever controlled Gibeon and the path of Beth Horon and the valley of Agilon and the path of the south was in a commanding position to dictate his terms to the rest of the nation and so immediately Abner comes down away goes Joab to meet him and they both come together at Gibeon who's going to have it and so the war between the house of David and the house of Saul is about to get underway and they're coming to a checkpoint at Gibeon and we read in verse 13 that they met together by the pool of Gibeon and as they met together at the pool of Gibeon there were two men

44. 21:18

    looking at each other across that pool this was a pool by the way they say was the overflow from a reservoir in that area from a spring they say that the signs of that pool are still there at Gibeon and there is Joab captain of David's host and Abner in command of the host of Israel and they're looking at each other across this pool two ruthless determined but very courageous men flinch at nothing and as they faced each other across that pool they knew in their heart as Abner later on expressed it and Joab knew it too that this was the moment of decision brethren and sisters because this was the moment when war could break out not between Israel and the Philistines not between Israel and the Ammonites or the king of Zobar or the Edomites they were on the brink of a collegial war and they hesitated at the pool of Gibeon for his brethren fighting brethren not that it hadn't already gone on but now they were shaping up for a big showdown and this was fraught with danger and both men knew it and Abner who was a hypocrite in this story as I will show you in a moment was the first to open his mouth as all those who are inflamed with ambition are the first to open their mouth and what they generally say are the things which lead to trouble Abner tried to back out of this later on but he couldn't Joab knew he was the first to open his mouth and Abner decided he said to Joab in verse 14 let the young men now arise

45. 23:01

    and play before us you can imagine the tense atmosphere as Abner thinks to himself total war is it between us the brethren well I don't reckon I could face that crowd and beat them but I reckon I stand a chance in a straight out contest between even numbers and the brave Abner on this occasion thought discretion was the better part of battle as far as he was concerned so he nominated that the young men should decide this by single combat and don't ever think that they went out to play it was a deadly game but I believe brothers and sisters when the record is put together and taken in its context that both men knew that this little contest this little game was going to either decide the war there and then or that the great civil war would break out which it did and they went over the 12 men from either side they took hold of each other's beards and they killed each other not difficult to imagine when you realise that perhaps I'm suggesting as the Benjamites were noted for being left handers and the men of Judah perhaps right handers you can imagine all grasping hold of each other's beards one with their right other with their left hand while the other hand held the sword not difficult to imagine that when they went to play they all got in first and they fell down on that day in a stupid idiotic game deadly game that it was 24 brave young men and that was the signal brethren and sisters that was the signal for war the contest was undecided and that's

46. 24:48

    what happens when brethren shape up the fight now learn that lesson and don't think that I'm drawing these lessons out out of my imagination learn that lesson brethren and sisters when brethren shape up to fight they get a fight but they get more than they bargained for and that's what happened on this occasion they got far more than they bargained for because what they hoped I suppose on this occasion was that they may decide this is a local contest and perhaps they believed that either one side or the other would accept it or they would agree to differ in parts but what they didn't bargain for was that both sides lost an equal number of men and the contest was undecided and two ambitious men still didn't know where they stood and one thing leads to another when you shape up the fight if you want to fight in the truth you'll get it make no mistake about that fighting's easy I can get a fight anywhere if you go looking for a fight you'll get a fight and you'll get more than you bargained for David never looked for fights he was hardly ever out of them but he never looked for them he was constantly on the map for peace and doing all in his power to consider his brother a better man than himself for the sake of peace he could never find it but he never went looking for a fight these two men did and the fight on this occasion led to civil war and it broke out and there was a great war that day and 380 men lost

47. 26:15

    their lives 360 of those were the men of Abner Joab only lost 19 men and a wonderful brave fit exciting young man with a tremendous future dead because of stupid folly his own brother assay hell one of the young men brethren and sisters who was named by David amongst the first 37 men in his army and he had thousands a young man with a tremendous future he lost his life that day because of stupidity and folly and the folly was mostly on the part of Abner and you know the story how Abner fled and assay hell set his sights on him swift as the row upon the mountains was assay hell and Abner himself brethren and sisters although he was a much older man evidently from the record nonetheless a brave man a very fit man a dangerous man especially when you corner him and there was Abner on the run with assay hell cursing up him and Abner calling back and saying listen you little fool listen don't come any further if you want to take someone's armour home with a spoil turn aside to get one of the young men don't follow me but assay hell would pursue him relentlessly relentlessly until Abner brethren and sisters with the hind end of his spear which by the way was always sharpened because the custom was for the captain of the host or the king if he was in the camp to put their spear in the ground at their head that's what they used to sharpen the end of their spear and as assay hell was breathing down Abner's neck in desperation Abner turned to

48. 27:57

    him and said look joe and i have got a pact and they had a pact of friendship strange as that may seem they did these two men had a pact of honour and friendship and Abner told him he said look i won't be able to look at your brother stop you fool but he wouldn't stop but he thrust his spear back straight through him and he started it all and as they pursued brethren and sisters the men of Judah against the men of Benjamin the men of Benjamin gather together we read in verse 25 they gather themselves together after Abner became one troop and stood on the top of a hill it's rather amazing that word troop is the word for a bunch of hyssop and a bunch of hyssop brethren and sisters and the word of god is a symbol of humility as it's contrast to the mighty cedar the bunch of hyssop and there they were a little bunch of hyssop on the top of a hill and they gathered themselves together and Abner was going to make his last appeal and being on top of a hill of course they were in a good position for defence and so the wily joab came to a hold of that place he'd seen his brother killed and Abner called to him in verse 26 joab you know you know there'll be bitterness in the latter end you see they knew that brethren knew that isn't that a tragedy brethren and sisters and young people brethren knew there would be bitterness in the latter end that didn't stop them that it'll be bitterness in the

49. 29:21

    latter end joab joab knew that too and they shouldn't have started it should they but they did because when they were standing in the pool of gibbon who cared about bitterness in the latter end if it meant the great power that would come to them individually no one cared about the bitterness in the latter end but now they've tasted that bitterness 360 men of benjamin were gone 19 of israel and joab had lost his young brother and Abner said you know joab is going to be bitterness in the latter end return he said from following your brethren don't follow your brethren and joab answered him truthfully as god livers Abner unless you'd spoken surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his father if you kept your big mouth shut Abner if you hadn't called for this contest in the pool of gibbon if you hadn't issued those insults if you hadn't issued the challenge to david's throne Abner you're calling for peace and fellowship you're calling for mercy to your brethren Abner you're a hypocrite you started it we'd have gone away to joab but it's your fault and his fault it was and they came Abner's men to the two camps at the end of verse 29 and job and his men came to fellowship for the break of dust and so it continued brethren and sisters one camp striving for fellowship the other one determined to keep it as two camps and so we read there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David and David waxed stronger and stronger and the house

50. 31:04

    of Saul waxed weaker and weaker and it was inevitable that the throne of the house of Saul would collapse we read in the end of verse 6 that Abner had made himself strong for the house of Saul and he could see brethren and sisters in Mahanaim he could see up there that the end of this man Ish-bosheth was in sight the house of David was waxing stronger and stronger the house of Saul was waxing weaker and weaker and Abner decided at last to make his grand move the time had come to put Ish-bosheth off the throne and for Abner to step to the front and so he took Saul's concubine which in those days was a sign for the man wanting another man's concubine or wife he wanted to live in that man's shoes and it was accepted as an eastern custom if a man could successfully do this and get to himself enough of the harem of the former king he could take that man's position and so Abner I believe made that dramatic move to get to the front but Ish-bosheth as weak as he was challenged him what are you doing and that makes Abner mad and he was caught brethren and sisters and young people in his mad dash for power he was caught and he couldn't go any further and so he threatened Ish-bosheth as we've already read and Ish-bosheth was afraid of him we read in verse 11 and from that moment onwards Abner knew brethren and sisters that the only way he could come to power was through David he knew that the only way he could come to power was

51. 32:25

    through David and he sent messages to David I want you to notice what he said this is illuminating as to what he thought in verse 12 Abner sent messages to David on his behalf saying whose is the land now isn't that illuminating down go the messages we've got a message for Abner what's the message David whose is the land what Abner meant by that of course was this that the land belonged to David he was wrong but that's how he thought that's how he thought whose is the land would to God I suppose he thought I could say Abner and you see that reveals the mind of the man whose is the land implying that he at last agreed the land was David but David didn't accept that because brethren and sisters there was a law in the law of Moses which said the land shall not be sold forever for it is mine and ye says God are strangers and pilgrims with me and the law of the jubilee which let a man buy a land for a certain period of time after which he must return it to his neighbor was given in the law not simply not simply brethren and sisters because of the people who had a cell not simply for their sake but that they might learn this lesson the land shall not be sold forever for it is mine no man had a title to sell the land you couldn't buy that land and the reason for ye are strangers and sojourners with me when David came to the throne he was anointed king over Judah at Hebron later on

52. 34:08

    king over all Israel and Judah at Jerusalem he reigned for 40 years he got up from a sick bed to anoint Solomon and to crown him and he made a public oration before the people at a moment of his greatest triumph one of his greatest triumphs but all his enemies had been subdued and he was now before the people to proclaim Solomon king and he said that the kingdom is Yahweh and I am a stranger and a sojourner with him and that was the mind of David but the mind of Abner was to whom does the land belong and that was the thought of an approach he made to David implying of course that he was prepared to throw in his lot with David then he says make a league with me now listen to this make a league with me and behold my hand shall be with thee to bring about all Israel unto thee my hand powerful man wasn't he and then he started verse 17 and Abner had communication with the elders of Israel saying he sought for David in time past as the king over you now then do it he was selling Ish-bosheth down the river brethren and sisters and young people selling him down the river never mind about him and Abner is getting around and communicating with the elders of Israel he comes down in verse 20 to Hebron and speaks to David and in verse 21 and Abner said unto David I will arise and go and gather all Israel unto my lord the king I will arise and go and gather all Israel unto my lord the

53. 35:49

    king he's a very powerful man is he not Abner he's the best man in Israel says David he's going to do marvellous things and he calls David my Adon the king my lord the king and away he went in peace and I suppose David thought well perhaps this is the providence of God or he may have thought well let's give Abner a chance we don't know what he thought president and sister one thing we know that David would never have entered into a league with that man on the basis of Abner's principle but he entered into a league with him nonetheless and he sent him on his way and then Joab and all his hosts came back to Hebron and they told Joab what had happened ah Abner's been here has he it just so happened brothers and sisters that Joab was at this time not the official captain of David's host but the unofficial captain of David's host and it just so happened that Abner had forever occupied as far as the record is concerned had ever occupied the position of captain of Saul's host and Joab had therefore two things to score with Abner one he'd killed his brother which he'd never forgotten and two if this man came to David's kingdom and was successful Joab would get the sack he wouldn't care about that so much but there was a man almost equal in ambition to Abner in the man Joab and so he went and called Abner back and he said Abner I want to see you and Abner returned in verse 27 to Hebron and Joab took him aside in

54. 37:35

    the gate to speak with him quietly to speak with him quietly and Abner fool Abner went over to speak with Joab now what an idiot he was going near a man like that it's like touching the plague and you imagine Joab calling him over to speak with him and Abner perhaps his mind blind with this ambition and perhaps that David had sent for him and perhaps he had more news for him and now he's on his way up blinded with ambition as David said he died as a fool dires because no man would go within sword distance of Joab unless of course he was Joab's twin brother or something but he wouldn't go within sword distance of him and on this occasion although Samuel doesn't tell us Abishael was on the other side of Joab seems he being sandwiched between those two boys and Abner was fool enough to go near him and he killed him and David did something on this occasion brothers and sisters that endeared him to all Israel we read in verse 28 that afterwards when David heard it he said I and my kingdom are guiltless and verse 29 he said let it rest on the head of Joab and he cursed Joab brothers and sisters he cursed Joab with a curse that would have absolutely caused a tingle to go up the spines of Israel because he cursed him with a curse under the law of Moses there was no greater because he cursed him with three things he cursed him with death he cursed him with leprosy and he cursed him with issues and you're going to turn

55. 39:05

    up to the fifth chapter of Numbers in verse 2 to know this that when you contracted any forms of uncleanness under the law of Moses in those ways with death with leprosy or issues of the flesh they were the three forms of uncleanness that put a man outside the camp and he could never return until he was clean and as long as he had leprosy and as long as his issue from the flesh continued he had no hope of returning and David cursed Joab with that curse and you can see brethren this is the difference between Joab and David I'm going to point it out in a minute there was a look there was a fundamental difference between David and Joab and they could never get on and Joab as I will deal with him later on showed exceptional loyalty to David no doubt about that showed exceptional loyalty to David yet brethren and sisters Joab was a man that David could never love he could never bring himself to love him he could never lament over him like he lamented over Saul or Jonathan because there was a fundamental difference between David and Joab and Joab murdered Abda and David on that occasion made a public example of Joab we read that he buried Abda and we read in verse 33 and they buried Abda in Hebron and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abda and all the people wept and the king lamented over Abda and said died Abda is a full die thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put into fetters as a man

56. 40:37

    falleth before the wicked so fellest thou all the people wept again over him and there was a public lamentation but he wanted to grip the scene brethren and sisters as Abda is carried to his grave and David makes a public example of his mourning why should he do that because look it was politic to do that at this present moment of time his kingdom is waxing stronger and stronger the house of Saul is waxing weaker and weaker the kingdom is coming to David he knows it's coming to him there's only one man one prop under the kingdom of Saul one prop one prop alone and that's Abda now he's gone now here's the moment brethren and sisters when Israel are tottering one man has propped them up and he's gone and David knew that if he's going to win the hearts of Israel he had to win them now and so I believe that there were not only reasons of emotion here but there were political reasons also that why David made a public mourning for Abda but all Israel may know that David had nothing to do with his death but I can imagine on that day as Joab stood there commanded by the king to wear sackcloth and ashes and to bow his head and the king over the grave of Abda lamenting and saying Abda you died as a fool nobody tied your feet nobody tied your arms but you were killed by wicked men and I can see the red flushing into Joab's face as he took a steamy rebuke at that grave you died at the hand of wicked men

57. 41:58

    and he called for God to execute judgment upon those wicked men and Job stood there and took it all took it all brethren and sisters and I can imagine him fighting with his feelings on that occasion fighting with his feelings loyalty to David and loyalty to Joab's true cause power and he took a stinging rebuke on that day we read in verse 37 that because of what David had done all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abda the son of Ner and I believe that was one of the reasons why he mourned it like he did and then David brethren and sisters points out the fundamental difference between him and a man like Joab and the king said to his servants now listen to this the king said to his servants know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fall on this day in Israel notice again that David tries his utmost to see the best in people and I look at me he says I'm a softy that's what that word means not a softy so much but it means tender and soft me I'm soft though he says I'm anointed king and these men the sons of Zeruiah too hard for me Yahweh shall reward the doer of evil according to his wicked brethren and sisters and young people let's pause David was a man after God's own heart what's God's heart like well David says look at me there was a prince and a great man fallen in Israel today he's hard as nails I'm anointed king and

58. 43:53

    look at me I'm soft but he was king Abner would have liked to have been king too doubtless Job would have liked to have been king too so would his brothers Abishai probably he would like to have been king too and of all the men that stood there David says I'm the one that's anointed king and I'm the softest of the lot but he was king because into that soft heart the imprint of the divine word went God could touch a heart like that and it would quiver and it would leave the fingerprint of God on it he could also touch it and it would hurt and when the rebuke of God fell upon him it would be like a lash across his back and when the greatness of God was manifested to him that heart brought forth music but you couldn't touch the heart of Joab with a forty foot palm it was as hard as nails and the word that David uses there for hard is a word which means to be severe to be cruel to be rough and stiff neck and there was a fundamental difference between David and Joab Joab had a heart brethren and sisters it could be loyal he had a heart that could manifest the courage that was breathtaking but he had a heart that was incapable of taking any tender impressions made upon him and that was the fundamental difference between David and Joab and David was the one that was a man after God's own heart and he was a soft yet he was anointed king and yet by divine standards he stood head and shoulders

59. 45:33

    above Abner and the sons of Zeruiah why does he call them the sons of Zeruiah because Zeruiah was his half sister and evidently when you look at the record she must have been an older sister so that Joab Abishai Asahel were his nephews but being these sons of an older sister they were perhaps around about David's age and it's rather peculiar that time and again he calls them the sons of Zeruiah why would he call them that was there something in the character of their mother that he saw in these boys or was there something in these boys that was opposite to their mother who knows we know this however that Zeruiah literally means to crack under pressure and you couldn't crack Joab Abishai with a nut cracker you couldn't crack those lands but their mother's name means to crack under pressure and perhaps David kept calling them this in amazement that they should come from a woman who could crack under pressure or be wounded as the word means but these fellas they're implacable he said I can't understand them they're too hard for me and oft times in ecclesial life brothers and sisters and young people how do we find the same thing when you see people make decisions they can make them like at the flick of a hat they can make a decision because they're as hard as nails I'm bummed if I know how they can make the decision so quickly when all things are going to be considered and the power of the word has got to have some impact upon you personally to show you your position first of all

60. 47:03

    before you make any decision on behalf of anybody else and when David did that he saw the thing in his true perspective he made decisions brethren and sisters that were calculated to bring the most good out of everybody and to do the most good for the most people but Joab Abishai Asahel Abner and the rest of them as hard as nails no worry with them and they went through life they went through life considering that emotion and the manifestation of emotion was the lowest form of weakness and later on we'll see how that Joab when he came to David who was overtaken with emotion stood up at the top of him and said ah you're a baby you're a baby weeping like that over Absalom what's wrong with you and rebuking his master couldn't understand the manifestation of tears and of emotion and of affection had no part of Joab's makeup and there was a fundamental difference between him and his king but alright Abner's gone he's gone off the scene and we read in chapter 4 that when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron his hands were feeble and all Israel was troubled what an expression the news travels up the valley of the Jordan it travels up to Mahanaib and there's Ish-bosh Saul's son and he hears that Abner is dead and the record says his hands were feeble literally the Hebrew says his hands slackened just fell to his side powerless what's this man of shame going to do he's got an ounce of power in him puff of wind to blow him over Abner was his prop his prop

61. 48:39

    as God and all Israel we read were confused the word means all Israel were confused why were they confused about brethren and sisters they had no leader there were no leaders and where there were no leaders there's confusion amongst the flock leadership is a good thing brethren and sisters Paul commends it he also warns us as does James as the responsibilities of leadership but any brother or sister who says we don't need any leadership of the Lord Jesus Christ and means by that that there didn't ought to be anybody in the ecclesia who could lead us into the pathways of the word of God doesn't know anything about the word of God but ever since the word of God has been extant God has laid down the principle that leaders there must be he took a tribe of Levi out of Israel that they might be leaders kept them on other people's money that they might have time to be leaders he brought his son forth to be a leader of the flock and when he went he left twelve apostles and multiplied them too that they might be leaders James tells us twice or rather not James in the book of Hebrews tells us twice that there were those rulers in the Hebrew ecclesia to which they were going to give respect but here Israel's got nobody like that and they're wandering around confused and it's rather remarkable that in verse 4 we read about Jonathan's son Mephibosheth it's rather remarkable that at this stage Mephibosheth is introduced why is that brothers and sisters because the divine record wants to show us that Abner

62. 50:06

    is gone the only prop the kingdom of Saul had Ish-bosheth is not worth a cracker and who's next to him Mephibosheth poor boy at the age of five when his nurse was fleeing away from the Philistines fell over probably broke both his ankles and never mended properly could never walk properly and grew up a cripple and in his own words he called himself a dead dog and isn't it pathetic that the word of God should introduce the next step down in the kingdom of Saul what's left what's left after Ish-bosheth a dead dog and the house of David waxed stronger and stronger and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker but still David delayed brothers and sisters learn that lesson still he delayed he would never ever take the reins of government to himself he would wait and wait he did and you can imagine David's feelings at this time he would of course had his ambassadors everywhere everywhere all over that kingdom trying to get Israel to see common sense but still the nation confused as it were they still would not make that final step what was it then that made them make that final step there was an incident which came about brethren and sisters which opened the floodgates to David and he didn't do it by his own power and the remarkable thing is this that the key which turned the door which opened the floodgates of popularity was a key which humanly speaking was to lock that door to David to the kingdom and he turned it himself he turned it himself and it fell about this way as we read

63. 51:46

    in this chapter that there were two men in verse two called Faanana and Rechat and they were the sons of Rimen of Beiroth Faanana means in affliction Rechat means a rider but this we know that the city of Beiroth was one of the cities of the Gibeonites and you remember the Gibeonites do you right those people when Joshua had conquered the land they put old shoes upon their feet old clothes and they brought their water bottles all old looking and so on and they came to Joshua with a lie and they obtained from him a covenant a covenant of protection that they should live in the land with him and God held them to that covenant and in the record of Samuel as we'll see in our final study he still held them to that covenant because they made their word with these Gibeonites but there was one king in Israel who didn't hold them to that covenant and that was Saul and in his mad anger in all the stupid things he did amongst one of the things he did against the word of God was he persecuted the Gibeonites and here were two of them now that saw the writing on the wall and they decided to take matters into their own hands and this was going to be the key that was going to unlock the kingdom to David and they went up when Ish-bosheth lay on his bed at noon at the end of verse 5 as was the custom they used to have a siesta in those days not a bad idea wasn't too good an idea for Ish-bosheth however

64. 53:21

    because they got into his bedroom and they slew him cut off his head and they went down to David and this is what the foolish men said to David and thank you saying this to David verse 8 what a stupid thing to say to a man who had been forever forgiving Saul and saying I will not touch the Lord's anointed who had shown him the cave of En-Gedi at the hill of Hekelah that he would not touch the Lord's anointed and here's two men with his gruesome head saying that Yahweh avenge you this day of your enemy he didn't want to be avenged of his enemies not like that and he said look there was a day when an Amalekite came to me and he thought he was the bearer of good tidings as the margin has it he was in his own eyes a bringer of good tidings he thought he was going to impress me and do you know what I did I killed him and do you two think the duty different that they were from a race of people who had been shown the mercy of God because of the way in which they tricked Joshua but God had held him to his word it was God that had protected these people brothers and sisters he had given them a home in Israel he had given them the shadow of the army of Israel to protect them he had kept these people and who were they to go and cut off the head of a king in Israel and say that Yahweh has avenged them of their enemies look if Joshua

65. 54:58

    had done what he had told there wouldn't have been a Gibeonite left and they were there by the grace of God and they had the audacity to come to a man like David of all people on the face of the earth they come to a man like David and tell him that and he did something brethren and sisters that at once claimed the attention of the whole nation he cut off their hands and their feet we read in verse 12 and he hung them over a pool in Hebron and of course the pool of any city was the communal meeting place everybody went there not only to get water but to to chatter about everyday affairs and there it was the meeting place and nobody could miss the point but hanging up over the pool of Hebron was two men and they had no hands and they had no feet and with those hands they had shed the blood of an innocent man and Solomon tells us that hands that shed innocent blood and with those feet they had run to mischief down to Hebron to gain for themselves a prominent place in the kingdom and they had no hands and they had no feet but that's not the thing that struck Israel the wonder that struck Israel was that hanging up over the pool of Hebron were two men who could have been taken by David exalted into his kingdom and given him a passport straight into glory he could have taken those men commended them for what they had done mustered his forces gone up and then swept Israel out of the way

66. 56:27

    who now had absolute no leadership whatsoever and yet standing hanging before the everybody who came to that pool of Hebron was a manifestation of this fact that they had a man before them who didn't care whatever what happened in life to his own personal advantage it didn't matter to him and Adam all that mattered to David was that Yahweh is righteous and man unrighteous and he had such integrity of character and heart that it didn't matter what happened in this man's life it didn't care what personal advantage it gave him it's what was right in the eyes of Yahweh and when all Israel saw that they just gave up and fluttered across those borders and came to David and said you're the man we'll be looking and that's the man they had been looking because Saul started on the downward course to ruin by doing the very opposite he had Agag before him there was personal advantage to him there was personal advantage to Agag Agag was the worse enemy than the Beirothite ever worse and he would not slay that man and he listened to the voice of the people he was swayed this way and that way he couldn't make a decision he finally gave him the pressure on behalf of the people and he broke the word of Yahweh but he was a man that said I don't care what you think I don't care what you think I don't care what the king of Saul thinks I don't care what this ecclesia or that ecclesia I don't care what the world thinks that's wrong and there was absolute honesty in what he

67. 57:56

    did and when all Israel saw that that was the end and the key that turned that lock as I say humanly speaking David had given away an opportunity to the kingship and yet there was the very thing the door swung open and Israel says you're the man we was and down they came and what a wonderful occasion this was absolutely marvellous it was a marvellous occasion and in chapter 5 we read these words then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto fellowship and spake saying behold we are thy bone and thy flesh also in time past when Saul was king over us thou wast he that led us out and brought us in Israel and Yahweh said to thee thou shalt feed my people Israel and thou shalt be captain over Israel and so we read at the end of verse 3 they anointed David king over Israel there shall be one kingdom and one king shall be king of them all now I want you to notice the threefold appeal they made to David then all the tribes came to Hebron they fluttered down brethren and sisters to the place of fellowship and they said this David first of all you're our kingdom you're bone of our bones and flesh of our flesh we are in the truth we're christadelphians we're brethren of christ we're israelites we're the princes with god we have a wonderful hope every one of us and they made that appeal secondly David we know that you're experienced in leadership you're the one who went out in front of us and you're the one that brought us home

68. 59:28

    to safety we know by watching you your character your example has taught us that you're the man we want and thirdly David and they would have said this I believe with a good deal of shame faithfulness we know that Yahweh's anointed you you're the man of god's promise why didn't they say that years earlier brethren why didn't they come to that conclusion years earlier the reason is obvious Saul Abner and a whole lot of others like them who were blinding the flock to the true power of god's word who wouldn't let them see on occasion which what was right and what was wrong and who was steering them on a course of ruin because of their own personal ambitions and envy and jealousy but now all that had gone and what had won what had won politics had David's politics won his politics was to destroy the man who wanted to help him that's not politics that's honesty and what won in the Finnish brethren and sisters was a character like god and people ultimately saw it and they said you're the man we want and they flooded into that nation and they came from everywhere now I want you to turn to the first of chronicles chapter 12 to one of the most wonderful aspects of this story of how they came to David to Hebron and here we have some details of what happened on that occasion and this part of the story brethren and sisters to me is a thrilling aspect of it because it speaks of positive things it speaks of great things and we read in verse 23 of the

69. 1:01:14

    first of chronicles 12 and these are the number of the bands that were ready armed to the war and that came to David to Hebron to fellowship to turn the kingdom of Saul to him according to the word of Yahweh and then it goes on to speak of Judah and of Simeon and of Benjamin and of Issachar and Manasseh of Zebulun of Naphtali Dan Asher, Gad, Reuben, Manasseh and so on it goes to speak of all the tribes that they came down there to make David king but I want you to notice with what spirit they came we read in verse 29 and the children of Benjamin the kindred of Saul three thousand for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul there's Saul three thousand standing army there brethren and sisters remember the three thousand we spoke about over which Jonathan was ahead over one thousand David ahead over another on one occasion but there was always three thousand of Saul's standing army they're there today back in fellowship with David in verse thirty one and of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand which were expressed by name to come and make David king and there were those out of Manasseh who came down there and put their name to paper had the courage of their convictions and to show that they meant what they said they put their name to paper and they came to make David king we read in verse thirty thirty two of the children of Issachar and what sort of men joined him out of Issachar they were men that had

70. 1:02:46

    understanding of the time to know what Israel ought to do those are the sort of people that joined David they were men who knew what Israel ought to do because they saw the signs of the times that was the class that joined him out of Issachar out of Zebulun we read in verse thirty thirty three such as went forth to battle expert in war with all instruments of war fifty thousand which could keep rank and they were not double hearted those were the class that joined him out of Zebulun brethren and sisters genuine people we come over to verse thirty eight we read that all these were men of war that is from Dan Asher Reuben and Gad Manasseh all these were men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron to fellowship to make David king over all Israel and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king there was unity brethren and sisters at last there was unity on what basis however on what basis was there unity unity I believe there was on the basis of the character as exemplified in David their king they came with one heart whose heart was it it was a heart that beat in the king of Israel and it was a heart with a heart brethren and sisters there was a heart like under God's own heart and it was that heart that brought Israel together there was no double heart there now they were swept aside people had come to see the wisdom of this man there was no !

71. 1:04:27

    Judah had prepared for their brethren and you can imagine them coming down men out of Benjamin saying look we kept the ward of Saul's house we've had enough David we've seen the light you're the man we want look your example has been outstanding there's three thousand here today going to join you down come the men of Manasseh David you're the man we want there's the names of eighteen thousand men they're their names on paper look at them David every man has got a perfect heart down comes Zebulun no double hearts among them down comes the Danite the people from Naphtali Gad Reuben Asher and they could all keep rank and they came with one heart to David and when they came they found their brethren and sisters down in Judah had prepared a fraternal tea tea food raisins and so on and they brought that down and Judah had a great banquet spread there brethren and sisters the people of Issachar Naphtali and Zebulun put all their food together they made it a wonderful occasion for there was joy in Israel and that to me is one of the most touching stories in the life of David and of all the greatness that David had attained to there was none greater and you can imagine on this occasion brethren and sisters when the flood gates were open and the people that had last seen by an example shown to them who was the true king of Israel sweeping over the borders singing the psalms of David singing the psalms of Zion coming up to Hebron and there making fellowship with each other eating and drinking

72. 1:06:25

    and there was joy in Israel that David perceived that God had made him king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake and what finer joy could any man have to know that his own personal example of honesty integrity humility compassion and mercy was the most powerful factor in welding together the ecclesia of God in a conclave of joy you couldn't imagine a greater occasion than that and you know what David did he was in a grand position now brethren and sisters he was in a grand position because there wouldn't have been a man in that congregation there was not one they said they were all of one heart absolutely welded to him and so if he wished he could start to dictate the terms of his kingdom and do you know what he did look he could have laid the Lord down now and had everything his own way look at the 13th chapter the first of chronicles and verse one and David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and with every leader David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds and every leader and he started to consult them as to what he should do and one of the first things he consulted with them as to how they should bring the art to Zion brethren and sisters it wouldn't matter whether the captains of millions were there and had voted against David bringing that art to Zion he would have brought it there anyway because that was going to be one of the joys of his heart but the man had the common sense the humility

73. 1:08:12

    and the respect of his fellows to have a chat with them as to how it should be done and he was the greatest man in the land at that moment of time and if that's not a lesson I've never seen that and they came together with one heart they were brought into his confidence because there was joy and fellowship in Israel and together they worked out how that ark should be brought to Zion and although tragedy followed its first attempt it was ultimately brought back into Israel amidst joys and shouting and the nation was fed by David he gave everyone a portion and there was another great feast of joy on that occasion and I believe brethren and sisters if you contemplate these things let us learn this lesson that if we're going to be well together as a community and there's going to be joy in Israel then there's no one man going to do it make no mistake about that there's no one big enough to do it we wouldn't make David's bootmates but there's got to be brethren and sisters a community of people all in whom there is a portion of the spirit of David we might work together for the common good bringing about purity of faith and doctrine first and foremost purity of practice on the basis of that and all those who want to ascribe to that joy in Israel and that's how it ought to be and that was David's stand for the truth and it ought to be our stand you know before we pass away from the second of Samuel chapter five never mind the

74. 1:09:40

    Philistines out there we have another little story I'd like to tell you tonight because I want to get to this far so that we can commence on a new section on Thursday night but this won't take us long you see David now had all Israel before him brothers and sisters both Judah and Israel but you see he was somewhat embarrassed because they've made him king down here in Hebron he's right in the heart of the territory of Judah and David was one of those characters brothers and sisters that would not want any man or woman to be placed under a strain or embarrassment that might ultimately mean trouble and so he was not only a wonderful man he was not only a warm hearted man he was a wise man and so he decided at the time comes that he ought to move the seat of his kingdom nearer to the centre of the land and he couldn't have picked a better city than the city of Jerusalem not only because the promise of God was that the throne of God should be there but for the moment what would have loomed large in David's mind was this that Jerusalem was right on the border between Judah and Benjamin and they're the two houses that have been fighting it was the house of Benjamin Saul's house and the house of Judah David's house that were at loggerheads for years and there was the city of Jeebus as it was then called right on the borders of Judah and Benjamin but two thirds of it in Benjamin two thirds of it in Benjamin so it was more of

75. 1:11:09

    that city in Benjamin than in Judah now wasn't it politic therefore that David should want to move his kingdom there he had only had one problem and that was the Jebusites and it's remarkable how the Jebusites had been able to hold that city Joshua had thrown them out once or part of it he'd at least got part of that city in his possession lost it again in the book of Judges and the Jebusites had that city again it wasn't called Jerusalem brethren and sisters the first of the chronicles 11 verse 4 says the name of the city was Jebus and I wonder what Jebus would mean you wouldn't read about what Jebus means you know what Jebus means it means literally trodden down Luke 21 and 24 Jerusalem shall be trodden down with the Gentiles until the time for the Gentiles be fulfilled and that's what the word Jebus literally means trodden down and Jebus was to be trodden down until this day and so David goes up and he looked at the fortress of Jebus now Jerusalem brethren and sisters can you imagine this lectern here as being the city of Jerusalem I know you can't because it's sloping the wrong way what are we going to do well imagine it's sloping that way but this is the city of Jerusalem now you're down south this is where David was he was down south as you come up towards Jerusalem on the eastern side of the walls of Jerusalem was the valley of the Kidron sloping steeply away in the Mount of Olive around the south and up the west was the valley of the

76. 1:12:41

    son of Hinnom so there was a steep slope coming up here to the southern wall of Jerusalem there was a steep slope against the western wall of Jerusalem to the north of course there was very little protection but there was a place called Milo which means to fill in and evidently this had been filled in to make a great fortress along the north so that the most vulnerable point the north they'd build a great fortress the valley of the Kidron protected it over there the valley of Hinnom there and there and David marched straight up from the south he looked straight up the valley of the Kidron as we did we stood at the pool of Siloam and you see the hill of Jebus stretching up before you and of course in those days when they didn't have aeroplanes and atomic bombs but they had arrows that was a powerful position of anybody climbing up a valley you know you can imagine and so Jebus well how are they going to take it so David turned around he said look there's one way into that city and that's through a gutter that gutter by the way the word means literally a water spout and evidently from the bottom of the Kidron Valley they had dug a tunnel which went is that horizontal or vertical that's horizontal isn't it it went along horizontally until it went about three or four hundred feet they came under the walls of the city then there was a shaft that they dug up vertically for about forty feet which went up into the city itself and what they used to do was come to

77. 1:14:01

    that shaft let down their buckets into the stream which ran through that gutter or water spout and they used to bring the water up into the city Hezekiah later on modified that but for the moment this was an access to the city but what an access someone he suggested should get into that gutter make his way along either crawling along the side or swimming along that tunnel until he got to the shaft which was forty feet up how on earth are going to get up there I don't know and he would suggest that somebody get up that shaft and in some way or other we're not told we've got no idea but if someone could get in that way then they felt the city could be taken and as David was talking about this he said the man that does it will be captain of my host zoom Joah says I'll go I'll go straight away no worries oh look courage brothers and sisters you imagine if somebody decided to get a glass of water when he's half way up there this could have easily happened but captain of the Lord's host and look what it meant now look what it meant now if Joah was captain of David's army before unofficially look what it meant now all Israel are here now there are thousands here this man a tremendous lift and Joah was out like a flash but I can imagine brothers and sisters that David would have been deeply disappointed in a way that Joah was there because later on he tried to get Joah out of that job didn't like it he could not get on

78. 1:15:23

    with Joah there was a fundamental difference between the two men and that difference as I've said and I'll say again was in their hearts and he couldn't get on with him but bravery no one could dispute the bravery of Joah and this character of Joah on this occasion got into that city and in some way or another whether they had confrades inside the city or we don't know but in some way by getting into that city he was able to bring about circumstance that David owned through the city of Jeebus and he took that city but look at the man that took that city brothers and sisters you know he's a mixture and I believe in the character of Joah as it's portrayed off on the page of the word of God he's like a mirror sometimes you see very often a reflection of yourself in him we don't read about him you know until the day when David is made king in Hebron rather strange that we read about Abishai Job's brother but as to himself personally he doesn't appear on the record until David is king but then he appears there as being captain of the host and of course implicit in that is the fact that he must have been with David for at least some of the time when he was in exile but there he is he appears there as captain of the host and he's the one that goes up to Gibeon and has a little game with Abner and demonstrates straight away not only his ruthlessness but his courage also he comes back brethren and sisters and by the power of

79. 1:16:44

    his own personal courage the city of Jerusalem fell and Jerusalem was trodden down to the Gentiles until David took it and from there he became captain of the Lord's host but he had already murdered Abner because Abner was going to be captain of the Lord's host too and David had seen in that man a characteristic that he could not could never live with he could never live with that characteristic but Joab nonetheless was a brave man he went out brethren and sisters to fight the wars of David and he showed himself on many an occasion to be a terrific soldier he climbed the gutter he became captain of the host he had titles like Lord he had ten men to carry his baggage he had a personal armour bearer and he was called the prince of the king's army oh he was a big man was Joab and he loved that position above all else and that position overcame him in the finished brethren and sisters although there was obviously in Joab some good there's no head about that let us never say that Joab was all evil because he wasn't his courage was exemplary look in the second of Samuel chapter 10 this is the sort of man he was on one occasion he'd gone across to fight the Ammonites over here him and his brother Abishai to the north the Syrians came down to fight against him they never thanked on that and they found themselves jammed between the Syrians and the Ammonites so he divided the army into two he sent Abishai against the Ammonites and he himself with the rest of the army

80. 1:18:09

    he went against the Syrians and these are his words to his brother in the second of Samuel chapter 10 and in verse 11 he said if the Syrians be too strong for me then thou shalt help me but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee then I will come and help thee but be of good courage and let us play the men for our people and for the cities of our God and Yahweh do that which seemeth him good they're the words of a brave man brethren and sisters and you can imagine him facing up with Abishai's brother and looking him in the eye and he had a man there that could almost match him too and the two of them stood there let us play the men they don't play men these days they play girls these were men and they stood there and looked at each other and he said listen fellow we're in a lot of strife I'll tell you my plan now you listen to how stupid this plan was and you think what you would have said to Job had you been a lesser man than Abishai he said look if the Syrians were too strong for me you come and help me won't you yeah I'll tell you what I'll do if the Ammonites are too strong for you I'll come and help you yeah now nobody said the obvious I'd have said Job excuse me what happens if they're both too strong but nobody said that yet it was so powerfully obvious and I can imagine Abishai looking straight in his brother's eyes and Job matched him up

81. 1:19:38

    all right yeah good old well let's play the men that's the sort of man he was brethren and sisters and that's the sort of courage that we want to manifest for different reasons you know Joab on one occasion we'll deal with it later in detail I'm sorry for keeping you but look this is interesting on one occasion David was up here he was up here fighting the king of Zobar right up north right up past Galilee right up on the plain of the between the anti-Lebanese and the Lebanese rangers on the way to Baal Beck he's right up north fighting the king of Zobar and all of a sudden the Edomites invades the land he can't afford to come down he's got a major battle on his hand Job's his old handler and he went down there brethren of Zobar with a small army he handled it all right he killed 18,000 of them in one city and he stayed there for six months slaughtering them man after man after man until Hadad the Edomite who came after Joab and who fled to Egypt he said to the king of Pharaoh I've heard that Joab is dead I'd like to go home that's what he said in the first of Kings chapter 11 Hadad said the Pharaoh king of Egypt when he had heard that Joab was dead I'd like to go home but he wouldn't leave Egypt until he was and that was the sort of man was Joab he was courageous all right but he didn't match that courage brethren and sisters with a lot of other things his fear fell upon all

82. 1:20:52

    the nation he was the man that could be moved he saw David crying for Absalom when Absalom had been exiled because he had murdered his brother Ammon and David had exiled him but David's heart was breaking Joab could see his heart breaking and for once this man was moved by something goodness I know what it was but he saw this and he got into it with a woman of Tukola and he got in league with her and he got Absalom home and he caused the two to come together because he could see that David wanted it that way the man's loyalty was tremendous to David but Absalom did a silly thing he went and burnt down all jobs wheat and when Absalom defected from the king brothers and sisters and Joab went after him and he saw him hanging in a tree and they said to him you don't touch him Joab the king said not to touch him who said the king look he said thrust him through no no not to thrust him get out of the life and he stuck three spears to him why did he do that because he had David in the hollow of his hand because on one occasion brothers and sisters David had slipped down and he wrote a letter to Joab and he'd sold his soul with the hands of a man like Joab and he had deliberately and with a premeditation that makes your blood run cold planned the murder of Uriah the Hittite and we're going to deal with that one too and he'd sold himself with Joab's hand the day he put that letter

83. 1:22:19

    in his hand and Joab did it and he had the king in his power and from that moment onward he rode rough shot over David he killed his son without question and when he came back David in a desperate attempt to show his contempt of Joab he put Amasa Joab's own cousin and the son of his other sister Abigail he put him in power in Joab's place and a man called Sheba rose up to revolt and David said to Amasa over the top of Joab you go Amasa was captain of the host and Joab eyed him off and up they went together and Joab went to meet Amasa in the field and his sword fell out on the ground accidentally and he went and picked it up as he went to meet Amasa oh his sword's fallen how are you brother straight through him and yet brethren and sisters this man when David stood up to number Israel he knew the principles of the truth and it was his power alone that stopped David ultimately from the supreme folly of numbering the Levites there was something in this man he was a mighty man all right and yet he could never get on with David and David could never get on with him they were absolutely incompatible but bravery there never was seen such bravery as Joab and when David was dying brethren and sisters he had never forgotten what Joab had done and he told Solomon he was never to see that aged soldier go to his grave in peace he had shed much blood David couldn't touch him those hands were guilty not only of the

84. 1:23:41

    blood of his enemies brethren and sisters they were guilty of the blood of one of his best brethren Uriah the hippo they were guilty of adultery those hands couldn't touch him but David hated his soul and Joab in the extremity of his position loyal to the very end yet as he grew older and he saw the power of David seemingly to wane and he tossed between loyalties loyalty to the king loyalty to the truth loyalty to Joab in one way this way that way until finally Joab won and when Adonijah took the reins of government so he thought Joab finally at the end threw his lot in with that man and missed and lost brethren and sisters because self had overcome the better half and he fled to the horns of the altar a man like Joab hanging on the horns of the altar pleading for mercy a man like Joab pleading for mercy he didn't know what the word meant three brutal murders to his credit brutal murders to his credit and the blood of the slain on him so that when he slew Amasa David said the blood stirred all over him stained his garment his shoes and his feet so that when men saw him they were aghast at the blood that was all over him which was typical of a man and there he is hanging on the horns of the altar and did he expect God to be merciful and Solomon said Benaiah the man who was succeeding to kill him and Benaiah halted at the altar when he saw him there wouldn't go any further went back to Solomon again and

85. 1:24:59

    said I can't do that kill him and he slew him at the horns of the altar and a horn coming out of the horn of the altar brethren and sisters speaks of power and the altar spoke of forgiveness and there was the power of forgiveness but not for a man like Joab and as James said the judgment shall be merciless against him that showed no mercy and such was the end of Joab the brave man who climbed up the gutter of Jerusalem and there was the great difference brethren and sisters between the hearts of those two men such was the end of Joab that he couldn't find mercy because he had never shown it but there was David who committed premeditated cold-blooded murder of one of the greatest friends that he ever had who lived next door to him and had already committed adultery with his wife and had never confessed it for nine months or more yet he found forgiveness because God raised up a horn of salvation in the room of his father David but he didn't raise up any horn of salvation in Joab's house and the end of those two men the forgiveness of one and the unforgiveness of the other is a standing lesson to all of us brethren and sisters never let it be said of us that the Lord Jesus Christ has us before him with the judgments and says to us ye be too hard for me ye sons of Christadelphians let it be said of us that that heart of the Lord Jesus Christ which is tender and soft and can be touched with the feelings of

86. 1:26:24

    our infirmity that our heart will be found a heart like unto his heart and we shall enter into his glory we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it we shall appreciate it