THE FULL MESSAGE MUST INCLUDE THE DETAILS OF THE DEATH

October 13, 2002 am
Mike Blume

2 Samuel 18:5-10 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 wood of Ephraim; (7) Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. (8) For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. (9) And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a 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 the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. (10) And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.

2 Samuel 18:14-15 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 armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

2 Samuel 18:19-33 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies. (20) And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear 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 Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran. (22) Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? (23) But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi. (24) And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over 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, Me thinketh 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 fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king. (29) And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was. (30) And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still. (31) And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee. (32) And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise 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 God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

The story stands at the end of a rebellion started by David's son, Absalom, who ran David out of Jerusalem, having stolen the hearts of the people away from his father the king, and took over the kingdom, himself.

Absalom was known to have a huge head of hair, over which he spent much time in proud care over it.

Some say 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.
"Captain Joab caught the hippie Absalom 'hanging' around and 'drove home the point,' so to speak, that one should not rebel against the king. You might say that Absalom 'took it to heart' and stopped his rebellion."

Ahimaaz 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.

Joab, however, was not desirous of Ahimaaz delivering the message because the whole story was that the rebellion was not simply over, but David's son Absalom was killed.

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 goes along that Absalom was found caught hanging in a tree and was killed by Joab using three spears.

Ahimaaz did not see this.

Now, 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.
And it could be that Ahimaaz also did not want to tell anything bad.
Even David saw him coming and said something good will be told.
Ahimaaz always had the reputation of telling only good.
But sometimes BAD must be told whether we want to hear it or not.
Perhaps this was the reason Joab did not want to send Ahimaaz.

Joab SENT CUSHI.

Cushi was given direction to talk to David.
Ahimaaz was refused.
He nonetheless wanted to volunteer to go anyway.
Joab reasoned with him and said he sent Cushi, so why go just to go?
He would have no message to give.
But Ahimaaz simply liked running and telling 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.

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 he was the man who earlier said he would not kill him when he was asked by Joab 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 did indeed see 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.

He raced Cushi.
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.

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.

We sing a chorus.
I CAN SAY I'VE SEEN THE LORD
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.

Water baptism is so controversial today because people simply did not see the DEATH.
Had they really known about the DEATH, and the details of it, they would realize that baptism is baptism into Jesus' death.
And we resurrect into newness of life with the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

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

And the Holy Ghost?

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 MEN, as Ahimaaz was!

And God has permitted them to carry on and preach what they do.
But they are NOT SENT OF GOD.

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.

Not half their word.
Not just repentance.
Not just baptism.
Not just Holy Ghost.
Not just attendance.

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.

And then we're thrown outside the realm of the living and locked in an inescapable imprisonment away from God.
Only in this world can we get ready to enter eternity to dwell with God.
But being sinful and dying for it, only to be locked out of this world forever leaves us hopeless.

Jesus' death made the whole difference!

The same benefits of paying off sin by death are achieved for us, and yet we're not bound away outside this world after death in prison.
We're still in t his world.
We've got a brand new lease on life.
Jesus' death COUNTED AS OUR DEATHS!
Sin's penalty is paid and we're still in t his world!

Change cannot be made outside this world.

Limbo, or purgatory are non-existent.
The time for change is only available in this world.
While we're alive.

If only a death could pay off our sins, and yet leave us in this world to serve God in righteousness and be ready to dwell with Him in eternity.

AND THERE IS SUCH A DEATH!
God put man in this world to eat fruit of life and transcend limits of time and this world to dwell with Him forever.
And its all through Christ's death.
We are baptized into Jesus' death, and THAT PAID SIN'S PENALTY FOR US!
Its accounted to us as our deaths.
And yet we're still in this world!

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 have a reputation of only bringing good news, not like things about blood, nails, trees of hanging, etc.
And what I do 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.

They're good men.

They mean well.
But they're not sent.
They simply have not seen His death on the tree!

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.

If they tell you half or part of what PETER said, after PETER SAW what happened.... then do not accept it.

Push it aside and wait for a preacher who preaches what the Apostles physically saw happen, and how that applies to us.

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.

David cried, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

JESUS DIED FOR US!

Jesus, the son of David, died for us.
ABSALOM was son of David whose name meant FATHER OF PEACE.
David could not die for his son, but the son of David was prince of Peace, named Jesus, and HE DIED FOR US.

Absalom died for David's sins.

It was David's sins that were being reaped.
Today people are dying for Adam's sins.
Because of what Adam did, they are dying.
Because of what David did, Absalom died.
God said the sword would not depart from david's house because of his sin.
But he died for David's sins in a negative manner.
Jesus died for our sins, but in a positive manner!