2Samuel 19 -- Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation

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Paul writes, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death" (2 Corinthians 7:10).

1 [a]Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” 2 And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. 4 The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. 6 You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. 7 Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.” 8 So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,” they all came before him. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.

The only way we can understand this story is if we lived it. Let’s suppose that this story of King David returning to Jerusalem after an insurrection is our experience. Jesus Christ returns as the conquering King, only problem is that many of the believers, many even of his own family had betrayed Him. To those believers the Lord’s coming is as a thief in the night. It is easy for us to see how that for those who stuck with Him even when He was disgraced and fled Jerusalem would be rejoicing. But, when the Lord returns at the time of the first rapture there will be many believers who are not taken. It will be shameful, it will be something that brings sorrow. If it is a godly sorrow those who are left will repent and prepare to meet the Lord. If, on the other hand it is a worldly sorrow like that of Absalom fleeing from David’s army, then it will lead to death.

 

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David Returns to Jerusalem

9 Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country to escape from Absalom; 10 and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?”

Absalom stole the throne and died in the attempted coup. To the people of Israel all of this stuff is taking place in Jerusalem, but the one thing they know is that David was their savior. It was confusing, Absalom promised them the world and told them whatever they wanted to hear while no one could deny that David was an adulterer who had gotten Uriah killed. The thing we have to realize is that all men are sinners, not one is righteous. Yes it is true that David sinned and as a result you shouldn’t trust him. He betrayed Uriah, who is to say he wouldn’t betray you. On the other hand you have decades of David delivering you from the hands of your enemies whereas Absalom has never done one thing for you. He has made many promises, but what has he ever done?

11 King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: “Ask the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? 12 You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.’” 14 He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.” 15 Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan.

In 1Samuel we see a type of the rapture when Abigail is brought to David. Now in 2Samuel we see a second type of the rapture only this time everyone has some shame, something to repent of. This is how the gospel of Mark begins, with everyone repenting for the kingdom. This is a type of the second rapture.

Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. 16 Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. 18 They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished. When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king 19 and said to him, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king put it out of his mind. 20 For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first from the tribes of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king.”

Right now there are people saying some very ugly curses against Christians and against those who have been standing against the theft of this election and against the censorship and against the things being done contrary to the word of the Lord. At the time of the first rapture they also will repent.

21 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the Lord’s anointed.” 22 David replied, “What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? What right do you have to interfere? Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 So the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king promised him on oath.

Once again, godly sorrow leads to repentance, worldly sorrow leads to death. If the repentance is genuine it will lead to salvation, if not, then to death. You are not going to deceive the Lord Jesus. He knows the hearts.

24 Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. 25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He said, “My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, ‘I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.’ But Ziba my servant betrayed me. 27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish. 28 All my grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who eat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?” 29 The king said to him, “Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the land.” 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has returned home safely.”

Again, more examples of people repenting when the Lord comes.

31 Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. 32 Now Barzillai was very old, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you.” 34 But Barzillai answered the king, “How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 35 I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is enjoyable and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? 37 Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever you wish.” 38 The king said, “Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever you wish. And anything you desire from me I will do for you.” 39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bid him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his home. 40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over. 41 Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?” 42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king’s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?” 43 Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.

It is going to be a very tough situation. Suppose you are left behind. Why should anyone listen to you, if you truly knew the Lord and had truly been following Him and obeying His word you would have been raptured. But this doesn’t change the fact that new believers need the more mature ones to help them grow and that we need the fellowship of other believers to be able to stand and grow. So the key is to humble yourself. Realize that all men are sinners, yourself included, and that instead of ranking some people as more spiritual than others you need to now embrace all believers. You will soon learn that some people of no account in the world can minister life to you. You will learn to value the ministry of life over everything else.

 

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This story describes a situation where virtually all of Israel was a failure, but they can all rally behind David, which is like the gospel of Mark where it begins with everyone going out to the desert to see John the Baptist who is preaching to repent for the kingdom.

It also describes Jesus Christ (typified by King David) as coming in the likeness of sinful man. A major problem we have in Christianity is missing this one point. If you think that you need some guy with a Phd from Princeton to teach you the word then you are looking on the outward. It could very well be that the janitor, or the guy in prison, or the former drug addict, or any of a number of believers would have a word for you. After the first rapture you will have the two witnesses that will be sent to you but in addition you will need to fellowship with brothers and sisters, everyone of which was left behind. For the sake of the kingdom you will need to repent of judging men according to the flesh.