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you you you you Well good evening good evening everyone welcome to Mountain Baptist Church Take your song books and turn to song 411 Song 411 and your song books will sing hold the fort if you would stand will sing song 411 Oh My comrades see the signal waving in the sky Reinforcements now appearing victory is nigh Coming Back to heaven by thy grace we will See the mighty host advancing Satan leading on My team and around us falling courage almost gone Hold the floor for I am coming She is a signal still Wave the answer back to heaven by thy grace we will See the glorious better waving here the trumpet blow Our leaders name will triumph over every foe Hold the floor for I am coming Jesus signal still Wave the answer back to heaven by thy grace we will Fears and long the battle rages, but our help is near On Where comes our great commander here my comrades cheer Hold the floor for I am coming Jesus signal still Wave the answer back to heaven by thy grace we will And let's pray Heavenly Father the Lord again, we just want to thank you God just for another night You've given us to to meet in your house and to hear your holy word preached to us I pray Lord that you would just bless our pastor a film with your power and spirit. We love you in Jesus name We ask all but amen. All right, maybe seated and take your mountain Baptist Psalms hymns and spiritual song books And turn to page number one Page number one in your mountain Baptist song will sing page number. I'm sorry, Psalm 11 on page number one In the Lord, but I might trust how say ye to my soul flee as a bird to your mountain Perlow the wicked bend their bow They make ready their arrow Upon the street that they may Privilege shoot at the upright and hard if the foundations be destroyed What can the righteous do? The Lord is in his holy temple The Lord's throne is in half his eyes behold his eyelids try the children of men The Lord trite the righteous but the Wicked and him that loveth violence His soul Hey Upon the wicked He shall rain snares fire and brimstone And and horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their come for the righteous Lord Of its righteousness his Countenance doth behold doth be the upright In the Lord, but I might trust Amen we'll welcome Mountain Baptist Church on this Wednesday evening and Finally we have the internet back up everything streaming all that fun stuff So I want to thank my younger brother for coming out and helping with that both with the internet But also just with everything else there and so As far as service times go this week you're coming up this Sunday everything should be normal So we'll have our normal Sunday morning Sunday afternoon services our soul winning time at 1 o'clock We do have someone a marathon that's going to be this Saturday But actually before that we're gonna have the men's prayer meeting on Friday so this Friday Men's prayer meeting meeting up here at 6 p.m. And then the Cumberland Maryland soul winning marathon on that next day the 27th this Saturday So if you're not already in the group if you want to go to that Brother, what's your name again? No, brother Chris is leading that up And so if you have any questions there as far as meetups all that stuff Get with him As far as the regional sewing times throughout the week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday, obviously be on the church group there if anything gets Sometimes things get canceled. Obviously people are not feeling well with today. I saw that with brother Jim So be in prayer for him. Also, my family has been dealing with that sickness and stuff and So just being prayer there Seems like it's just never-ending. It doesn't matter what time of year it is middle of summer. It doesn't matter So get fevers colds all that fun stuff So just being prayer obviously for everybody in our church for sicknesses and everything. I do want to say also be in prayer for crystal McCloy who is Well, she's obviously pregnant with twins but dealing with some issues at the hospital and everything and trying to get all that stuff taken taken care of there And so that the babies are born and everything goes well there So it's just being prayer for her and the McCloy family there as well That everything goes well in that whole process And then on the back your bulletin if you have your bulletin Our chapter memory for the month that we're coming to the end of July here is Psalm 126. So I challenge you to memorize Psalm 126. It's not a very long Psalm and plus we see that Psalm too So it shouldn't be that hard And then Luke 16 10 is our memory verse of the week and then On the pregnancy list there again be in prayer for crystal McCloy specifically right now and then being prayer for Rachel Hiles as well on the pregnancy list and I think that's about all I have for announcements That I can think of so Offering boxes in the back there if you want to give a tithe or an offering mother baby rooms for the mothers and babies only By the way, he's gonna be reading second Samuel chapter 15 tonight. We're gonna continue our study through the book of second Samuel Hi She wants she wants to she wants to come and sing And so Are they gonna sing one more song Then brother Wade's gonna come up and read second Samuel 15 and then we'll get into the study All right, take you were songbooks and turn to song 392 Song 392 in your songbooks. We'll sing a soul winner for Jesus song 392 I Want to be a soul winner for Jesus every day he does so much for me I Want to aid the law senator leave his erring way and be from bondage free a soul winner for Jesus a soul winner for Jesus Own let me be each day a soul winner for Jesus a soul winner for Jesus He's done so much for me I Want to be a soul winner and bring the loss to Christ that they his grace may know I Want to live for Christ ever and do his blessed will Because he loves me. So a soul winner for Jesus a soul winner for Jesus own let me be each day a soul winner for Jesus a soul winner for Jesus He's done so much for me I Want to be a soul winner till Jesus calls for me to lay my burdens down I Want to hear him say servant you've gathered many sheeps receive a starry crown A soul winner for Jesus a soul winner for Jesus own let me be each day a soul winner for Jesus a soul winner for Jesus he's done so much for me All right, take your Bibles and turn to the book of second Samuel chapter number 15 Second Samuel chapter number 15 in your Bibles my brother Wade come and read that for us Second Samuel 15 And it came to pass after this that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses and 50 men to run before him and Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate and it was so that when any man that had a controversy came to The king for judgment then Absalom called unto him and said of what city art thou and he said thy servant is one of One of the tribes of Israel and Absalom said unto him see thy matters are good and right, but there is no man Deputed of the king to hear thee Absalom and said moreover Oh that I were made judge in the land that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me And I would do him justice and it was so that when any man came nigh to him to do him Obeasance he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him and on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came To the king for judgment So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel and it came to pass after 40 years that Absalom said unto the king I pray thee let me go and pay my vow Which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron for thy servant vow to vow while I abode at Giescher in Syria saying If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem Then I will serve the Lord and the king said unto him go in peace So he rose and went to Hebron But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel saying as soon as he hear the sound of the trumpet Then ye shall say Absalom reigneth in Hebron and went and with Absalom went 200 men out of Jerusalem that were called and they went in their simplicity and they knew not any thing and Absalom sent for Ihithophel the Gilonite David's counselor from his city even from Gila while he offered sacrifices and the conspiracy was strong for the people increased continually with Absalom and there came a messenger to David saying the hearts of the men of Israel or after Absalom and David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem arise and let us flee for we shall not else Escape from Absalom make speed to depart lest he ever take us suddenly and bring evil upon us and smite the city with the edge Of the sword and the king's servant said unto the king behold Thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint and the king went forth and all his household after him And the king left ten women which were concubines to keep the house and the king went forth and all the people after him and tarried in a place that was far off and all his servants passed on beside him and all the Terethites and all the Peltites and all the Gidites 600 men which came after him from Gath passed on before the king then said the king to I tie the Gidite Wherefore goest thou also with us Return to thy place and abide with the king for thou art a stranger and also in exile Whereas thou camest but yesterday should I this day make thee go up and down with us You know I go whether I may return thou and take back my brother and mercy and truth be with thee And I tell you answered the king and said as the Lord liveth and as my lord the king liveth surely in what place My lord the king shall be Whether in death or life even there also will thy servant be and David said to I tie go and pass over and I tied the Gidite passed over and all his men and all the Little ones that were with him and all the country wept with a loud voice and all the people passed over the king also himself passed over the brook kydron and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness and lo zadok also and all the Levites were with them bearing the ark of the Covenant of God and they set down the ark of God and Abby a thar went up until all the people had done passing out of the city and The king said to zadok carry back the ark of God into the city if I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord He will bring me again and show me both it and his habitation But if he said but if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I Let him do to me as seemeth good unto him The king said also unto zadok the priest art not thou a seer Return unto this the city in peace and your two sons with you I am as the son my son and Jonathan the son of Abby a thar See, I will tarry in the plane of the wilderness until there come word from you to sort of my certified me zadok therefore in Abby a thar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem and they tarry there and David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went Barefoot and all the people that was with him covered every man He said and they went up weeping as they went up and one told David saying Hithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom and David said Oh Lord I pray thee turn the council of it Hithophel into foolishness and it came to pass That when David was come to the top of the mount where he worshiped God behold who shied the archive came to meet him with his coat rent and Earth upon his head unto whom David said if thou passest on with me then thou shalt be a burden unto me But if thou return to the city and say unto Absalom I will be thy servant O King as I have been thy father's servant hitherto so will I now also be thy servant then mayest thou for me defeat the council of Hithophel and hast thou not there with the zadok and Abby a thar the priests Therefore it shall be that when that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house thou shalt tell it to zadok and Abby a thar the priests Behold they have there with them their two sons I am a zadok son and Jonathan a BFR son and by them you shall send unto me everything that you can hear So who shy David's friend came into the city and Absalom came into Jerusalem. Let us pray our dear Lord Let's hear your words tonight. Isn't it for their message and be with pastor in Jesus name. I pray amen Amen So you're there in 2nd Samuel chapter 15 and close this vent It gets cold up here so going into 2nd Samuel chapter 15 Absalom is back in Jerusalem. Obviously we saw that in the last chapter where He ends up having his brother Amnon killed we make which we understand obviously on a Human level because of what Amnon did to Tamar But basically he was an exile there for a little bit and then he gets back into Jerusalem But they didn't doesn't see the king's face And then he burns down Joab's field to get his attention So that he'll go to the king so you can see the king's face in chapter 15 here, actually, we're gonna see the conspiracy of Absalom to take over David's kingdom and we see we see that Like I said when you're when you're thinking about Absalom, I don't believe that just comes out of the blue We see a lot of things that happen in Absalom's life and things that I believe David failed at as a father as a king all these different things that Led up to this and actually I do believe that this is a punishment one of the fourfold punishments for What David did with Bathsheba and Uriah? If you remember it's fourfold, right and I believe the number one thing that happened was the child died but then you see that what happened with Tamar and then you see Amnon dies and then Absalom now taking over the kingdom. So I think that this is kind of like his fourfold punishment That's that's coming upon him And it also stated something was gonna happen with his concubines, which this kind of is setting up for but we'll see it later on in Chapter one here. I'm sorry verse one here. We see that what Absalom does is Kind of a grassroots type of way of winning the hearts or stealing the hearts of the men of Israel. Okay, and So he's actually very intelligent in the fact of how do you how do you take over a kingdom? you can't just you don't just go in and just take it because you have to Ultimately, even a monarch the people have to be behind it because if everybody was against the king I mean, it'll just dethrone the king, right? So Any type of government? Whatever type of government it is if all the people came together and was against the people that were in charge They can't they don't have a leg to stand on. Okay, so in the end here If he doesn't have the people behind him, it's not gonna matter if he even defeats the king you know as far as them backing him, so Verse one here says it came to pass After this that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses and 50 men to rot to run before him So he kind of has this this posse with them if you will of men And chariots and it says an Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way gate And it was so that when any man that had a contraver controversy came to the king for judgment Then Absalom called unto him and said of what city art thou and he? He said thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel and Absalom said unto him see thy masters I'm sorry see thy matters are good and right But there is no man deputied of the king to hear thee now whether that's true or not. We don't really know Okay Meaning that we don't I mean he's saying that okay to them But he's kind of meeting them before they even get to the king Does that make sense like he's meeting him at the gate before they even get to that point to find out if They're gonna even be rejected or if there's anybody to set over to deal with these matters but in Versa in verse 4 here says Absalom said moreover. Oh that I were made a judge in the land that every man Which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice And it was so that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance he put forth his hand and took him and Kissed him and On this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel so this is how Absalom basically gets The country behind him if you will so this conspiracy that happens again He's going to do some other things to cause this to happen, but in the end when it happens He's kind of already has the country behind him and what's really going on is He's making it seem like the king's not doing his duty. He's not really hearing the you know Doing the job. You know that he needs to be doing and You know whether that's really true or not We don't really know a hundred percent, but it could very well be that you know Maybe they are dropping the ball and Dave is not really being among the people like he should be and I'll get into that that I believe that that's a Big part of being a leader is being in the mix right and obviously Obviously, you know with Moses for example He was gonna wear away if he tried to deal with every matter. Okay, and so The king should be really dealing with the big matters or the ones that that it's just really kind of stopping the buck stops They're kind of thing but he should still be dealing with those type of these should still be dealing with something and not just Delegating everything. Okay. It's like Moses obviously is delegating work, but he was still Leading the charge making decisions and doing certain things. Okay, so as a leader you need to be in that It's just like a pastor obviously, you know, obviously as a pastor if we're gonna be efficient I need to delegate work or We're gonna be kind of at a point where we're not gonna grow or we're not gonna get more done Okay, because I can only do so much so unless I delegate work out then we're gonna kind of stagnate right, but Delegating workout doesn't mean that I delegate myself out of work, right? Meaning like I just don't do anything. I just basically I just have everybody else do it You know, I delegate all this soul winning to everybody, but I don't do any soul winning I delegate, you know all these different things when it comes to the work of the church, but I don't do anything You know, obviously that's not the case. That shouldn't be the case and That really gets into basically a leader that's kind of in name only and again You know, this is what Absalom saying so again, I'm not saying that there wasn't someone set up To do this type of stuff so he's kind of heading them off at the pass if you will when it comes to this but it is a lesson to be learned when it comes to Obviously David wasn't among the people that much for this to happen Right in order for Absalom to really steal the hearts of the men of Israel That means he wasn't really mixing among them and being around them, you know being around the peasants if you will, right? He's up there in his ivory tower and just not really hanging out with anybody But really kind of being out of touch with the people and isn't this I mean dealing with our politics today Isn't that isn't that what most people are looking for is they want a candidate? That they can relate to or they believe relates to them and that's not someone that's disconnected with them Okay, and that's most of everybody that's in politics right now is in their little sphere and bubble and they're completely disconnected From the average working person an average family that's in America right now And so that's why a lot of people can't stand the people that are in government for that reason, right? They're a bunch of millionaires and they were made millionaires by Being in government and that is something that people can't stand rightfully So but that's why you'll have a lot of times where people are against their leaders because of that Okay, and again, I'm not saying I'm not saying that David is is some like millionaire. That's basically Just living in his ivory tower, but he has made mistakes when it comes to his leadership and what's going on You know putting forth judgment. I mean think about it He should have put forth judgment on Amnon to begin with and I believe if he would have done that to begin with I don't believe Absalom would be trying to take over the kingdom if he would have judged Amnon rightly For forcing Tamar, Absalom's sister, then I think this would be a big nothing burger at this point I don't believe there would be this conspiracy. One, Absalom wouldn't have had to have killed him and Then he wouldn't be in exile and there wouldn't be this whole turmoil that's there So anyway You know, there's a lot of what-ifs when it comes to this and again I'm not I'm not saying Absalom's right here. This justifies Absalom's actions I'm just saying that a lot of times there's things that lead up to these actions and You know us as leaders, fathers, you know, or you know think about you mothers, you know with your children You know what you do as those leaders of our, you know leader of children or whatever the case may be What you do as those leaders can affect what they what your children end up doing or what people that are under your leadership do ultimately Obviously everybody has to be accountable for their own actions But know this is that we do Persuade people or we do what we do affects what people's decisions will be. Okay Now this next passage here, I'm gonna kind of hit on a little bit here is You know, you know what I do that's that whole series on 101 suppose the contradictions in the Bible right some Muslim came up with something 101 Contradictions of the Bible and you know, we annihilated those a lot of those were just really dumb all that stuff and When I was going through this I'm like I can think of ones that are harder to answer Right, but you have to understand that Muslims aren't exactly reading through the Bible every single year, right? So where they're actually gonna be finding something they're just like googling it This one right here is one that It's not a contradiction obviously so know this is that there are no contradictions in the Bible But this is something that kind of is a head scratcher When you think of the timeline and and all this stuff when it when it comes to the the number of years that are mentioned here verse 7 so You know Absalom steals the hearts of the men of Israel Verse 7 it says and it came to pass after 40 years that Absalom said unto the king I pray thee let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed unto the Lord in Hebron For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Gishur in Syria saying if the Lord shall bring me again into indeed to Jerusalem Then I will serve the Lord and the king said unto him go in peace. So he arose and went to Hebron Now the casual reading here would be that 40 years past After all this stuff just went down and then he's asking David to go Basically go to Hebron and all this stuff for a valid he made What you understand is obviously that doesn't make sense knowing that David only reigns for 40 years Okay, and we're not at the beginning of David's reign at this point Well, we know we're not at the beginning of David's reign because he's in Jerusalem right because he reigns for seven and a half years in Hebron and then he reigns for 33 years in Jerusalem, okay now What some versions of the Bible will do is they'll just change it to four years instead of 40 What you have to understand is that there's no text there basically no text that supports that The Hebrew says 40 even the Greek Septuagint says 40 now they'll claim that there's some like Manuscript of the Greek Septuagint that says that doesn't say 40 You know, so they'll like basically say well here it could be four or whatever but that means that pretty much every Bible. I Mean going back to the Latin Vulgate the Greek Septuagint like all I mean all the Bibles have just been wrong And it should say four years and not 40 and that's just garbage. Okay, so The Bible is not wrong here. It should be 40 years. But the question is What's the 40 years from like what are we talking about? Like what what's coming the path like? And I believe there's two Two reasonable and I'm not saying it's the only ones but I'm just saying there's two reasonable answers to this I believe And I just kind of want to give you that as far as what's going on here with this 40 years And one I believe it it could be and I'm not exactly espousing this one It could be that it's stating Absalom's age Okay, that he's 40 years old. Okay, and let me give you Another passage that's that basically gives an age in a different manner than the typical like this person was 40 years old Okay, go to Ezekiel chapter 1 Ezekiel chapter 1 And so it's obviously a little odd the way it's written there for it to mean like he's four years old but Let me just show you that there are There is a place in the Bible that just popped and then there may be another place too But I this is one that just always stuck out to me is Ezekiel chapter 1 at the very beginning the introduction to the book of Ezekiel here It says in Ezekiel 1 verse 1 it says now it came to pass in the 30th year In the fourth month in the fifth day of the month as I was among the captives By the river of Kibar that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God So at first reading you may think well, he's in the 30th year of being a captive, right? But notice what it says in the fifth day of the month. So we're in the same day of the month, right? Which was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity? So the captivity started with Jehoiachin, okay It says the word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest and goes on right What is state what I believe is stating here is that in the 30th year of Ezekiel, right? Ezekiel is 30 years old in this fifth day of the month of the fourth month. He's 30 years old Which by the way is in the fifth year of captivity. That means that he went into captivity when he was 25 Okay, and it's just giving you his age, you know in his 30th year kind of thing and it's obviously written in kind of a Odd way, you know that we would normally read it So I believe that it's possible that it could be saying that Absalom's 40 years old Like when he was 40 years old, this is when this happened. Okay That bug is just right there, isn't it? Now let me let me state this because you may say to yourself, okay Well, if he's 40 years old and this is this is why okay, I'm not Necessarily like all in on this this one, but I'll say this as long as there's an answer. It doesn't really matter. Does it? Right. It's as long as there's an answer to it. It kind of throws it out as being a contradiction now It does throw it out as being a contradiction. Obviously, even if I didn't have an answer it's not a contradiction because the Bible is right, but David's reign is more than 40 years technically, right? I mean just by definition if he reigns for seven and a half years in Hebron and then 33 years in Jerusalem it's basically a little over 40 But a lot of times they round it right because in one place it'll say he reigns in Hebron for seven years It doesn't mention the six months. Okay So rounding can happen there when it comes to this because The thing that you understand is that Absalom is born in Hebron. Okay, it specifically states that in second Samuel chapter 3 and it states You know Adonijah Amnon and and actually there's other sons too But then Absalom is the third and he's born in Hebron. Okay But I want you to look at verse a chapter first Samuel chapter 30 in verse 26. Okay, I Believe it's possible that Absalom was born before he started reigning in Hebron though. He was born in Hebron Okay, so let me just show you Approved text that this could very well be possible that Absalom or his other children were born You know that Amnon and Adonijah were born before he even started reigning in Hebron Okay, it doesn't say that he started reigning in Hebron and after he started reigning he begat these children Okay, it's possible, right? I'm not saying that that's Not what happened but all I'm saying is that all it does say is that these are the children that were born to him in Hebron, okay, or these are the sons that are born to him in Hebron That's what says in first Samuel chapter 30, which is obviously before David starts reigning. Okay. This is before Saul dies and This is where if you remember they they basically get back to women They're the wives and their children that were taken captive and they have all the spoil Well, then he's gonna disperse it to the places in Judah Okay and it says in verse 26 and when David came to Ziklag he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah even to his friends saying Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the Lord then he goes on and gives a big the list of different places that he's sending it to that knows down in verse 31 It says and to them which were in Hebron and to all the places where David himself and his men Were want to haunt Now want to haunt obviously not haunt like a specter, you know, like ooh, you know Like haunt just means like basically where they would abode right where they would abide. Okay So that means that David was often Dwelling in Hebron. Okay, so it's not like this is just the out of the question that because who are the first two Sons that are born to him is to Abigail and Hinnom right and those Are wives that he took while he was on the run with Saul, right? He's already married to them and so, you know, Mayakah is not mentioned but You know, it doesn't mean that She didn't come into play until Hebron, you know until he's reigning in Hebron. Okay, so that's a possibility Is that he's 40 years old and that doesn't mess with the rain because he could very well been born He started raining in Hebron. Okay, and Therefore it's just basically stating Absalom's age when this all takes place, okay another another Theory or another answer to this is that the 40 years is speaking about the hearts of the men of Israel being stolen okay, and the fact that David won the hearts of Israel when he killed Goliath and that maybe this 40 years is more so Referring to that. Okay Now, let me just give you an example go to go to first sandwich chapter 18 for sandwich after 18 For same after 18 you're like you're going on a rabbit trail I just wanna make a point that I believe there's an answer to this and in the end, you know I believe there's these are two valid answers What's not the answer is that the Bible's an error Okay, that's what we know is not the answer so If someone comes up with a better answer than both these that I bring up and they're just like no This is it then praise the Lord, you know Not like I'm here to just die on this hill on the one of these being the answers I just believe these are two valid answers Okay Then he's either the age of Absalom or the 40 is more so talking about what was just stated Which is the fact that he stole the hearts of the men of Israel and it says in first sandwich chapter 18 and verse 6 here and this is after David obviously kills Goliath now David was a young man obviously at the time, you know, like a lad so you know I'll say this I believe he me he would have to be under 20 Okay, and the reason I say they'd have to be under 20 is because he's not going to war Right his older brothers are going to war but he's staying back That to me would make sense that he's under 20 I think most people would say he's like 16 or 17. So for sake of argument, he's 16 17 years old when he kills Goliath If you want to go 19 sure, okay That's not really gonna affect what I'm about to say here as far as the age of Absalom and all this stuff. Okay But I would say under 20 that would make sense And also David's 30 years old when he begins to reign and so obviously there's time that takes place between this and that and so anyway first sandwich after 18 verse 6 says and he came to pass as they came when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine that the women came out of all cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Dave to Meet King Saul with tabrets with joy With instruments of music and The women answered one another as they played and said Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands And Saul was very wroth and the saying displeased him and he said They have ascribed unto David ten thousands and to me they have ascribed But thousands and what can he have more but the kingdom and Saul I David from that day and forward So what are we talking about? Well, obviously he won the hearts I don't believe he stole the hearts necessarily like Absalom did where he's like kind of coming in and heading people off the pass and You know winning their hearts, but he stole though. He won the hearts of the people by just winning a great victory But look down further in the in the passage there and I didn't write it down But Verse 15 it says and Wherefore when Saul saw the day that that he behaved himself very wisely He was afraid of him But all Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them And isn't that the issue that we see here? With how Absalom stole the hearts is that he went out he was among them and dealing with their problems and dealing with all their issues and I believe that's very legitimate that that's what You know, basically it's basically saying it's been 40 years since Israel was behind David and now they're not Right and that could very well be the case now to give you an idea of his age in this okay, what would Absalom's age be at that point then when he's taking over the kingdom and Basically that would mean that if David's 16 17 years old then He's you know It's 40 years past that right if this is bright if this is the correct interpretation here It's 40 years after that that we're coming up to here, right? That means that he'd be 56 57 at this point Okay Which I think makes a lot of sense when you think about other things that have to happen or other things that happen after this But the other way would work too, okay Now what I'm what I have to say here is that that would basically make Absalom about 26 or 27 years old, okay? because 56 57 Minus 30 because he's 30 years old when he begins the rain, right? That means if Absalom was born like when David starts raining in Hebron That would make him 26 27 years old and he's called a young man Which I think that if you're 40 you could still be called a young man, okay? I mean all joking aside Joshua the son of none was called a young man and I think he was like 40 50 60 something like that when that was stated, okay So I know it's kind of relative because Joshua lived to he's 110, okay, but So that that's a possibility and the thing is with Absalom being 40 the reason why if he was born like when David starts raining That means that you're basically when this happens at the very end of David's reign and the the issue with that would be That I believe it's chapter 21. There's a like a three-year famine that takes place and Then there's like the census thing that goes on after that which we don't really know how closely that that is But then you know he goes into battle There's there's another battle with the Philistines and he's he's basically old and he's kind of faint and then he gets old enough to wear like basically he can't get heat and then you have You know like that whole story that okay So But if Absalom was born before the rain then that could still work too that makes sense like because You know how many years before his reign was he born in Hebron so that even if he's 40 You still have this many years left of David's reign before for all that other stuff take place. So anyway Thanks for going on that rabbit trail with me. But the thing is that it's just it's just one of those things that New versions will literally change it and All they're doing they're changing it with no underlying text. This is not a translation issue This is not like well the King James Bible guys didn't get it right. They didn't know the difference between 4 and 40 Or well, you know the scribe that was scribing it down They they just put an extra they put a zero there when there shouldn't be a zero. They didn't write listen They didn't write Arabic Number numerals on there that weren't even invented yet. Okay, it was the word for it Just like we would spell out 40 It was a word for it and sometimes they would use letters as well like, you know And some languages in Greek obviously, too. It'll use letters. So like 666 is three different letters representing numbers Okay, but that's not even what's going on in Hebrew. It's just the actual word. So Anyway, all that to say is that it is 40 years The question is what's it referring to and I would I would revert to Ezekiel in either case in the way that you look at That and say what's the 30th year referring to? you know and I think that When you kind of compare things you can kind of see what it's what it's dealing with there. So anyway After the sermon you can tell me what you think you can say I think you're wrong about both of them But you know either way I think that those are two valid interpretations, okay Going back to second Samuel chapter 15 so Basically, he says that he made this vow in Hebron, but then he said that he made a vow in Giescher Okay, so I kind of just mentioned that again. He's saying this we don't really know if he did it Okay, remember when you're reading a story if the narrator is not saying it Then we're not really a hundred percent sure whether it even took place Okay, but either way I think what he's saying here is that when I was in Giescher I made another vow Basically, he made a vow in Hebron a long time ago But then he also made a vow in Giescher basically saying if I come back then I'm gonna serve you Which means I got to keep this other vow. I think that's what's going on there So I don't think it's a matter of like it's the same vow Because one's in Hebron one's a Giescher. Okay, they're not the same place So I think that's what's going on there with that vow But in verse 9 here it says the king said unto him Go in peace So he arose and went to Hebron and Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel saying as Soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet then ye shall say Absalom reigneth in Hebron And with Absalom went 200 men out of Jerusalem and were called I'm sorry that were called and they went in their simplicity and they knew not anything I always those little details are interesting to me, right meaning like these 200 men went with them But they had no idea why they were like that This was even I think it's basically saying like they didn't know there was this conspiracy that's happening here they're just going with them like kind of simple to what's going on and so But he's sending out spies kind of getting everybody Ready for like hey, you know Everybody's with me. There's gonna be this sign We're gonna blow this trumpet and then this, you know, basically that's the time to rise up Verse 12 it says an Absalom sent for Ahithophel the guile knight David's counselor from his city even from Guilo while he offered sacrifices and the conspiracy was strong for the people increased continually with Absalom Now conspiracy, I feel like that words get thrown around like like conspiracy like it's just Alex Jones You know talking about the frogs being gay which actually turned out to be true But the conspiracy I think is a lot of times Construed as this kind of like a Theory with no evidence is what I think that every but when you hear conspiracy, isn't that what you think is like It's it's a theory. It's like some kind of thing that's out there, but there's no way to there's no one There's no proof of it. It's just kind of like wild-eyed theories But conspiracy is not that that's not what a conspiracy is a conspiracy is conspiring basically to do something And a lot of cases evil. Okay, and this is just dictionary calm. Okay of conspiracy Conspiracy is an unlawful harmful or evil plan formulated in secret by two or more person So But I you know that word has been just tainted where people just throw it out. There's like all your conspiracy theories It's like No, it's not really a conspiracy. It's like that. It's like the chemtrails, right? it's like all you and your conspiracy theories and then they literally come out saying they're doing it and There's still people that think that's a conspiracy even though they literally come out saying they're doing it Oh, you know, they're they're they're seeding the sky and the clouds It's conspiracy all Alex Jones just put on your tinfoil hat while you're at it believe in aliens to lizard people It's like no, they literally said it they said they're seeding it okay, so They admitted to it and people are still like now you're a conspiracy theorist Anyway, don't let me get off on that rabbit trail So basically this conspiracy strong, obviously, he's kind of done the grassroots movement to get this going here and David gets word of it and Verse 13 it says and there came a messenger to David saying the hearts of the men of Israel are Actor Absalom now, I think it's very important and and don't get me wrong When it says like the men of Israel sometimes that can mean everybody Right because men, you know like mankind all that stuff can mean in general But I believe in this case I'll show you why later. I believe in this case that it's literally dealing with the men of Israel. Okay, specifically the men okay, meaning that there's basically kind of like the leaders of the tribes and the men that are kind of heading up things that he really got ahold of Because later on it talks about a whole country and weeping because David's fleeing So what you understand is that for a conspiracy to go on? It's not like everybody has to be on board You just need the right people on board for it to work, okay And in this case you get the leaders on board then everything is I mean, what are the other people gonna do? Okay so David flees verse 14 It says David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem arise Let us flee for we shall not else escape from Absalom Make speed to depart lest he overtake us suddenly and bring evil upon us and smite the city with the edge of the sword So David is obviously not just thinking about himself, but also the people that are with him But also just the city in general. He doesn't want this to be like this knock out drag out fight for the city He'd rather just basically flee take the city and that no one gets hurt kind of thing, right? Verse 15 it says in the king's servants said unto the king behold thy servants are ready to go with Whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint ready to do I'm sorry ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint. So he still has loyal servants and people that are behind him and At this point, you know you say why doesn't the king why didn't he stay and fight? Listen, if all the people are against you, what are you gonna do? I Mean like it'd be like if I have the pastor here, but then everybody was wanting me out Why would I fight that I just be like, all right bye, you know like Does that make sense? Like what would be the point of trying to lead people that don't that don't want you as their leader and David is kind of in that attitude of like I'm I'm gonna head out and it's the Lord if it's the Lord's will You know, basically I'll come back here But if not, you know, it's kind of like I don't think he's in the mindset that I will come back It's more in the Lord's hand whether he comes back and But he does have loyal servants that are on his side that are with him to the end verse 16 says the king went forth and all his household after him and the king left ten women which were Concubines to keep the house and it's gonna be important information for what happens With Absalom later on which is also prophetically proclaimed in chapter 12, okay, so Anyway, verse 17 says and the king went forth and all the people after him and tarried in a place That was far off and all his servants passed on beside him all the carethites and all the Pelethites and all the get tights 600 men which came after him from Gath passed on before the king notice. These are the same 600 that were with him Before he started raining Notice the loyalty of his men That had been with him from the very beginning and they're still there with them even in this time okay, so Something to be said there about that And they're just there there's a this man at a I And it just kind of mentioned it mentions this guy and it just it's just something that really shows you that hey David David wasn't just like not doing anything I believe that a lot of this can be conflated to where Absalom's just kind of building this up like oh, yeah The king doesn't have anybody employed in to deal with your matters Like he doesn't care all this stuff and what you have to understand is that even if you have good leadership You can have people that will subvert the authority and will make it seem like they don't care make it seem like they're not Doing what they should be doing and then basically steal the hearts of the people This can happen in churches You know where you have even if you have good leadership You could have the case where someone comes in and be like well Yeah, but he doesn't have time to deal with you You know, he doesn't have time to deal with this or you know and then basically kind of subvert the hearts of the people to go after him and so Again, David has his faults, but I don't believe he's just completely Negligent of his duties and I think that this guy Hittai is a testament of that Okay, because obviously you have the men that were there with David from the very beginning back before he's ever king all that stuff Right, but in verse 19, it says then said the king to Hittai to Gittai Wherefore goest thou also with us return to thy place and abide with with the king for thou art a stranger and also an exile So notice how David even calls Absalom the king He's basically accepted that yeah Absalom has taken Absalom's taking over But notice he's basically saying to him. It's like why why are you coming with us? You know, it's like you could just go by there. You'll be fine Like what do you you know, why are you even worrying yourself with this, right? It's kind of like this idea. It's like this isn't your fight Like why are you even involving yourself in this you're not even from our country But notice that this guy that's a stranger notice his response. It says All right, just keep reading there as David's response It says whereas thou camest but yesterday should I this day make thee go up and down with us? Seeing I go whither I may return at return thou return thou and and take back thy brethren mercy and truth be with thee and Hittai answered the king and said as the Lord liveth and as my lord the king liveth Surely in what place my lord king shall be Whether in death or life even there also will thy servant be So notice that I mean he's all right He has the loyalty of this stranger that basically in David's words as you were just here yesterday, right? Like obviously six hundred men were there from the very beginning and that makes sense, right? That they're sticking with them through thick and thin but it's like this guy that's basically just in exile, right? He's kind of like the stranger see I would imagine he's probably seeking asylum, right? Like he's seeking asylum from where he's from and David gives him asylum and Basically because of that this guy's like no, I'm with you Wherever you go life or death. I'm going with you Which shows you that David still has that? that leadership type of Mentality in him that that's not gone Okay, and that there are still people that are wanting to follow him even people that just met him Right or that just got to know him. Okay, so And then in verse 22 it says and David said to it a I go and pass over and they tell you I have a hit I pass over and all his men and all the little ones with that were with him and this is where I was saying like I do believe that when it says that the hearts of the men of Israel were toward Absalom and he stole the hearts of the men of Israel that Says here in verse 23. It says in all the country wept with a loud voice and all the people passed over and The king also himself passed over the brook Kedron and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness So basically all the country's weeping because of what's happening So I don't believe it's just like everybody's just on Absalom side. Okay, I Mean the whole point of him sending out spies and saying hey when you hear the trumpet do this I mean if everybody was on board, they wouldn't even have to do that, right? so what you understand is I don't believe it's and what you understand too is that David does come back and That they're rejoicing that the king is coming back So it obviously can't just be this like hundred percent everybody wants David out Okay That there's obviously people that Absalom specifically dealt with and I believe he was purposely dealing with those that were probably in leadership positions in The tribes of the children of Israel to where he can kind of get the consensus of the leadership the men that are leading there to where They kind of have to follow the lead of them and even whether they like it or not Okay, and so that's why I'm saying that I don't believe I believe that probably most the country didn't want it to happen Okay And then in verse 24 here Zadok Basically starts bringing out the Ark of the Covenant. So the priests are on David's side Verse 24 says and lo Zadok also and all the Levi's Were with him bearing the Ark of the Covenant of God and they set down the Ark of God and Abiathar Went up until all the people had done Had done passing out of the city and the king said unto Zadok carry back the Ark of God into the city If I shall find favor in the eyes of the Lord He will bring me again and show me both it and his habitation But if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold Here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. So notice that he's kind of in the position like You know, if this is God's will that I basically don't reign anymore. He's basically accepting it And and really, you know at as leaders Shouldn't we just whatever God wants us to do go that route You know, it's just there's this mentality that I must lead it's I'm the leader or bust it's like well no He doesn't have to be that way if God doesn't want me to be a pastor of this church And I don't want to be the pastor of this church, right? But obviously if God wants me to be a pastor of the church then let's do this, right? but the idea is that the same thing with being a king being a leader all those different things is that Hey You know put it in the Lord's hands and David's in the mentality of that. Okay, if I come back great But if not, let the Lord do what he wants with me And that's the right attitude to have okay, and so In verse 27 there It says the king said also unto Zadok the priest art not thou a seer meaning a prophet We know that that back in those days. They call them a seer Return into the city in peace and your two sons with you and Hima has thy son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar So see see I will carry in the plain of the wilderness and sell their calm word from you to certify me Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God against Jerusalem and they tarry there and so Basically saying just go back there and and you know if the Lord brings you back then then great all of that, okay That's the next thing that's stated here is where David's at. So The book Kedron that's mentioned in the New Testament, but also the mount all of it is mentioned here Okay. Now this is just kind of for free and if you want to Study into this and see maybe some parallels and stuff like that then go for it I'm just kind of giving you I'm wetting your appetite for something that could very well be You know a reference here or an allegory I guess of this story with David I'm more so focusing on the physical story that's going on here, but obviously in a lot of these cases there's kind of a picture of You know what Jesus is gonna do and stuff like that But it says here in second Samuel chapter 15 and verse 30 says and David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet and wept as he went up and had his head covered and he went Barefoot and all the people that was with him covered every man his head and they Went up weeping as they went up now covering your head Obviously, it's a shame for a man to have long hair, but that's the hair is given for covering, right? So you can obviously the shame that's involved there But yeah, the only other time all of it is used in the Bible Obviously you have the Mount of Olives the same thing. Okay is Dealing where Jesus is taken up in Acts chapter 1 and It says in Acts chapter 1 after he's taken up and it says that he's gonna return in like manner So that means that the same place that Jesus was taken up in Acts chapter 1 in a cloud He's gonna return in like manner in The same place I believe it says in Acts 1 12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath day's journey And it's interesting because there's there's a scripture or prophecy and again this scripture and prophecy here has been so Twisted the mean like as far as the timeline of events. It's just like What they see here but in Zechariah 14 It says this if you want to look at that if you want to look at this and this is something just kind of Homework fun stuff you want to kind of see and maybe a picture here when it comes to this But I just think there's certain things that are mentioned here that are very interesting when it comes to when Jesus goes to the Garden of Gethsemane he goes through the Mount of Olives and He goes across the book Brooke Kedron into Gethsemane where he's weeping and He's sweating great drops of blood I'm just saying there's another certain for another day. Maybe you know, we're getting into details here. I'm just saying that There are definitely things places stated here and just things are being done But it also mentions that he's standing there on his with it says he's barefoot. So like the idea of his feet touching this mountain Notice what it says in Zechariah 14 3 it says then shall the Lord go forth and fight against those nations as when he fought In the day of battle and his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Which is before Jerusalem on the east and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof Toward the east and toward the west and going on with the passage here and obviously Zechariah is very cryptic So I'm not saying to go there and just be like, hey, let's go find out all end times prophecy stuff here that's going on but The parallels there and obviously the King returning I think I think I probably every Baptist Church I've been in been in I've heard sermons about when the King returns David returns is Like the second coming of Christ like it's a picture of the second coming of Christ So I'm not out to lunch to think that this Idea of the King leaving the King returning is has anything to do with the picturing the Lord Jesus Okay, but I'm just saying that that's something Just casually reading and as I'm going through this I'm just like the Mount of Olivet Barefoot his feet are touching the mountain He's weeping all this stuff the shame and obviously that Jesus going to the cross And how the Mount of Olives is always dealing with that, you know, the end times prophecies, you know preached on the Mount of Olives, right? anyway So Then the chapter here Second James chapter 15 in verse 31 So he sends back Zadok the priest he sends back his sons with the Ark of the Covenant and Then in verse 31 here Hushai Same thing he wants to come with David, but he has a he has a mission for Hushai Okay, so Ahithophel is one of the conspirators Okay So you have a hit the fellow in Hushai and these two guys are gonna basically be at it with each other with Given Absalom counsel in the next chapter But verse 31 it says and one told David saying Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom and David said Oh Lord I pray thee turn the council of Ahithophel into foolishness Now what's interesting is that he's basically Asking the Lord turn his council into foolishness and then the next verse says and it came to pass that when David was come to the Top of the Mount where he worshiped God behold Hushai the ark guy came to meet him with his coat Rant and earth upon his head coincidence. I Think not. Okay, so it's kind of like though He's asking turn his council into foolishness and this is literally who God's gonna use To destroy the good council of Ahithophel meaning good council in the fact that he actually has the council that would help Absalom win against David, but Hushai is going to destroy that. Okay, so That Prior answered next verse right is here's Hushai verse 33 and said unto whom David said If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me But if thou return to the city and say unto Absalom I will be thy servant O king as I have been my father's servant hither to So will I now also be thy servant then mayest thou for me Defeat the council of Hithophel and has thou not there with the Zadok and Abiathar the priests Therefore it shall be that that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house Thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests behold They have there with them their two sons Ahima has Zadok's son and Jonathan Abiathar's son and by them he shall send unto me Everything that ye can hear so Hushai David's friend came into the city and Absalom came into Jerusalem so They see he's got this plan to where he's got Zadok and Abiathar They're still you know, obviously the priests at the temple, but all right at the tabernacle And they have their two sons that are there and you basically telling you sighs like go destroy the Council of Ahithophel and basically bring me word by sending out The sons of the priests, you know to tell me what's going on Okay, so that's kind of where this chapter ends obviously chapter 16 gets into You know, obviously the the council of Ahithophel and the council of Hushai and then going back and forth and all that So anyway Hopefully, I think that's a very interesting chapter for sure dealing with This conspiracy that takes place But let's end with a word of prayer. I probably think today. Thank you for your word Thank you for the book of second Samuel and Lord Just pray to help us to understand these passages and Lord obviously the the surface meaning we want to know that but also just all The applications that we can get from it Also all the parallels and allegories that we can get out of it as well and Lord just your your word is just Extremely deep and infinite and Lord just help us to understand it and what we love you We're also Jesus Christ name. Amen, but Dave's gonna come sing one more song and then we'll be dismissed Alright take your song books turn to song On 308 in your song books will sing I surrender all of you at Stan will sing song 308 All to Jesus I surrender all to him I freely His presence daily live I Surrender all I surrender All to thee my blessed Savior I surrender All to Jesus I surrender Humbly at his feet I bow Worldly pleasures all Forsaken take me Jesus. Take me now. I Surrender all I Surrender all Oh to thee my Blessed Savior I All All to Jesus I Surrender make me save your holy thine Let me feel the Holy Spirit Truly know that thou art mine. I Surrender I Surrender all All to thee my blessed Savior I surrender