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撒母耳记下［第19章］|Book of 2 Samuel 19

【人生的抉择】

主讲:陈惠菁传道

05/10/2023


一、当头棒喝站起来（v1-7）

1.极度伤痛意志消沉

大卫痛失爱子押沙龙，毫无掩饰的在士兵面前，悲哀痛哭，几近崩溃的不断呼喊着押沙龙的名字。士兵们原本应该是兴高采烈、敲锣打鼓的凯旋归来，最终却好像打了败仗的军队一样，惭愧暗暗地进城。

今天，也许在我们当中有人正经历一些创伤、艰难和苦难。不要让环境锁住我们，导致我们只定睛在伤痛苦难中，继续意志消沉，而忘了神在我们生命中的旨意。我们要呼求圣灵来帮助我们，医治和赐我们力量站起来往前行。

2.被提醒要愿意回转

约押听说大卫的状况后，非常生气，马上跑去见大卫：“你这样哭泣是什么意思？我们这些人为你出生入死，救了你和你儿女妻妾的性命，我们回来你连说声谢谢都没有。 你儿子死了，难道我们这边没有人死吗？这些死了的士兵家属怎么想？难道要押沙龙活着，我们都死光了，你就开心了，是吗？” 约押接着严重警告大卫：“你若不出去安慰你仆人的心，今夜必无一人与你同在一处；这祸患就比你从幼年到如今所遭的更甚！”

善意的忠告可以搭救走错路的人。看到弟兄走歪了，不可自扫门前雪，要互相守望和彼此提醒。当别人劝诫我们，尤其是当权柄对我们说重话的时候，要留心听。若真的是我们生命的软弱，我们要愿意谦卑回转。

约押的眼光虽然正确，但态度却是错误的。不尊重权柄，就等于不尊重神。但权柄也是人，也可能做错。我们可以适当提醒和相劝，态度也要对。

二、生命树下显恩慈（v9-23）

感谢神！大卫终于决定起程要重返圣城。虽然说支持押沙龙叛变的都是该死的，但是我们看到大卫却是宽宏大量，不计前嫌的以生命树的恩慈对待他们。

1.以色列众支派

原本支持押沙龙的以色列众支派，在押沙龙死后，就开始七嘴八舌的。他们开始重新记起大卫的恩情功绩，纷纷议论想邀请大卫王回耶路撒冷作王。从字里行间，我们看到这批人并没有向大卫求赦免，也没有为自己参与叛乱的事而深深懊悔。但大卫都心胸宽大，不计前嫌的接纳他们。更是无条件的宽容叛军的将军亚玛撒，并立他代替约押常作元帅。结果挽回犹大众人的心，如同一人的心。

2.示每、洗巴

示每是扫罗一族的人。当大卫逃亡时示每跟在大卫后面，又咒骂，又拿石头砍大卫。洗巴原来是扫罗家里的仆人。他欺骗大卫，说米非波设留在耶路撒冷，是等待以色列人来，重新立他作以色列王。现在大卫胜利回来，示每和洗巴一同来迎接大卫，都是因为他们过去对不起大卫，赶快来讨好大卫。

虽然大卫以生命树的恩慈对待曾经背叛过他的百姓；给他们机会悔改。但我们看到，并不是每个人都真心悔改。从大卫在临终嘱咐所罗门不要放过示每，还有明天的经文就看到色列人又参加了示巴的叛乱，我们就知道，他们的悔改并不是真诚的。

弟兄姐妹，我们最近对一直在讲男人回、女人归正，生命整合。求神让我们认证的对准生命树的生命。不断地转换归正。不要向以色列人那样，在同一个罪或问题里一直转不出来。

三、忠心事主不求利（v24-43）

1.专一爱王的米非波设（v24-30）

大卫听信洗巴的谎言，就把米非波设的产业给了洗巴。当知道错怪了米非波设，就把扫罗的财产一人分一半，算是了结他们之间的争执。米非波设单纯的专一敬爱王。他只要大卫平平安安回来就好了，其他都不重要，任凭洗巴都取去也可以。

求神帮助我们像米非波设专一爱王一样，因为知道我们所爱的万王之王不在世界里，所以愿意拒绝世界的诱惑。

2.不求名利的巴西莱（v31-39）

巴西莱是约但河东边的人。大卫逃避押沙龙，又饿又渴时，巴西莱带来大批的食物和床铺，给大卫和跟随的人。

巴西莱没有接受大卫奉养他的好意，到耶路撒冷去，但却把儿子金罕献给大卫，跟随服事王。大卫为了报答巴西莱对他的恩情，在他的家乡伯利恒，赐给金罕一些产业（耶41:17）。更在临死的时候，吩咐所罗门要恩待巴西莱的儿子们（王上2:7）

我们不但要把下一代奉献给神，教会也要预备下一代来接棒。更要明白一个不能胜过名利地位的人，是没有办法忠心事奉主的。

四、同心合一迎接王（v40-43）

以色列其他支派早已商议迎接大卫回宫，比犹大支派还要热心，现在看到被犹大支派抢了先，所以双方就起了争执。押沙龙死了，但撒但依然没有停止，继续在神的百姓中间制造纷争。其实两边的人都打算迎接王回来，他们的目标是一致的。但因为作了分别善恶树的选择，而破坏合一、偏离目标。求神赐我们谦卑的灵，站在生命树里作选择，以爱维系主内的合一。

总结：选择对准生命树

人生每一天都需要做不同的选择。对的选择能使我们在困局中翻转得胜。错误的选择可能让我们面对更大的灾难和残局。今天这章经文里，在大卫打胜仗后启程回到耶路撒冷，执掌王权的路途上，遇见了不同的人，每个人都站在不同的处境上，做出他们的选择。今天，在等候耶稣基督重回地上执掌王权的时刻，我们的选择又是什么呢？选择对准生命树。

2 Samuel 19 Life’s choices
GK611 Morning Devotion
5/10/2023
The Morning Devotion Speaker: Ps. Deborah Tan

1. Standing up at the head (v1-7)

(1) Extremely hurt and depressed

David lost his son, Absalom, and wept bitterly in front of the soldiers, crying out Absalom’s name. The soldiers should have been returning in triumph with great joy and drums, but instead they went into the city in shame and darkness as if they had lost a battle.

Today, perhaps there are those among us who are experiencing some trauma, hardship and suffering. Don’t let circumstances lock us in and cause us to focus on the hurt and suffering and continue to be demoralised, forgetting God’s will in our lives. We need to call on the Holy Spirit to help us, to heal and to give us the strength to get up and move forward.

(2) Being reminded to be willing to turn

When Joab heard of David's condition, he became very angry and immediately ran to see David: "What do you mean by weeping like this? Those of us who have died for you have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and concubines, and we came back and you didn't even say thank you. Your son died, did no one on our side die? What do the families of these dead soldiers think? Do you want Absalom to live and you'll be happy when we're all dead, won't you?" Now therefore, arise, go out and speak [c]comfort to your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.”

Kind counsel can hitch a ride on the one who is going astray. When we see a brother going astray, we must not clean up after ourselves, but watch and remind one another. Listen attentively when others admonish us, especially when authority speaks harshly to us. If it is truly a weakness in our lives, we must be willing to humble ourselves and turn around.

While Joab's vision was right, his attitude was wrong. To dishonour authority is to dishonor God. But authority is human and can do wrong. We can properly remind and counsel each other, and our attitude must be right.

2. Mercy Shown Under the Tree of Life (v9-23)

Thanks be to God! David finally decides to set out to return to the Holy City. Although it is said that those who supported Absalom’s rebellion deserved to die, we see that David was magnanimous and dealt with them with the kindness of the tree of life regardless of their previous enmity.

(1) The tribes of Israel

The tribes of Israel, who had supported Absalom, began to speak out after Absalom's death. They began to remember David's kindness again and talked about inviting King David back to Jerusalem to reign. Reading between the lines, we see that this group did not ask David for forgiveness, nor did they deeply regret their involvement in the rebellion. But David was all big-hearted and accepted them regardless of their past. He even extended unconditional forgiveness to Amasa, the general of the rebels, and made him the commander-in-chief in place of Joab. As a result, the hearts of all the people of Judah were restored, as the heart of one man.

(2) Shimei and Ziba

Shimei was from the tribe of Saul. When David fled, Shimei followed him, cursing and stoning him. Ziba was a servant in Saul's house. He lied to David, saying that Mephibosheth had stayed in Jerusalem waiting for the Israelites to come and re-install him as king of Israel. Now that David had returned victorious, Shimei and Ziba came together to greet David because they had wronged him in the past and had come to please him.

Although David treated his people who had betrayed him with the kindness of the tree of life; giving them the opportunity to repent. But we see that not everyone was truly repentant. From David's dying command to Solomon not to let Shimei go, and the fact that tomorrow's passage sees the Israelites joining Sheba's rebellion again, we know that their repentance was not sincere.

Brothers and Sisters, we have recently been preaching about men returning, women are to realign, and life integration. Pray that God will approve our alignment to the Tree of Life life. Keep turning around and realign. Don't be like the Israelites who kept turning in the same sin or problem.

3. Faithfulness in serving the Lord without seeking profit (v24-43)

(1) Mephibosheth, who loved the king exclusively (24-30)

David listened to the lies of Ziba and gave Ziba the estate of Mephibosheth. When he realised that he had wronged Mephibosheth, he took half of Saul's property to settle their dispute. Mephibosheth was simply devoted to the king. All he wanted was for David to return safely, nothing else mattered, and it was okay for Ziba to take it all.

Pray that we would be like Mephibosheth who loved the king exclusively and was willing to reject the temptations of the world because he knew that the King of kings whom we love was not in the world.

(2) Barzillai, who did not seek fame or fortune (v31-39)

Barzillai was a man from the east side of the Jordan. When David fled from Absalom and was hungry and thirsty, Barzillai brought large quantities of food and bedding for David and his followers.

Barzillai did not accept David's kind offer to feed him and go to Jerusalem, but offered his son Chimham to David to follow and serve the king. David repaid Barzillai's kindness to him by giving Chimham some property in his hometown of Bethlehem (Jer 41:17). And on his deathbed, he commanded Solomon to be gracious to the sons of Barzillai (1 Kings 2:7)

Not only do we need to dedicate the next generation to God, but the church needs to prepare the next generation to carry the baton. It is important to understand that a person who is not able to overcome fame and position cannot serve the Lord faithfully.

4. Welcoming the King with One Heart (v40-43)

The other tribes of Israel had long been negotiating to welcome David back to the palace, more zealously than the tribes of Judah, and now they saw that they had been pre-empted by the tribes of Judah, and so the two sides rose up in strife. Absalom died, but Satan still didn't stop and continued to cause strife among God's people. In fact, the people on both sides intended to welcome the king back, and their goal was the same. But because of the choice of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the unity was broken and the goal was strayed from. Pray that God will give us a humble spirit to stand in the tree of life and make a choice to maintain the unity in the Lord with love.

Conclusion: Choose to align with the Tree of Life

Every day of our lives requires us to make different choices. The right choice will enable us to turn around and win in a difficult situation. The wrong choices can expose us to greater disaster and wreckage. In today's passage, on David's journey back to Jerusalem after his victory, he met different people, each standing in a different situation and making their own choices. What are our choices today as we wait for Jesus Christ to return to earth to reign? Choose to align with the Tree of Life.

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