2 Samuel 15:13-14 (NKJV) “Now a messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, ‘Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.’”
Trailblazers act and speak differently from the world, they do not bicker like the rest of the people. Believing that God will open up a pathway in the wilderness and a stream in the desert, they are able to focus and work on what God has called them to do, even when they are venturing into uncharted waters. And as they walk in obedience in response to God’s leadership and direction, they will experience His faithfulness.
King David was a man after God’s own heart, who did what was just and right for all his people (1 Chronicles 18:14), he also carried out many exploits for the Lord. Sadly, he experienced the rebellion of his son Absalom during his reign. Absalom undermined his father’s position by swaying the hearts of the people towards himself. By insinuating that the king had no time to listen to their struggles, he caused the people to be discontented with King David. Even Ahithophel, King David’s counsellor, deserted him to serve Absalom, whose men pursued King David and his entourage with the sword. There can be no greater pain and grief to a father’s heart, than to have his own flesh and blood commit treason against him. Yet because King David loved his son, he chose not to fret over Absalom’s betrayal and focused instead on getting his people to safety as Absalom and his forces swept towards him.
Unfortunately, betrayals still happen today, and it can happen to any one of us. People may wish to undermine our position in the workplace, sometimes it may even come from one who is closest to us. Others might gossip about us, stab us in the back and play politics to have us removed from certain positions. Nevertheless, do not fret over such underhanded actions. Let them be, allow the process to play itself out, and don’t lose your peace and joy. Trust the Lord to direct your steps.
2 Samuel 18:9 (NKJV) “Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.”
According to the account in 2 Samuel 18:9-15, Absalom didn’t die in open battle, but was trapped in a freak incident when his head was caught in the branches of a tree under which he rode past. He was left hanging in the tree while the mule he was riding kept on going. Eventually, he was stabbed to death in cold blood by Joab, the commander of David’s armies, in clear contravention to David’s instructions to deal gently with his son. It was a tragic end to his life. David’s experience teaches us not to take vengeance into our own hands, but to allow time and circumstances to deal with those who perpetrate evil against us.
Sermon Series: Trailblazer
袖手旁观
撒母耳记下 15:13-14 有人报告大卫说，以色列人的心都归向押沙龙了。 大卫就对耶路撒冷跟随他的臣仆说，我们要起来逃走，不然都不能躲避押沙龙了。要速速地去，恐怕他忽然来到，加害于我们，用刀杀尽合城的人。
开路先锋的行行与世人与众不同，他们不像世人那般争闹。他们相信神会在旷野中开道路，在沙漠中开江河。他们能够专注于神呼召他们去做的事，即便在他们冒险进入未知水域之时。当他们回应神的带领和指引，行在顺服中时，他们将经历到神的信实。
大卫王是一个合神心意的人，他向众民秉公行义（历代志上18:14），他也为神做了很多事情。不幸的是，他在位时经历了他儿子押沙龙的背叛。押沙龙收买人心，意图架空他的父亲。他散布虚假信息，说王无暇倾听民间的疾苦，煽动众民对大卫王不满。就连大卫王的谋士亚希多弗也离开大卫去服事押沙龙。他的部下甚至仗剑追赶大卫王和他的随从。对于一个父亲而言，没有比血肉至亲的背叛更令人痛心的了。然而，因为大卫王爱他的儿子，他选择不为押沙龙的背叛而烦恼，而是在押沙龙和他的军队向他逼近时，集中精力保护他众民的安全。
不幸的是，背叛今天还在发生，它可能发生在我们任何一个人身上。人们可能希望破坏我们在工作场所的地位，有时甚至可能来自于我们最亲近的人。其他人可能会说我们的闲话，背后捅我们一刀，玩弄政治手段，让我们离开某些职位。然而，不要为这些卑鄙的行为而烦恼。让他们去吧，船到桥头自然直，不要失去你的平安和喜乐。相信神指引你的脚步。
撒母耳记下 18:9 押沙龙偶然遇见大卫的仆人。押沙龙骑着骡子，从大橡树密枝底下经过，他的头发被树枝绕住，就悬挂起来，所骑的骡子便离他去了。
根据撒母耳记下18:9-15的记载，押沙龙并非死于公开的战斗，而是莫名其妙地被悬挂在了一棵树上，当时他骑的骡子正经过一棵大树下，他的头部卡在枝桠之间，而他骑的骡子却继续往前走。最后，大卫的军队指挥官约押冷血地将他刺死，这显然违背了大卫温和对待他儿子的指示，他就这样死于非命。大卫的经历教会我们不要自己复仇，而是让时间和环境去对付那些对我们作恶的人。
讲章系列：开路先锋
Image Source: pixabay.com