Day 289 – Battle

2 Samuel 18:1 David numbered the people with him and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.

 2 Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, “I also will go out with you.”

 3 However, the people answered, “You will not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. For you are more help to us in the city.”

 4 Then the king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” Then the king stood beside the gate, and the people went out by hundreds and by thousands.

 5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” The people heard when the king gave the captains orders concerning Absalom.

 6 Then the people went out into the field of battle against Israel. The battle was in the woods of Ephraim.

 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place that day.

 8 For the battle was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

 9 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. The mule under him went on.

 10 Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”

 11 Joab said to the man who told him, “You saw him! Why did you not strike him to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.”

 12 However, the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ 13 Otherwise, I would have dealt falsely with my life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”

 14 Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the middle of the terebinth tree.

 15 Ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom and struck and killed him.

 16 Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people.

 17 They took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then Israel fled, everyone to his tent.

 18 Absalom in his lifetime set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his name. To this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

 19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how JEHOVAH avenged him of his enemies.”

 20 Joab said to him, “You will not take the news this day, for you will take the news another day. However, today you will take no news, because the king’s son is dead.”

 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you saw.” The Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.

 22 Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.”

  Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?”

 23 “Whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.”

  Then he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

 24 David sat between the two gates. The watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone.

 25 Then the watchman cried out and told the king. The king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” He came rapidly and drew near.

 26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, running alone!”

  The king said, “He also brings news.”

 27 The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.”

 The king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

 28 Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, “Blessed be JEHOVAH your Elohiym, who delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!”

 29 The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

  Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.”

 30 The king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” Then he turned aside and stood still.

 31 Then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For JEHOVAH avenged you this day of everyone who rose against you.”

 32 The king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?”

 The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and those who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!”

 33 Then the king was deeply moved, and went to the chamber over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!”

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

God’s character:

Avenger

No one wants to hear bad news. Even in war, they want to hear news of peace. However, war kills, and many soldiers return home for burial.

David sent his warriors against Absalom and told his captains not to kill Absalom. Everyone heard the king’s command. However, when the opportunity presented itself, Joab killed Absalom. When David heard the news about Absalom’s death, he went to his chamber, weeping.

When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, Satan went to war with you. You became one of Yeshuwa’s warriors in the battle against Satan’s schemes against you. Yeshuwa promised to keep you safe in the battle. However, if you don’t spend time in His presence, in prayer and Bible study, you can become a victim of Satan’s plans.

When Solomon built the temple and prayed the prayer of dedication to JEHOVAH, He told him how He would keep the people safe if they continued to trust Him.

2 Chronicles 7:12 Then JEHOVAH appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him, “I heard your prayer, and chose this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.

When Satan devours everything and everyone belonging to you because you turned away from Yeshuwa, you still have hope. You can return to Him with a penitent heart, and He will hear you, forgive you, and heal your land.

Don’t let Satan devour those you love and cause you to weep as David wept for his son. Spend time with Yeshuwa in His Word daily. Then the enemy of your soul cannot steal, kill, or destroy those belonging to you.

Do you stand in the gap for those you love who don’t know Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord? Do you seek His face on their behalf? Don’t let another moment pass without praying for them. When you do, Satan cannot come against them to kill and destroy them.

Let’s pray: Father, I come before You on behalf of those I love who don’t know You. Keep them safe. Shelter them under Your wings. Show them Your love, bless them, and bring them to You as they accept Your Son as Savior and Lord. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 3 November 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux