The Throne of David, Treatise · Section 41
II. SAM. Chap. 18. from the 19. verſ. to the end.
FOllowes now the report of the event of the battle. And 2. how David is affected for the death of Abſolom. In the report we have. 1. A conteſt between Ahimaaz who deſires to be the firſt reporter, and Joab, the ſubject whereof was, if it was expedient, or not that Ahimaaz ſhould be the firſt reporter, Ahimaaz takes the affirmative, & Joab the negative, Ahimaaz reaſons are. 1. From his Perſon (Let me now runne) as if he would ſay, I have before brought tydings from my Father Zadok to David, of the event of Achitophels Counſell, and Huſhai's defeat thereof; and therefore it is fitteſt that I likewiſe now runne and bring tydings to David of the event of the battle. 2. From the Perſon of the King now in great perplexity of mind, till he hear of the event of the battle, and who has gotten the Victory. 3. From the nature of the report, Good tydings, that the Lord hath avenged him of his Enemies. Which will make him gracious to his Prince, which ſubjects deſire to be. On the contrary Joab diſſwades him therefore, by theſe reaſons. 1. From the time, it is not expedient thou beare the meſſage this day, ſeeing another time will offer thee a more favourable argument, by reaſon of the mixture of that which will be ſorrowfull, with the victory which is joyfull. 2. From this ſubject of the report in particular, that the Kings Son is dead and therefore the reporter thereof will not be acceptable, knowing Davids great affection to Abſolom, as he ſhew thereafter. Therefore Joab directs Cuſhi one of the Kings ſervants, Verſ. 29. With the newes to David. But notwithſtanding Ahimaaz inſiſts to go likewiſe, and through importunity prevailes with Joab, and being diſmiſſed, and running by the way of the plaine, overrunneth Cuſhi, who for a ſhorter way had taken the Wilderneſſe, and coming in fight, he is ſpied by one of Davids watchmen, who was upon the the roof of the gate of the wall of the City, and who accordingly cryed and told the King, and finding that it was but one alone that was running; the King conjectures, that it was the bearer of tydings, the reaſon of this conjecture being from common experience, for if the Army had been overthrown, not one but many had been ſeen flying and reparing to the City, but being victorious, and buſily occupied in following and dividing the prey, as Siſera was thought to have been exerciſed, Judg. 5. 30. Therefore one onelyonly was ſent to report the Victory, who in his drawing neerer beeing diſcovered to be Ahimaaz the Son of Zadok, David conjectures the newes to be good, by the goodneſſe of the bearer, and who firſt in the general, reports that all was well, & thereafter moſt religiouſly, as became the pious Son of ſuch a Father, he aſcribes the praiſe of the victory and of the deliverance of Davids Enemies into his hand to God onelyonly, & not to the wiſdome of David, or valour of Joab, as a flatterer would have done, & therefore bleſſes the Lord for that happy ſucceſſe, and when he was asked by David how the young man Abſolom was, he warily and wiſely (remembring the cauſe why Joab would not had him the firſt reporter) diſſembleth his knowledge thereof, till Cuſhi who came after him, anſwered, Wiſhing that all the Kings Enemies were as that young man is. Whereupon the King juſtly apprehending that he was killed was much moved, and having retired himſelf to his Chamber, made a grievous lamentation for him. For theſe three cauſes for which (as we have formerly ſaid) he had given direction to deale gen…ty with him, and not to touch him.
OBSERVATIONS.
1. V. 19. IN Ahimaaz his rejoycing at the Victory, and deſire to carry the new…s thereof to David, that he might alſo rejoyce. We ſee the ſympathy that ought to be amongſt the Godly, that as they are willed to weep with them, that weep, like fellowfeeling members of one body, and as they are willed ſo to do, 1 Pet. 3. 8. So ought they to rejoyce with them who re- and eſpecially at the proſperity of Gods Church, and people, and their deliverance, from their Enemies, and that the Lord has manifeſted his juſtice on them, as his mercy towards his own.
2. In Ahimaaz deſiring from Ioab leave to go, and a warrant from him, who was chief in power to give him a call, and runnes not unſent, to tell theſe glad tydings. We ſee it is the duty of inferiours to ſubmit to the direction of their ſuperiours, and eſpecially that the bearers of the glad tydings of ſalvation ſhould not runne before they be ſent, and have a call from thoſe, who have power to give it them in the Church of Chriſt. Though like Ahimaaz they be never ſo willing, or forward, or able alſo to diſcharge that function.
3. Verſ. 27. When David is in greateſt fear, and ſolicitude concerning the event of the battle, he gets good newes of a happy ſucceſſe and victory: even ſo when the Godly are in greateſt feares dangers and difficulties, the Lord in their extremity ſhewes his owne gracious deliverance, and opportunity, witneſſe Jacobs deliverance from Eſau, Iſraels at the red Sea, Davids from Sauls oruelty, his peoples from Hamans bloody plot, Eliahs from Achab, Peters from Herod, Act. 12. And many more others, therefore let none deſpare of the Lords care of them, as he had of Daniel, and the three Children, though they ſeem to be like the Lamb in the Lyons paw, but in a holy confidence let them conſtantly rely on him.
4. David ſpeaking of Ahimaaz, Zadok the Prieſts Sonne, ſayes, He is a good man and brings good tydings, joyning well theſe two together, as indeed they ought to be in all the meſſengers, and Miniſters of the Goſpel, in whoſe mouth the good and glad tydings of the Goſpell is put to declare to Gods people, of the Summe of Davids victory over all our ſpirituall Enemies, and of our deliverance from them, and their overthrow, that as the newes is good, ſo they ſhould be good men that carry them, their carriage being ſuitable to their calling and meſſage, both holy, that their life belies not their tongue, nor that it be not ſaid of them, as of he Phariſees, they ſay, but doe not, or as Pſal. 50. 16. What haſt thou to do to declare my ſtatutes, or to take my covenant into thy mouth, ſeeing thou hateſt to be reformed?
5. How welcome was Ahimaaz to David, when he brought theſe newes of his Armies ſafety, and that all was well, and how much more welcome ſhould they be, And their feet counted beautifull on the mountains who (like the Angels at Chriſts birth) bring the glad tydings of ſalvation to the Lords people, and as the Galatians welcomed Paul, Gol. 4. 14. As an Angel of God, even as Chriſt Jeſus.
6. Verſ. 28. Ahimaaz bleſſes the Lord for the Victory, and aſcribes the ſame onelyonly to him, who is the Lord of hoſtes▪ and neither to Davids wiſdome in directing, nor Joabs, and the Armies valour in executing, but onelyonly to the Lords power and Almighty Arme, who had given the ſame. Thereby teaching all men in all conditions, or ſucceſſe of affaires to look higher then to inſtruments, and to acknowledge him to be ſupreame governour to whom the glory of all the good we have belongs, that we may ſay; Not unto us, but to thy name be the glory and praiſe for ever.
7. V. 32. As David hears the joyfull newes of the Victory: ſo he hears by Cuſhi the ſorrowfull tydings of his Sonne Abſoloms death, which he ſo laments. Whereby we ſee how the Lord tempers the cup, which he gives, mixing to his own, ſome ſowreneſſe with their ſweetneſſe, ſo that their joy here is neither full, as it ſhall be hereafter, Pſal. 16. 11. Nor unmixed leſt we ſhould be too much inamored with this life, and cloyed with Worldly delights & contentments, therefore our ſweeteſt roſes have their prickles, Et nil omni ex parte beatum.
8. Here likewiſe, we ſee the miſerable condition of civill and inteſtine warre & troubles, that in theſe, even ſuch Victories that are obtained by the party prevailing are not without ſad loſſs of ſome, who were dear, or neer unto them, as is ſaid of the warres between Caeſar and Pompey, Bella gerit, placuit nullos habitura triumphos, as our proverb ſayes, Wherein we loſe a friend with a foe, which ſhould diſſwade from civill, or inteſtine diviſion, and diſſent, and perſwade to peace, and unity both in Church and Commonwalth.
9. As has been ſaid, on the 5. Verſe, and explication of the charge given to Joab, and the others concerning Abſoloms preſervation, and the cauſes thereof: ſo here the cauſe of Davids lamenting for his death, was eſpecially with intuition, firſt of his own ſins of adultery, and the murther of Ʋriah, as the cauſe why he was ſo ſharply corrected in him, who was his Son and a part of himſelf, and which all of us ought to look unto, when we are corrected in the perſons of our Children, or any that are neer, and dear unto us, and as David looked unto, when he mourned and faſted, for the ſickneſſe of the firſt Child, that was borne unto him by Bathſheba.
10. Next, his mourning and lamentation was with intuition of his ſpirituall, and now eternall eſtate, dying ſo without repentance in his ſinnes, of bloodſhed, inceſt, and rebellion, which ſ…ould be in like manner the chief cauſe of mourning to all, who fear God when they their friends, or any other of neerer relation to be wicked and incorrigible, and running headlong to their own damnation, and which was the cauſe of Samuels going to Ramah and mourning for Saul all the dayes of his life.
11. Out of his two tender and fatherly affection he cryes out with ingemination, My Son, my Son Abſolom would God I had dyed for thee. Where we ſee, that the beſt men have not wont to be leaſt paſſionate: but what ſhall we ſay of our Saviours love to us, & fervency thereof, who has ſaid of us wretched rebells, Not, would God I had dyed for you, but, I have dyed for you, a bloody, a painfull, a ſhamefull and a curſed death. Behold then how he loved us, with a love matchleſſe, and marvellous, in fruit like himſelf and incomprehenſible, whereat Angels ſtand amazed, and wherewith Saints are raviſhed, would God that we had hearts, as we ſhould, to love▪ him again.