Page Three: “Shimei: Before The King” – 4/15/2012
Here’s how the Urban Dictionary defines a fair-weather friend. “A friend who is only a friend when circumstances are pleasant or profitable. At the first sign of trouble, these capricious, disloyal friends will drop their relationship with you.” [Found on www.urbandictionary.com].
He’s with you when things are going well. But he’ll quickly turn on you when things go against you. Then, when things turn around, they are sometimes the first to come to quote apologize; maybe even, confess their wrong against you.
Here’s what Shimei says to David now that David is back on the throne, so-to-speak. II Samuel 19:18.
(18) “And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
(19) And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
(20) For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”
How would you have responded to the words of Shimei, if you had been there that day? Here’s what David said, verse twenty-three; just four words. II Samuel 19:23 “Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.”
There are at least three lessons here from Shimei’s life, especially when it comes to the matter of forgiveness.
First, we see Shimei’s confession.
Second, we see his sin.
And third, does forgiveness change you?
Now, practically speaking, who here thinks that Shimei is sincere in his apology and confession? GTFR
Who here thinks that Shimei showed true repentance? You see, repentance means “to change the mind.”
You see, I doubt very much that David saw a truly contrite heart kneeling in front of him that day. But does that mean David shouldn’t grant him forgiveness?
Folks, we’ve got the very same problem today. When you’ve got trouble and someone you’ve known, sometimes for years, takes sides against you, that’s a problem. But how do you respond when the trouble begins to subside and then they are among the first to come to quote “kiss and make up.”
Aren’t you of the opinion that such a person isn’t sincere? Even that they still can’t be trusted; that is, unless they prove to you that they are trustworthy?
You see, folks, we’re very much the same today as people who lived three thousand years ago. Our circum-stances are different. But our hearts have the very same tendencies, don’t they?
Now, let’s be practical. Should Shimei be trusted from now on? Here’s King David being restored to his throne and he makes a promise to this man.
Can you see yourself here? Haven’t you noticed your own tendency to easily judge someone else’s heart? There are people who you can’t trust simply because of what they’ve done to you or said to you. But, again, is that a sign that we should not forgive them? By the way, Shimei’s hatred for David was very public. He and his friends mocked and cursed and criticized David before everybody.
Now, shouldn’t David take this personally? Do you think David is the kind of man who forgives public offenses easily?
Well, he did that day. Now, as king, he could have put this man to death that very minute. But he didn’t. Instead he makes a promise. He makes him a promise that he likely kept till the day he died.
We are, all of us, so quick to judge someone else’s heart, especially when they’ve hurt us. But folks, forgiveness, as you know, is a powerful means of finding personal peace deep in your soul. And notwithstanding Shimei’s words and actions towards David, God is teaching David that forgive-ness isn’t as dependent upon the forgiven as much as it is on the forgiver. David just might be learning that “to forgive” means “to give something to someone;” and give them something they don’t deserve.
Imagine, for just a moment, how this attitude towards Shimei affected those around him. I believe David did truly forgive him.
First, we see Shimei’s apology and confession.
Second, we see his sin against David.
Now third, does Shimei’s life change at all not that David has forgiven him?
Who thinks that Shimei accepted David’s olive leaf and became loyal to him from that day forward?
Folks, here’s an illustration of why it’s so important to read and re-read the Bible. There’s a whole lot more said about Shimei in the Scriptures. Just let me show you one passage. Turn to I Kings Chapter one.
Look with me at I Kings 1:5. David is now seventy years old he’s upon his deathbed. Adonijah, David’s fourth-born son, declares himself as king of Israel. One problem, though, he never spoke to his father David about it.
He’s with you when things are going well. But he’ll quickly turn on you when things go against you. Then, when things turn around, they are sometimes the first to come to quote apologize; maybe even, confess their wrong against you.
Here’s what Shimei says to David now that David is back on the throne, so-to-speak. II Samuel 19:18.
(18) “And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
(19) And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
(20) For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”
How would you have responded to the words of Shimei, if you had been there that day? Here’s what David said, verse twenty-three; just four words. II Samuel 19:23 “Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.”
There are at least three lessons here from Shimei’s life, especially when it comes to the matter of forgiveness.
First, we see Shimei’s confession.
Second, we see his sin.
And third, does forgiveness change you?
Now, practically speaking, who here thinks that Shimei is sincere in his apology and confession? GTFR
Who here thinks that Shimei showed true repentance? You see, repentance means “to change the mind.”
You see, I doubt very much that David saw a truly contrite heart kneeling in front of him that day. But does that mean David shouldn’t grant him forgiveness?
Folks, we’ve got the very same problem today. When you’ve got trouble and someone you’ve known, sometimes for years, takes sides against you, that’s a problem. But how do you respond when the trouble begins to subside and then they are among the first to come to quote “kiss and make up.”
Aren’t you of the opinion that such a person isn’t sincere? Even that they still can’t be trusted; that is, unless they prove to you that they are trustworthy?
You see, folks, we’re very much the same today as people who lived three thousand years ago. Our circum-stances are different. But our hearts have the very same tendencies, don’t they?
Now, let’s be practical. Should Shimei be trusted from now on? Here’s King David being restored to his throne and he makes a promise to this man.
Can you see yourself here? Haven’t you noticed your own tendency to easily judge someone else’s heart? There are people who you can’t trust simply because of what they’ve done to you or said to you. But, again, is that a sign that we should not forgive them? By the way, Shimei’s hatred for David was very public. He and his friends mocked and cursed and criticized David before everybody.
Now, shouldn’t David take this personally? Do you think David is the kind of man who forgives public offenses easily?
Well, he did that day. Now, as king, he could have put this man to death that very minute. But he didn’t. Instead he makes a promise. He makes him a promise that he likely kept till the day he died.
We are, all of us, so quick to judge someone else’s heart, especially when they’ve hurt us. But folks, forgiveness, as you know, is a powerful means of finding personal peace deep in your soul. And notwithstanding Shimei’s words and actions towards David, God is teaching David that forgive-ness isn’t as dependent upon the forgiven as much as it is on the forgiver. David just might be learning that “to forgive” means “to give something to someone;” and give them something they don’t deserve.
Imagine, for just a moment, how this attitude towards Shimei affected those around him. I believe David did truly forgive him.
First, we see Shimei’s apology and confession.
Second, we see his sin against David.
Now third, does Shimei’s life change at all not that David has forgiven him?
Who thinks that Shimei accepted David’s olive leaf and became loyal to him from that day forward?
Folks, here’s an illustration of why it’s so important to read and re-read the Bible. There’s a whole lot more said about Shimei in the Scriptures. Just let me show you one passage. Turn to I Kings Chapter one.
Look with me at I Kings 1:5. David is now seventy years old he’s upon his deathbed. Adonijah, David’s fourth-born son, declares himself as king of Israel. One problem, though, he never spoke to his father David about it.