Page Two: “Shimei: Before The King” – 4/15/2012
As you know, there will always be those who will stick with you no matter what. Shobi, Machir, and Barzillai are among those who hung in there with King David when many did not.
But, for just a moment I want you to consider with me at least one person who was especially glad that David had been ousted. How would you like to have been one of those who were glad to see David go, only to find a few days later to see him return to power?
As David re-crossed the Jordan and began to travel the 85 miles south and back to the city of Jerusalem, each one of these people began to give an account of themselves to David.
The first one to speak of was a very colorful character by the name of Shimei. It’s likely you’ve never even heard of him before today, but look with me at what he says to David, II Samuel 19:16.
II Samuel 19:16 “And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
(17) And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
(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.”
As I read and re-read II Samuel I find time and again the LORD giving David numerous opportunities to learn what forgiveness means.
You know what it means, right? The Bible presents forgiveness in a variety of ways. One is this. “To forgive = “cancel a debt.” But here’s another “forgive” = “to send away.” In the NT the exact same word “forgive” is translated “to send away.”
And what is it that God wants us to “send away” when someone has hurt us? He wants us to “send the offense away” and remove it from our thought life; something we all have to learn by experience. By the way, God sends our offenses so far away that it’s compared to being cast into the depths of the sea.
Well, again we see David learning the powerful art of forgiveness in the person of Shimei.
I describe Shimei as a colorful character for a number of reasons. Let me show you why. Turn back just a page to the day David was forced off the throne and had to leave town, II Samuel sixteen and verse five.
II Samuel 16:5 “And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
(6) And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
(7) And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
(8) The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
(13) And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.”
The poor, sad creature said a number of terrible things to David; things like verse seven “thou bloody man and thou man of Belial.” A bloody man, in Scripture, refers to a man who is a murderer. In verse thirteen we see that he and his cohorts threw stones and dust at David and his friends; all to make a point. His hope was to shame David and those who identified with him. For whatever reason, some people won’t like you. It was true with Jesus and it’s true with you and me.
Shimei can easily be compared to people who are glad when other people fail. They criticize. They condemn. And they’re gleeful when they see you in trouble. Doesn’t that describe a very sad part of the human heart that someone can be glad when you are hurting?
And David was in trouble. Somebody once used the phrase “fair-weather friend.” I think it’s an old term, but certainly applicable here.
But, for just a moment I want you to consider with me at least one person who was especially glad that David had been ousted. How would you like to have been one of those who were glad to see David go, only to find a few days later to see him return to power?
As David re-crossed the Jordan and began to travel the 85 miles south and back to the city of Jerusalem, each one of these people began to give an account of themselves to David.
The first one to speak of was a very colorful character by the name of Shimei. It’s likely you’ve never even heard of him before today, but look with me at what he says to David, II Samuel 19:16.
II Samuel 19:16 “And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.
(17) And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
(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.”
As I read and re-read II Samuel I find time and again the LORD giving David numerous opportunities to learn what forgiveness means.
You know what it means, right? The Bible presents forgiveness in a variety of ways. One is this. “To forgive = “cancel a debt.” But here’s another “forgive” = “to send away.” In the NT the exact same word “forgive” is translated “to send away.”
And what is it that God wants us to “send away” when someone has hurt us? He wants us to “send the offense away” and remove it from our thought life; something we all have to learn by experience. By the way, God sends our offenses so far away that it’s compared to being cast into the depths of the sea.
Well, again we see David learning the powerful art of forgiveness in the person of Shimei.
I describe Shimei as a colorful character for a number of reasons. Let me show you why. Turn back just a page to the day David was forced off the throne and had to leave town, II Samuel sixteen and verse five.
II Samuel 16:5 “And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
(6) And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of King David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
(7) And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
(8) The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
(13) And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.”
The poor, sad creature said a number of terrible things to David; things like verse seven “thou bloody man and thou man of Belial.” A bloody man, in Scripture, refers to a man who is a murderer. In verse thirteen we see that he and his cohorts threw stones and dust at David and his friends; all to make a point. His hope was to shame David and those who identified with him. For whatever reason, some people won’t like you. It was true with Jesus and it’s true with you and me.
Shimei can easily be compared to people who are glad when other people fail. They criticize. They condemn. And they’re gleeful when they see you in trouble. Doesn’t that describe a very sad part of the human heart that someone can be glad when you are hurting?
And David was in trouble. Somebody once used the phrase “fair-weather friend.” I think it’s an old term, but certainly applicable here.