All right, so we wanna pick up in 2 Samuel 19, and the title of this lesson tonight is The King Weeps. The King Weeps. When I see David, I think about how that he is a foreshadow of Christ. A lot of things about David he did wrong, okay, but there's things we learn about him as a king. And I think there's some applications here for us tonight. 2 Samuel 19 verse 1-8, And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people. For the people heard say that day how the king was greed for his son. And the people gathered them by stealth that day into the city. And as people, being ashamed, still away when they flee in battle, But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son. And Joab came into the house to the king and said, You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, which this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons, and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines. And that you love us, your enemies, and hate us, your friends, For you have declared this day that you regard us neither princes nor servants. For this day I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased you well. Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto your servants. For I swear by the Lord, if you go not forth, There will not tarry one with you this night, and that will be worse unto you than all the evil that befell you from the youth until now.' Then the king arose and sat in the gate, and they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king, for Israel had fled every man to his tent. Let's pray. Father, help us tonight as we look at this brief account here this evening, and I pray that it would be a blessing and encouragement to us as we see the heart of David and the heart of the people, and as we see, Lord, that oftentimes leadership has to step up, Lord, in places that really hurts. And may we see this in David and see his heart. In Jesus' name, and amen. You know, David's son Absalom has been killed, as we said. Now remember, this son has been seeking to rule in Israel, taking over Israel in the place of David. David has been on the run for his life and has been pursued by his own son, who we have all reason to believe, had Absalom had the opportunity, he would have killed his own father. But we have no reason to think that he wouldn't have. Yet in all of this, as bad as Absalom was, David weeps over his death. David weeps over his death. Absalom was a rebellious son. He was an immoral son. He did not respect his father. We say, well yeah, David made a lot of mistakes. He did in raising him. But as you look at Absalom, he's a grown man. He's a grown man who's making decisions and he's responsible for his own actions. David did make some bad decisions in raising his children. But you know what folks, as grown people, you can only blame your parents for so long. Absalom is a responsible man. Now after this victorious battle against his son, we find David weeping and it does not set well really with the people of Israel. or Jacob, his military leader. Now I understand where Joab, I said Jacob, I meant Joab, that's my handwriting. Anyhow, I do understand where Joab is coming from, and we'll get to that in just a moment. But let us consider just for a moment tonight, as we have just a little while, David's grieving over his son. But there's some things I think to learn from his grief, okay? I think we can understand from a public view, from a political point, why it's bad for David to weep in front of his people. I think most of us could see that image and why it would bother Joab, why it would hurt the leadership and what people perceive, because this was a huge battle they had won and now it's like they lost. And so we understand that. We'll mention that in a moment. So I really want to think more about David's weeping and his mourning over his son. Why did it grieve David so much? Why did David mourn so much? Well, first of all, he loved him. That's pretty simple. We see his language there, and he says, O Absalom, O Absalom. We've seen that same way in chapter 18 and verse 33, when he's first told the news of his son, and he says, O my son Absalom, my son Absalom, would God I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son. He just keeps crying out what? My son, my son. He's still a son. I mean, I understand Joab being upset and how it's seen by the nation of Israel or by Judah and by those following David, I understand that. But at the same time, he's still his son. No matter how your kids treat you, no matter how they may rebel against you, you still love them. I mean, at least the parents should, right? We're talking about this is what's natural. You should still love your children. They are still your flesh and blood. They are still your child. In reading quite a few commentaries even today, looking at this, a lot of Bible scholars were really just really on board with Joab and said things regarding Absalom and really didn't focus really on David's heart, if you would, and his grieving, because that's what I see. And many were quick to refer to him as that worthless son who David should not have grieved for. And I just think you're missing the heart. This is a real man. This is a real man who had a real son who's died. Killed in battle because he was trying to kill you. You don't just, David's heart's revealed here because David's heart isn't hardened. I understand the political aspect of Joab. I get that. I'm only wanting to focus on that tonight. But I love the fact that David's heart is not hard towards his own son who's been trying to kill him. He still weeps over him. To me, I understand Joe's point of view, but at the same time, I'm glad David's heart is not hard. Listen, whenever somebody's so close to you like your own kid could be killed and then you not weep over it and be sad and grieved over it, it would take a really hard person to do that. And that's not David. So I do not join with the Bible scholars, really basically, but all of them I read that really were on board with Joab so much in regards to why is David weeping so much? You know, really downplaying why David's grieving, and I just don't think you can do that. David still loves his son. In David's case, when you look at Absalom, because I looked at it the opposite way, as many did as what I read, they said, why is he weeping over him because he's so wicked? He was such a wicked son. I think that's why he wept over him so much. I think that's the very reason. His son has died and he was a wicked man, a rebellious man. So the weeping is gonna be different. In David's case, I really believe this might be why he wept so much. And this brings us to our next thought in just a moment. And so a thought for here is this, we always love our kids no matter what they do, right? We see that in David. Now, secondly, I think this is what leads to why David may be weeping so much is he's not confident at all in Absalom's eternity. David's a man for God's own heart. He's a man connected to God. He's a man who walks with God. How much confidence would Absalom have in his son and where his son is now at? Now you understand why David's weeping. Oh my son Absalom, my son Absalom, my son Absalom. It's not just that Absalom's dead, okay? It's where Absalom is currently at. That changes things. David's seen no evidence of a love for the God of Israel and His Son, which reminds us how we mourn for those we hope to see in the future is different, isn't it, than how we mourn for those that we have no hope to see in the future. And David is grieving as a man with no hope to see his Son. The grief that we have with hope is different than the grief we have with no hope. How wonderful it is to grieve over loss but still have hope to see them because they knew Jesus and you know Jesus. But David cannot grieve over his son in such a manner. Remember when his little child died, which was a direct result and consequence of his sin, which I think Absalom's, all that is all part of it too, I'll mention in just a moment. But remember when his son, he had through Bathsheba and got sick and David wept and fasted before the little child died. Then when the child died, what happened? David gets up, he washes himself, he begins to eat again. And all of that. And they're like, what's going on? David said what? He said, he cannot come to me, but I can go to him. So David still had hope that he would see his son again. David isn't grieving like that here, is he? His son's gone, but he does not express any hope in seeing his son again. So I don't fault David for how much he grieved in this uncontrollable grief. And this tells us some things about ourselves as well. And take note of this, let us seek to tell our loved ones about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the salvation of the Lord, that we may have hope to be with Him for all eternity. The third reason I think David probably wept is in the back of David's mind too, he had to have some regret. He had to have some regret. David was forgiven of his sin with Bathsheba, God made that clear. But there were still consequences that David was dealing with in his life. The uprise of Absalom against him is linked to God's chastisement upon David for his sin with Bathsheba. David was told this by the Lord in 2 Samuel 12, 11, after his sin with Bathsheba and the prophet comes to him, Nathan, and one of the things the Lord says to him, he says, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. That's Absalom. And so these are part of the consequences of his own sin. And so there's more at stake here than David just weeping over a rebellious son that died. David sees the fruit of his actions of his sin from many years ago is now coming to fruition and things are still happening as a result of that. It's a reminder to us to really think things through before we get involved in immorality. And this sexual immorality that David got involved in with Bathsheba, though God had forgiven him, God said He had forgiven him. And while before God, David, of course, is justified, but there are still earthly consequences that's going to come upon David's life. God told David, He said, you did this thing in private. But I'm gonna touch your family basically. I'm gonna touch your life in public for all to see. Everybody's gonna see a difference in David's life from that day forward because David did what he did. Otherwise we can't get by with sin as a child of God. And David didn't get by with his, the consequences of it. Since Bathsheba and Uriah, David having Uriah killed, David has experienced so much trouble in his house and kingdom. Remember David did not respond right to one of his daughters being raped by one of his sons. And that's what led to Absalom's, that's one of the things that led to Absalom's rebellion because David didn't respond to his own daughter being raped. Absalom ends up killing that brother. Folks, all of this is part of that, of the consequences. David did not do his duty as a father, maybe because of his own guilt. How can I be upset with my own son and his sexual morality after what I've done? Folks, it hinders us. It hinders us from making right decisions. We may not even be doing a sin anymore, and we've found forgiveness, but we still have to be against it when it's seen anywhere else. That's not hypocrisy. I mean, if you're still involved in a sin, still doing a sin, you say, that's wrong, people shouldn't do it. That's hypocrisy. If you've turned from a sin, you're not doing it, somebody else does it, even your own child, you need to say, that's wrong. You need to declare that that is wrong and you need to stand against that. Now, so David didn't do his duty as a father or as a king. in taking care of that matter source of regret here no doubt he's mourning old is mourning over loss is worse than than normal maybe because of that because of his own consequences of his own actions that he would have and the no we'll learn from this is that we never know when when others may be taken from us and let us treat them right let us do right so that we don't have any regrets we don't know David's carrying some regrets here of his actions and let's live right, let's do right, let's treat people right. We don't want regrets when they're gone. We don't want to grieve as David is likely grieving. Now as a father, David needs to mourn. He needs to mourn. I think his mourning is appropriate. Everything considered with Absalom, being a lost man, all of that. But as a king, now let's move on to think about that. As a king and what the people see, and as a leader, for a little while, for a little while, David has to pull himself together and show appreciation for the sacrifice and the service of his people that fought for him and his family. joe i was writing what he says in regards to how it's seen uh... i agree with that joe i was a rascal i'll tell you right now and joe i'm really i don't agree with this but you're a brilliant since threatens david if you read the language uh... there is basically saying if you don't give them do this i'm gonna start a revolution if you would and i will take everybody with me Look at the language there in verse seven. He says, for I swear by the Lord, if you go not forth, there will not tarry one with you tonight, and that will be worse. What's he mean? Listen, he's threatening David. If you don't snap out of this, I don't think he's just saying everybody else is gonna leave you. I'm gonna leave you, and I'm taking them with me. And so I don't necessarily appreciate Joab for that, but what Joab says in regards to how it's perceived by the people, how it discourages the people, all of that, with David being the leader, he is correct in that. And here's the thing with David, even with King David, even with losing his son, there's a time for him to weep over his son, and then he has to kind of compartmentalize that, and there's a time to rejoice with his people that now the battle is over. Now victory is won, and so he's gotta do that, and that's tough to do. It's hard to flip that switch, and we talked about that, I think, a little bit Sunday, about going on the same day, going to a funeral, then going to a wedding, weeping with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. David right now has gotta weep for himself, and then go out there and rejoice as a king. He's gotta weep as a father, but rejoice as a king. It's tough, but as a leader, you gotta learn to do those things. In verse 1 and 2, we're told that the victory was turned in the morning that day. But why? Because the king was sad. Now, while I get Joab's upset in what he sees, at the same time, don't miss this, why are the people sad? The people loved David. Even when they had experienced so much victory and the battle had been won, they see and hear of their king weeping and it bothers them no matter how good a day they had. So even in this day of victory they cannot be happy themselves because the king is sad. Now, though David, as we said, did need to pull it together as a leader, at least before the public, the people's heart are moved with David's. The people's heart are connected to David's here. And that, to me, is to be commended regarding the character of David and of the people that are following him. It shows a connection between David's heart and theirs. And that's what I want to apply to us in relationship to God, is this, that no matter how good our life might be right now, no matter how well our health may be, no matter how victorious and prosperous we may feel today, and we've had a good day, and our bellies are full, and we feel victorious and all that, but listen, whenever we see something that would break the king's heart, it should touch ours too. And we gotta learn sometimes to rejoice in those good things maybe we're experiencing in life that are good right now for us. And at the same time, have a heart that is touched and tender because we see something in this world that will break our king's heart. We know who our king is, right? We're not talking about our president, right? We're talking about King Jesus. Now, so maybe we can take a note from this for ourselves. Let us not be so self-consumed with living a prosperous life and full of fun and focus on self-satisfaction and all of those things that we forget that at the same time there are things that would grieve our Lord's heart. I think we can do both. I think we can rejoice in those good days, good things. We're told to rejoice in the labor of our hands. I think that's all good. We need that. But at the same time, we need to be able to grieve at the same time over that which would break the heart of God. People are dying without Jesus. That's something to grieve over. I'm not saying you have to walk around crying all day, but there needs to be moments of grief. There's a time for that. There was a time for David to grieve over his lost son. And I have to ask ourselves a question. Do we allow ourselves to be affected by that? Do we allow ourselves some time for that? There's a time to rejoice all the good things. There's a time to weep, too. There's a time to focus. There's a time to remind ourselves and to remember people need Jesus. People are dying without the Lord. And that should affect us. No matter how great and victorious our life might be at the moment, how good it may be, don't forget to see the lost that are living without Jesus and dying without Jesus. No matter how great things may be, will we still weep with the king when we see the detriment of so many souls? So there needs to be a time for rejoicing over the good things and the days of victory. In this, Joab is right though, right? The people needed to see David rejoice at this time. They needed to see that. And verses 3 through 6, we see Joab's admonition here and really a threat, an admonition and threat. The king needed to rejoice when, even though his heart is broken, Because the people needed it. The kingdom needed it. And you know, for a kingdom to grow, it needs to learn to rejoice. If they would be swallowed up in sorrow right now, it would not have been good for the kingdom. It would have hurt the kingdom. Who knows what would have happened at this point. And so there's a time to weep. There's a time to rejoice when the people of God need to rejoice and the kingdom grows and the kingdom flourishes and a time of rejoicing here. For the sake of the good of the kingdom, David needed to do this, put aside his own personal grief and rejoice in being king in what they've accomplished. We too will at times need to put aside, lay aside our own hearts feelings and put aside our own times when things are really bad, when real emotions of grief overcome us and really focus on the good as well, for the good of others and for the good and advancement of God's kingdom. In fact, this is a good way to deal with grief sometimes. And here's something that I learned from this by the fact that David is grieving so much, and David has to put on face, if you would, for the sake of his kingdom. But you know what, I believe also this was therapeutic for David. We don't see him weep in the same way after this. And so here's one thing that I think can help people with grief is this. One thing, when we focus on the good of others around us, can help ourselves. And sometimes that's so hard to do because what grief does is you get so self-consumed, focused on your own pain and your own hurt. I'm not saying that's bad, but one of the things that helps you to come out of that is to look out and to see where maybe you can help and serve others and rejoice in others. That can help your own grief. It doesn't mean that you're not still sad over your loss. David still sat over his loss, but one of the ways we deal with grief is to focus on other people. And I think that's part of what we see with David. I was really glad God led me to this today because I just think it helps us so much. Sometimes you don't want to stop that grief. Sometimes you want to remain in it. Somehow we think we might keep their memory alive when we grieve like that, But we have to move on and we have to focus on the good of God's kingdom and what God would have us to do and serve Him for the good of others in His kingdom. Often we can very easily remain so alone in a grief state. And one thing we can do to actually help ourselves out of it is to go out there and see how we can bring joy to others. And in doing so, we might bring more joy to ourselves. That's all we have. Father, help us, I pray, to learn from the grief of David, and I fault him not for grieving so much over his son, and though he needed to pull it together for the sake of the kingdom, Father, help us to learn from his grief and his mourning, and Father, I pray that you would help those tonight that might have such mourning in their hearts, and help us, Lord, I pray, Lord, to, to have that proper mourning and grief, but help us, Lord, not to be so self-consumed with it, and help us to look outside of it, and to see, Lord, how maybe we can focus on bringing joy to others, and that will be helpful for ourselves as well. Lord, we pray that you help us. In Jesus' name, and amen.