To Encourage You

2 Samuel 19:21 “Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, ‘Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?’”

You’ve heard the saying, “when the shoe is on the other foot.” It refers to a situation in which a position of advantage has been reversed.  Think of it in terms of the 2020 and 2024 elections when the office of the president was switched from one party to another.  One of the first acts of the new president was to annul or reverse many of the policies of the former president through executive order.  We see this so much in the political world and its inherent struggles for power. One side typically chafes under the rule of the opposite party and can’t wait for the opportunity to cast off that party’s influence and even take revenge for the ways they think they’ve been wronged.  That’s how the world works, isn’t it?  It’s the theme of so many movies, where people are abused by some evil person or group but then something happens to give them an opportunity for revenge, and they’re more than happy to take it.  

We see a similar situation in the account from which the verse above is taken. It’s about the person Shimei.  This was a man who, when David fled from his son Absalom and his revolt over his father’s rule, cursed him and threw stones at him, mocking the deposed king.  But now that Absalom’s revolt had been thoroughly defeated, the shoe was on the other foot. And so Shimei comes to David, bows to him, confesses his sin, and pleads for mercy.  To this, Abishai, one of David’s warriors, urges David to take revenge now that he has the opportunity.  So, what was David’s response?  It’s given to us in the following reply to Abishai: “’What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be as an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?’  And the king said to Shimei, ‘You shall not die.’ And the king gave him his oath.”  

So we see that David, when he had his opportunity, responded with an act of mercy rather than that of revenge. What a wonderful shadow this is of the King of kings Who was despised and rejected of men.  Here was one Who was worthy of praise, whose every action towards men was rooted in love, yet He was put to death by an ungrateful world that had rejected Him. Then He arose!  And now the shoe was on the other foot!  

Peter preached to the Jews of Jerusalem soon afterwards with the following indictment that was rooted in one of the prophecies of King David: “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:34-36). To this the Jews responded much like Shimei had responded to David.  We are told that “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’”  They found themselves to be “sitting ducks,” as it were – vulnerable, guilty, and worthy of the Lord’s revenge.  And what does Peter say to them?  “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 

Aren’t these wonderful words? Isn’t this a magnificent response? How awesome is it that when a person finally comes to their senses and realizes that all their life long they have been fighting against the King of kings, when they are devastated by their sin and then admit they’ve been wrong all along, that this King Who has the power to destroy them offers mercy instead?  Hebrews 4:16 puts it this way: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  

You see, the throne of our mighty God is a place of unimaginable power. It’s a place where all the angels of heaven bow before Him in worship.  But it’s also a place of great mercy. It’s a place we are encouraged to, like the angels, come and bow, and in that submission, to confess our sin.  And when we do that, we find, like David proclaimed in Psalm 86, “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” We find a Father, who like the father of the prodigal son in Luke 15, is described in the following way when his son finally realizes his sin and confesses how wicked he had been: “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!  I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.  I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’  And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”  

What a merciful Savior is Jesus!  What a wonderful King!