Reaping
Category: Integrity & Godly Character
Key Passage: 2 Samuel 18
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: June 7, 2024
Turn your Bibles if you would to 2nd Samuel chapter number 18 tonight, 2nd Samuel chapter number 18. We have been off the subject of David for a couple of weeks. My wife and I felt it necessary to go see a grandson on his first birthday. We enjoyed that; we were out of town. Last week we covered our godly heritage in America.
I hope maybe some of those things stuck with us, including me permanently. Tonight we want to go back to the life of David. We’ve been on the life of David for about a year and a half now. Let me just catch us all up as we’re going. I mentioned just a couple of highlights. Of course, David, what we typically call his great sin—and I don’t know if that’s an accurate description—was when David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then really had her husband murdered, remember that, trying to cover it up and married her.
When that happened, God had said three things would happen. Remember Nathan the preacher went and said, “Thou art the man.” David did the best thing he could; he just simply stated, “I have sinned.” That’s always the right thing to do in your sin. He didn’t justify or blame; he just said, “I’ve sinned.” God had mercy. He forgave it. He still loved him, of course. But there are always consequences for sin.
God said three things, if you remember that. First one, he said that the sword shall never depart from thine house. That’s interesting. We’ve missed it sometime. I didn’t say for the nation, but from thine house. There’s a difference there, and if you get technical, it’s important that you note that.
Then second of all, he said, “I will raise up evil against you out of thine house.” It’s interesting how much has to do with the home. I think so much of David’s rule—David wasn’t the best at home, if you will. Then he said, “Thy neighbor shall actually end up being his son. Thy neighbor shall lie with thy wives in the side of the son.” Remember on the rooftop, Absalom fulfilled that.
A little while later, just kind of rehearsing a little bit here: Anybody remember the man that—he’s a good guy—but he had a friend, and that friend planted some faults and told him what to do, and he fulfilled it? Anybody remember that man’s name? Just trying to get you participating. Amnon, good, good.
Amnon had a friend, and he loved his half-sister Tamar. He couldn’t think of doing anything evil, but he had a friend, and his friend put that in his mind, and he basically raped his half-sister and forced her. David—just a sad thing—but David never really dealt with it.
A couple years later, Absalom had all the king’s sons over at his house having a party or fellowship. He convinced David to let them all come, including Amnon. Absalom had told his servants, he said, “Now look, when Amnon’s all happy and cheerful, now I give you the word: I want you to go kill him.” And the servants did so.
Absalom then left the country for a while, went over to the heathen country’s grandfather over there, and eventually came back with Joab and whatnot. But David never really dealt with his son, and Absalom just grew in his rebellion to the point that Absalom is trying to take the throne, and David has had to leave Jerusalem. He’s had to leave his throne, the city of God, the capital city. David is now over in Mahanaim, and Absalom’s on the throne in Jerusalem, at least for a little bit.
We’re going to cover just briefly the Civil War, the fight. It’s in chapter number 18 in this civil war. Actually, 20,000 men from Israel died. I don’t know how many of David’s people died; maybe not any. We don’t know. The scripture doesn’t tell us, but 20,000 Israelites died, those that were on Absalom’s side. Chapter number 18, I’m going to call this “The Reaping.” That’ll be the title tonight, the reaping chapter, chapter 18. We just want to look at a couple things and pray the Lord will make it a help in our hearts and our lives.
Would you look down in verse number 14, 2nd Samuel 18, verse number 14? Would you look there, please? And if you’re able, would you please stand out of respect to the word of God? Second Samuel 18 and verse number 14 tonight.
Verse number 14, chapter 18, verse number 14: “Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee.” He took three darts in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bear Joab’s armor compassed about and smote Absalom and slew him. The end—the reaping, the reaping, the reaping chapter.
O Absalom, rebellious, long-haired hippie, Absalom, finally getting what’s coming to you. Now, I say those things on purpose, just the rebellion. I understand David wasn’t the perfect father, but we’re just talking about Absalom here. Every man has the right to do right if he wants to, and Absalom was just total rebellion.
You say, “What do you call him a long-haired hippie for?” Well, the Bible tells us at the end of every year he would poll—most think it has to do with weighing his hair. The measurements they give, there’s a great debate about how much it was. Some will say it’s a little over six pounds, some say a little over four pounds. Some even say it doesn’t have to do with weight; it has to do with the value. But the child was so proud of his hair that at the end of every year he would measure his hair. He was a long-haired hippie.
By the way, the Bible tells us—you say, “Well, that’s your philosophy”—No, the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 11, “Not even nature itself teaches you that it’s a shame for a man to have long hair.” Even just by nature, you ought to know, hey, for a lady, it’s her glory to have long hair, the Bible says. That’s what the Bible says. And a man ought to have some short hair; that would look like a man. It’s the same. And you’ve got to look twice or three times trying to figure out if it’s a man or a lady.
Absalom was a long-haired hippie, rebellious. He was good-looking. The Bible tells us that from his head to his toe over in chapter 14. We won’t take time to look at it, but just rebellious. And to the point that he killed his brother. You say, “Well, his brother did this, that, and the other,” and yes, he did this and that, but he murdered him, friend. He set it up—premeditated murder. He killed him. Yes, something should have been done about it, and justice should have been served by the authorities, the king, and Dad, but Absalom killed his brother. Is that true or not? Amen. Yes, Absalom murdered his brother.
A little while later, on purpose, he works at—he goes to the courthouse, it’d be like in Murfreesboro, the courthouse there. He stays down there every day, and slyly, subtly, like over there in Genesis 3, like the devil, just subtly, he steals the heart of the people. “Well, if I was king, boy, you’re a good guy, you’re a good lady, you need somebody. If I was king, I would help you out. I’d have somebody helping you out.” And the Bible uses that word: he stole. Why does the Bible use it? Because it wasn’t his; he’s the king. He stole it. He stole the heart of the people.
To the point now that he is leading this civil war, he’s in Jerusalem. And his side for a while was gaining. Remember, he had people in every tribe that pronounced him king, and he’s taking the throne from his dad. You realize that means his dad—that means his dad’s going to get his head jumped off if Absalom had won. He’s to the point now that Absalom is trying to kick his very own dad off the throne. It meant his dad, unless he escaped, was going to have his head cut off. I can talk about a wicked man.
And yet in this chapter, he’s reaping now what he’s been sowing for years. Not only Absalom, but David is doing some reaping in this chapter. Look down in verse number 32 of this chapter, chapter 32. This is, of course, after what we read, Absalom’s killed, verse number 32: “And the king said unto Hushai, Is the young man Absalom safe?”
And Hushai answered, “The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do harm, be as that young man is.” In other words, he’s dead; he’s gone. And the king was much moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went thus, he said, “O my son, Absalom, my son, my son, my son! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!” Of course, that was part of the punishment. There’s going to be someone out of your own house that rises against you. The grieving is his son’s dead. David’s doing some reaping here too. It’s a chapter of reaping.
Can I just stop for a little bit and talk about this saying, friend? There’s always reaping when we sin. Always. Be sure your sin will find you out. We never get away with it, never do. There are always, always, always consequences for sin. Always.
Someone said sin will take you farther than you want to go, it’ll keep you longer than you want to stay, and it’ll cost you more than you want to pay. There are always consequences for sin. You just mark it down. Sin leads to tears, to death when it’s conceived; it brings forth death.
Let me just talk for a little bit about last year, with all the riots in the streets and the looting and all that was going on. You said, “Well, the government didn’t do anything about it. They got by with it.” Friend, there’s something much higher than the government, and they didn’t get by with it.
You said, “What about that drug dealer over there? He’s been making money.” Here recently I’ve known of two—I think both young ladies—that got some drugs, got hooked on it, overdosed, and they’re dead. And those drug dealers that seem like they get by with it? Friend, they never get by with it. Never have, never will. So they got the nice car and they’re playing their loud music, and it seems like everything’s going their way. Friend, sin always has consequences. They haven’t gotten by with a thing.
Brother Patterson talked about the liberals—by that, he means those who are for abortion, are against God, and are for promoting same-sex marriage, and against Israel, and all those things that go along with it. Or a man getting a bunch of money without working, which is against the Bible, you know that. He said, “Man, they’re a rock in our country. What are we going to do about it? They seem like they get by with it; they’re in authority.” Friend, they are not getting by with one thing at all. The Lord is in every place, beholding the evil and the good. He sees it all. You never get by with sin.
What about that guy? He’d been drinking for years. It seemed like everything’s fine. It seems like he’s got a nice house and car, and his wife sticks with him. It seems like it, friend. You just hang on a minute until it goes to the doctor. The doctor says, “Sir, there’s something wrong with your liver.”
I’ll never forget—I praise the Lord, my wife was able to lead her to the Lord—but they were neighbors we had years ago, and I pray they believed in the Lord. But they drank all their life, and it’s sad. I don’t say these things gleefully or happily; it’s just facts, friend. You always reap what you’ve sown. She was throwing up, and they couldn’t figure out why. Finally, they found out: her liver, her filter, was just blocking everything, and her blood pressure was way up, and it was leaking into her stomach. She had to throw up blood. In addition, she died from it.
Friend, you never get by with sin. Don’t be envious of the wicked. You say, “Well, they look at whatever they want to on Instagram and all these other Facebooks, and everything seems fine.” Friend, they are messing up their mind and their heart. The eye affects the heart. Nobody gets by with anything.
They can say whatever to anybody; nobody corrects them or says anything back to them. Friend, with their sharp tongue, they’re cutting others, but more often than not, they’ll end up an old, lonely person. They’ll end up getting cut too and hurt, wounded. Nobody gets by with anything. Be sure your sins will find you out.
You say, “That person wouldn’t take my gospel tract. Hey, what are you going to do about it?” For all eternity, they’re going to wish they would have taken that gospel tract, and they’ll regret it for thousands and millions of years. “I wish I would have.” Nobody gets by with anything. Hey, those eggs always hatch in God’s time. This is the reaping chapter; it’s a sad chapter.
I want you just see a couple things about this chapter, if you would please, tonight. Would you look in verse number nine, verse number nine of this chapter, chapter 18? Look at verse number nine, just a couple things about the reaping. We always reap.
Verse number nine: “And Absalom met the servants of David.” Did you get that? Absalom, this rebellious guy trying to overthrow his dad, who stole the hearts of the people and murdered his brother, this long-haired hippie—yet Absalom met the servants of David. That’s his enemies. You’re always going to meet your sin, by the way. You always will. The best place you can face your sin is on your knees confessing it to God, but you’ll meet it. You always will. The best place you can meet it is on your knees confessing. Even if you’re a born-again Christian, yes, yes, even at the judgment seat of Christ, the judgment seat of Christ is not for our sins. But friend, you have a heavenly Father, the best Dad in all the world. Just like when your children do wrong, God says, “Hey, I need to talk to you about something.” You’ll always meet your sin; the best place is on your knees before God.
Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule. By the way, we think of the mule lightly. Mules were actually kind of like the Cadillac of the day. He’s riding high, if you will. He’s the quote-unquote king at the time. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak. His head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between heaven and earth, and the mule that was under him went away.
Here’s the thing. We talk about these thick boughs. They don’t know. We say the hair, and I think hair had something to do with it, but the Bible actually doesn’t say that. It says his head. If you notice, this guy’s riding, it looks like he meets the servants of David, and he starts high-tailing it out of town, running. I’m not sure exactly—the Bible doesn’t tell us everything about it—but this oak tree and these thick limbs hanging down. Maybe there was a fork, and maybe he got his head caught in that. Maybe he’s just squishing his head so much in his temples, and his bleeding, and his hair got wrapped up in the limbs. I’m not sure everything about it. Maybe it just wrung his bell so bad when he caught these limbs he couldn’t get untangled for a while. His head was spinning so bad.
But somehow, between his—the Bible says his head got caught, and I think his hair—maybe if it was just his hair, I would think he’d take his sword and cut his hair off, even though he valued it; he probably valued his life more than his hair, you know. I think probably his hair had something to do with it, but his head got caught in there. Maybe two limbs were coming together, and he got his head caught in there, and it managed—you talk about a headache, by the way! My goodness. And his head got caught in these low-hanging limbs of this oak tree, and his head’s caught in there. Probably all his hair is tangled up everywhere. And the Bible says the mule kept going. Oh, Lester Roloff used to preach, and the mule walked on. The mule just kept going, and he’s hanging between—can you imagine him hanging by his head? Probably bloodied up face, hair all over the place, and just hanging there dangling. Sin always leaves you in a mess. Always does.
Look at the next verse. “And a certain man saw it and told Joab and said, ‘Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.’” We’ve already read Joab went over and took care of business. This is what I want you to note here just for a moment: You’ll always meet your sin.
Maybe Absalom could have outrun them on his mule. Maybe they were on foot soldiers. I don’t think David’s forces had a lot of horses. They had a little bit; some of their allies had brought some supplies to them, but I doubt many of them had horses. So maybe Absalom could have outrun them on the mule. Hey, maybe he could have outrun the men, but you can never outrun God. You never will; no one ever has. We always think we’re the exception; nobody’s an exception. He maybe could have gotten by with this thing with men. Maybe he could escape with his life. He couldn’t escape from God, though. God had that oak tree right there.
Can I just say this: Sin is a cruel master. Greed, money is a cruel master. You can’t serve two masters. Money is a cruel master. Lust is a cruel master. Do you know who the best Master in all the world is? The Lord. You’ll never regret making the Lord your Master. He’s the best Master there ever is. Sin is always a cruel master; it steals you of things.
It robs you. It robs you of your boldness. It’ll take a strong man or lady that’s strong for the Lord, and yet they get sin in their lives; they just quiet down. You can’t speak up at work like you ought to be a testimony in the home, school. Sin weakens you. Proverbs 28:1: The Bible over there says, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” I’m saying it’ll rob you of boldness, like a weak Christian, a powerless Christian. We’ve got a lot of powerless Christians with sins in our lives. I’m preaching myself here too.
Sin is a cruel master to rob you of your joy. David’s sin over there, and then, of course, God used it in Psalm 51. Over there he says, “Restore unto me the joy of my salvation.” He didn’t say restore my salvation; he’s still saved. He doesn’t lose his salvation, but restore unto me the joy. He loses your joy. By the way, you say, “I just have no joy.” It may be issues in your life, but it may be good to go to God and say, “Lord, I have some sin in my life, something I’m not dealing with.” It’ll rob you.
It’ll rob you of your peace. Jesus said over there in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation; be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Notice he said, “In me, you shall have peace.” Yet if you’ve got sin in your life, you’re not in Him, and He is not in you. You’re not abiding in Him. You might be saved, but you’re not abiding in Him; you don’t have that peace. You lose your peace. You lose your joy. You lose your faith. Your prayer life becomes a ritual. You really don’t believe God’s hearing your prayer; it’s just kind of saying words and marking it done, something I did. But you lose your faith because the Holy Spirit convicts you, and you know, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” And sin will rob you of having a prayer life of faith.
Was it John Rice who said a healthy Christian ought to have weekly answers to prayer? If you’re not, something’s not right. Can I just say this? Hey, don’t hang on to your sin. No, hang on. If you have to go say, “I’m sorry,” it’s well worth it. You’re going to that person and apologizing and saying, “I’m sorry.” It’d be worth it to get your joy back, get your power back, and your answer to prayer back, and your peace back. Just go say, “I’m sorry.” Just humble down. If you have to say you’re sorry, it’d be worth it. Clean up your iPhones, whatever it be. I don’t know all the new accounts—the Spotify or YouTube or Facebook—I’m not good at all, but whatever.
I’ve known some people in church say, “Pastor, I can’t handle it.” Another preacher told me not too long ago, and I was so glad he was honest enough about it. He said, “I cannot handle being on Facebook.” He wasn’t talking about sexual things; he just told me, “I want to argue with everybody on Facebook, and I have no peace, no joy.” And I’m debating with everybody in the world. He said, “The best thing I did, I deleted it.” He’s a wise man. Maybe you’re better at that; I don’t know. But friend, it’s not worth it to hang on to your sin. You’ll never win. You’ll never be happy. You’ll never have victory. Sin always has consequences. This is a reaping chapter; it’s a sad chapter.
You’ll always have to meet your sin. Absalom met his sin; he had to meet the servants of David. You’ll have to meet your sin one day. The best thing is to meet it now, now on your knees before the Lord. Always the best way. “Whoso confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy.” Wonderful promise: Confess and forsake.
Let’s look at something else. Would you look over—keep your finger there—would you look over to Galatians chapter number six? We’ve mentioned this verse several times tonight, but I’d like for you to read it if you would. Galatians 6 and look down in verse number 7, if you would please. Galatians 6 and verse number 7, if you would please. When you find that, would you say, “Amen”? Amen.
Look at verse number seven. Galatians 6, verse number seven, right there. Watch what it says: “Be not deceived. Satan will try to deceive you on this one here. Be not deceived. God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” It’s amazing how God words that. Now, you’ve got the thought: Don’t be tricked by the devil, by the world; don’t be deceived. Whatever you sow, that’s the thing you’re going to reap.
Now, with that truth, would you go back over to 2nd Samuel, chapter number 18? Would you look back at 14 and 15? These are the beginning verses of the night, chapter 13, but just look at verse number 14 and 15, please. 2 Samuel 18:14, 15: “Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee.” This fellow is saying, “I didn’t want to kill him; I was afraid what would happen to me,” and so on. Joab said, “Man, I don’t have time for all that. I may not tarry thus with thee.” He took three darts in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive—notice that, yet alive—in the midst of the oak. And ten, notice this, ten young men that bear Joab’s armor compassed about and smote Absalom and slew him.
With that verse in your mind, I want you to look back over in chapter number 13, if you would please. Chapter 13. Very quickly, I just want you to look at a couple things here. This is over where Absalom had Amnon come to his party, and remember that’s where he killed him at, all right. So you’re over here in number 13. Would you look down in verse number 28?
Verse number 28: “Now Absalom had commanded his servants”—notice that, plural—“saying, ‘Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, when I say unto you, smite Amnon, and kill him. Fear not: have not I commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.’” I want you to notice that.
Look down verse number 29: “And the servants of Absalom did as Absalom had commanded.” Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got up upon his mule and fled.
Now here’s what I want you to notice. You notice when Absalom had Amnon killed, it wasn’t one man that killed him. There were servants. I don’t know—the Bible doesn’t tell us—it may have been ten. Now, usually, you sow to the wind, you reap the whirlwind. It may have been fewer; I don’t know. But years later, when he’s reaping, he’s hung in this oak tree, and there are men around him killing him. See? Another fault—we don’t know everything about it—but another fault back over here in chapter 13 where you are, and verse number 28: “Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, smite Amnon, then kill him.”
I don’t understand everything about it, but it’s interesting. He said the word “smite” and “kill.” Did you notice back over here in chapter 18? You’re looking over from chapter 18 back over there. Look back at verse number 15, I believe it is, if you would please, there: “And the ten young men that bear Joab’s armor compassed about and smote Absalom and slew him.” You told him this might—smote Absalom and slew him. I’m not sure everything about it. I’m not sure if they beat him with a club. I’m not sure how they smote Amnon. But, friend, you see that you always reap what you sow. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked.”
By the way, Absalom went to his dad’s wife in the side of the sun on the palace top. Remember that? He died in the side of the sun too; he was out in the outdoors. I’m just saying you always—you always reap what you sow. “Whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
By the way, David’s reaping too. David had Uriah killed. Remember how Nathan came to David? Remember what he did? He told him about the guy that had—he was wealthy and had a bunch of sheep, but he stole the one sheep that was the pet of that man. It was like a child to that man; he only had one sheep. And yet David went and stole that one sheep. And now, wait a second, the hurt of—you know, Uriah’s wife, adultery, and all that—and yet now David has hurt his son, his son, one that he loves very much. He’s weeping, “Oh, my son, my son! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Whatsoever we sow, that’s what we’re going to reap. It’s always true. Always a sad story. Many of you have heard me tell it before, but it just fits so well, I’ve got to tell it again. If you’ve heard it, please act like you’ve never heard it before.
It’s about a young man; he wasn’t a horrible guy, but some people set up a bachelor party for him just a little before his wedding. A wicked lady came in, and he was with the wicked lady. He never did anything like that before, and he thought, “Well, nobody will know about it.” A couple of days later, he got married, and he kind of swept it under the rug until his daughter was born. She was born blind.
He started running tests: “Well, why is her daughter born blind?” He found out that he had a disease in his blood—a sexually transmitted disease—and his daughter, she was blind for life. He realized, “Because of my sin, and I’m the one that was with this wicked woman.” Of course, he didn’t tell his daughter. His daughter was five years old; she had started school, kindergarten, and all that. She came home, and she had a rough day at school being blind. She’s sitting in her dad’s lap, and she said, “Daddy, why aren’t I—why can’t I be like everybody else? Why am I blind? Why can’t I run and play like all the other kids? I’m different to everybody. Dad, why am I blind?”
The daddy couldn’t take it because he knew it was sin. He took a gun and blew his brains out. Friend, I’m simply saying, hey, be not deceived. God’s not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. It always comes back. Sin always has consequences. Always does. The reaping chapter, chapter 18. What a sad chapter; 20,000 people fell.
Look in verse number seven here, verse number seven, chapter number 18, verse number seven, if you would please. Chapter 18, verse number seven: “Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, there was there a great slaughter that day of 20,000 men. For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country, and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.”
There’s just a fault. Can you imagine? I don’t know how much Absalom knew before he died, but 20,000 people killed out there in the woods. Absalom’s dead, and David’s mourning—just a sad day. All these people killed. I don’t know how many of David’s forces were killed; I don’t think this measures both, I’m not sure. All these people dead, mourning is going on. Here’s the thing: I imagine Absalom never dreamed this would happen.
Now here’s the truth. Young people, would you just listen to this so closely—all of us, not just young people: You can pick your sin. You can choose what sin you decide to do, but you can’t pick the consequences. I can choose—God gives us free will—and I can choose to run my mouth and be critical or gospel, whatever, but I can’t decide what the consequences are going to be for whatever my sin is. I’m sure when David committed adultery and murder, I’m sure he never dreamed what all would transpire. We can pick our sin; God allows that. We can’t pick our consequences.
And we always reap. Hey, can I just say this? Resist the devil, but flee from sin. Run from sin. Don’t hang around and act tough. Joseph did a wise thing when that old lady tried it; he ran out of the house, left his coat there. Praise the Lord, that’s a wise move. Don’t hang around. Don’t flirt with sin. 1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee fornication.” 1 Timothy 6:11: “But thou, O man of God, flee these things.” Flee also youthful lusts. Resist the devil, but run from sin.
Don’t try to flirt with sin. Run from it. Get away from it. Brother Fontaine told me this story—I’ve told it to you before, but it’s from Brother Fontaine originally—about a man who was going to hire a chauffeur. He brought the first guy in. He said, “Sir, if you were going to drive me, we’re driving up the side of a mountain; there’s a cliff on one side of the mountain or the other. How close do you get to the cliff?” He said, “Man, I get so close the edge of that tire will be on the edge of the cliff.” He said, “All right, thank you, sir.”
The next guy came in. He said, “Sir, if we’re driving up a mountain and we’re on a side road, and one side’s a cliff, the other side’s the mountain, how close do you get to the cliff?” He said, “I could get so close half of the tire will be on the edge of the cliff.” He said, “All right, thank you, sir.”
The next guy came in. He said, “Sir, let me ask: If you’re my chauffeur, and you’re driving up the side of a mountain on a side road, and one side’s the cliff, the other side’s the mountain, how close can you get to the cliff?” He said, “Sir, I would stay far. I would hug the mountain. I’d stay as far away as I can from the cliff.” He said, “Sir, you’re hired.” That’s the best way to—you see him. Don’t flirt with the edge. There are always, always consequences. Always is.
Now, one last thought, we’re done. One last truth, we’re done. Would you look down—we’re in chapter 18—and would you look down, would you please, at verse number 18? I want you to notice something here very quickly. We’re done.
“Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, somewhat like a statue.” Some say there’s a resemblance of it nowadays, and they don’t think it’s original, but he reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the King’s Dale. “For he said, ‘I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.’” He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called in this day Absalom’s Place.
Now there’s a problem with this. I want you to see it. Would you keep your finger there? Would you look over in chapter number 14, chapter 14, and look in verse number 27? I want you to see the seemingly contradiction—of course, there never is in the Bible, but I want you to see it. Chapter 14, verse number 27, 2nd Samuel: “And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: and she was a woman of fair countenance.” He named his daughter after his sister, Tamar.
But here’s the problem: three sons. Wait a second. Over here in chapter 18, verse number 18, he says, “For he said, ‘I have no son.’” Now there are three answers that could be debated. Number one, some say, “Well, at that moment, the sons were not born yet.” I tend not to think that’s the answer. Some will say that. I think it’s very significant that the Bible put those three words in there: “for he said.” That’s in there for a reason. I think he had some sons; of course, we know he had some sons. I think they were already born, for he said he had no sons. Leave it up to you.
Then some say, “Well, his sons died at a young age.” They’re dead at this point. Maybe. Could be. I don’t know. Or it could be that his sons disowned their dad. It could be the sons said, “My dad’s so rebellious; he’s trying to kill his own dad, and he’s just so deceiving, he stole the hearts of the people. He’s trying to take the throne. Grandpa’s not that bad.” All everyone does is talk about grandpa. Or maybe his sons disowned him. But he said there, “For he said,” for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.”
Now, friend, here’s the last thought: Living in sin always hurts the next generation greatly. Always does. I’m not sure what happened to his three boys, but he said, “I have no son,” and he had to make a monument because he didn’t have boys carrying on his name—three sons.
Sin always… Here’s the shame of a liberal church. You check it out: they’re killing their youth. “Well, we can get them in there,” and yeah, they leave when they get old enough to make their own decisions. A friend who always does—the best thing you can leave for your kids is a godly heritage. Always the best thing. Maybe even while you’re living, they might not even follow everything, but just if they say, “Man, my mom, my dad, they were prayer warriors. They were there every time the doors were open. Man, they were soul winners.” What kind of heritage are you leaving? They were forgiving; they were loving; they were fun; they were kind. What kind of heritage are you leaving? They weren’t proud; they weren’t cocky; they were loving; they were down to earth; they were friendly; they were kind. They got up every morning and read their Bible. What are they going to say about you? “Man, they knew their Bible. They always had some kind of spiritual thing in their life they were trying to conquer.” What are they going to say?
I know Brother Fontaine has been gone for a little bit now. One regret I have about his funeral, as far as my preaching at his funeral, I wish I’d have said this—I don’t think I did: Brother Fontaine finished right, to the very end. I mentioned at the funeral, the last time he was in the hospital, he led one of the nurses on the night shift to the Lord. But he finished right. He finished serving God, and then finished bitter and mad and angry at the world? He finished loving, kind. His daughter-in-law talked about how he led that nurse to the Lord; she just cried over it.
And how are we going to finish? What kind of heritage are we going to leave for the next generation? What a sad thing. Absalom—it’s clear from scripture he had three boys. I don’t know exactly what happened, but at the end he had to make a monument because the boys weren’t going to make a name for him for whatever reason. Sin always hurts the next generation.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please?
Maybe you’re there tonight and you say, “I need to flee from some sins. I just don’t want to toy with it. I just want to flee. I want to get away. I want to stay so far. I want to hug the mountain, if you will.” God spoke to my heart; I need to flee from some sins. God spoke to my heart about that. I just want to stay so far away from those sins. That’s you tonight. You should lift your hand. That’s me; I need to flee. You need to flee from some sin. Me too. We’re all there. We’re all there. Thank you for letting the Lord work in your heart.
Maybe you’re there tonight, you say, “Preacher, honestly, I need to confess some sins.” “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh, shall have mercy.” What a promise. I pray, should I need to confess, need to get some things right. Maybe I need to go say, “I’m sorry.” There are some things I need to get right tonight. It’s the honest truth. There are some things in my life; I need to confess some sins and get some things right. That’s you tonight. That’s you tonight. That’s you tonight. He is such a merciful God.
Maybe here tonight you say, “Preacher, I want to leave a godly legacy for the next generation. If the Lord tarries, I want my children, my grandchildren, to have a godly legacy, a heritage in my life. I want to do my best to finish right, leave a godly legacy for my next generation.” God spoke my heart about that. That’s you. That’s so vital, so vital. Many of you are doing a great job of that.
We’re going to have a word of prayer. Maybe just come and spend some time with the Lord tonight, maybe praying for someone. But would you come as we pray? Father, thank you that you don’t leave the reaping out. Lord, thank you; you put chapter 18 in there. Sad as it is, Lord, we need to see it. Help us to grow and learn from it, take from it, be better for you, flee from sin more because of it. Bless our people tonight. Thank you for so many leaving a godly legacy for the next generation. Help us to do so well. Thank you for it, Lord Jesus, and we pray, amen.
You know, the one that has the clean garden is the one that just continually pulls the weeds. We all have weeds. It’s just one that’s always working on it—just always confessing and getting right. Every one of us, that’s the daily thing. And you don’t get those big old sinful thorn bushes if we just daily pull them. That’s the key—just day by day. You say, “Man, you’re always preaching all those things.” I just want us all just keep pulling the weeds. That’s the thing. That way you have some good reaping to do. That’s sowing a reaping. You work on the good side. Amen. You’ve been sowing good seed; you reap some good seed, too. And you’re sowing some good seed by being in church tonight. That’s a great thing, and I’m thrilled you’re here. Good to have everybody out tonight on a Wednesday night, right in the middle of summer. We’re going to get everybody back home pretty soon here. A couple have vacations coming up. We’ll get past all these things here; we’ll get everybody back home. And I’m excited about the fall already. I mean, I’m looking forward to it. We have the fall festival this year, and we’ve got to get past Vacation Bible School first. Amen. So get your rest. We’ll be ready for that. It’ll be a good week next week. Excited about being part of that, and that’s great. Brother Richard back there, would you dismiss us with a word of prayer, please, brother?
Original File: Reaping - Pastor Paul Chisgar Wednesday PM 7721