Covenant Protestant Reformed Church
83 Clarence Street, Ballymena BT43 5DR
Rev. Angus Stewart
Lord’s Day, 7 February, 2021
“O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness:
fear before him, all the earth” (Ps. 96:9)
Morning Service – 11:00 AM
Abimelech, the Bramble King (4)
Jotham’s Fable [youtube]
Scripture Reading: Judges 9:1-21
Text: Judges 9:7-21
I. The Idea of a Fable
II. The Point of This Fable
III. The Application of This Fable
Psalms: 104:10-16; 72:1-8
Evening Service – 6:00 PM
Worship Through the Word (Not Images!) [youtube]
Scripture Reading: John 4:6-30
Text: Heidelberg Catechism, Lord’s Day 35
I. The Incarnate Word
II. The Verbal Word
III. The Internalized Word
Psalms: 95:1-6; 138:1-6
For CDs of the sermons and DVDs of the worship services, contact Stephen Murray
If you desire a pastoral visit, please contact Rev. Stewart or the elders
CPRC Website: www.cprc.co.uk • Live Webcast: www.cprc.co.uk/live-streaming
CPRC YouTube: www.youtube.com/cprcni
CPRC Facebook: www.facebook.com/CovenantPRC
Quotes to Consider
Dale Ralph Davis: “The fable [in Judges 9] does not stress the worthlessness of kingship but the worthlessness of Abimelech; the concern is not that the worthy candidates depreciate the offer of kingship but that a bramble accepts it. The problem is not kingship but character of the king and his cronies, as Jotham makes clear in verses 16-20. Jotham’s theme is the foolishness and peril of accepting clearly unqualified leadership. Brambles make good fuel but poor kings; they burn better than they reign” (Judges: Such a Great Salvation, p. 123).
Keil and Delitzsch on Judges 9:7-21: “The noble fruit-trees would not tear themselves from the soil in which they had been planted and had borne fruit, to soar [‘be promoted,’ AV] … above the trees … The explanation given in the Berleb. Bible, ‘We have here what it is to be a king, to reign or be lord over many others, namely, very frequently to do nothing else than float about in such restlessness and distraction of thoughts, feelings, and desires, that very little good or sweet fruit ever falls to the ground,’ if not a truth without exception so far as royalty is concerned, is at all events perfectly true in relation to what Abimelech aimed at and attained, to be a king by the will of the people and not by the grace of God. Wherever the Lord does not found the monarchy, or the king himself does not lay the foundations of his government in God and the grace of God, he is never anything but a tree, moving about above other trees without a firm root in a fruitful soil, utterly unable to bear fruit to the glory of God and the good of men.”
Announcements (subject to God’s will)
The Council meets tomorrow evening at 7:30 PM by video conference.
Tuesday Bible study at 11 AM will meet in the auditorium to consider our assurance of salvation through the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit in Romans 8.
Belgic Confession Class will meet and be streamed live this Wednesday at 7:45 PM to discuss OT prophecies of the last days in connection with Article 37.
Saturday night Bible study will be held this week at 8 PM on-line looking at Hebrews 5:8-6:3.
The Reformed Witness Hour broadcast next Lord’s day (Gospel 846 MW at 8:30 AM) by Rev. R. Kleyn is entitled, “The Voice Crying in the Wilderness” (Mark 1:2-8).
Offerings: General Fund: £821. Donations: £100 (N. Ireland), $1,000 (Ohio, USA).
Sadly, because of COVID uncertainty, the British Reformed Fellowship Family Conference has been rescheduled from this summer to 9-16 July, 2022. Profs. David Engelsma and Brian Huizinga will develop the glorious truth of “Union With Christ” at Castlewellan Castle, N. Ireland. More details are on-line (http://brfconference.weebly.com).
PRC News: Hudsonville PRC has called Rev. Smidstra (Holland, MI). Kalamazoo PRC has called Rev. Guichelaar (Randolph, WI).
CERC (Singapore) News: “Rev. Singh has updated us on the work in Kolkata, India. The COVID-19 situation has not improved much and some members have difficulties getting to the church due to lack of transportation. Mission work may become more difficult in the future as their government is trying to pass an anti-conversion bill into law that forbids individuals to become a Christian unless approved by the court. Do pray for the work of Rev. Singh and the brethren in Kolkata.”
The Death of Absalom
Brian D. Dykstra
II Samuel 18
God provided for David and his faithful followers so they were no longer hungry, weary or thirsty. David’s army must have grown during the time that Absalom gathered his great host from throughout all Israel. David’s army now numbered in the thousands. He divided his army into thirds and announced he was ready to go with them into battle. Such was the role of kings in biblical times.
His loyal soldiers would not hear of it. They knew that, if thousands of them died but David remained alive, there was hope for Israel’s rightful king. They also knew that, if but one of their number died but it happened to be David, their cause was lost. The men instructed David to remain in the city and help them from there. What “help” David could give at such a distance is unclear but perhaps it was enough for the men to know that David was not exposed to danger on the battlefield. They could fight without being anxious that, if Absalom’s men broke through their lines and David was near that breach, the man after God’s own heart was finished.
David’s final instruction to his men was that they “Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom.” This command must have perplexed David’s men. Clearly, Absalom deserved death for what he had done. However, David could not help but love Absalom. He must have prayed for Absalom to repent and turn from his sin of rebellion. Did David hope that Absalom would repent were he brought to David as a captive? David’s anguished heart still yearned to see some evidence of godly obedience in his wayward son.
The battle took place in the “wood of Ephraim.” An unusual aspect of the battle was that more of Absalom’s men died because of what happened to them in the woods than because of wounds suffered from weapons of war. God’s will was to protect and vindicate David’s cause, and God used the woods themselves to fight against David’s foes. The Belgic Confession states that God upholds and governs His creatures by His providence and power for the service of mankind, “to the end that man may serve his God.” The woods served David so David could continue to serve God in his capacity of Israel’s king.
Scripture records the well-known incident of Absalom being caught in the thick branches of a great oak. How appropriate that one such as Absalom should find himself suspended in a tree, a sign of God’s curse! Children often imagine Absalom caught by his hair. It would be fitting because we know Absalom’s vanity since his curiosity drove him to measure the weight of his hair when he cut it. However, if that were the case, Absalom could free himself from the tree by giving himself the worst haircut of all time, provided he still had a sword or knife at hand. He was suspended by his head. He was not able to free himself before he was spotted by one of David’s men.
The soldier reports to Joab that he found Absalom suspended in a tree. Joab is angry that the soldier did not kill Absalom. Joab had offered a reward ten shekels of silver and a girdle for the man who killed Absalom, in spite of what David had ordered. The soldier answers that, even if Joab had made the reward a hundred times greater, he still would not kill Absalom. He recalled David’s command and respected it, even though it may have struck him as foolish. He is a good example of submitting to authority, even though one believes the authority’s decisions are misguided. He also knew that nothing could be hidden from David. The soldier states that it is very likely that Joab himself would have turned him in. David would then have executed the man who killed his son and Joab would get back his reward. Joab could then rid Israel of Absalom and claim he had nothing to do with Absalom’s death.
It’s surprising that this common soldier dared to speak to Joab this way. One would do well to tread carefully around Joab. The army valued his military skills since he led them to victory. However, they did not respect Joab as a man of godly character. They trusted the safekeeping of the nation to him but they would not trust him with their lives. Being exposed as the duplicitous man he was, all Joab could say was that he could not waste any more time talking with the soldier. Joab must tend to the urgent task of killing Absalom, directly disobeying David’s will, faulty though David’s thinking may be.
Joab’s men cast Absalom into a pit and cover his body with a very great heap of stones. Absalom’s death means there is no longer any reason to fight. Additional killing would only embitter more families. Joab, therefore, blows the trumpet, the signal for his men to stop pursuing Absalom’s host.
There are questions about the memorial pillar Absalom reared up for himself. The cause was that Absalom had “no son to keep my name in remembrance.” II Samuel 14:27 records that Absalom had three sons. They must have died. Did Absalom have reason to think that, even if his rebellion were successful and he became king, he would not have another son? Absalom recently showed his hatred for David by committing adultery with the ten women David had left behind to keep the palace. Why does Absalom think he will have no more sons? I do not know.
The pillar marked the place where Absalom hoped to be buried. He built a memorial for his honour. I have read that for many years those who passed Absalom’s pillar threw stones at it to show their disdain for a son who would rebel against his father. God decreed that rebellious children should be taken out of the city and stoned. Although Absalom did not have such a death, his actual burial place was marked by a heap of stones. Absalom hoped to be honoured after his death. He is instead recalled for his dishonourable treachery and rebellion. Absalom’s end pictures all those who rise in rebellion against Christ.
Ahimaaz, the priest’s son who, at the risk of his life, had told David of Absalom’s plans, now desires to tell David of the victory. Joab declines to send him and chooses Cushi to bear the news. Ahimaaz continues to pester Joab to allow him to run to David. Joab, finally losing patience, sends him. Joab had said that Ahimaaz had “no tidings ready.” This could refer to the fact that Ahimaaz had not witnessed Absalom’s death. Cushi had witnessed the event, which is why Joab preferred to send him. If Ahimaaz thought he had the courage to tell David of Absalom’s death, he was wrong. He was not able to tell David the distressing news. Perhaps Cushi, knowing that telling David the news would be very difficult, allowed Ahimaaz to overrun him. Arriving at David’s side, Cushi, though not a Jew by birth, delivers the news as one devoted to David and the cause of God which David represents.
The news brought by Ahimaaz and Cushi to David was that “the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies.” The fulfilment of that news will come when all of Christ’s enemies are put under His feet and every knee will bow to Him at His glorious return. Christ, as the rightful King of all heaven and earth, will reign over all at the Father’s right hand. May that everlasting and righteous King and kingdom come quickly!
