THE history of Shimei is a very remarkable one, and aptly describes the hearts of sinners in their enmity to God (Rom. 8:7). We shall look at it with its similarity and contrast, and we shall see it standing out as a beacon to warn souls of their danger, and save them from making shipwreck upon the same rocks, and miserably perishing like Shimei. And while doing so, may the Spirit of God use it to many sinners, "to open their eyes, to turn them from darkness to light; and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 27:8).
Oh, how many shut their eyes to the light; stop their ears against all the warnings, and rush heedlessly and rapidly down to hell, to be awakened and alarmed when it is too late, when their guilty sin-stained souls have taken the last desperate plunge from time into eternity—from earth into hell.
Shimei was a sinner (2 Sam. 16:5-14); a bold, daring, deliberate sinner; one who was not in the least afraid to hurl his horrible abuse at the anointed of the Lord, while his hand threw the stones and dust at the man after God's own heart, who was for the time a wanderer, and whose throne was occupied by an usurper. What open, undisguised enmity to David on the part of Shimei.
Alas that in this day the race of Shimeis are multiplied; their puny fists are lifted against God and His Christ, and their brazen faces set against Him, while almost every little tongue questions His every act, and seeks to make Him as small and insignificant as themselves.
“Like raging waves of the sea, they foam out their own shame,"—while, like David of old in his beautiful answer to Abishai, God says, "Let him alone" (v. 11), or, in the language of Psa. 1:21, " These things hast thou done, and I kept silence;" but in verse 3, we read, " Our God shall come and shall not keep silence, a fire shall devour before him," &c.; therefore God warns them in verse 22: " Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.”
Shimei's conduct deserved death, immediate death. Openly and willfully, though unprovoked, he had manifested the hatred in his heart to David, and justly merited that which righteousness in Abishai would fain give him when he said, “Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head" (v. 9). But grace responds at once, "Let him alone." David could wait, and keep silence, and suffer. But Shimei's sin was not forgotten.
Reader, what about your conduct? Is it worthy of death? Has not your heart discovered itself time after time in its enmity to God? You have sinned with a high handset God at defiance and done as you pleased.
And because God has not executed summary judgment upon you, you have verified the words of the wise man in Eccl. 8:11,
“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are set in them to do evil." “Be not deceived, God is not mocked" (Gal. 6:7).
Your sins are not forgotten, but written, and written in a book which no hand can reach but God's and from which they can never be erased, but by the blood of Jesus, when you repent and believe in His name.
When next we meet Shimei, he is acting the part of the hypocrite. The usurper has been slain, and David is now in the place of power, wielding the sword of government once more.
Fear seems to take possession of Shimei. His outrageous sin stares him in the face, and the thought of retribution makes him tremble.
He embraces the first opportunity, and fails at the feet of David with his hypocritical confession, "I have sinned," while he eagerly endeavors to persuade David of his sincerity, by putting in the foreground his promptitude in coming forward as the first of the house of Joseph to meet the King (1 Sam. 19:20).
Poor Shimei, moved with fear, not love, seeks to shield himself behind an empty confession, and as empty a profession.
Righteousness in Abishai still demands his life, but sovereign grace in the King takes him on his confession and spares him,—" Thou shalt not die" (v. 21-23).
How accurate the picture; how faithful the portrait of numbers of our modern Shimeis.
When their grievous sins have stared them in the face, when the rumblings of the distant thunders of judgment, which threatened them as the due reward of their deeds, have been heard, fear has taken possession of them, terrors have seized them. Alas! it was only fear of hell, not hatred of sin. (Thank God for real awakenings, but oh! the hardening influence of unreality.) They make rapid strides in reformation, try to act the Christian, bow their heads like a bulrush, put on a most sanctimonious air, take good care that men see or hear of their great goodness, and appear to be real before men, forgetting that the eye of God goes below the outward appearance to the heart.
He demands "truth in the inward parts.”
Deceivers, remember although longsuffering grace spares you just now, and allows you to go on in your sin and hypocrisy, suffering not righteousness to put an end to your miserable and deceptive career, the day of manifestation and judgment will come; when you will be seized with strong hands—your mask torn off-your rags all stripped from you—your true condition discovered and manifested. Then judgment, like a mighty avalanche, will sweep your doubly guilty soul into the surging lake of fire forever. Beware We turn now to 2 Kings 2, where we find the end of poor Shimei. We see from verse 8 that though David had borne with Shimei, he had not forgotten his wicked conduct towards him, and he charges Solomon to act wisely, and "by no means clear the guilty." Such is the character of God. He must act righteously and according to what He is in Himself. And God will be God, let man be what he may.
In verse 36, the King sends for Shimei and gives him a chance for his life. He puts him on his responsibility to build his house in Jerusalem and stay there; with the warning attached, that the first time he passed the brook Kidron he should die.
Shimei, like his forefathers at Sinai (Ex. 19:8), immediately replies, “The saying is good, as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do" (v. 38). He accepts the conditions.
At the close of three years, forgetful of his oath, he starts in pursuit of his two runaway servants-crosses the brook, and again merits death. He is doubly guilty now; a flagrant sinner, and a willful transgressor. He is brought before the king, charged with his wickedness to David, and breaking his oath to Solomon. His blood is upon his own head, and he pays the just penalty with his life.
Poor Shimei! Righteousness could only be satisfied by his death, or the death of a substitute. But there was none to pity him—none to die for him. He sinned—he transgressed— he died.
Thank God, though we are sinners, and richly deserving the wrath of God, He Himself has laid help on One that is “mighty to save"—Jesus the Saviour. And while righteousness demands the life of the guilty—love provides the substitute who takes his place—faith appropriates the sacrifice, and enjoys its results.
"He took the guilty culprit's place,
And suffered in our stead;
For man, O miracle of grace!
For man the Saviour bled.”
Shimei's sentence was just; he owned it himself (verse 38); but he had to bear it himself. The sinner's sentence is just; but " God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “Christ suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). “He bore our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). Glorious God sent news! Jesus cried out, "It is finished.”
“Now to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:5).
W. E.