2 Samuel 15-21
(Samuel was one of the prophets in Israel who announced the days of the Messiah in Israel (Acts 3:24). The prophet presented his narrative in an allegorical form readily understood. His account begins with Israel's rejection of their king. It ends in the last 3½ years of Jacob's trouble (Jer. 30:7).
The King Rejected
In 2 Sam. 15:10-12, 16, 172SA 15:10-122SA 15:16-17
David was driven out of Israel by his son Absalom. Absalom is a type of Israel which rejected Christ, sought His death, accomplished it at Calvary, and sent their Messiah back to heaven—to Mahanaim, (meaning "the company of two camps"), to the camp of God and His angels (Gen. 32:2; 2 Sam. 17:24). The bride of Christ is homeward bound to be with Him there, and the saints of the renewed earth will know of it (Sol. 6:13).
The Conspirators of 2 Samuel 15:31; Matt. 27:1, 22SA 15:31MAT 27:1-2
Ahithophel, which means "brother of folly", a conspirator with Absalom (Israel) had been a companion and counselor of the king (1 Chron. 27:33).
The counsel of Ahithophel was as if a man had inquired of the Word of God, so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and Absalom. But there was divided loyalty. Ahithophel went and hanged himself, as did Judas who betrayed the Lord (2 Sam. 17:23; Psa. 109:6-8; Acts 1:16-20).
The True and the False in 2 Sam. 15:32-17:292SA 15:32-372SA 162SA 17
The rejection of their king tried the hearts of the faithful in Jerusalem. Hushai (meaning "my hastening"), so much like Peter, hastened to go with the king, but was persuaded to return to Jerusalem and serve his master there (Acts 3:17-21).
Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, came to David with gifts and a false report about his master. He obtained a portion of the land by falsehood and exposed himself as an antichrist in character (Dan. 11:39; Matt. 24:10-12). David was deceived, but Christ will not be deceived. There will be a new division of the land according to Eze. 47:13-48:35.
Zadok and Abiathar were like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea in their faithfulness to the rejected king of Israel.
Absalom Is Slain in 2 Samuel 18, 192SA 182SA 19
The death of Absalom is the spiritual death of Israel. The prophet passes over the Church period and continues with Israel as the subject. It was so with the disciples also in Matt. 24:1-3. The Romans came and took away their place and nation 40 years after Jesus went away from the temple (John 11:48).
The Appearing in 2 Samuel 19, 202SA 192SA 20
David came down from Mahanaim with his host of followers. (See Jude 14, 15.) He received all who came to him at face value. Shimei is an example of this, but when he disobeyed Solomon he forfeited his life (1 Kings 2:41-46). Joab also was executed by Solomon.
At Jerusalem there happened to be there a man of Belial. His name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. Belial means "worthlessness"; Sheba means "he who is coming", and Bichri means "be thou first." Sheba was the Antichrist in type (2 Thess. 2:9), a son of him who would be first. (See Isa. 14:12-14.)
The king's army pursued Sheba (Antichrist) to Beth-Maachah and besieged the stronghold. There was a wise woman in the city who counseled the people to execute Sheba and cast his head from the ramparts of the city
The End of Jacob's Trouble in 2 Samuel 21:1-142SA 21:1-14
The Gibeonites were caretakers of the ark of the Lord for 20 years, and Saul slew them! This accounts for the death of his descendents-"His blood be on us, and on our children," and we have had a holocaust in our time.
There had been three years of famine, year after year, because Saul had killed the Gibeonites. They required that seven men of the sons of Saul be given up to them to be hanged as a recompense. There were given unto the Gibeonites two sons of Rizpah and the five sons of Merab. They were hanged on 17th Abib at the feast of firstfruits. Barley was reaped at this time and typifies the lowly man Christ Jesus, but in resurrection so that others could follow later. "Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.”
“Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her [not for someone else] upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.”
The ark of the Lord was in the house of Abinadab on a hill at Kirjath-Jearim (a city of the Gibeonites) for 20 years. Scripture states that the seven men were hanged on the hill before Jehovah (2 Sam. 21:9).
Saul was the immediate cause of blood-shedding in Israel (2 Sam. 21:1). He is a figure of instability. Merab was to have been David's wife, with the hope that the Philistines would kill him as the king's son-in-law. Saul gave Michal to be David's wife for the same deadly purpose. "For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." James 1:7.
From the beginning of barley harvest to the early rain of Bul is ½ year. The 3½ years of Jacob's trouble ended, and the Lord gave Israel four (completeness in that which is ordained of God) victories over the Philistines who had taken the ark of the Lord from Israel.
Then follows, in 2 Sam. 22, the millennial song of Israel's salvation, restoration, blessing and peace.
W. Bothwell