1. The document summarizes a passage from 2 Samuel describing King David's return to Jerusalem after fleeing from his son Absalom. It describes David forgiving Mephibosheth, who had not joined David during his exile. 2. It then discusses an elderly friend of David's named Barzillai who helped David while he was in exile. Barzillai declined David's invitation to join him in Jerusalem due to his old age. 3. Upon David's return, tensions arose between the tribes of Judah and Israel, with the men of Israel accusing the men of Judah of stealing David from them. The document urges resolving conflicts with kindness rather than harsh words.

1. 1
Gospel Baptist Tabernacle
781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741
Where the Love of God
abounds, everyone is
welcome.
Children’s Church taught
by Paul and Marsha Davis
during preaching.
www.rossvillechurch.com
September 8, 2013

2. 2
Fifth Sunday

3. 3
King David is returning to Jerusalem.

4. 4
2 Samuel 19:24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came
down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his
feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his
clothes, from the day the king departed until the
day he came again in peace. 25 And it came to
pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the
king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore
wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?
David had treated Phib really well because of
David’s love for Jonathan and his vows to him.

5. 5
26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant
deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me
an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king;
because thy servant is lame. 27 And he hath
slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but
my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore
what is good in thine eyes.
Truth or lie – we don’t know.
But we do know that he is using the
oldest trick in the book:
Blame it on someone else.

6. 6
Genesis 3 11 And God said, Who told thee that thou
wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I
commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom Thou
gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I
did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto the
woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the
woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did
eat.
It’s not my fault!
The devil made me do it.

7. 7
To confess our faults is all about
accepting responsibility for self.
I sinned; it’s my own fault.
This is the only way to truly repent.
Back to Mephibosheth:

8. 8
28 For all of my father's house were but dead men
before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy
servant among them that did eat at thine own table.
What right therefore have I yet to cry any more
unto the king? 29 And the king said unto him, Why
speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have
said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
David is in a very forgiving mood;
He said Phib could keep half of what he had.
His servant Ziba would get the other half.

9. 9
30 And Mephibosheth said
unto the king, Yea, let him
take all, forasmuch as my
lord the king is come again in
peace unto his own house.
Did he mean it? We’re not told.
It may have been a gesture to convince David of
his innocence and loyalty. Or --
He may have been sincerely grateful to David.

10. 10
David took the words of both Shimei and
Mephibosheth at face value, forgiving both.
We can’t always know the hearts of people, but we
can choose to be as forgiving as David was.
To forgive doesn’t mean to immediately restore
that person to their full place held previously.
Forgiveness means we hold no grudge in our heart.

11. 11
Let’s say a man was treasurer of a church or
business, and he stole money.
He comes back and says, “I’m sorry.”
You forgive, but you don’t put him back in charge
of the treasury.

12. 12
One who would be trusted, must prove himself
trustworthy -- over time.

13. 13
31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from
Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to
conduct him over Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a
very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he
had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at
Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
Barzillai had proven himself a true friend
in David’s time of trouble and need.
A friend in time of need is a friend indeed.

14. 14
33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over
with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.
34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have
I to live, that I should go up with the king unto
Jerusalem? 35 I am this day fourscore years old: and
can I discern between good and evil? can thy
servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear
any more the voice of singing men and singing
women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a
burden unto my lord the king?

15. 15
36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with
the king: and why should the king recompense it
me with such a reward? 37 Let thy servant, I pray
thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own
city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of
my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let
him go over with my lord the king; and do to him
what shall seem good unto thee.
Chimham was probably Barzillai’s son.

16. 16
38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over
with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem
good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require
of me, that will I do for thee. 39 And all the people
went over Jordan. And when the king was come
over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him;
and he returned unto his own place.

17. 17
40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham
went on with him: and all the people of Judah
conducted the king, and also half the people of
Israel. 41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to
the king, and said unto the king, Why have our
brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and
have brought the king, and his household, and all
David's men with him, over Jordan?
Jealousy raises its ugly head.
“the men of Israel” is referring to the ten northern
tribes; Judah was in the south.

18. 18
42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of
Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us:
wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have
we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given
us any gift?
David was of the tribe of Judah.
The men of Judah were receiving no special
treatment from David; probably they were taking
care of him.

19. 19
43 And the men of Israel answered the men of
Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and
we have also more right in David than ye: why
then did ye despise us, that our advice should not
be first had in bringing back our king? And the
words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the
words of the men of Israel.
Escalation
Fierce words are never good.

20. 20
This division and animosity continues to grow as
time goes by, until finally the nation is split in two.
Proverbs 15 1 A soft answer turneth away wrath:
but grievous words stir up anger.
Fierce words will lead only to greater hurt and
anger, but will never heal a wound.
God tells us to be kind, tender-hearted, forgiving.
Fierce words and deeds are contrary to the very
Nature of our Father in Heaven.