“Please, Do Not Take It To Heart…”

October 11, 2018

“Please, Do Not Take It To Heart…”

Blessings folk!

David was returning as King.

We can imagine the varied emotions of all the people.

Remember Shimei?

He was the one who cursed and threw rocks at David.

2 Sa 16:5,7

When King David came to Bahurim, behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Saul whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera;
he came out cursing continually as he came.

Thus Shimei said when he cursed,
“Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, and worthless fellow!

Now watch Shimei…

2 Sa 19:16

Then Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite who was from Bahurim,
hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.

There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, with Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him;
and they rushed to the Jordan before the king.

Then they kept crossing the ford to bring over the king’s household,
and to do what was good in his sight.
And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan.

So he said to the king, “Let not my lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my lord the king came out from Jerusalem,
so that the king would take it to heart.

“For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore behold, I have come today,
the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah said,
“Should not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’S anointed?”

David then said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? Should any man be put to death in Israel today?
For do I not know that I am king over Israel today?”

The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” Thus the king swore to him.

Shimei hurriedly came as one of the first to bow before David.
He ask David…

  • To not consider me guilty
  • Nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day…
  • Do not take it to heart

Shimei acknowledged he had sinned.
He came first in humility.
He came first in repentance.
He came first in asking for forgiveness.
(This gives us insight into whether his cursing was from himself, the adversary or God.)

Abishai was having nothing to do with it.
He wanted Shimei to die because he had cursed the Lord’s anointed.

David’s response?
No man would be put to death that day.
Grace, forgiveness and mercy would reign.

David forgave Shimei.

Was Shimei guilty?
Yes.

Did Shimei deserve punishment?
Yes.

What did David give?
Forgiveness.
Mercy.
Life.

Thus the Most High does for those who believe, receive and come before Him.

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