HUMPTY DUMPTY DAVID

HUMPTY DUMPTY DAVID

When David sensed his throne was about to be overthrown by his own son, he prayed the prayer we find hiding inside the verses of Psalm 3.  As we continue this story, this Psalm will be revealed on a deeper level.  We will read it now, then repeat pieces of it as the rest of our story unfolds. 

One reason I bring this Psalm to our attention is to emphasize that David, the shepherd/king, musician, poet and warrior was also a prophet. His prayers from the Psalms reveal not only the things to come in his own life, but the things of Yeshua Messiah whose humanity would descend from his genes. Much of his words are prophetic for later days.

KING DAVID’S PRAYER

Lord, how many are my foes!  How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,  “God will not deliver him.”

But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain.

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.

Arise, Lord!  Deliver me, my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked.

(Psalm 3)

ARISE AND LET US FLEE

So after praying this prayer, King David gathered the true servants of Jerusalem together.  In 2 Samuel 15:13 he says, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom!  We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”

This reference to “arise” could be a paralled reference which is a type and shadow repesenting resurrection. It could symbolically apply to the ascent from Heaven of Yeshua Messiah at the time he will gather His people at the second coming. There will be a resurrection of those who have died in Christ. They will arise from their graves, meet Jesus in the air, and prepare for The Battle of Armagedon.

King David was ascending from the fortress on Mt. Zion. His people were gathering around him. They were being prepared to battle the forces of Absalom. Treason was in the land and it had to be conquered.

WHAT WAS THE MIND OF THIS KING?

The first line of Psalm 3 was definitely accurate. David had many foes. Absalom’s support was growning quickly. We will see how they turn on King David. They betray him, throw stones at him, and seek to take his life. These things will unfold as our story continues. What do you suppose were the thoughts of King David at this point?

Was David remembering how God told him the sword would never leave his household?  Did David understand this was his own punishment for previously committed sins instead of just a rebellion and play for power from Absalom? We can’t say for sure, but surely some of these thoughts might have entered his mind.  David’s heart and mind are in a much different place now. The once young and quick King is older and more mature. All of his struggles have taught him much. This becomes even more obvious when his instructions to his servants are so different from his typical warrior-like response. 

It was as if this great King already knew the outcome. His orders seemed to some as though he only wanted to run away from this problem for as long as possible.  Also, it was obvious that the King was simply trying to protect everyone else.

A MAN OF SORROW

All we know for certain is this running away from trouble wasn’t a typical reaction for David.  It was the way of a man with a heavy heart full of regrets. 

Here we have a vision of David walking in bare feet and head covered in the dust of the earth as he mourns for his beloved Israel. He is trudging up the Mount of Olives, weeping. All the people with him have covered their heads too. They are crying with their King as they move along the mountain roads. The scriptures tell us “the country wept with a loud voice.”

THOSE WHO ARE LOYAL

Let’s think more about those who left home and hearth and traveled with the King. David still had loyal servants. They all replied, “Whatever our lord the King decides, we are your servants.” These consisted of people from many nationalities and origins. They had all become part of David’s party. Many other armies had pledged their allegiance to this King who had helped so many. These faithful servants stayed close to his side.

The armies included Kerethites, Perthites, and Gittites, who were over 600 men in all. David commanded the priests to set the Ark down as these great armies of men passed in front of them. Among the Gettites was a man named Ittai. He was a stranger and an exile who was new to Jerusalem and this happend on his first day with this army. Ittai had only joined in with them the day before. When David saw him in the crowd he stopped to talk with him. The King quickly indicated to Ittai that he would understand if he turned and went back to Jerusalem instead of following his people out of the country and into the unknown.

Ittai gave his reply in these words, “As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the King liveth, surely in what place the lord the King shall be, whether in life or death, even there also will this servant be.”

ITTAI THE LOYAL KNIGHT

When I heard the words from Ittai, I suddenly recognized and remembered the words of the pledge from Lancelot to the King of Camelot. Of course, Camelot was merely a story. It is a tale of great knights. Yet, here in the person called Ittai, we see a REAL knight of God’s Kingdom exemplified. From that day forward he became known for his great loyalty. His original words have been quoted and used in many stories and theatrical productions portraying the personality of a loyal, faithful servant.

SURROUNDED BY LOYAL SERVANTS

If you find yourself suddenly needing to flee all you have ever known, loved and accomplished in life, it is wonderful to have such loyal friends to back you up.  David was blessed with faithful followers. They were brave men who would never leave his side or turn away from him.

Here again, we see the parallel to Yeshua Messiah.  He had faithful disciples who left everything and followed Him. They would eventually follow Him through his darkest night. Some would even walk with him all the way to the cross. I’m thinking of John and Mary.  I’m remembering Cyrus who helped carry the cross part of the way. Many nameless believers followed Yeshua Messiah. They walked along with Him uttering prayers as He tread that painful pathway to His death. They never left His side, even in those darkest moments. David had such friends too.

ABITHAR AND ZADOK

Two priests named Abithar and Zadok walked along with those following David. They were the true priests of David’s times.  Other faithful servants called Levites came with them. These men were carefully bearing the Ark of The Covenant upon their shoulders. (Could we say this is a type and shadow of Cyrus walking along with Jesus, helping to bear the cross?)

When David saw these loyal priests bearing the Ark of The Covenant walking behind him, he pulled them over to the side. He asked them to set the Ark down beside the road. Then all of the armies with them passed before the Ark. It might have felt as if King David was making sure God saw each and every man who had come willingly along for the cause of the King. It took awhile for the numerous amount of soldiers to pass by.

RETURNING THE ARK

At that point, David decided to turn Abiathar, Zadok and the Levite priests back with the Ark. He sent them back to Jerusalem. In a conversation with Zadok, David explained the facts. He noted that if God was with him, he would return to Jerusalem again. The Ark of the Covenant needed to remain in its permanent home in Jerusalem.

The City of Jerusalem had been firmly established as the true home of the Ark.  David knew this.  He did not want it moved to another temporary place.  Zadok and Abithar and their sons with them listened to David’s instructions and turned around.  They took the Ark back to where it belonged. Also, they agreed with David to be watching for any new things David needed to know.  Messages could be sent back and forth from the priests whenever needed. Absalom and the other traitors to the throne would not be paying attention to these priest.

The plan was that David would tarry in the wilderness until they knew it was safe for him to return. They would send for him then.

RECALLING TRANSFIGURATION

When I thought of David discussing the conditions of the Kingdom and the Ark of the Covenant with Zadok and Abiathar, I caught a glimpse of a picture of Jesus at the transfiguration talking with Moses and Elijah. I think that possibly happened on this same spot only years later. The scriptures only note they were on a “mountain.” It remains unnamed. I have come to believe it was in this spot at The Mount of Olives.

Before turning the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, the priests from Jerusalem confirmed to King David that Ahithophel was among the conspirators working with Absalom. When he heard this, David lifted another prayer to God saying, “O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

Abiathar, Zadok and their sons would be helpful in obtaining the answer to this prayer. They would keep King David informed of Absalom’s men’s plots. The two men would play an active part in turning the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

INTO THE WILDERNESS

So, the rest of the faithful gathered up their courage and kept moving their feet upon the long journey with their broken King. They were about to cross the Brook Kidron and walk out toward the wilderness.

This sad procession included all the King’s men and all of his household, including the servants.  Only ten concubines were left behind in Jerusalem.  They were admonished to take care of the palace while the King was away.

When I think of these concubines, two parables come to mind. We will discuss that subject further in one of our next lessons.

LIKE A CHILD’S NURSERY RHYME

Surprisingly, this King who was known for his valor, did not desire to stay and fight.  He took his people and escaped the coming disaster.  Possibly David had visions of his kingdom crumbling and cracking, falling slowly into a million pieces.  David knew the whole story. A lot of the people did not. Flashbacks of David’s life might have played over-and-over in his mind. He might have been remembering a lot of sad things he did wrong in the past.

Thankfully, God showed David mercy and forgiveness. So, this broken King had comfort in his soul but there were still consequences and circumstances remaining from the residue of his sins.  These consequences and circumstances would not disappear simply because David had been shown divine mercy.  The deeds were done. There was no undoing them or taking them back. 

GOD GAVE US THE LAW

Sin can always be forgiven, but consequences may not always be escaped. This is one reason God gave us the law. If we keep the law, we avoid sin. Remembering this fact when we need good answers makes life so much simpler. 

Unfortunately, the consequences for King David were very heavy at this moment.  In all of this heaviness of heart, David did not think of defending himself.  Whatever happened next was going to be up to God. The King would be subservient and obey God’s will, painful or not. I can’t make that statement without seeing a picture of Jesus crying out to God in the Garden of Gethsemane. David and his troop of followers were now headed to and through that very area.

ALL THE KING’S HORSES AND ALL THE KING’S MEN

Is it just my wild imagination or did you, like me, think of that old nursery rhyme titled Humpty Dumpty?  I was particularly thinking of the line that says, “All the king’s horses and all the king’s men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.  Everyone knew, no matter what happened next in the outcome of this journey, the Jerusalem they loved so much would never be the same again. To make that worse, David was probably feeling a lot like poor Humpty Dumpty in this children’s nursery rhyme.

Sometimes the situations the enemy throws in our direction seem hopeless. With men, it probably is. Yet, with Yeshua Messiah, all things are possible. David knew God had a plan, even if he did not know what it was. He did not react. He waited on The Lord. King David trusted YHVH.

A MAN OF FEW WORDS

Once there was another King who chose not to defend himself.  He wore a crown of thorns. This One was crucified upon a wooden cross.  They called Him “The King of the Jews.” 

Like David, He knew God could show mercy and forgiveness. He also knew that sins always carried consequences. A perfect sacrifice would be required. He chose to become that sacrifice, to die in our place to save us from those “consequences” of our wrong choices. 

Just as David loved Jerusalem enough to protect her and her people from harm, Yeshua loved mankind even more. It was just outside that City of David where He laid down his life for our sins. More than likely it was on that road where David’s family trod to escape Absalom. Yeshua was overcoming all that we could not. We shall be forever grateful and humbled by His love and compassion.

A COMPASSIONATE JOURNEY

This trait of compassion seemed to run in the family genes. David too showed great compassion to those he met on the way on this journey out of the city.  The route he, his family, and all who were still loyal traveled should sound familiar to followers of Yeshua. They walked from the fortress of Zion through the East Gate. The road they traveled wound up through The Mount of Olives and out into the Kidron Valley. 

This was the same pathway Yeshua Messiah walked with Peter, James and John when they witnessed the Transfiguration just before the crucifixion.  At one point Yeshua stopped and separated out Peter, James and John, instead of taking all of the disciples further. I remembered David stopping to confer with Zadok and Abiathar and those priests carrying The Ark of the Covenant. The Ark and these priests could go no further with the procession. They too were being separated out by the King. He had a special mission for them.

We can recall how the presence of Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration symbolized the continuity of the mission of Yeshua Messiah. It also confirmed the true identity of Messiah. Likewise, the Ark going back to Jerusalem under the care and protection of Zadok and Abiathar would eventually provide the power and authority needed to confirm David’s true identity as the anointed King. The covenant was still active. God had proclaimed David as the only one with proper authority in this Kingdom.

David realized all he needed to do was to wait and be still. Dispite the unrest in the land, David slept through the nights because He felt God’s Presence over him and his people.

VERSE

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me.
I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.

PRAYER

Father, we all have been given a small kingdom to watch over on this earth. Help us to guard and protect our families, cities, and country as faithfully as David did. Show us how waiting upon You is all we really need to do. You are our sheild and protection. From Your hand comes all that we need. May we always give you the glory, in the good times and the struggles. Amen

SONG