One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the true nature of the human being. At the core of our being, we are fickle. Fickle being defined as “changing frequently, especially as regards one's loyalties, interests, or affection.” Just pick up a world history book, look at today’s news, or even scan a random chapter in your Bible, and you’ll find a gaggle of fickle people. People that follow one leader one day and migrate to a newer one the next. People that rally for one cause on Monday and drop that cause on Friday to follow one they see as a step more relevant. This, of course, is wholly true today as you scan just about any headline in the world. Causes that didn’t exist a few months ago are burgeoning with activity and members. Leaders whose names were unknown months ago, now have a legion of people ready to do social media battle to defend them. And folks, don’t kid yourself, this is not new, fresh, modern, or current. The human heart has not changed in 4,000 years. Homo Sapien behavior has not altered in that 4 millennia. People are people, and people are fickle.
Remember that we just finished dealing with the massive rebellion against David that was spearheaded by his very son, Absalom. Things got very ugly as Absalom, out of nowhere, launched a hyper effective campaign against his father and most of the Israelite kingdom bought into it. Absalom was a great looking smooth talker with a thick head of hair, but most importantly, he was the next best thing. Just what fickle hearts love, new and different. And it always helps if they promise that they will finally fix all the problems of the world. Of course, the rebellion of Absalom is crushed and David ends up mourning the loss of a son. But folks, the grease in the pan in not even cool yet and here comes the next best thing. Sheba.
Now surely you would think that after the rebellion of Absalom that the people would have learned a lesson. The lesson that following a selfish, unjust heart will not lead to true success, unity and harmony. Unfortunately, some human hearts never learn their lesson and Sheba not only finds a foothold, but unites 10 of the 12 Israelite tribes behind him. As far as the character of Sheba? We are told clearly in verse one of 2 Samuel chapter 20 that Sheba was a “worthless man” (ESV translation.) Other Bible translations refer to Sheba as a rebel (NKJ), a troublemaker (NIV), wicked (CSB), good for nothing (GWT) and ungodly (ISV). And in the King James Version it calls him a “man of Belial” which means a man of the devil. Not exactly the kind of leader that you would think people would want to eagerly follow. But people lined up to join his "movement."
You see, in our hearts, we want to be led, but we don’t want leaders. We want someone to do the planning, budget the books, make the laws, and provide perfect justice, but as they do, we thumb our nose at the results. A fickle people cannot be pleased. David was a good, kind, and just king. Yet the people still didn’t like him. Once again, Sheba, just as Absalom, strikes out on a masterful campaign to smear David’s image. Here lies another lesson for another day, some people feel they can only rise in life by stepping on others.
Sheba, just like any politician today, creates a slogan. And he promotes the slogan all over Israel. And as it lands on fickle hearts, they believe, just as fickle hearts do. The slogan is three fold, with each point either attacking David’s image or calling action against him. Let’s take a look at the three key points.
“And he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!” 2 Samuel 20:1b ESV
For additional clarity, let’s also look at the GNT translation, which puts it into today’s vernacular.
“He blew the trumpet and said, "Down with David! We won't follow him! Men of Israel, let's go home!" 2 Samuel 20:1b GNT
1) Sheba had no other political platform other than slandering David. He started out by simply and boldly rallying people against the king. He had no point and no purpose, besides venting the evil that resided in his heart. Luke 6:45 says,
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Sheba’s heart was full of evil and that is all that is was capable of producing. He spewed a message of hate, anger, disapproval, and dissent. It’s entire basis? A heart full of evil.
2) Sheba’s evil heart bred rebellion. That’s what evil does, divide, separate, fracture, and splinter. His mantra is “we won’t follow David, the son of Jesse.” Again, where is this basis? You find it lying firmly in the depths of an angry, bitter heart. Not only does he encourage and spur on rebellion, he attacks David’s lineage. Recall that David grew up as a shepherd in a simple farming family. Sheba is sewing the idea that David is nothing more than a red-neck hick that has no business being king. An easy assumption for a heart looking to destroy. You see, hate divides but good unites. And therein lies one of the reasons that God gifted us with His Holy Spirit. To conquer our sin nature that seeks to divide, instead creating a unity that breeds harmony.
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Eph 4:2-3 bold mine
3) Sheba then calls every man to “his own tent” or “his own home.” He has presented the reasoning for his rebellion in the first two points, this is his call to action. Sheba was going his own way and he needed followers. You see, this is the major ingredient of rebels throughout history. Have you ever seen a massive rebellion started and executed by only one person? Nope. They need followers. They need like hearts. They need other rebellious, angry, evil hearts that will follow them. And with a world full of fickle hearts, it’s not very hard.
The story does not end well for Sheba. He gets cornered in a walled city and as David’s mighty men threaten to come in and get him, the inhabitants cut off his head and throw it over the wall. They remove the cancer before it can infect their city. Friends, today the sin nature that lives within your heart and mine will seek to rebel. Against God, against our leaders, and against our own friends and family. But through the power of the Holy Spirit you can sew peace, harmony, and kindness instead of anger, hate, chaos, and rebellion.
If you have called upon Jesus Christ to save you from the sin in your life, you have been gifted with the miracle of His Holy Spirit. But if you have not ever asked Jesus to be your Lord, you can today. Simply admit that you have sinned and done wrong. Realize that your sin was against a God that loves you endlessly and, in that love, He made a way for you to be redeemed. He made a way for you to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. But God’s Word says there is only one way to claim His redemption. Through His Son Jesus Christ. (John 14:6, Acts 4:12) Ask Jesus to save you and rescue you today. All you have to do is ask, He is faithful to react. And as you utter those words, the very Spirit of God will settle into your heart. To guide you, instruct you, teach you and show you the way to unite with those around you. You see, it’s not God’s idea to rebel, but to unite. To unite with others believers in Christ to follow His righteous ways of life, love others, and tell the world about the Salvation of His Son.
I pray that today you are a powerful force for unity, not division.
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