Text: 2 Samuel 18: 19-33
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” Apostle Paul 1 Corinthians 9:24.
Synopsis of 2 Samuel 18
The context of the chapter is Joab’s victory over Absalom’s rebellion against King David. Absalom is David’s third and favourite son, King of Israel and Judah. His first mention in the Bible is when he murdered his half-brother, Amnon, David’s eldest son, to revenge the rap of his full half-sister Tamar. As a result, he is banished and restored through the good offices of his cousin Joab. As the narrative unfolds, Absalom wins the Israelites’ hearts through flatteries and declares himself king after four years at Hebron, the former capital of Israel. He also sleeps with his father’s concubines to prove his odiousness to the Israelites and how he lost his father’s favour based on Ahitophel’s counsel. He plans a successful coup forcing King David’s exile to Mahanaim (‘A place of two hosts’ where Jacob wrestled with God). The Israelite forces led by Joab, Abishai and Ittai eventually crush the opposition and kill Absalom, defying the king’s command to deal gently with his beloved Absalom.
Striking Features Between Absalom (‘Father of Peace’) and Jesus Christ (‘Prince of Peace’) as the Beloved of the Father and Spotless Lamb
Specifically, in 2 Samuel 14:25-26, the Bible reveals Absalom (Father of Peace in Hebrew) is the most handsome in Israel and without blemish (flaws/defects) from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet (EXB). He also has distinct full hair to complement his flawless physique and demeanour. However, in verse 18, Joab defies the king’s decree by piercing Absalom’s heart with three spears caught in the “mid-air in an oak tree.”
In verses 9-10, two runners (Ahimaaz (‘My Brother is Counselor’) Son of Zadok (‘Righteous’) and an Ethiopian (Cushite black complexioned) warrior and Joab’s slave presented themselves to Joab to share the ‘Good News’ of Israelites’ defeat with King David.
Logically, Joab felt the Cushite, the low-rank foreign enslaved person’s life, would be worthless if King David killed him, yet the foreigner takes it as an honour to report the ‘Good News’ of their conquest.
Traditionally, the bearer/messenger of the Good News receives a present. Therefore, Joab sends a low-rank soldier and enslaved person to prove that the message is unworthy of honour or rewards.
Metaphorically, Ahimaaz could denote the initial Jews for whom the Gospel initially was meant. However, due to rejecting God’s salvation in Jesus, God graciously grafted the Gentiles extending his love to the uncircumcised race (Romans 11:11-24; Galatians 3:26-29). On the other hand, the Ethiopian guard/enslaved person foreshadows God’s salvation plan for Africa and developing nations (Mark 15:21; Acts 2:10; Acts 8:26-40).
Historically, Pa Sydney Granville Elton, an English Apostolic Church missionary to Ilesha, Osun State, Nigeria and a pioneer revivalist (1937 – 1987), prophesied that “Africa is like a gun pointing downwards, and Nigeria is its trigger. God will use Nigeria to trigger off a revival that will shake the earth….” Prophetically Africans, especially in the diaspora, have a primary role in the end-time global revival bringing sparks of light from the initially dubbed “Dark Continent” described by Welsh Journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley in the late nineteenth century.
In 2 Samuel 18:19-33, Ahimaaz, described as a ‘good runner,’ gave an incomplete ‘Good News’ out of intimidation of King David (foreshadowing God the Father’s love for the world John 3:16). At the same time, he waited patiently for the other report, ‘Good News’, as complemented by the Ethiopian soldier about the victory and the safety of his favourite son at Mahanaim (heavenly portal in the Old Testament).
By implication, God is causing a generational shift and passing of batons by European missionaries to contemporary African believers.
Significantly, the end-time global harvest would require teamwork and partnership between believers from different races, cultures, ethnic groups, and professions (Galatians 3:28) with the ultimate focus on lifting Jesus, the Son of God, the crucified and resurrected King (John 3:14-16). Those who look to him will be saved. The end-time global harvest will be a synergy between the Ahimaaz and the Ethiopian Soldier, Europe and Africa and ‘Prophets and Professionals’.
God wants believers to preach the complete Gospel with Jesus as the Savior, Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, Healer and Soon-coming King.
God wants believers to run like Ahimaaz regardless of the consequences, i.e. persecution, hostility and discouragement, to deliver the Good News to the world as God desires (2 Samuel 18:22-23).
History of European Missionaries ‘Runners’ in Africa
From 1840 to 2019, there have been many ‘strong runners’ who have brought the Gospel from Europe to Africa, and it is high time it became vice versa from Africa to Europe:
David Livingstone (Scotland) South Africa 1840 – 1873
Mary Mitchell Slessor (Scotland) Nigeria 1848 – 1915
Robert Moffat (Wales) South Africa 1821 – 1862
Alexander Murdoch Mackay (Scotland) Uganda 1849 – 1890
Helen Roseveare (England) Congo 1925 – 2016
Joseph Boot (England) South Africa 1851 – 1932
William Henry Sheppard (African America) Central Africa 1865 – 1927
John Graham Lake (Canadian American) – 1870 – 1935
Tommy Lee ‘TL’ Osborn (America) Nigeria 1923 – 2013
Reinhard Bonnke (German American) Nigeria 1940 – 2019
Ten Reasons to Run with the Gospel with a Global Mindset
- The salvation of God is for the entire WORLD John 3:16.
- The Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of MANKIND/HUMAN RACE Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:21-25.
- Jesus commanded believers to preach and disciple ALL NATIONS Matthew 28:19.
- The preaching of the Gospel to ALL NATIONS will herald Jesus’ Second Coming Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:10.
- The Gospel is the only guarantee of lasting PEACE in the WORLD during the end times Isaiah 9:6; Ephesians 6:15.
- The Gospel is the only HOPE/PROTECTION for believers as God judges the ungodly in the world in the last days 2 Peter 2:1-5.
- It is PROFITABLE and WISE to win souls Proverbs 11:30.
- A promised divine GLORY accompanies those who win SOULS Daniel 12:3.
- The Gospel will be God’s benchmark to judge the NATIONS Jonah 4:11; Revelation 11:18; Ezekiel 3:16-18.
- CROWNS/REWARDS for running with the Gospel and winning souls for Jesus Christ 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27; 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
Ayokunmi Ojebode
Mansfield, Nottinghamshire