Introduction

Good day to you all! Let us turn to the eighteenth chapter of 2 Samuel. You will notice that this chapter records many people and events, and everyone's reactions to these events are different. I have titled this chapter A person's logic determines their intelligence. Listen carefully as I explain to you, we must all understand that in this world, there is a supreme form of intelligence, and that is the wisdom of trusting in God.

This chapter speaks of a large number of people and events, and I could not discern a clear focus at first. Later, after much contemplation, I realised what the author of 2 Samuel intended to emphasise. Although the author wants to highlight the logic within King David, he also lists a multitude of other people's logic, contrasting and comparing them with David's. Joab has his logic, Absalom has his logic, Ahimaaz has his logic. You should slowly learn from the logic of these people!

A Person's Intelligence Lies in Their Internal Logic

I often say: Look at the foolish things you have done in the past years. People immediately retort: What are you saying? Why are you so tactless? Can't you mention some of my good points? I think it is better to start with the foolish aspects. Know that a person's internal logic is crucial. A scam artist has his logic, but the scam artist's logic is a very foolish one. If you are unaware of this, then it is the cleverness of a fool, which is useless. There are those who rush into action and accomplish nothing, remaining unsuccessful throughout their lives; and there are those who are obsessed with saving face. I have many such examples, and I must draw a condensed conclusion for you: a person's intelligence lies in their internal logic.

One day, my boss gave me a very challenging task. Why? Because nobody else was willing to do it. Should I do it or not? Of course, I should do it! Since no one else could do it, I might as well try. Even if I failed, there would be no loss. Moreover, I have a good attitude! I said to my boss: Boss, I have never done this before, but I can try. If I can't do it, I'll tell you quickly, so as not to delay your work. What if I succeed when no one else has? Then I would be great! Would it matter if I spent a day, three days, or half a month? Actually, it wouldn't matter at all. If I submitted it to him a month later, would my boss blame me? No! When he asks me, I will tell him about the progress. Overcoming a problem takes time.

My colleagues said: This hot potato has fallen into his hands again. But these people do not know that I have obtained a treasure. What are people thinking? I never ask for a raise. Am I clever or not? Clever! I only want to solve my boss's problem. Do you think my salary will increase rapidly? It certainly will! A silly young man came to me and asked: Teacher, I want to talk to my boss about my salary.

I asked him: How do you want to talk about it? He said: My current salary is just over two thousand. If it could be raised to over four thousand, I could get a permit for my wife to come to Singapore. I said: Oh, you want to get a permit for your wife? I said: If my boss gives me a raise, I want to buy a plane and a sports car! What does your little problem have to do with your boss? Nothing at all! So, the foolishness in people's minds will eventually bear foolish fruit.

Recently, some people, eager to get rich quickly, went to northern Myanmar. Know that those scam groups in northern Myanmar are very clever. Why were they scammed? Because there is something called foolishness inside them. Do not sympathise with them. I have a fatal flaw, which is that I hate foolish people. I am always very careful when ministering to foolish people: if you are good to them, they think you want to harm them; if you harm them, they think you are good to them! What kind of mind is that? Everyone, pray diligently, asking God to give you a wise heart.

It is not that you will have a wise heart just because you want one. Gaining a wise heart requires changing your internal logic. If the logic inside a person is carnal, they will become foolish! Do not think that just because I am an intellectual, I will act like a bookworm in my dealings with people. I am very good at handling things! The day before yesterday, I received a sister's parents and bought them two bags of Wuchang rice. I told them: You can't buy genuine goods in the market. I asked a friend to buy these for me. Some people ask: Why do you tell lies and tell us about it? Am I not teaching everyone to be clever?

The story can be fabricated, but the rice is still rice, definitely not millet or sorghum. If you say that rice is millet or sorghum, that is lying. Just make up a story about the rice that makes people feel comfortable. We must constantly change our internal logic. If your internal logic is not wise, it will turn to mush at the slightest touch. Turning to mush is not so bad, but what if it turns to diarrhea? A head full of diarrhea is good for nothing. How upsetting would that be? In Chinese Mingding Destiny, you need to slowly learn how to deal with people, which is an important lesson in life. You must learn how to speak.

Some people say: Teacher, I can't control myself. I said: What can't you control? This person said: I can't control being scammed. What kind of mind is that? As soon as someone scams him, he gets scammed. Why? Because he thinks it's an opportunity, so he transfers money to them, and then the money is gone. I said: Send the money in your account to me! But he won't do it. I said: You control that quite well! Because he knows it's not an opportunity. I was just testing him. Our internal logic needs to be slowly transformed, and I need to be slowly transformed too. The things inside me are not plucked out of thin air. The things in my head are all learned, from the ancients, from David, and also from Saul.

Some people ask: How can you learn from Saul? I learn lessons from Saul's negative example. How good it is to learn wisdom from foolishness! I don't have to pay the price, because Saul already paid it! When we see the foolishness in others, we must slowly learn. I suggest everyone summarise your foolishness over the years: How could I be so foolish? Then start to completely dismantle that set of logic inside you. If you do not dismantle it, the foolish things inside you will still be there, which would be terrible!

My brother said to me: I want one of Mom's two houses. I said: No problem, I'll help you with it! What do you think of the relationship between these two brothers? It must be good! Some people say: Are you stupid? This is cleverness. Learn slowly! If you can learn to my level, you will be remarkable. In the end, I really gave the house to my brother. Why? Because there is my logic in it. I have my own accounting, and you have your own accounting, but our accounts are different. You see assets, I see liabilities; I see assets, you see liabilities. What do you do with this account? If the financial system in your head is wrong, you need to change that.

David's Logic

If you can understand David, then you are definitely a clever person. I spent a great deal of effort to figure him out. If it was so difficult for me, can you understand it without spending any effort? David's logic is very powerful. Even if you killed him, he would not kill Saul. Can you understand that? A white blade goes in, a red blade comes out, then he could become king and end his life of fleeing, but David doesn't do that. David says: I will not do that. I will never lay a hand on God's anointed. We cannot comprehend David's internal logic.

David's greatness lies in the fact that his core interest is God, not his throne. If his core interest were the throne, God would not be pleased with him. He would never do what God dislikes. Because Saul was his superior, he could not rebel. He would never be a traitor, even if David could escape. He would never be a traitor. He would not offend God for the sake of the throne.

Absalom, in the flesh, was David's son. Although his son usurped his throne, he did not usurp his God. If Absalom had usurped his God, then in David's eyes, he would definitely be an enemy of God, like the Amalekites. David would have rushed out and killed him. But David's logic is: You usurped my throne, I don't care. I only care about my God. If David had killed Absalom and then raised a glass to celebrate: Finally got rid of this kid! That would be gloating.

For example, if someone has offended you, taken advantage of you, and one day he has a car accident and is killed, and then you say: Thank God! He's finally dead! God, you have avenged me! Then you are ruined. God's anger will turn to you. This is no joke! David understands God's logic: If God wants Saul to die, then let him die! If God wants Saul to die, then Saul cannot but die, and that has nothing to do with me! When Saul dies, I will still give him a grand burial, because he is a great hero.

We must admire David. Even if you cannot understand him, you must admire him. David remained on the throne until old age, enjoying honour throughout his life! You see, it becomes clear after my explanation. Absalom smashed his golden rice bowl, and he was definitely not doing it for his own core interests. If your golden rice bowl were smashed, what would you do? I can tell you my own thoughts. I do not value my position. If you want it, take it. But whether you can handle it is up to you. Good luck!

What do I value position for? I only value my responsibility. My responsibility is to shepherd God's flock. If I have the opportunity to shepherd one, I will shepherd one; if I can shepherd two, I will shepherd two. I do not value money or anything else, because I only value my God. I only do what is right in God's eyes. If calculated this way, a David appears once every three thousand years. As for whether there have been people like David in between, we do not know. But I want to emulate David, being both clever and powerful. If God wants Absalom to die, then he must die. Not only is he unlucky, but his death is also pathetic.

And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.(2 Samuel 18:5)

And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.(2 Samuel 18:9)

I was thinking, if his hair was caught in the branches, he could grab the branches with his hands and climb down easily. But why couldn't Absalom come down? Because God entangled him, and he could not be untangled. Why was this matter stuck? Because God wanted Absalom to die, so he had to die. So this matter is very interesting. Before the battle, David also instructed the generals to treat his son Absalom well. Why? Because David has a logic within him, that is, through the phenomena of what he said and did, let us begin to see that our own enemies are our own enemies, and God's enemies are God's enemies. David is absolutely clear about this.

The Amalekites were enemies of God's people for generations. God wanted to destroy the Amalekites and commanded King Saul to destroy them. They had to be thoroughly destroyed, killing without batting an eye, even if it meant engaging in bayonet combat at that time. David's greatness lies in not taking his throne as his core interest: My rice bowl can be smashed, my throne can be taken away, but my God can never be touched. Even if it means death, I will do what is right in God's eyes! God's enemies and his own enemies, David distinguishes clearly. David instructed those people, also hoping that those people could have his logic system. But the logic in people's minds all thinks they are clever, calculating with their fingers so accurately, but the calculations are useless.

If you can calculate David's logic system, then you are definitely a clever person. But few people can do it, because people always tear into their enemies. He grabs your collar, you grab his collar; he grabs your hair, you grab his hair. In the end, God grabs all your hair! That's like a toad looking at a green bean, definitely hitting the mark. What kind of mind is that? If someone grabs your hair and you don't grab his hair, God will grab his hair. Do you think God doesn't care? Of course, God cares! What David did was: Perhaps God will see my reaction to my encounters and have mercy on me because of what I do! Why was Absalom's hair caught in the branches? Because David had this heart, God helped him.

Some of us, who come from pyramid schemes or have been involved in pyramid schemes, must deal with this kind of thing even if it means scraping the bone to remove the poison! That is an extremely foolish logic system! To a certain extent, it is a Ponzi scheme. You are Ponzied, then you Ponzi others, and in the end, you Ponzi yourself to death. This is no joke. I have a characteristic: It is a little difficult to tempt me with money! The reason is very simple, because God is my core interest. This is David's logic, so powerful that I admire him wholeheartedly! So many people do not understand what I do, but it doesn't matter. I know very well what I want to do and how to do it.

Joab's Logic

Why did Joab let Absalom die? Because he had an accounting in his mind. After Absalom usurped the throne, why did Joab run away with David and not stay? The reason is very simple: a new dynasty, new officials. It's no joke. If Absalom was still alive, he would be the third in line. I will calculate Joab's accounting for you, so you can understand how this account is calculated. If David died, would Absalom be made king? From a human perspective, Absalom is the cleverest person. If Absalom was saved, David's throne would be impossible to regain. Absalom would hate Joab and Abishai and Ittai the most. These three generals defeated Absalom, and Absalom became Joab's defeated general. Even if Joab saved Absalom, would he thank Joab? Absalom would be looking forward to his death every day.

One day, if Absalom became king, Joab would definitely die. Joab knew very well David's feelings for Absalom. David's thinking is: Absalom is anxious and foolishly usurped his throne, but the throne will be mine sooner or later. But in Joab's logic, Absalom must die. There is a passage that says: The man said to Joab, even if you give me a thousand shekels of silver, I would not dare to lay a hand on the king's son, and then said that if I had harmed his life, you yourself would be against me. This kid is quite smart! Joab is also very powerful. He would definitely counter-bite, telling David that Absalom was not killed by him, but this kid had to be killed. Who told you not to listen to the king's command? Joab said: I cannot linger with you, I don't have time to waste words with you, and rushed up and stabbed Absalom to death with one shot.

And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for we heard how the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king. And Joab said, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.(2 Samuel 18:12-15)

Why is it so? Because Joab wanted to protect himself. Self-preservation is Joab's logic. Joab was a very clever man, and his cleverness did indeed win him David's trust. Joab was hardly trustworthy, but David was able to use him. Moreover, Joab had another rationale: Adonijah was David's fourth son, and he had a good relationship with Joab from the start. It was not a later development; Joab later sided with Adonijah. This wasn't a matter of a day or two; they had been on good terms all along. Why involve Adonijah? Because Joab had long calculated that Adonijah, as David's fourth son, would likely ascend the throne.

Joab cultivated a relationship with Adonijah so that after David's death, he could continue to serve under Adonijah. Adonijah was not as clever as Joab, so Joab had figured things out clearly. Judah was also the fourth son, benefiting from the oversight. Adonijah was David's fourth son. Amnon was ineffective and died, Absalom, the third son, had to die, and Adonijah, the fourth son, would succeed to the throne, maintaining a good relationship with Joab. After David's death, all problems would be resolved.

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, Please let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies. And Joab said to him, Why will you run, my son, since you have no reward awaiting you for the news? But whatever happens, he said, let me run. So he said to him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite. (2 Samuel 18:22-23)

Joab was a very astute man. Consider his advice to Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok. Ahimaaz said, Please let me run. Joab said, My son, since you have no reward awaiting you for the news, why run? Joab understood everything. Don't emulate Joab; emulate David. Of course, if you follow Joab's path, or even Heshen's, you might achieve a certain level of success, but that's not true success. The most profound success is David's way! After listening, don't think I'm being circuitous. I'm direct and straightforward, emulating David.

Absalom's Logic

David mustered the men who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. (2 Samuel 18:1)

Absalom's logic is vividly displayed in this chapter. Absalom felt that the throne was more important than God. He questioned whether God could manage the situation. He led a large army to pursue David, numbering at least 100,000 soldiers, with 20,000 casualties. David counted few men. When he fled, all twelve tribes of Israel turned to Absalom, and the elders unanimously supported Absalom as king. Otherwise, could David have escaped? Absalom was very clever and could win people's hearts. The Israelites figured that David would die sooner or later.

If you were on the scene, you would consider: who should I side with? Should I flee with David, or follow Absalom? If following Absalom, David's son, he would become king sooner or later. Sooner or later, it's the same. Consequently, all the tribes of Israel followed Absalom. When Absalom ordered the mobilization, they all mobilized! Absalom considered himself a king and gave himself full marks for his cleverness. Absalom thought he could win people's hearts, and with all twelve tribes supporting him, he became king. With a shout, 100,000 soldiers rallied.

He was a very interesting character. What does the King's Valley mean? It's like a prime location, a place with good feng shui, a valley with a stream flowing down, with excellent scenery. Absalom later named the place the King's Valley. In this location, he erected a pillar, called Absalom's Pillar. Like the Chinese ornamental columns, such as those in Tiananmen Square. Only those who would be king could build such things. If an ordinary person erected such a pillar at home, it would be seen as rebellion.

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar, which is in the King’s Valley; for he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument. (2 Samuel 18:18)

Absalom felt that his name was important; he wanted to propagate his name. If Absalom had not done this, his hair might not have been caught in the tree branches. Absalom was constantly doing things that provoked God's anger. God thought, You rascal, I'll let you toss around, and then I'll hang you on a tree branch. You thought you were so clever? Cutting your hair was like shearing sheep. Now, your hair will hang you on a tree branch.

Whatever you pride yourself on, you will pay the price for it. Absalom's logic was cleverness misapplied. Could he achieve some things? Absolutely. For example, Cain's descendants were all very accomplished, becoming the founders of various crafts, but they provoked God's anger because they operated on Cain's logic. We must have a deeper understanding of Cain's logic and also of Nimrod's logic.

And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Now Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. (2 Samuel 18:9)

It was quite a coincidence that Absalom happened to meet David's servants. Absalom's soldiers were not around; they had disappeared. Coincidental? Strange? It's uncanny. But it wasn't a coincidence; it was God's arrangement. Brothers and sisters, if you are proud of your hair, your hair will become your snare. If you erect a pillar as your pride, that pillar will become your shame. It's not Absalom's Pillar, but the Pillar of Shame, nailing Absalom to his Pillar of Shame, which is very humiliating. This is Absalom's logic. Was it accidental? If only it were accidental. If we do what is right in God's eyes, there will be many coincidences, because they are all God's arrangements. If we do what is evil in God's eyes, there will also be many coincidences, because they are also God's arrangements.

The Logic of Soldiers and Messengers

And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Now Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, so he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. When a certain man saw it, he told Joab, and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him? Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king’s son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Protect for me the young man Absalom.’ Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” (2 Samuel 18:9-13)

The soldier and the messenger saw Absalom hanging in the tree. How much better it would have been if they had stabbed Absalom to death! But they had heard David's instructions to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai to treat Absalom kindly and not harm his life. The messenger had also heard this, so the messenger was clever. Seeing Absalom, he reported it to Joab, letting Joab handle it himself. If the messenger had killed Absalom, Joab would have framed him, and the messenger would have been in trouble. Do we have such wisdom among us, brothers and sisters? When I was young, I often heard my parents say, That person is so foolish! Someone led the donkey away, and he pulled up the stake, only to be caught. Isn't that foolish?

This soldier clearly understood Joab's actions, and he also knew that David would investigate thoroughly. What if Joab killed Absalom? David would not do anything to Joab, because Joab was someone David needed to use. If David killed Joab, it would dishearten many Israelites. Through this, we must understand: We must have wisdom in our positions. Even if you are a cleaner, you must figure out how to do it, learn it slowly, and understand it thoroughly. Just like the young man working by Joab's side, he knew what to do immediately.

If you are a boss in a company, you must know what's going on, figure it out slowly. If God favors you, you will have a good working environment. I am saying this to correct everyone's logical system, not to live in foolishness. The most foolish thing is to regard foolish logic as cleverness. Look at a person's life journey, making a million dollars from 20 to 30 and returning to the starting point; returning to the starting point from 30 to 40, as if they didn't earn anything. What are they doing? Returning to the starting point from 50 to 60. What are they doing? You might as well be named Origin, called Starting Point. If you keep running in circles, it's a compliment if you don't end up in the negative.

Some people are not very bright. If you are not bright, follow me and be practical, because I don't like superficial things. Although superficial things can achieve something, but not knowing how to make money or how to lose money, just likes to spin around at the origin, which is worrying. We, the Chinese Mingding Destiny, really want everyone to become smarter! But you have to choose. Even if you're very bad and want to become smarter, you must at least choose the messenger's logic, be on par with the messenger's logic, and never be foolish.

After listening to my talk about the logic of Joab, David, and the messenger, you will definitely look at me with colored glasses and think, This guy is quite bad! Actually, I am teaching everyone to become smarter. If this ruins my reputation, I don't care, because I only care about God. I may look silly on the surface, but deep down I have a set of logic.

Ahimaaz's Logic

Can everyone understand Ahimaaz's logic? You must understand Ahimaaz's logic. Ahimaaz was the son of Zadok, and Zadok was a priest. When Absalom usurped the throne, Zadok once carried the Ark of the Covenant to follow David, but David advised Zadok to return. David arranged for Zadok's son, Ahimaaz, to run out and inform him if Absalom made any moves. Because Ahimaaz ran faster than a horse. If he participated in a marathon with all the Israelites, he would definitely be the champion. Ahimaaz followed Joab to fight battles, and his job was to deliver messages; that was his job.

Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” And the Cushite bowed before Joab and ran. Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no reward awaiting you for the news?” “But whatever happens,” he said, “let me run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain, and outran the Cushite. (2 Samuel 18:21-23)

Ahimaaz was very clever. If Ahimaaz hadn't gone to report the news, but someone else had, it wouldn't be a matter of competing for credit, but a matter of dereliction of duty. The Cushite had already run out, but he suddenly ran ahead of that person, and his response was also very impressive. Joab said, Since you will not receive a reward, why do you want to run? He replied that it was to avoid dereliction of duty. In fact, in doing work, there is a red line that cannot be crossed; crossing it is dereliction of duty.

Therefore, you must do your job well. Ahimaaz had a set of logic: I must do my job well; if I don't go, it's dereliction of duty. David would definitely say, I gave you the responsibility to deliver messages; what did you do? Are you only reporting good news and not bad news? David would be prejudiced against him. So, after thinking about it, he still went, but he was very clever and never mentioned Absalom's matter.

Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was.” (2 Samuel 18:28-29)

As a result, King David said: Step aside. Ahimaaz was really clever, in a situation where serving the king is like serving a tiger, he only told David that they had won the victory. As for whether Absalom had been killed, he said: I don't know. Everyone must understand that in a position, you must do your job well, and then find a way to please the boss. If you don't please the boss and you don't do your job well, you'll be ruined. If you do your job well, it doesn't matter whether the boss is happy or not, and there will be no mistakes; that's a smart person.

Did Ahimaaz know about the bad news? Yes! But he didn't say it. Everyone should develop the habit of saying I don't know. If you tell me I don't know, I won't blame you; I can forgive you, because I will think this kid is quite smart, knowing that sometimes you have to say I don't know, that's Ahimaaz's logic. So we must learn to be smart in the Bible.

I don't know if I have taught everyone badly. If I have taught everyone badly, that's not my responsibility; it's you who learned badly. If you often learn from me, you will definitely become smarter and handle matters more effectively. Don't use your smarts on me; use them well in your work. The most important thing in a person's life is to do what is right in God's eyes. Aren't we talking about smart logic? I will use a story to end this chapter's sharing.

There was a young man working in a company, and his boss took them out to sing karaoke, setting up a private room. But this young man ran to our church as soon as he got off work. When he heard the boss say, Let's go sing karaoke, this young man said, I'm not going. As a result, a group of people went with the boss. Somehow, only the boss and a girl were left in the private room. A silly kid pushed the door open and saw the boss hugging the girl. He saw something he shouldn't have seen. Actually, singing karaoke was just screwing around! Our brother didn't go, and everyone in the company knew it except him. When this matter spread, it had nothing to do with him. That's being smart, because he really didn't know.

I encourage everyone not to get involved in such messy things. Those relationships are nothing but corruption. Let's just focus on doing our work quietly. Others may see us as a bit dull, but we are actually smart. If you can understand my words, it's powerful not to get involved in messy things. If you have time, come to church to worship God. Where is there time to mess around? God will surely protect you.

May God bless everyone!