Bad News Victory

2 Samuel 18:19-33
    19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.” 20 And Joab said to him, “You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news, because the king's son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran.
    22 And Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” So Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?” 23 “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.
    24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone. 25 Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came rapidly and drew near. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, running alone!” And the king said, “He also brings news.” 27 So the watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”
    28 So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!” 29 The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king's servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.”  30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still. 31 Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For the LORD has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you.” 32 And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” So the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!”
    33 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!”

Joab did not want king David to know the bad news of victory over his enemy, for that who sought the life of the king was also his estranged son was dead.  The man Ahimaaz was a friend of Jonathan who had helped David, and Joab did not want him bringing the bad news of the victory hat same day of Absalom’s death, so he sent another instead; Ahimaaz went also and outran the bearer of bad news, and kept silent when the other who was not close to David arrived and delivered it.  David had seen Ahimaaz running, and assumed that he brought good news, but that the other only brought news which was not necessarily good.  On hearing of the death of his son Absalom, it devastated David and brought on great sadness with mourning over his loss, news which the second runner could not understand was not good news of a victory.  Joab and Ahimaaz both knew the victory of defeat was more than bittersweet.  We must learn also that the death of an enemy who is opposed to Christ and His gospel is still someone to be mourned, especially since such death brings eternal defeat (Hebrews 9:27-28) without the hope found in Jesus Christ alone (Acts 4:12).