2Sam.18:19-33 No cell phone, pc, twitter or iPods to share information as it happens; antiquity shows us the ​ messenger on foot. It was of necessity that the messenger be a tactful person, yet not so tactful that it becomes man’s wisdom and irritating; He must be truthful and able to rehearse all that was told him, for not only his life was in the balance but the lives of others also.Consider the man who bore news of King Saul’s and Jonathan’s death, thinking to have impressed David, instead found himself in jeopardy of losing his life. This having been said, we look at this case of Ahimaaz the son of a priest who insisted on running yet having no additional message to tell the King. This time was a particular time of emotional upheaval for David the King: seeing it was his own son who raised a sword against him and caused him to leave his throng. David did not offer a fight to keep his throng but simply stated that God would bring back again: he sought no war act against Absalom nor orders given that would put in the path of death, no, just the contrary, David gave specific orders that Absalom should not be touched. David, as do most parents loved his misbehaving son. And though this storg’e or parental love, insisted that leniency be shown to this handsome prince, yet justice would come through a self-serving vindictive general named Joab. This man was David’s cousin! Yet he wielded the sword for society’s sake. Absalom was killed by Joab and his men and no one wanted to be the one to tell the hard news to the king. Now there were at least two messengers with Joab, Ahimaaz and Cushi or as some bibles say, the Cushite and even the Ethiopian. Ahimaaz was the son of Zadok the priest and evidently was well known for his style of running. Cushi as his name implies, was Ethiopian, a stranger among the Israelites yet they have always been in the company of the Hebrews even in Egypt and in Acts 8:26-5 35 and yet today they have a steadfast presence at the Church of the Dome or something like that, in Jerusalem; so does Muslims and Egyptians, as a matter of fact they all take turns being in control of that place through agreement. The Egyptians and Ethiopians live right on top of the place. Nonetheless even then in David’s day, the Cushites were known for their running abilities.Why was this priest’s son so eager to run, this Ahimaaz, when this task was given to another? Was he trying to prepare David for the bad news? To stick to a reputation that he usually brought the news? Prove that he could out run Cushi? Whatever the reason he had no relevant information to offer. What was Joab thinking? He had killed the king’s son which specific orders had been given to him and others to deal gently with the young man. Now it was time to tell the king; Joab knew sometimes the messenger gets killed, may not have wanted to put Ahimaaz in danger and was more inclined to trade the life of the stranger rather than a P. K. (Priest’s Kid). The possibility that Cushi would spare exactly who killed Absalom when rehearsing the matter may have appealed to him also.Why men desire to run with no message can be viewed in various windows; Paul when speaking to this subject in Phil 1:14-17 “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.There are men who have left the Truth just to be allowed to” Run” adding no relevant information and trying to outrun the official messengers. These men can be well known for their style of “running” (televangelists) they can soften the message for the hearers, even co-sign to those who are right such as the case in: Acts 16:16-17 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying,” These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.”And again with King Agrippa, Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. Here we have testimony from the King which says I believe what you say I just don’t want to do it! 1Kings 12:26 Jeroboam gets in the act also of “running without a message” when he was afraid to not have a say in a kingdom, he made his own message and ran anyway! PAY particular attention to this word in IKing 12:28-32 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So is it possible that this action is what we see today where there is a myriad of religious places, offering so many different ways to cater to man’s conveniences instead of the desire of our creator? ... more to follow on this thought