Absalom and his Father

“The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son.”  2 Samuel 18:33

There wasn't much to like about Absalom...

He killed his brother. He burned Joab’s field. He set himself up as king of Hebron...in defiance of his own father, king David. He became so powerful and influential that he decided to invade Jerusalem and take the entire kingdom of Israel for himself.

He posed enough danger that king David fled Jerusalem to hide in the wilderness.

When he settled in Jerusalem Absalom determined to establish himself as king...even greater than his own father. He wasn’t happy until he completely humiliated his father so He pitched a tent up on the roof of the palace in public view, and went in and slept with king David’s concubines. 

The counsel that Ahithophel gave in those days was treated as if God himself had spoken. That was the reputation of Ahithophel’s counsel to David; it was the same with Absalom. Ahithophel advised Absalom, “Let me handpick twelve thousand men and go after David tonight. I’ll come on him when he’s bone tired and take him by complete surprise. The whole army will run off and I’ll kill only David.” 

Absalom thought it was a great idea...

Another of Absalom’s advisors sent warning to king David. David organized his forces and announced, “I’m marching with you.” His generals said “you are worth ten thousand of us. It will be better for us if you stay in the city and help from there.” King David said “I’ll do what you think is best but...deal gently for my sake with my son Absalom...for my sake.”

King David’s army took the field to meet Israel. The battle was joined and the army of Israel was beaten badly by David’s men, a terrific slaughter—twenty thousand men! During the chaos Absalom ran into David’s men. In his attempt to escape, his mule ran under the branches of a huge oak tree. Absalom’s hair was caught in the oak and he was left dangling.  One of the soldiers saw him and reported to Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging from an oak tree!”

Joab’s response? “Why didn’t you kill him then and there? I’d have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver.” The man told Joab, “Even if I’d had a chance at a thousand pieces of silver, I wouldn’t have laid a hand on the king’s son. We all heard the king command you to protect Absalom.” Joab said, “I can’t waste my time with you.” He grabbed three knives and stabbed Absalom in the heart while he was still alive in the tree. Joab’s armor bearers hacked away at him and killed him. When king David heard, he wept and cried “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son.”

Most of us would say “good riddance!” But, not David...

King David, here, is a metaphor for our great God Yahweh. You and I are Absalom. We are vile, evil, conniving and unrepentant. Yet, like Absalom, we selfishly believe we are King. 
We usurp God’s throne in our lives and, in so many cases, try to kill God dead because he is a threat to our selfish desires. God sees all this and still loves us. In fact, when any one of us dies in our rebellion, it breaks God’s heart. He cries “O my child! My child! If only I had died instead of you!”

And, in fact, He did. He took on human form And died to cover the penalty for our rebellion. That’s how much He loves us...not an ounce of vindictiveness. Only grace and mercy. When we return to Him He welcomes us back. Our chaotic life, characterized by constant pursuit of self-justification and hostility takes on an aura of spiritual tranquility and we are delivered from the existential dangers of humanity. We are redeemed and restored to peace with God and are promised shelter in His arms for eternity.

Many of us have come to recognize the error of following our own ways. Many have not. The appropriate response for the repentant among us is not to be like Joab, but to emulate the God who loves and redeems us.

Live boldly out there today...