David hit what
was perhaps the worst moment in his life. His own son Absalom led a coup d’état
against him. David and those still close and loyal to him had to flee Jerusalem
to even have a chance to survive. And David went up the ascent
of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he
walked barefoot (2 Samuel 15:30). A thousand years later, Jesus would also
be in agony on that same hill (Luke 22:39, 44).
Years before, Nathan the prophet had forewarned David of these looming disasters. They were all willed by Yahweh as a direct consequence David’s acts of adultery and murder. Even so, Yahweh continued to love David more than he could even imagine. Yahweh also fled Jerusalem with David even as he stayed behind in Jerusalem to aid those still loyal to David in the city.
As David walked away from Jerusalem, a man named Shimei—a descendant of Saul—hurled curses and rocks at him. An old colleague of David named Abishai wanted David’s permission to kill Shimei. Years before Abishai had asked David for permission to kill Saul when they had him in their power. Both then and now David declined the offer. Perhaps [Yahweh] will look on my affliction and return good to me instead of his cursing this day (2 Samuel 16:12).
David’s trusted counselor Ahithophel proved untrustworthy and gave both his loyalty and excellent advice to Absalom. This advice, if followed, would have ended in David’s death and Absalom's victory (1 Samuel 17:1-4). But Hushai, secretly still devoted to David, gave contradictory advice which Absalom followed instead. For [Yahweh] had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that [Yahweh] might bring calamity on Absalom (1 Samuel 17:14). Hushai’s advice saved David while Ahithophel returned to his house and hanged himself (1 Samuel 17:23).
While riding in a forest against his father, Absalom’s hair got caught in the branches of a tree. While he dangled, the commander of David’s army killed him and put an end to his attempted coup (2 Samuel 18:14).
As David walked back to Jerusalem, Shimei rushed to apology for the curses and rocks he had hurled at David. Again, Abishai was all in favor of executing him on the spot. David told Abishai no and assured Shimei he would not die that day (2 Samuel 19:23). Later, however, David’s son Solomon ordered Shimei executed for what he had done to his father in his darkest hour (1 Kings 2: 46).
Copyright © 2017 by Steven Farsaci.
All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.
All rights reserved. Fair use encouraged.
