“And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, ‘Good news for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you.’ The king said to the Cushite, ‘Is it well with the young man Absalom?’ And the Cushite answered, ‘May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man.’ And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!'” 2 Samuel 18:31-33
Devotional Thought For The Day
The account of the treachery of Absalom, and all the rotten and wretched things he did to his father King David, is one of the most difficult things to read and stomach. When going through the details it is hard for us to understand how anyone could be so struck with pride and vanity that he could contemplate turning against his father with such loathing and hatred. We at times meet the same kind of people – who to a certain degree are so enamored with themselves, suffocated with self-importance and selfishness, that they have little or no regard for other people, for propriety, or even decency. And there are times when we are similar and behave with treachery, hatred, and disregard for others. Gossip is one of those times – and this is really where Absalom’s heart was revealed and his betrayals began.
Such wickedness does not always lead to downfall and destruction, but it surely can – as the Lord determines in His own wisdom and timing. Like the Cushite, we are generally relieved and grateful when we hear of the removal of our enemies. His loyalty and commitment to the king – and also his compassion and caring – are exemplary. Would to God that there was much more of this kind of love and loyalty in the world today – may He grant that we all find many true friends with an abundance of this genuine character. However, David did not share exuberance in the good news of his total victory and vindication. Rather he was “deeply moved and wept.” His focus was on what was lost, the value of the soul of one individual, his son. He did not consider the evil, or what it had cost him, but rather the outcome for Absalom and what that meant for him eternally.
David reveals in this incident why God described him as “a man after My heart.” [Acts 13:22] He demonstrates just how much he is a type of the Christ, the Messiah, our dear Lord Jesus, in love preferring his own death and demise over that of his son – in spite of and regardless of the dark and grievous sin that was directed most personally at him. This was more than mere parental love – for his wicked son had directed the full force of his perverted heart against his father. This kind of love for Absalom was unfathomable to those who had risked life and limb to protect David and to gain the victory and the kingdom back for him. It is in many respects unfathomable that God would do the same for us, that Christ actually did die instead of us, in our place, for us, in consequence of our most grievous wickedness and sin directed against Him, our rebellion and will to take over His reign and kingdom. And this is precisely the nature of all sin – of thought, word, and deed; it is all personally directed against God, against Jesus, to destroy the very One Who in fact died for us, for it is He Who commands us to love one another and sin is always contrary to love. And this is precisely the nature of God’s love for us, of Christ’s love for us.
While it is proper to rejoice at the removal of grotesque sin and the threat of personal harm and destruction that others pose to us, we are called to love, and this requires cherishing and loving the individual, and keeping focus on what their removal means, what great value is lost when they are gone. So rather than seeking revenge, or lusting for vengeance, rather than rejoicing at the punishment and demise of our enemies, God would have us grieve and weep deeply for what is lost. He would have us remember that Christ in love also laid down His life for them, that they are precious and cherished to Him. We do not value or cherish their wickedness and violence, but we mourn the loss of their soul and what this means to God our heavenly Father. So we are invited into His grief and passion, His love, and His sorrow and weeping over the loss of His sons and daughters. In this way we also become people who are “after God’s own heart.”
May we truly and properly grieve our own wickedness and sin, that our knowledge of God’s great love deepen in our hearts. May we keep His love in mind in all that we think, say, and do – that we take care not to betray and harm others, but remain completely loyal and devoted to them. And may we weep when our enemies are removed, joining God in His grief over their loss. May we love one another as He has loved us.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, Your love for us is deep, boundless, and mysterious – we deserve the fate of Absalom for rising up against You for evil in our sin, in our malice toward others, and yet You have taken that fate upon Yourself for us, in our place, that we might have forgiveness, mercy, redemption, and eternal life. Help us to truly see Your loyalty and love for us, that we may become more loving and loyal, to You and to all those around us. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within us. Amen.