11-8-13. 2 Samuel 18:19-33. DAVID LEARNS OF ABSALOM’S DEATH – my devotional

Key Verse: 18:33b                                                                                     Kevin E. Jesmer

“…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!” (ESV)

Dear Lord, Thank you for providing your great love in a cold, world where love is hard to find. God is love. There is no chance that he can not love. I rest in your love oh God. I find strength in your love oh God. May I share your love. As the song goes, “May my life be the proof of your love.” I pray for the upcoming marriage retreat. May all of the couples grow in love and oneness. Please impart your truth to my heart through this passage. I pray in Jesus’ holy name. Amen!

Part 1: “Let Me Run” (19-23).

Verses 19-23, “Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies.” 20 And Joab said to him, “You are not to carry news today. You may carry news another day, but today you shall carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. 22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.” And Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you will have no reward for the news?” 23 “Come what may,” he said, “I will run.” So he said to him, “Run.” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and outran the Cushite.”(ESV)

Ahimaaz was a servant of David. He wanted to be the one to bring David the news of Israel’s victory, but Joab knew this meant also bearing the news of Absalom’s death. So Joab sent a Cushite to bear the news. Still, he allowed Ahimaaz to run as well. Ahimaaz took a shortcut and was the first to bear the news.

I can see Ahimaaz’s love for his King. He wanted to be there to tell the good news. He felt close to David and was willing to run and tell the news even though there would be no reward for bearing the news. He just wanted to share LIFE with his friend David. I pray that I can enter into such honest friendships. May such sincere friendships be formed across our land.

I think Joab didn’t care about sending a Cushite to tell the bad news of Absalom’s death, because if David got mad and decided to strike out at the messenger, then that would be the Cushite. Joab didn’t care about the foreigner among them even though this Cushite was so loyal and humble. To him, they were more expendable than a native son. This is not right. God loves the foreigner among his people. We must fair and just to all people. We need to respect even the foreigner among us. We need to respect all people, even if they are not part of the dominant culture that we may be part of. I pray that I could respect all people God has sent into my world and not just those who share the same cultural identity. It is interesting to note that Ahimaaz told David the news of victory, but it was the Cushite who told of Absalom’s death. Sometimes it takes someone from outside of our world to enter into ours and tell us the truth.  Could it be the God is sending outsiders into our midst, newcomers, to tell the truth about ourselves and show us the way? We need to be humble and learning, always. We need to be thankful for outsiders coming along side us to show us something about ourselves that we need to know.

Part 2: “O Absalom, My Son, My Son” (24-33).

Verses 24-33, “Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone. 25 The watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he drew nearer and nearer. 26 The watchman saw another man running. And the watchman called to the gate and said, “See, another man running alone!” The king said, “He also brings news.” 27 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 Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, “All is well.” And he bowed before the king with his face to the earth and said, “Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.” 29 And the king said, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, your servant, I saw a great commotion, but I do not know what it was.” 30 And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.31 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.” 32 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.” 33 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!”

David was waiting for the news. Look at verse 24, “Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.”  David was king; more than that he served as a shepherd for his people; above all he was a father who maintained love for the son who had rebelled against him. He is like the father in the parable of the prodigal son who was waiting for his son and watching from a long way off. God is waiting and watching for us to return to him from our prodigal state. He longs for us to come home to his arms even though we may be a long way off. He hope and hopes, even to the point where there is no hope left. I need to have this love and this never ending hope in my heart towards all that God had brought into my life.

. David was heartbroken. Look at verse 33, “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!” The news meant that the kingdom was restored, but the death of his son shook David deeply. He confessed he would rather have died in Absalom’s place. In a time of unspeakable tragedy, he reveals what it is to be a man after God’s own heart.

God’s heart is one of a love for sinners. God would rather die for us instead. That is the same heart that sent Jesus into this world to suffer and die for our sins. John 3:16 reads, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (ESV) Jesus came to suffer and die on the cross so that we can be forgiven and declared innocent by God. David reflected this very character of God in the midst of his own tragedy. What a beautiful heart! In the midst of any suffering and tragedy I usually display emotions like anger, frustration, withdrawal and depression. I become very self centered instead of Jesus centered. I can learn from King David. I guess that is why he is King David and I am not. I pray for God’s help to reflect God’s heart and character in the midst of unspeakable tragedy. According to the song, “May my life be the proof of your love.”

I thank God for sending Jesus to suffer and die in the cross so that I can be forgiven. Jesus took my place on the cross. My soul has been set free because God did take my place when I was going astray. Thank you Lord. May the world know that there is a Savior for each of them.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for loving me even when I was your enemy and lived in rebellion against you. Thank you for sending Jesus to die in my place. May I reflect your beautiful heart in the midst of suffering.”

One Word: A man after God’s own heart