Tuesday
Read 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
5He gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake
don’t harm the young man Absalom.” And all the troops heard David give this
command to his officers.
6 David’s army went out into the
countryside and fought the Israelites in the forest of Ephraim. 7The
Israelites were defeated by David’s men; it was a terrible defeat, with 20,000
men killed that day. 8The fighting spread over the countryside, and
more men died in the forest than were killed in battle.
9 Suddenly Absalom met some of
David’s men. Absalom was riding a mule, and as it went under a large oak tree,
Absalom’s head got caught in the branches. The mule ran on and Absalom was left
hanging in mid air.
15Then ten of Joab’s soldiers closed in on Absalom and
finished killing him.
31 Then the Ethiopiana
slave arrived and said to the king, “I have good news for Your Majesty! Today
the Lord has given you victory
over all who rebelled against you!”
32 “Is the young man Absalom safe?”
the king asked.
The slave answered, “I wish that what has
happened to him would happen to all your enemies, sir, and to all who rebel
against you.”
33 The king was overcome with grief.
He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he cried, “O my
son! My son Absalom! Absalom, my son! If only I had died in your place, my son!
Absalom, my son!”
Think
David's affair with Bathsheba is just a part of his complicated family
history. Terrible things happen - one of
David's sons Amnon, rapes his half sister Tamar (2 Sam 13). Absalom kills him
in revenge.
There is great tension between David and Absalom - Absalom attempts to
take over the Kingdom (Chapter 15).
Chapter 18 tells the story of Absalom's final battle against David - and
Absalom's death.
Pray
Lord, my disobedience and sin does not end with me - it causes harm to my
friends, my family and the world I live in.
Help me to take responsibility for my part in the brokenness of the world.
And help me to realise your power to redeem me and my brokenness.
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