Imagine, if you can, the intense inner struggle David experienced as he led his troops in battle against his son. After dividing his troops into three divisions, the king told them he would accompany them to the fight.
But the men said, “You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us; therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.”
The king said to them, “Whatever seems best to you I will do.” So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. (2 Samuel 18:3-4).
After the shame and the pain of Absalom’s coup, David’s love for his son was unabated.
The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom (2 Samuel 18:5).
Statistics
Think for a moment about the war between Russia and Ukraine, or consider America’s actions in Venezuela. We know the names of the leaders who meet in suits, and who will never carry a weapon or risk their lives. The over a million Russian soldiers who are either dead or severely wounded are nameless.
The same is true for American soldiers who are deployed off the coast of Venezuela. They are there because a handful of men in Washington D.C. believe it is in America’s best interest for them to risk their lives for a policy decision they have nothing to do with.
If you have been reading 2 Samuel along with my blog articles, you have turned page after page of intrigue about David and Absalom and their inner circles. However, only three short verses are reserved for the death of 20,000 men.
So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men.
The battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword (2 Samuel 18:6-8).
The people who have died in the war between Russia and Ukraine seem to be less important to America voters than the state of the economy, if we are to believe the polls. However, to family members, they are the loss of a precious human being.
My sentiments about war are not new. The critics of war have observed this for centuries.
Christians are called to be different from the world. In fact, our views should reflect Jesus’ values and not that of the world’s system.
In His last message to the disciples, Jesus told them: “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).
Why does the world hate followers of Jesus? Followers of Jesus speak out against the practices of the world’s system.
Pope Leo appears to be the most vocal leader, calling for peace and the humane treatment of immigrants. He sees human beings instead of statistics. The Pope’s love for humanity runs counter to the acquisitive nature of the world’s greed.
He’s not openly hated by world leaders, which would be politically incorrect. Instead, he is ignored and viewed as out of touch with reality.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to reflect His heart toward the world. Jesus loved the world enough to go to the cross. He opposed the world’s system, which was under the control of the evil one, and died on the cross to defeat the works of the devil. Jesus is our example and standard of behavior.
An Enemy and a Son
David saw Absalom as a son, but Joab only saw an enemy. There is a curious note in verse 8, “the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.” Absalom was one of the casualties of the forest.
Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on (2 Samuel 18:9).
Joab took the initiative and killed his enemy, even though he was David’s son.
Reflections
Here are some of my reflections on this episode in the life of David and Absalom.
I balance my Old Testament reading by spending daily time in the Gospels. I have recently read Mary’s Song in Luke 1 and Jesus’ words to His disciples in John 16.
Mary’s Song reveals God’s care for the expendables and nobodies of humanity.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty. (Luke 1:51-53)
Historians write about the exploits of kings and generals. The nobodies are expendable and recorded as statistics. God has a different way of understanding them.
When Jesus’ disciples or the prophets take up God’s values, they will be opposed by the world’s system. Jesus told His disciples this truth, prior to His crucifixion (John 16).
There is much talk today about being on the right side of history. I suggest that the best course of action is being on God’s right side.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 