As Absalom’s resentment of his father grew, he conspires to take over the rule as the King from David. He set himself up as judge in Jerusalem and gave out promises of what he would do if he was the king. For four years, the conspiracy strengthened, and the number of followers has grew in steady numbers, he was ready to take over the throne by force. When David found out about it, he gathered his servants and fled Jerusalem.

Why did David had to flee the city of Jerusalem from Absalom? With his experiences in the multitude of battles, why didn’t he simply stand his ground to fight? Firstly, things happened very quickly. The word quickly appeared twice in verse 14 and David understood that he was not prepared to fight his son now it happened. Second, David fled the city of Jerusalem because he did not want further bloodshed among his people. He understood as God had told him that the sword shall never depart from his family because of the Uriah-Beersheba incident. (2 Samuel 12:10) David understood that the best thing to do was to flee Jerusalem.

David understood that he was suffering the consequences of his own sin and he was in full submission to God. He knew that he belonged to God and God can justly do whatever he wants with David. That was why when the Levites wanted to follow David out with the ark of the covenant, David prevented them from doing so. He said in verses 25-26,

“Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”

David did not fight God but humbly surrendered himself and his life to Him. David did not resent God, but trusted God to do what He deemed best, even if it meant that he needed to face persecution or to be dethroned because of his sinful nature. True repentance not only acknowledges one’s wrongdoing against the Lord, but also is prepared to be humbled by the ugliness of our sins. Even when Shimei, a member from the household of Saul gloat and cursed David, David was tender hearted in his response, “It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” (16:12)

However, God did not abandoned David. God provided David with people who were willing to follow him. His servants, Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him even before David was king. Even Ittai, the Gittite who only joined him for a short period followed David. Abiathar, Zadok and all the Levites followed him. God gave David the hope of returning to Jerusalem. God had made a covenant with David in chapter 7, promising that David’s descendants will rule the kingdom forever, and we know that He will remain faithful to His promises.

Dear brothers and sisters, this is the kind of healthy tension we can learn whenever we fall into sin against the Lord. We humble ourselves before the Lord and seek repentance, accepting any form of consequences because of our sins. However, we maintain a quiet confidence that because we belong to God and we are His children, God will continue to love us and not forsake us. 1 John 1:9 tells us that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God’s grace will always been sufficient for His people.

Prayer: Thank you for giving us a love that we do not deserve at all. Help us Lord to approach your throne of mercy with a heart of repentance and quiet confidence knowing that you are our Lord! In Jesus name we pray, amen.