Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
“Family” is a significant word which stirs up powerful emotions in almost everyone, everywhere in the world. What are you feeling right now as you think about ‘family’?
I’m preparing this edition of “Walking with Jesus” in Chicago where a large 3 generation family gathering is taking place for the funeral of an 88-year-old patriarch. At the same time, we’re all entering that season of the year when ‘family emotions’ drive the economy as spending for travel and gifts have high hopes of good memories being made over these next few holiday weeks.
But sadly, we must admit that family dysfunction is so widespread in our day that the word ‘family’ arouses fear, bitterness, anger and resentment in millions of people! The Biblical story found in 2 Samuel of King David and his family has been our focus the past few days. Sadly, the aftermath of David’s horrific sin of adultery, murder and coverup found in 2 Samuel 11,12 resulted in major dysfunction and heart break for David’s family. The moral compass, which David had provided his family in the past, was shattered by David’s full year of secrecy and unrepentant sin.
David’s son Amnon was dead, killed by his brother Absalom in revenge against Amnon’s rape of Tamar, Absalom’s sister. (2 Samuel 13:28,29) While David was furious at such violent wickedness among his children, David had disqualified himself from giving guidance or rebuke because of his own moral failure. Have you ever been in that place of having disqualified yourself from giving advice or reprimand to those who have revered you as a significant influencer in their lives? Respect for David as both father and king was shattered… both in David’s family and increasingly among the people of Israel who heard the stories about their cherished king’s moral failure.
We’ve all seen it happen as high profile leaders have morally imploded. They’ve resigned their leadership positions; lost their legacies; and watched the kingdoms they worked so hard to build collapse around them! The generational impact evidence is clear: moral failure leads to family dysfunction, broken trust, fear and rebellion against authority, which leads to social anarchy. Do you see it in your extended family, your city, your nation, especially among the younger generations?
David’s family was unraveling as David’s moral failure shattered the respect his sons had for him, and each distanced themselves from their dad, David. 2 Samuel 15 tells us the story of Absalom’s conspiracy to actually undermine his father David’s kingship authority and attempt to steal the throne of Israel for himself!
Absalom’s plot was so successful King David actually fled Jerusalem taking with him many of his family and government officials. (2 Samuel 15:14) Fearful of Absalom, even Zadok the priest and the Levites felt it was wise to carry the Ark of God’s Covenant with them as they followed King David into exile. (2 Samuel 15:23.24) They fled across the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives heading east. Pause and look closely.
1000 years later Jesus came riding over that very same Mount of Olives on a donkey during that Passover weekend as thousands of Israelites called out to Jesus “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” (Matt. 21:1-17) I wonder, if on that special “Palm Sunday”, eternal God the Son, Jesus Messiah, was remembering this dreadful day of King David fleeing Jerusalem in shame and fear?
On that Palm Sunday, Jesus was being hailed as King of the Jews by some and rejected as a heretic by others. 1000 years before David was being celebrated as King of Israel by some but fleeing in shame as he could not deny or atone for his moral failure with Bathsheba and her husband. Jesus entered Jerusalem that day ready to pay the full price for sin forgiveness, as He headed for the cross! David was fleeing for his life, probably thinking he’d never see Jerusalem again. Pause and think about the contrast of Jesus and David, 1000 years apart, both standing on the mount of Olives, looking at Jerusalem and their roles in their worlds.
In his flight, David paused on the crest of the Mount of Olives, and told Zadok the priest to return to Jerusalem, taking the Ark of God’s Covenant with him! Why? David said: “If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, He will bring me back and let me see the Ark and His dwelling place again. But if He says, ‘I am not pleased with you’, then I am ready; let the LORD do to me whatever seems good to Him.” (2 Samuel 15:25,26)
I see a repentant heart and full submission to God’s justice happening here with David! I see David trusting in the holy justice of the God who had called him as a boy to be the future king of Israel yet recognizing his horrific failure as a man of God; patriarch of his family; and king of God’s people, Israel.
Let’s stand with David as he watches Zadok the priest walks back to Jerusalem with the precious Ark of God’s Covenant while David prepares to turn heading out into the wilderness fleeing from his shame. The record says: “Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there. But David continued up the mount of Olives weeping as he went, his head was covered and he was barefoot. And all the people with him…were weeping also…” (2 Samuel 15:29,30)
Oh, the consequences and pain of rebellion against God by a person who had once been anointed by the Holy Spirit of God! My friends, are we learning very important moral, ethical, spiritual life lessons here today? Don’t rush past this historic day in Israel’s history, nor minimize it.
God gives us such graphic, painful detail in His “Grand Narrative” to help us learn so we can avoid such tragedies in our lives. So, let’s press in my friends. Press in to guard the vitality of our relationship with God allowing nothing to draw us away from Jesus our Savior and Lord, into such dark places of shame.
More reflection notes are in the Grand Narrative link below as is a worship song for this day, and I’ll be here ready for you tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: 2 Samuel 15.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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