2 Samuel 19
The storyline of this passage reminds me of how we often act today. Now, I am not saying that we should read this and say “I am the Israelites and David is God, and I am convicted….”. No, I am saying that the story, the events, recorded in this chapter remind me of how God has a plan and a design and we get caught up in the world and pursue other things while the rightful king and plan have been there all along, and He works to show us who He is.
Israel had a rightful king in David, chosen by God. But they sought to install a different king in Absalom. Loyal Israelites rise up and defeat Absalom, saving David. Even then some of the tribes have to be convinced to allow David back. Once they had accepted David back as king several of the leaders came to speak to David and received forgiveness from the king.
Reread the previous paragraph. Haven’t you experienced something like this in your own life? Noticed in the life of a friend? Heard of a story like this at a baptism service or over coffee? I believe the events and narrative of this passage mirror what happens here and now in many of our lives. God has placed a perfect and rightful King, Jesus, in our lives, having redemption and life through his blood. Yet we seek other things like relationships, success, status, politics, experiences, money, our own personal dreams. We try to lift them into the place of Jesus as the false king of our lives. Nothing in this world will ever work, it will always fail. Even then though, at our low points, God’s grace is extended to us as Jesus is revealed to us and our hearts are changed.
The chapter closes with the northern tribes of Israel confronting the tribe of Judah about why they seem to have more favor with David than them. After reading, only one thing came to mind. They all just received their rightful God chosen king back and they are already arguing about status in the kingdom of Israel. This happens today too. Even when we return to placing Jesus on the throne of our lives we again and again search for other options, other things to turn to. Our inherent nature since the garden in Genesis has been to look for other options. Let us realize this about the Israelites in the story and about ourselves in the current day.
How is your flesh swaying you away from the rightful King Jesus and towards the false kings of the world? Process what may exist in your life, find a brother or sister in Christ and repent. Let us implore one another to place Christ on the throne of our lives always. Let us live in the truth that Jesus is Lord.
