Thursday, December 1, 2011

Hurried Flight

Reflections on 2 Samuel 15:13-23
Use the frame on the left to read these Scriptures.

HURRIED FLIGHT

Soon after Absalom had been proclaimed king, a messenger came and told David, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." David immediately decided to flee from Jerusalem. Why would he abandon Jerusalem?

LACK OF TROOPS. God had given Israel peace from the surrounding nations, so David had sent the militia their homes. The messenger's report suggested that the hearts of many who served in the militia were now with Absalom (The phrase "men of Israel" appears to refer to the militia in Judges 7:23; 20:11 ff.; 1 Samuel 7:11; 14:24.). David's only force in Jerusalem was his personal bodyguard consisting of the Kerethites and Pelethites along with 600 Gittites.

FAMILY DANGER. God had promised David would be followed on the throne by a son whom God would love. When God had made it clear that he loved David's son Solomon, David had promised Bathsheba that Solomon would be the next king (see 1 Kings 1:13). Absalom was not the one God had chosen, and if he was willing to depose his father, he would not hesitate to kill Solomon. David fled with his family to protect the heir to his throne from intrigue and murder.

DOUBTFUL LOYALTY. If David had remained in the city, he could not have depended on the absolute loyalty of those within the city walls. Two hundred men of Jerusalem had gone with Absalom to Hebron, so David could not be sure of the loyalty of their families. If the citizens were divided, some supporting Absalom and some David, danger could be as great inside the city as outside. David had been well aware of this kind of danger earlier when he fled Keilah (1 Samuel 23:12-13). Therefore, David fled with only those absolutely loyal to God and himself. Even Ittai, a Philistine warrior from Gath, swore loyalty to David, much as his great-grandmother Ruth had sworn loyalty to Naomi, before he was allowed to go with David.

Fleeing Jerusalem was probably the best for David himself, but that was not the major reason he fled. He was actually thinking more of others than himself (Philippians 2:3-4). By fleeing, he saved the city from civil strife. By fleeing, he protected God's chosen heir to the throne.

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