Do You Know Where You're Headed?

Do you know where you're headed, sir?

I was walking through our conference center this week when an area coordinator asked me that question. There are many meeting rooms there, and her job is to ensure people get directed to the right place.  But at that moment, as I moved from one business meeting to the next, I had actually been thinking about how great God is and how fortunate I am for the life I have. It was if God were asking me the question.

My answer is: Yes, I think so. I am going to Heaven. Not because I deserve it, but because God is merciful. He casts my sins away as far as the east is from the west. I try to be faithful of heart, as David was. I fall short of how I should act, but I try to be loving, generous, and thoughtful to those around me, and grateful to God for all I have. I think that's what God wants. Could I do it better? Of course. Am I sorry that I don't? For sure. But I have also noticed so far, as I have made my way through the Old Testament, that God repeatedly counsels His people not to be afraid. He doesn't say "don't be sad" or "don't cry" or "don't grieve" or "don't be angry". These are part of being human. But He does say "Do not be afraid." 

And so, I am not afraid (or, at least, I try not to be afraid) that He will abandon me, or that He will withdraw His love from me, or that He will renege on His promise of everlasting life for me. I do feel sad and grieve when I recognize how far I fall short of the person I should be, but being confident in His mercy and love helps me shake off that sorrow and move forward.

Do I know where I am going? Yes, I think I do. Thank God.

1 Maccabees 13-16

In Jonathan's absence, his brother Simon assumes leadership of the Jewish people. Jonathan is ultimately killed while a captive of the treacherous Trypho. The years pass with more battles, alliances, betrayals, and victories. In the end, Simon and some of his sons are murdered by Ptolemy, governor of Jericho. John, son of Simon, learns of the murders, and is prepared when Ptolemy's men arrive to do him in. As this book closes, it is clear that John has become the new leader.

Although, as I previously noted, this is not my favorite book, there is a beautiful passage in this section worth pausing on. There is a hymn to the glory of Simon, and the time of peace and prosperity that he oversaw.  It reads, in part:

The land was at rest all the days of Simon, who sought the good of his nation. . . . The people cultivated their land in peace; the land yielded its produce and the trees of the field their fruit. Old men sat in the squares, all talking about the good times, while the young men wore the glorious apparel of war.

That image of the old men sitting in the square reminiscing about the good times is so poetic, so evocative. 

Finally, a note on the news of the day. James Gandolfini, the actor who portrayed Tony Soprano, passed away suddenly yesterday. The Sopranos was a guilty pleasure of mine. Yes, I know, it showed Italian-Americans, Catholics, and New Jersey in a bad light--all of them are things close to my heart. But the writing was brilliant. Tony Soprano was a captivating and charismatic anti-hero. He was callous, selfish, violent, evil. He was the opposite of King David in a sense--anything but faithful of heart. He honored himself first and always. But I, for one, couldn't look away. He remains one of the most complicated and compelling characters in the history of television.  May James Gandolfini, who brilliantly brought him to life, rest in peace.

1 Maccabees 1-5

After the reign of Alexander, the lands he conquered were divided among his officers.  They and their offspring ruled the various lands. One of these leaders, Antiochus Epiphanes, becomes King of the Greeks and commences an era of aggressive attacks against the Jewish people across many cities. In some locations, the Jewish people respond meekly, unable or unwilling to fight back and in this way bringing shame upon the descendants of Jacob. The king goes so far as to forbid the practice of any religion other than that of the Gentiles. Again, some Jews acquiesce. But some, most prominently Mattathias and his five sons, openly challenge the edict and the prevailing political situation. They refuse to obey the edict; they refuse to run and hide, as some of the Jews did, but instead, they fight back bravely and successfully. 

As Mattathias is dying, he gathers his sons together and instructs them to "be zealous for the law and give your lives for the covenant of our fathers." He encourages them as follows:

Consider this from generation to generation, that none who hope in him shall fail in strength. Do not fear the words of a sinful man, for his glory ends in corruption and worms. Today he is exalted, and tomorrow he is not to be found, because he has returned to his dust, and his schemes have perished.  Children! be courageous and strong in keeping the law, for by it you shall be glorified.

What a wonderful and hopeful idea, that no one who hopes in God shall fail in strength.  The notion of being zealous for the law and strong in keeping the law takes me back again to the concept of faithfulness of heart. To reset, David is the paradigm of the Old Testament man who lives rightly--not because he was perfect, but because he was faithful of heart. He desired to do right, to honor God's commands, to do so lovingly and faithfully, and to hope and trust in God. It is just this sort of faithfulness of heart that Mattathias hopes to leave as his legacy in his sons.

What follows are many scenes (too many to describe) that essentially repeat the same chain of events: A Gentile leader persecutes Jews in the community or gathers an army to attack the Jews; the sons of Mattathias--the Maccabees--led by the warrior Judas, gather their own army and defeat the Gentiles, killing them and (often) plundering their belongings. At one point the victorious Jewish army recaptures Mount Zion and the desecrated temple. They rebuild, restore, and reconsecrate the temple and the altar, setting off eight days of celebration that are re-enacted today during the feast of Hannukah. 

2 Chronicles 29-36

Good kings and not so good kings are at the heart of this last section of 2 Chronicles. Hezekiah is a model king, like his ancestor David, at least until late in his life when he succumbed, for a time, to pride. Josiah, too, was an admirable king. Others, such as Manasseh, Amon, and Zedekiah--well, not so much. These kings, good and bad, demonstrate the gifts and responsibilities of leadership. When the king turns to the Lord in humility and obedience, in joy and thanksgiving, the people follow. And when he turns away,   disobeying God's commands and worshipping other gods, the people he leads do the same. Either way, they lead by example. 

This is a lesson not just for kings, but for leaders of all sorts--business managers, government officials, and, most especially, parents. Do I live in joy and thanksgiving? Do I seek God's help when I need it--as He virtually demands that I do? Do I show trust in Him in my words and actions? Do I strive to be faithful of heart in all that I do? To the extent I don't live this way, I am not being the leader that God calls me to be. 

The story of Manasseh shows that it is never too late to reverse course and become the right kind of leader. Having been defeated, captured, and taken as a prisoner to Babylon, Manasseh undergoes a change of heart:

In this distress, he began to appease the Lord, his God. He humbled himself abjectly before the God of his fathers and prayed to him. The Lord let himself be won over: he heard his prayer and restored him to his kingdom in Jerusalem. Then Manasseh understood that the Lord is indeed God.

Isn't that a great image--that God let himself be won over? I love that expression.

2 Chronicles 17-28

The author of 1 & 2 Chronicles, known (not surprisingly, I suppose) as the Chronicler, covers much of the history already covered in prior books. I did a bit of research and learned that those earlier books are a primary (but not the exclusive) source for these later books. The Chronicler drew from other sources as well, but also seems to bring a different historical and political perspective. More importantly, to my mind, he also brings a more advanced sophisticated understanding of the relationship between God and man. 

In earlier books, the critical attribute of the man of God is obedience. Abraham is asked by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and he obeys--stopped at the last moment by an angel of God. Noah builds the ark and assembles the menagerie of animals as instructed. They did not question; they obeyed. 

The Chronicler shifts the emphasis to "faithfulness of heart". David is the paradigm of the man who is faithful of heart. Did he always obey the Lord's commands? No. But he oriented his life toward God, he begged for God's forgiveness, he sought God's help, and he trusted God's counsel. These last two are emphasized in this section of 2 Chronicles. The Lord expects--indeed, demands--that his faithful people seek His help. He is angered when they seek assistance elsewhere. God does not rest on what He has already done for His people, awaiting their gratitude, but instead insists that we ask for more. 

This section of 2 Chronicles is filled with leaders who did not seek the Lord in this way, leading to their failures and to the suffering of Israel and Judah as a result. Asa and Jehoshaphat are the best examples of faithfulness of heart in this section, although they too are flawed, but the other kings turn away from the Lord (and lead their people there, too), thus displeasing Him.

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

It's that time again! During the week, I covered 1 Chronicles and about half of 2 Chronicles. These historical books retrace much of the ground covered in 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings.   The life of Saul is briefly covered, followed by the reigns of David and Solomon. On reflection, David and Moses are clearly the central figures of the Old Testament to this point. Not that others were not great or important (Abraham, Isaac, Noah, Joseph, Jacob, and Solomon, to name just a few). But David and Moses are clearly the key figures: Moses, the recipient of the Law, the embodiment of obedience and trust in God, and David, the paragon not of perfection, but of faithfulness of heart. The importance of faithfulness of heart is a central theme in this week's readings.

So, here you go (in reverse chronological order this week):

• 2 Chronicles 7-16
• 2 Chronicles 1-6
• 1 Chronicles 22-29
• 1 Chronicles 15-21
• 1 Chronicles 11-14
• 1 Chronicles 1-10

And, of course, here is the link to this week's Catholic carnival:

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Enjoy and have a great week!

2 Chronicles 1-6

The early chapters of 2 Chronicles repeat the story of Solomon's early days as king, his fidelity to God, his request for wisdom from God so as to be a good ruler, and, of course, the building of the temple and the holy of holies within to house the ark. God keeps His promises; He honors the covenant. He is good and kind, and His mercy endures forever. There is no other god like Him. He alone knows the hearts of men. Solomon and the Israelites are to honor God by being faithful of heart, seeking to keep the Lord's commands. They also do Him honor by building the temple, and by worshipping God according to the ways revealed to the people through David and Solomon.

I am struck here and elsewhere by the emphasis on the heart. It is inevitable that a man will sin, as David did. Yet the man who is faithful of heart recognizes his sin, has remorse, seeks forgiveness, endures penance, and is made whole in the eyes of God. 

1 Chronicles 22-29

David passes the throne of kingship to his son, Solomon. He prays that God will give Solomon "prudence and discernment" so that Solomon may rule wisely and follow God's law. David counsels Solomon: Be brave and steadfast; do not fear or lose heart. And to the leaders among the people, David exhorts them: Devote your hearts and souls to seeking the  Lord your God.

David assigns responsibilities to various tribes and groups, making them responsible for a variety of religious tasks--the Levites, the priests, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the rest. David then calls to Jerusalem all of the leaders of Israel, and reminds them again to be faithful to God and keep His commands. To Solomon, David speaks these inspiring words:

Know the God of your father and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing soul, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the mind's thoughts. If you seek him, he will let himself be found by you.

This is the most sophisticated formulation of the relationship between God and man we have seen so far in the Old Testament. The relationship th God is about keeping is commands, but with David there is a shift in emphasis toward what is in one's heart.

1 Chronicles 15-21

Joy, praise, and thanksgiving. David is not simply righteous and obedient, but his relationship with the Lord is such that he is joyful. He commands that there be music, and singing and dancing to celebrate the transporting of the ark to a new, more permanent home. He participates in that celebration personally. He rejoices in God's law. This sets David apart from the other heroes and leading figures in the Old Testament to this point.

But not everyone is amused. Michal, one of David's wives and the daughter of Saul, for one:

When she saw King David leaping and dancing, she despised him in her heart.

Why, I wonder, does the writer mention this? Well, not everyone appreciates when others are happy or when others find meaning in their lives. I assume that is driven, in many cases, by an emptiness or lack of meaning in their own lives. Whatever the reason, those of us who find that meaning, who experience and express the joy that comes with the knowledge that God is with us, should be prepared for some negative backlash, some hatred or scorn, at some point. That comes as the price (or part of the price, at least) for all the victories the Lord will secure for us, as He did for David. And with David we can and should continue to sing joyfully:

Sing to him, sing his praise,
Proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory to his holy name;
Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord!
Look to the Lord in his strength;
Seek to serve him constantly.

Joy, praise, and thanksgiving.

1 Chronicles 11-14

Upon Saul's death, the people of the tribes of Israel universally agree to anoint David the king. His bravery and greatness draw to him many thousands of warriors from all the tribes, including the so-called Chiefs--exceptionally great military commanders. David, in turn, makes a covenant with the people. The people recognize that the Lord is David's champion and they pledge their loyalty to him:

We are yours, O David, we are with you, O son of Jesse. Peace, peace o you, and peace to him who helps you; your God it is who helps you.

David transports the ark, and leads the Israelites in music and dancing as the ark is moved. Even this great warrior king is moved to sing and dance with joy and gratitude for God's gift of the law and His special love for Israel.

1 Chronicles 1-10

1 Chronicles begins with a long enumeration of the genealogy of David, firmly establishing him as the heir of God's covenant with Abraham. It is a long, and frankly tedious, slog through the roll call of each of the twelve tribes of Israel. But if you are going to read the Bible straight through, it comes with the territory I guess. It does serve to reiterate a key theme of what has gone before: God is faithful and He keeps His promises from generation to generation. When these chosen people put their trust in Him, God is with them and they find freedom and victory--they thrive. And when they do not...well, bad things happen. Saul finds this out for himself. He rebels against the Lord and engages in necromancy, and for that he suffers humiliating defeat and, after death, desecration. 

2 Kings 22-25

Josiah, king of Judah, pleases the Lord as Davd had. The kings that follow? Well, not so much. Josiah is presented with the book of laws, discovered by the high priest in the temple.  When the book is read to him, Josiah is filled with anguish, because he realizes ho far the Israelites have strayed from their covenant with God. So he undertakes to set things right. It is not enough to rescue the Israelites from the end they have earned, but the Lord does promise to put off that day until after Josiah dies. 

Before [Josiah] there had been no king who turned to the Lord as he did, with his whole heart, his whole soul, and his whole strength, in accord with entire law of Moses; nor could any after compare with him. Yet, because of all the provocations that Manasseh had given, the Lord did not desist from his fiercely burning anger against Judah.

In time, Judah is defeated, overrun, and her people scattered--driven into exile. The temple of the Lord is dismantled and destroyed.

What a sad story of unrequited love. Not romantic love, of course, but God's love for His people. I find the ending of this book to be particularly frightening. God is angry and His people suffer. He seems to have abandoned them. Yet He is also clearly willing to acknowledge and reward the man (Josiah) who strives to be righteous and obedient by loving God and observing His commands. 

2 Kings 11-16

The focus shifts from prophets back to kings, as this section is a catalog of the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah. For the most part, the kings of Israel displease the Lord, as they worship--and lead the Israelites in Samaria to worship--false gods. The kings of Judah are mostly pleasing to the Lord, although not as pleasing as the great King David, since they do not destroy the "high places" nor do they prevent the people from burning incense there. 

There are various battles between the kings of Israel and Judah. At times, they join forces to fight a common enemy; at other times they fight each other. There is a great deal of palace intrigue and even murder in the name of ambition. Seems ripe for a cable TV miniseries.

1 Kings 15-19

After Solomon's death, God's people remain split into two kingdoms--Judah and Israel.  The kings that follow in those two kingdoms are, with one notable exception, men who continue to disobey and anger the Lord. Men who keep their people turned away from the true God. The exception is Asa, who reigns 41 years as the king of Judah and who pleases God just as his ancestor David had. "Asa's heart was entirely with the Lord as long as he lived." But even during Asa's reign, and after it, there is continuous warfare between Judah and Israel.

Ahab is one of the kings of Israel who displeases the Lord. He is married to Jezebel, who turns him away from God to the worship of Baal. She is responsible for the murder of many priests of the true God in her quest to keep the people (and her husband, the king) committed to Baal.

The Lord sends a prophet, Elijah, to rescue his people. Ahab and Jezebel seek to kill Elijah, but the Lord protects him.  Elijah trusts in the Lord and, does as He commands, finds a widow and her son with whom he lives for some years. His first words to her--Do not be afraid!--are words we later hear Jesus speak often in the New Testament. Words of greeting; words of comfort. The Lord sustains the three of them with water and food. When her son falls sick and stops breathing, Elijah takes the boy's body to the upper room of the house and prays to God to breathe life back into the boy. The Lord hears Elijah's prayer and the boy is restored. This story reminds me of other miracles Jesus performs, including perhaps most obviously the raising of Lazarus.

Elijah meets Obadiah, a servant of Ahab who nevertheless has remained true to God, and instructs him to announce Elijah's return. Although afraid, Obadiah does as Elijah asks him. When they meet, Elijah challenges Ahab and the prophets of Baal to a test to demonstrate whose god is the true God. The God of Elijah prevails, and Elijah has the people of Israel kill the prophets of Baal. There is a great moment describing their fruitless efforts being made by the prophets of Baal to summon their god to show his power: But there was not a sound; no one answered, and no one was listening.

When she learns of this, Jezebel sends a messenger to Elijah promising to kill him; Elijah flees. Elijah becomes discouraged and fearful and hides in a cave. But God comes to Elijah in his distress and calls him from the cave to witness God's power and presence:

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord--but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake--but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire--but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak.

Elijah recognizes the Lord's voice in the soft whisper of the wind, and obeys the Lord's instructions. He takes the road to the desert near Damascus and meets Elisha, the prophet the Lord has selected to succeed Elijah. Upon meeting Elijah, Elisha leaves all that he has behind to follow Elijah.

So often, I wish the Lord would speak to me in a loud, strong, clear voice. I need to listen for Him in the whispers of life--to recognize His voice in the unexpected place, as Elijah did.

1 Kings 11-14

Unlike his father David, Solomon turns away from God and worships false gods. The narrative seems to place some of the blame for this on the many (as in hundreds) of foreign wives and concubines Solomon took in his lifetime.  Wow, when did he have time to rule?! Seriously, though, I am grappling with the difference between David and Solomon. David obviously and spectacularly violated God's commandments--recall, for example, the story of Uriah and Bathsheba, during which David trampled on a least three of the Ten Commandments. Yet even the Lord later identifies him as one who remained faithful, and David is contrasted favorably to Solomon in this regard. I suppose the difference is that David was always devoted to God, did not worship false gods, recognized and was sorry for his failings, sought forgiveness for them, and accepted God's punishment for them. Solomon was not faithful to God in that he worshipped false gods, and caused others to do so as well.

The result of Solomon's lack of faithfulness is rebellion within the kingdom of Israel and, ultimately, its dissolution upon his death. Rehoboam becomes king of the cities of Judah and settles in Jerusalem, while Jeroboam becomes king of ten other tribes of Israel. They remain at war with each other. Both rule badly, ignoring the Lord's commands and leading His people astray. They and the people of Israel are eventually punished.  

1 Kings 6-10

In the 480th year after the Israelites left Egypt under Moses' leadership, the Israelites began construction of the temple to house the ark of the covenant. This signals a conversion of sorts--from a nomadic tribe to a settled people; from a nation surrounded by hostile enemies to a powerful nation at peace. Solomon oversees construction of a glorious temple to honor God, and then supervises the building of an opulent palace to reflect his earthly power. 

God reminds Solomon and the Israelites again and again during this period that what He asks, what He expects and demands is their obedience:

If you observe my statutes, carry out my ordinances, keep and obey all my commands, I will fulfill toward you the promise I made to your father David. I will dwell in the midst of the Israelites and will not forsake my people.

When the temple is completed and appropriately furnished, Solomon leads a grand ceremony to install the ark in the holy of holies, giving it, finally, a resting place. Solomon offers a long, moving prayer to the Lord, which begins:

Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of kindness with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart.

Later during the ceremony, Solomon prays:

May [God] draw our hearts to himself, that we may follow him in everything and keep the commands, statutes, and ordinances which he enjoined on our fathers.

I love that imagine of God drawing our hearts to Him. How often I have felt that pull. How many times I have ignored it, tried to escape it. Yet in love, at least, God is relentless. He doesn't give up on us. Thankfully, he doesn't make it easy to walk away from Him.

1 Kings 1-5

The first book of Kings begins with the end of the reign and life of the great King David. Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan team up to thwart the ambition of Adonijah and ensure that David appoints Solomon as his successor. David instructs Solomon that he must seek revenge on those who previously wronged David, but whom David had promised not to personally harm. Solomon therefore orders the deaths of Joab and Shimei. This reminds me of the penultimate scene in that great movie The Godfather, when Michael Corleone "settles all the family business" after his father has died. 

Adonijah brings about his own death as well by asking permission to marry one of Solomon's concubines--a request that apparently signaled his lack of loyalty to King Solomon. I say apparently, as I rely on a note in my Bible, not being familiar with the politics of concubines.

The Lord comes to Solomon in a dream and offers him anything he desires. Solomon chooses "an understanding heart to judge [God's] people and to distinguish right from wrong." God grants his request:

I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you.

Solomon's special gift is wisdom. Yet, contrary to what I had always assumed, the words make it clear that this special gift "resides" in his heart, not his brain. An understanding heart--not merely an elevated judgment or intelligence. Solomon puts his gift to good use in the famous story of the two women who claim to be mother to the same baby. 

Solomon resolves to build a great temple to house the ark. He makes an agreement with Hiram, king of Tyre, for the supplies he needs. Even Hiram recognizes Solomon's greatness, and how it gives glory to God:

Blessed be the Lord this day, who has given David a wise son to rule his numerous people.

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

This week was spent making my way through 2Samuel--the story of David's eventful reign as King of Israel. David does great thing, loves much, forgives much, and strives to do right by the Lord God. He also sins much, strays much, and suffers much. In short, he is human. But on a grand scale. In some ways, we are all kings and queens in the eyes of the King of Kings. And we an see our triumphs, defeats, successes, and failings in David. Some memorable characters share the stage with David--Bathsheba, Absalom, Uriah, Nathan, Joab, and Abner. But it is David, of course, who is the central figure--teaching us much and giving us hope.

2 Samuel 1-4

2 Samuel 5-9

2 Samuel 10-14

2 Samuel 15-18

2 Samuel 19-24

Have a great week!!

John

2 Samuel 19-24

David's humanity continues to be on full display as he mourns the death of his son, Absalom. Let's face it, his wayward, ungrateful son. But a son David loved nevertheless--as God the Father loves me. The image of the grieving father again appears in the Old Testament. How much more, I imagine, did God the Father weep and mourn at His blameless Son's suffering and death!

Finally, though, Joab tells David that mourning so deeply and openly at his son's death is actually bringing David to shame with his people, since it appears to them that David is loving one who hated David (that is, Absalom), while hating those who love him (that is, the people of Israel). Joab admonishes him: "Go out and speak kindly to your servants." This strikes a chord with David, who is a leader at heart, and he takes successful steps to again win the Judahites over. 

In short order, David reconciles with others as well. Shimei, who had made David suffer by calling him a murderer in public, comes to David now seeking forgiveness with these heartfelt and beautiful words:

May my lord not hold me guilty, and may he not remember and take to heart the wrong that your servant did the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. For your servant knows that he had done wrong.

David forgives Shimei. 

Meribbaal, son of Saul, also seeks, and receives, David's mercy. David shows favor to Barzillai, who helped David during the period when he had been driven from Jerusalem.  Soon, though, some of the Israelites--led by Sheba--rebel against David and the Judahites. But Joab brings about Sheba's death and ends the rebellion.

After so much has transpired, David sings a beautiful song of thanksgiving to the Lord, which includes the words:

In my distress I called upon the Lord
and cried out to my God;
From his temple he heard my voice, 
and my cry reached his ears.
*      *      *      *
He set me free in the open, 
and rescued me because he loves me.
*      *      *      *      
You are my lamp, O Lord!
O my God, you brighten the darkness about me.
*      *      *      *
He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.
*      *      *      *
The Lord live! And blessed be my Rock!
Extolled be my God, rock of my salvation.

Such beautiful words of praise and thanksgiving from a man who was truly blessed in the eyes of the Lord--but who also sinned much and suffered much. 

We can do great things in our own lives, trying to live as God asks us, showing mercy and generosity to others. And even though we sin and fall short, as David did, God will still hear our cry, will still set us free, will still brighten our darkness, shield us from our enemies, and be a rock for us.  Wow!

2 Samuel 15-18

Once again we are treated to the story of dysfunction within a family. After being pardoned by and reconciled to his father, Absalom hatches a plot to win over the affection of the people and supplant David as king. David was basically a good and loyal "son" to Saul. He is a flawed but ultimately forgiving father to Absalom. Perhaps Absalom still holds a grudge for David's failure to protect or avenge the rape of Absalom's sister, Tamar, by Amnon. Or perhaps he is simply vain and selfish. It is not entirely clear. But what is clear is that, Absalom means David harm, while David loves his son.  David must flee the city and he retreats to the Mount of Olives, where he weeps without ceasing--reminding me of Jesus in Gethsemane. To be betrayed, even hated, by your own son must be a terrible thing. While traveling, David is subject to insults and taunts by a man named Shimei. David prevents his servant from dealing with Shimei to stop this, saying instead:

Perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits for the curses he is uttering today.

These words also remind me of Jesus' Passion, where he silently endured the taunting of the Roman soldiers, the Pharisees, and one of the criminals being executed alongside Him.  

David works out a plot with his servant, Hushai, to lead Absalom into an ill-advised battle. David is convinced by his advisors to stay back and not engage in the battle himself. He heeds the advice, but directs his soldiers to treat Absalom gently. The plot succeeds, and David's army prevails. But notwithstanding David's instructions, his close advisor Joab sees to it that Absalom is killed as he hangs helplessly from a tree. Absalom, son of David, dies hanging from a tree. Sounds like the Lord's crucifixion. It is hard to imagine a parallel is being drawn between Absalom and Jesus, so I am struggling to understand the significance of these details. 

Messengers return from battle, bringing word of victory, and of the death of Absalom.