Absalom, Absalom! / David Jeremiah

 

Absalom, Absalom! But [King David] covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” 2 Samuel 19:4   In 2009, William Faulkner’s novel Absalom, Absalom! was named the best Southern novel of all time. The novel is set in nineteenth-century Mississippi and follows the greedy rise and tragic fall of the family of a would-be Southern patriarch and aristocrat. Faulkner chose the title of his novel from the tragic story of King David and his son Absalom.

Recommended Reading: Romans 5:10

Absalom, like King Saul, had a kingly and charismatic appearance but a self-serving bent. He gradually began to see himself as a potential successor to his father’s throne and began gathering supporters among the northern tribes of Israel. It was his intention to raise an army, mount a rebellion against his father, and take over the throne. But in a battle with David’s armies, Absalom was killed, throwing David into an extended season of grief. Even though Absalom was his enemy, David loved him unconditionally, even at the time of his death.  Loving an enemy unconditionally is the New Testament’s picture of our salvation. Even while we were God’s enemies, He sent Christ to die for us (Romans 5:10). Thank God today for His unconditional love.   God’s love for his people is infinite and unconditional. John Blanchard