"For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled from him"(2Sam.14:14)
Honestly, I was about to ignore the rest of 2Sam., with the stories of Tamar and Absalom. I mean, it is a very interesting history of kingship and heirs corruptible, of sisters and brothers violently betrayed, of fathers and sons and love. But, it had little to do with my purposes, namely God. Then I read the above verse, and it all changed. For how can there be something that God does not touch in some way?
Whether physically, spiritually, or emotionally, we have all be scattered. And no, nothing from man can gather us again, which is why we covenant with God. Covenants mean that we will always have a home, a place, a people and a god. I love this verse. To God, every man is equal, and He does not favor one over the other. And yet, even those that He has scattered, has banished, He still provides a way for their return. He loves even the sinners, even the rebellious. That is mercy, and that is love.
And the woman is right. If God can love and forgive the banished, cannot David see his own son Absalom, whom he loves? Now, we will go on to see that the son rebels against the father, seeking to overthrow his kingdom, and in the end must die for the salvation of the nation. Now, I could say that this is God and us all, but really it is God and the rebellious. For He loves even those whom He must destroy. I would even say that this is the best story to describe the Father and the fallen angel, Lucifer. Yes, it is the same.
So when we ask "why would God do such a thing? His sin was not that bad," let us remember Absalom, and how David loved him.
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