2 Samuel 14:21-33 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 14:21-33. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
2 Samuel 14:23-33 (NIV)
23 Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.
24 But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.
25 In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.
26 Whenever he cut the hair of his head–he used to cut his hair from time to time when it became too heavy for him–he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard.
27 Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. The daughter’s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.
28 Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face.
29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come.
30 Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Joab did go to Absalom’s house and he said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”
32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!”‘ Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.”
33 So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.
On verses 23-33: After some dramatic persuasion orchestrated by Joab, King David finally agrees to bring his son Absalom back from exile. But although Absalom is now back living in Jerusalem, King David insists that Absalom must not see his face (v24). So Absalom lives two years in Jerusalem without seeing David’s face, on top of the 3 years he was exiled in Geshur. That’s 5 years without seeing his dad’s face or hearing his dad’s voice. Eventually Absalom cannot stand it anymore. He sets a part of Joab’s house on fire to get Joab’s attention and demands that he see his father in person (v32). Joab reports this to David, who finally meets Absalom face to face and kisses him.
Absalom was like a celebrity in Israel. But as popular, famous and attractive as Absalom was to the people of Israel, the one person whose attention and approval Absalom longed for and couldn’t get was his dad. Being ordered not to see his father’s face or hear his father’s voice for five years, Absalom could not help but feel rejected by his dad.
Why would David let Absalom come back and live in Jerusalem, but refuse to let Absalom see his face? It’s because David was still hanging onto some bitterness against Absalom, so David gave Absalom a “half and half” — half grace and half guilt. This didn’t help Absalom or their relationship at all. Absalom was deeply hurt by his dad refusing to meet him face to face, so much so that he wished he could have been back in exile in Geshur or put to death (v32) than to endure this long, indirect, silent guilt trip for years. David’s effort to forgive and embrace his lost son was half-hearted. It would end with Absalom rebelling against David in the worst way, as we will see in the chapters that follow.
What can we learn from all this?
First, we all long to have the attention and approval of our father. It’s like a built-in desire that we all have, such that nothing hurts like believing that our dad doesn’t approve of us or doesn’t want us.
Second, broken relationships cannot be restored by giving the half and half — “half grace and half guilt”. When you forgive someone, go the whole way in forgiving them. Let go completely of any debts you think that person still owes you. Only then will you and the relationship be truly free to move forward. Otherwise the half grace you give will be canceled out by the half guilt you give, and bitterness will eventually take over the whole thing.
Third, the Bible says that each of us has sinned against God our heavenly Father, and that our sin separates from God, such that we cannot be in God’s presence anymore. But because God did not want us to live without His presence, because He longs to be with us too, God sent Jesus Christ to take away the sin that separated us from our heavenly Father. Through Jesus Christ, we can be in close relationship with our Father again, hear His voice, feel His presence, and see the light of His face.
Father, thank You that when I was lost and estranged from You, You welcomed me back not with half grace and half guilt, with 100% grace and forgiveness. Help us to do the same with those whom we know we must forgive. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
opyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
