Nuggets from "Whatever Happened to Heaven?" by Dave Hunt

Nuggets from "Whatever Happened to Heaven?" by Dave Hunt

Even the rejection of Christ by His own people is portrayed in David in many ways.... David was not only rejected by his father and brothers and by Israel before he became king, but he was rejected by Israel again toward the end of his life and had to flee from Jerusalem in the face of an uprising led by his son Absalom. There was no doubt that David and his elite corps of 600 incredible warriors could defeat all of Israel. Jerusalem was not the place to fight, however, and Israel no longer wanted him, so he left in humiliation.

Even though his men were outnumbered perhaps one thousand to one, David ordered his commanders to “Deal gently, for my sake, with . . . Absalom’’ (2 Samuel:18:5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
See All...), knowing that Israel would quickly be routed. His men made short work of Israel’s huge army when it attacked, chasing it back across the Jordan in a stunning defeat. Contrary to orders, however, they killed Absalom as well, a blow that broke David’s tender heart. With their leader dead, Israel fled, every man to his home in shame. David could have marched back into Jerusalem and ascended the throne immediately, but he did not. Israel had rejected him and now must ask him to return.

Waiting for that summons, David sat in the gate of the city where he had set up his headquarters on the eastern side of Jordan. His informants had told him that Israel was wondering why he did not come back—but he had no official invitation, which he particularly wanted to come from Judah, his own tribe. Calling the two head priests, Zadok and Abiathar, he sent them to Judah with this message: “Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh; wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?’’ (2 Samuel:19:12Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
See All...). The scriptural account continues:

"And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word unto the king: 'Return thou, and all thy servants.’' So the king returned . . ." (2 Samuel:19:14And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
See All...,15).

Could we not say that the seductive Absaloms of earth, with their false but appealing promises, have all been found wanting? Even the secular world is desperate to find a ruler capable of establishing a new world kingdom that will bring order out of chaos. And could it be that our “David,’’ having been rejected and hounded off this planet, is sitting in the gate of heaven, grieved that His bride, His body, “bone of [His] bones and flesh of [His] flesh’’ (Genesis:2:23And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
See All...) is not calling upon Him to return to rule a world that so desperately needs Him? Could it be that the message of the hour for faithful Christian leaders, today’s Zadoks and Abiathars, is to call upon the church to lift its voice to heaven and say, “Come, Lord Jesus!’’? Rather than waiting for His bride to become united and mature or to take over the world for Him, might it not be that our Bridegroom is waiting and longing instead for just one thing: for love’s simple cry from sincere hearts: “Come back, Lord!’’?