Luke Whitehouse - In the Shadow of the Messiah - Class 7 - Absalom

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

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   As we know at this point, in 2 Samuel chapter 15, David of course has been forgiven. He's been taught the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ and by faith he has been justified for it. He is the king of the Jews, is David. But although David has been forgiven, he still bears the consequences of his actions. And those consequences now are going to reach their culmination in the 15th chapter of 2 Samuel.

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   Anyone know how old David might be at this point? Because one thing's for sure, he's not a young man. He's around 60 to 65 years of age. Now that's not saying that's old. It's quite young. But for this time period, it's fairly old, 60 to 65 years of age. Now if we were to link the Psalms that align themselves with this time period of David, David in some of the Absalom Psalms tells us that he's not in good health.

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   He's been afflicted, you see, with a grievous sickness. He describes himself of having no health in his bones or peace in his flesh. He's stricken with festering wounds. And what we're going to witness manifested in David is a shadow of Isaiah 53. We're going to see a servant, a king who suffers, a man of sorrows, whose visage was marred, despised, rejected of men.

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   We're going to watch David cut off from the land of the living, in whom never opened his mouth and bared the iniquities of others. We're going to see the shadow of Isaiah 53 before that reached its fulfillment a thousand years later. David is the prototype. He is the type of the man held upon high, as 1 Chronicles 17 displays for us.

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   David's exile in this chapter serves as the messianic prototype of his greater son's humiliation, the humiliation, brothers and sisters and friends, in Gethsemane. Gethsemane. Now Nathan had prophesied, hadn't he, in 2 Samuel chapter 12 and verse 11, Nathan had unleashed Yahweh's fury upon David. He says, I will raise, I will raise an evil in thee, an evil against thee in thine house, says Nathan.

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   And I think David acknowledges this in verse 14. Nathan had once said, I will raise up an evil in your house. Look what David says about Absalom in verse 14. He says, Absalom, my son, brings an evil upon us and will smite the city at the edge of the sword. In other words, David now profoundly acknowledges that the curse that was provided by Nathan is reaching its fruits now in the 14th verse of chapter 15.

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   The sword is drawn in the house of David. And who does David blame? Who is David blaming here? May I make the suggestion that David is blaming himself? David, you see, is utterly compromised. He cannot tame his children. Look at that family. Incest. Abuse. Murder. Immorality. Filling and littering the house of this king.

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   And the cost of his sin is now going to reach its zenith in the rebellion of his prized possession. And who might you think the prized possession of the man called Beloved was? Who did he love more than anything else? His son.

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   A boy who turned into a man and his name was Absalom. Look at verse 2 of chapter 15. Consumed with pride. Absalom sets himself up as a judge. Presenting himself as an alternative to his father. In fact, if you look at verse 6. Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel from the house of David.

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    And you remember what Jesus said. As he goes into the house of his father. What does he say? He says, you have made my house. You have made my father's house a den of thieves. And here, Absalom is stealing from David's house. His father's house. The house of David. You'll also notice, and you'll also know, that Absalom was rather beautiful.

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    He was beautiful on the outside. But inwardly, what we're going to find is that he was cruel. He was callous. And he was nothing short but of a usurper. A betrayer, a traitor. Was the son of David. Plotting to thwart the kingship of his father. So here's a question. Where else in the Bible might we find a group of people stealing from the father's house?

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    In which they are consumed with pride. Set them up as an alternative to their Messiah. That are beautiful on the outward. But inwardly are rotten. In which they reject Messiah as their king. Where else might we find the spirit of Absalom in the New Testament? And who might it be, might you think?

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    It's going to be who? It's going to be, again, the Jewish elders. Now, there's just a few links. Between the chief priests who sought to seize the authority of Jesus. And Absalom, who thwarted the kingship of his father. Just to make the point clear. If you look at verse 10. Absalom, well look what he does.

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    He sent spies as a coup, doesn't he? He sent spies into the heart of Jerusalem. And what did the priests do and the Jewish elders in Matthew 26? They sought false testimony. They sent in false witnesses. Look at verse 12 of chapter 15. A conspiracy was in Jerusalem. As the people increased continually with Absalom.

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    And in Matthew chapter 27, verse 1. The chief priests and the elders of the people conspired against Jesus Christ. Look at verse 13 of chapter 15. The hearts of the men of Israel were after Absalom. And Jesus felt this tide turn against him. In John 6, verse 66. Many of the Jews' disciples went back and walked with him no more.

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    Jesus felt the betrayal that David felt a thousand years later. And what we're going to find is that David, in the heart and the soul of the story of the episode of Absalom, is going to be the inspiration that brought Christ Jesus through the garden known as Gethsemane. This was in the mind of Christ, no doubt, when he uttered that fateful prayer.

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    The psalm of Absalom is Psalm 3. We're not going to turn to too many passages. But if we just look at Psalm 3. You'll notice from the title that this is a psalm of David when he fled from Absalom. So this is aligned with the historical drama, the narrative of 2 Samuel 15.

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    Notice the language. Now, whose words are these? I know there's a few less than yesterday. But when we're looking at the spirit of the psalms, as we discussed yesterday, whose words are these? Whose words? These are Christ's words.

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    David spoke on behalf of Christ a thousand years before he came. These are the words prophetically in the mind of Christ. As Christ suffered the betrayal of the spirit of Absalom that was there manifested in the chief priests and the Jewish elders. So these are Christ's words. And look at verse 1. Yahweh, how are they increased that trouble me?

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    Many are they that rise up against me. That the Messiah here has noted that the kingdom has marshaled against him. And then in verse 6. I will not be afraid of 10,000 people that ye have set themselves against me. Or that have set themselves against me. And I would like us to notice the end of verse 8.

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    Verse 8. It says, Now we know that the word salvation in the Hebrew is the word yasha. Yasha is the word salvation. But this is not that same word. You'll never have a guess what word the spirit chooses to use in the Psalm of David as it concludes the Song of Absalom. That word salvation is the word yasha.

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    The psalm of Absalom concludes with the name Jesus. Might we figure, brothers and sisters and friends, might we understand whether or not David knew the very name, the very name of the one he learnt about all those years. Might he have known that the name principled upon the Son of God, the man himself was inscribed with the name Yeshua, Jesus Christ.

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    Because here salvation belongeth to Yahweh, Jesus belongs to Yahweh and salvation can come from no one else. This is Psalm 3, as you can see, a personal psalm for Jesus. The psalmist shows that David is going to be vindicated from the rebellion of the traitor. Which tells me that Jesus knew this psalm would vindicate him in his exaltation.

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    Jesus knew how the path was to play out because the man who was his prototype saw himself through it a thousand years before. So let's go back to Samuel chapter 15. And we shall remain now in this chapter. 2 Samuel 15. David said unto his servants, arise, let us flee. This isn't the first time we've seen David flee, is it?

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    He's a fugitive once again. A fugitive now in the years of his kingship. And I'd like us to notice all the way through to Samuel chapter 15, he's called the king. The king. The king. He's not called the servant. He's called the king. All the way through. You could highlight it over and over again.

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    And yet in verse 10, it's Absalom who denied David to be his king. Absalom denied David is to be the king. Yet God says that this is the king. Who was it in John 19 and verse 15 who declared, we have no king but Caesar? Would you agree with me that the spirit of those Jews is right here entrenched in Absalom?

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    And yet God was to declare Jesus as the king of the Jews because it was placard above his crucifixion. This is Jesus the branch. The Nazarene of Nazareth. The king of the Jews. He is declared the king in 2 Samuel 15. Now, in verse 18 to 17, David now has been exiled. He's been outcast from the city.

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    And you'll notice there that there's a lot of loyal men who follow the king. Now, there's one particular man I'd like us to focus on. It's this particular person called Itai, the Gittite. And look what he says to the king in verse 21. He says, As Yahweh liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

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    So where else, friends, might we find in the Bible a Messiah being outcast and exiled from the city he loved? From a rebellion of the traitors in which a follower said, Lord, I am ready to go with thee both to prison and to death. Who shared the same spirit as Itai, the Gittite, in Jesus' plight from Jerusalem?

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    Who said those words? This is the spirit of Peter. And what we're going to find out, brothers and sisters, every single character, we call them characters, they're really people, aren't they? But every single person who David came across is going to be played out and repeated in Jesus' flight from the ancient city.

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    Everything is providentially designed to support and inspire the son who is the son of God. All of it. And here's the first one, Itai, the Gittite, who said, I will follow thee, my Messiah, my king, where thy servant will be, whether in life or death. And a thousand years later, Peter said, Jesus, my lord, I will follow thee to prison and I will follow thee to death.

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    And then what happens next? What happens once Peter declared his loyalty to his Christ? Well, we're told in Luke chapter 22 and verse 39, once Peter declared that, Jesus came out and went and his disciples also followed him are the words. I'd like us to notice the phrase that's used. Jesus came out and went and his disciples followed him.

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    Who's ahead in the walking out of Jerusalem? Who's leading the group? It's Jesus Christ. Jesus is ahead in Luke 22 and clearly the disciples followed behind him. Wherever Jesus was going at this point, he had something in his mind, something of purpose. He was going there and the rest would follow. Jesus led and his followers followed behind.

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    Now look at the phrases of David here in 2 Samuel 15 and verse 16. Look what it says. And the king went forth and all the household after him. And then look at verse 17. And the king went forth and then it says and all the people followed him. And then in verse 18.

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    And all the servants passed on behind him. So who is leading the group in 2 Samuel 15? Who's leading it? It's David. It's the Messiah. It's the beloved. It's the shepherd, the king of the Jews. And the king of the Jews is leading his followers and they follow behind. And wherever the king called David is going, he is obsessed to get to that destination.

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    And likewise, a thousand years later, the same story is going to play out a second time. Those followers were there in body, weren't they? They were present in body, but they were absent in spirit. It's very clear that David and Jesus shared a despair that lay beyond their followers' understanding. Where they were going, that being the two kings of the Jews, they were going there alone.

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    Alone. David tells us in Psalm 69 and verse 20, I looked for some comforters to take pity, but there was none. So the question is this. Where might you think these two kings, the kings of the Jews, the Messiahs, the roaring liars, the seed of Jesse, where might you think they're going in their escape from the city that was going to rebel against them?

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    Which location are they both going to? What do you think? A special mount? Which mountain? They are both going to the mount called Olivet. They're both going to the very same place. A thousand years separated between them. It's almost as though that Jesus is following the steps of his father, David, as they both saunter to the mount called Olivet.

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    Look at 2 Samuel 15 and verse 23. It says, So here's a question. Where else in the Bible do we find a Messiah fleeing a city, exiled from rebellion, who happens to be the son of David, going to the Mount of Olives, crossing a particular brook? And what brook did he cross? It was the same brook.

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    John 18 and verse 1 tells us that Jesus Christ went forth with his disciples and they passed over a brook and that brook was called Kidron. And what does John's gospel tell us laid beyond the brook called Kidron? What was beyond that brook? At the Mount of Olives. There was a garden, wasn't there?

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    A very special garden. And we know Jesus entered into that garden because John 18 informs us of that. Jesus went into the garden and he entered into there and his disciples lay behind. So my question is this. How do we know that David entered that very same garden? Do we think he did?

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    Do we think David entered into the same garden that Jesus defined himself in after crossing over the brook Kidron at that very same mount called the Mount of Olives? Do you think we should prove it or try and prove it at least? Well, let's have a look at verse 23. It says there that we begin at the brook Kidron.

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    So if you look on the screen, you'll be able to see the ancient city of David. And you'll see there that there is the brook Kidron in verse 23. So David has crossed that and the brook Kidron is on the valley floor. It's at the foot of the Mount called Olives. Right at the foot.

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    And then if you look at verse 30, it says there that David then went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives. So he starts, David, at the foot of it, which is at the valley of Kidron or the brook Kidron. And then by verse 30, he's ascending as he travels up the slopes to reach its summit.

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    And he reaches the peak of the mountain in verse 32. So somewhere between verse 23 at the valley floor and in verse 30 as he ascends up would have most certainly been what would be known as the Garden of Gethsemane. Might we suggest that David is in the garden called Gethsemane between verse 23 and verse 30, between the time he's at the valley floor and he starts then climbing up the Mount.

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    I'm suggesting that David did find himself in that garden. That would be known as the garden called Gethsemane. And I believe this, brothers and sisters and friends, because in verse 25, you'll notice the king is going to request Zadok. And he's going to ask Zadok to return the ark back to the city.

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    Can you see that in verse 25? He turns to Zadok, who's the high priest, and he says, I want you to return the ark back to the city. The thing is with David right now, what is the ark representative of? And we know it's represented of Christ. But what is the ark? It's what?

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    It's God's presence. It's God's power. It's God's majesty. And David is refusing to manipulate that ark for political gain. He will not use that ark for political purposes. So he says to Zadok, even to his ruin, take the ark back to the city. And look what he says in verse 25 to verse 26.

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    He says, And you're probably 10 steps ahead of me. A thousand years later. Under the same circumstances. Under the same circumstances. In the very same location stood Jesus Christ. The same Jesus, we're told in Matthew 26, who could call upon 12 legions of angels. The same Jesus. The same Jesus, we're told in Matthew 28, who had all authority on heaven and earth.

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    The same Jesus, who we're told in the apostles. That Jesus Christ was the ark of God. And in that very location, what does Jesus do? He voluntarily strips himself down of all that divine defense. He submits to God's authority. He submits to God's sovereignty. And in agony and tears, he collapses on the floor.

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    And in Luke 22, cries out, Father, if thou be willing, pass this cup. But not my will. But thine be done. Jesus is here in the garden of Gethsemane. And I find it absolutely fascinating that David pleaded Christ's words before he came. David felt the turmoil in anticipation of the arrival of Jesus Christ.

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    Jesus' struggle concerned what? What was the struggle of Christ? His excruciating death. If possible, says Jesus, find another way. But not my will. Thine be done. God is going to send David into the very soul of the story of Jesus in Gethsemane to surrender and echo the very one he foreshadowed. He was to cry the plea of Christ a thousand years before he came.

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    For what was David's problem? David said, if I die at the hands of Absalom, not my will, but thine be done. It's the same words. It's the same phraseology. Jesus in Gethsemane, brothers and sisters and friends, is written in the ink of 2 Samuel 15. A king who would conquer in submission. What an inspiration for Jesus as he finds himself in that same spot, uttering the same words under the same circumstances, under the same pain.

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    I'd like us to notice in 2 Samuel 15 verse 30 that David's head is covered. His head is covered. And what we can say is that wearing a head covering like a veil is an act of shame. An act of grief. He bears the consequences, doesn't he? He knew he deserved the wrath that was poured upon him.

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    And you also see that he's walking barefoot. And we might know and might suggest that by walking barefoot, he's showing penitence to God, submissive to the divine judgment that's poured upon him. And you'll also notice that he's weeping. David wept in the garden as he wears the veil of shame. And a thousand years later, Jesus was to weep for Jerusalem because of their betrayal as he felt the same curse in the same spot.

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    And in Hebrews chapter 5, it says that when he had offered up prayers with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, he cried out, not my will but thine be done. This is the same story told twice in two slightly different ways. Isaiah 53 paints David and Jesus the same.

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    Despised, rejected of men, people of sorrows, acquainted with grief. As they hid their faces from them, despised and esteemed not. The crisis of David was that he bore the consequences of sin.

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    And what did Christ bear? Christ bore the consequences of his nature. What were the sins of David? Can anyone remember? There should be very clear in your mind. One was what? Adultery and the other one was murder. Murder and adultery were the sins of David. Do we know that as David is praying in Gethsemane, as he weeps and wears the veil of shame and walks barefoot, did we know in 2 Samuel 17, there were those in Absalom's camp who were motivated because of the sins of David.

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    The sins David committed motivated those men to slay him. They tell us in 2 Samuel 17, they wanted to kill David because of his actions, because of what he did to Bathsheba and to Uriah. And what's also interesting, in 2 Samuel 16 and verse 12, David calls himself cursed of God. David acknowledges that those motivated to kill him are because he's cursed of God.

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    And that's quite interesting. It's very interesting, because there's a law of Moses to do with this. If somebody committed adultery and murder, what was the punishment under the law of Moses? Death by what? Stoning. They would be stoned until they breathed no more. David faced a stoning. But the fact that David calls himself cursed of God takes us to a very specific law in Deuteronomy chapter 21, verses 22 to 23.

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    And what Deuteronomy 21 is saying to us is that if somebody committed a crime such as murder and adultery, not only would they be stoned to death after a trial in front of witnesses, but their body would be dragged outside the city and hanged upon a tree. And Deuteronomy 21 says, they are cursed of God.

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    And David says, I am cursed of God. What might you think David feared more than anything else in the garden called Gethsemane as he prays to God, not my will but thine be done. What did David fear? Death by execution and what? being hung upon a tree outside the city of David. He was no doubt going to face execution and a hanging on a tree outside Jerusalem.

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    And what might we think Jesus feared in the struggle? What did he fear? As a serpent screamed out, thou shalt not surely die. And Jesus prayed three times, not my will but thy be done. He feared his crucifixion. He feared his crucifixion for a moment and he crushed it as we saw with Goliath on Friday.

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    He feared it, brothers and sisters and friends. And what's very clear is that David does not feel sorry for himself here, does he? It's not woe is to me, is it? David's not there going, oh, woe is to me. David loathes himself. He despises himself. God has inflicted this man with a curse caused by his wretched humanity and he is saturated in selflessness.

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    Hence why he says, do unto me as you will. If you want me to go to Jerusalem, take me to Jerusalem. But if not, I'll do and submit to what you need. So why might we think David came here? We know why Jesus went there. Jesus went there to fulfill the scriptures. But why might we think David went there?

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    Can you see in verse 32 of 2 Samuel 15? 2 Samuel 15. It says that David went to the mount to worship God. Have you got another version? Have you got anyone got a revised version maybe or an alternative version where it says that David went to the mount to worship God? Because you might have the translation that changes it to a passive verb.

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    What it really should say is that David went to the mount so God could be worshipped. You might have the translation David went to the mount called Olivet where he was wont to worship. What might that suggest to us? It's suggesting to us that David frequented at Olivet. It's telling you and I that this wasn't the only time, this wasn't the first time and it might not be well the last time that David went to the Olivet to pray.

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    He often went to the mount of Olives in solitude and refuge to meditate on God. This was David's little sanctuary. The man called Olivet. He went there. Can anyone remember what it says of Jesus? What did it say of Jesus in Luke 22 verse 39? It says that Jesus heads to the mount of Olives as he was wont.

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    It tells us in the Greek Jesus went to the mount of Olives as usual. And just as David went to that very same mount to seek refuge from a crisis so the Lord Jesus Christ the son of David after the flesh he too went there to the mount called the Mount of Olives in a time of solace.

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    Where might you think Jesus got the inspiration from to go to the Mount of Olives? Who's he following in the footsteps of might you think? He's following David isn't he? David went there. Here's another question.

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    Who else in the Bible in the Gospels who knew Jesus intimately as a friend knew that Jesus would be at that very same mount when he was betrayed? Who else was it in John chapter 18 verse 2? Because it says there that Judas Judas also which betrayed him knew the place for Jesus off time resorted there.

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    And what place is he talking about? He's talking about the Mount of Olives. He's talking about Gethsemane. And where did the news of Jesus' betrayal arrive? At what mountain did Jesus find out he was betrayed? Would you agree it's the very same mount? And who else found of his betrayal at the same mountain a thousand years earlier?

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    Who would you like it to be? It's going to be David isn't it? Have a look at verse 31 of 2 Samuel 15. It says there And one told David saying Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said Oh Yahweh I pray thee turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Ahithophel in verse 12 you will notice is David's personal counsellor.

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    We've got a follower here a follower of David a disciple of David turning a conspirator and traitor. A conspirator and traitor. The point is Ahithophel if he was his personal counsellor where should he have been? He shouldn't have been with Absalom. If he's David's personal counsellor he should have been with David but he wasn't.

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    He left. He left the group and he's now aligning himself with the enemy. So where else in the Bible under the very same circumstances in which we have an exiled king do we find a traitor and the news of a betrayal arriving in that very same place who might you think Ahithophel symbolises in the life of Jesus Christ?

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    It's a rhetorical question because we know in Luke chapter 22 Judas arrived at that very same mount. David said of Ahithophel in Psalm 41 he is my familiar friend in whom I trusted a prophecy that was to be fulfilled in Jesus when he said to Judas in Matthew 26 and verse 50 friend wherefore are thou come David said mine own familiar friend and Judas comes and the son of David says friend friend why are you here?

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    In Psalm 55 and we know these are the words of Christ would you agree with me the Psalms are the words of Christ the inner thoughts of Jesus Christ the word made flesh Psalm 55 says it wasn't my enemy I could have understood that it wasn't even a person who hated me I could have understood that but it was you says Psalm 55 it was you and there is Judas and you see Ahithophel had a vendetta didn't he?

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    Why might Ahithophel have a vendetta against the son of Jesse? What did he have a problem with? Why is he motivated to conspire and murder and commit treason against the king? Who was Ahithophel's granddaughter?

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    Bathsheba so Ahithophel has personal vengeance and political gain and ambition against the king and Jesus said in Psalm 41 notice I say the words Jesus said in Psalm 41 he that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me and Jesus is going to pick up those same words in John 13 and verse 18 in the upper room troubled in spirit he looks at Judas and he says he who hath lifted up his heel against me the same words David said of Ahithophel were to be the words Jesus said of Judas his traitor his betrayer all those disciples called Jesus at some point in their life Lord apart from one which disciple might you think never called Jesus his Lord I think the answer's fairly obvious Judas not once as far as I can tell called Jesus Christ his Lord because Ahithophel his predecessor rejected David as his king both these men rejected their master's sovereignty with the fatal impulse towards self determination and political ambition that was the motive that was the goal and we know what happened up Ahithophel but you tell me young people what happened to Judas in the end in Acts chapter 1 and in Matthew chapter 27 gruesome stuff you tell me what did he do he hanged himself we won't go into the details of it and thankfully there's no slide of it but he hanged himself and it was gruesome now if that happened to Judas what might we think happened to Ahithophel to Samuel 17 verse 23 when Ahithophel saw that the council was set to naught Ahithophel hanged himself a common fate wasn't it

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    because whatever David was to go through in life Jesus was to carry on the story of Messiah in his he was to tread the same fierce storm as his forefather and they were inspiring one another Jesus was inspired by David and David was inspired by Jesus and there was a thousand years between them and what we begin to realise is the experiences of Mount of Olives forged David in the fire to produce one supreme man of faith the man we see here in 2 Samuel 15 is a greater man than what we saw even in chapter 16 wisdom friends and experiences shape characters endurance and reliance on the ways of God that would foreshadow his greater son David was an inspiration to Jesus as Jesus treads that fiercer storm and I'm going to conclude with this we mentioned didn't we that there were key political figures around the life of David in chapter 15 of 2 Samuel official court members who prefigure the company of Christ's final evening let's just remind ourselves of them they were the loyal followers of David who followed him out the city who might you think they speak of in the life of Jesus who else followed Jesus out of the city I think this is a good one to start off with who would it be the loyal servants of David are there in the life of Jesus with Jesus his devoted disciples and then in 2 Samuel chapter 15 verse 23 you'll notice there is a public lament as the city weeps for David you can put in your margin there Luke 23 verse 27 where we find

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    in the gospels there was a great company who followed Jesus on his way to his crucifixion lamenting and weeping and then we have of course itai who vowed a vow to follow David in death and in life and then in chapter 16 and verse 9 we haven't met him but a man called Abishai who offered to defend his king and he tried to defend his king with the sword he says to David I'm going to knock his head off with my sword and David says put your sword down put your sword down so who might we think itai and Abishai represent who else in the gospels got his sword and cut off a man's ear who else did that was that the spirit of Peter I think it is the spirit of Peter isn't it in the gospels and then we have Ahithophel's treachery Ahithophel trusted counselor who joined the enemy who does he find his counterpart with who represents Ahithophel well of course that's going to be Judas Iscariot and his betrayal of Messiah we haven't met this one chapter 16 and verse 7 to 13 a man called Shimei he was loyal to the house of Saul and Shimei looked at David and cursed and mocked him and falsely accused him of sedition who do you think Shimei represents Matthew chapter 27 the jeering crowds the hostile priests and the false witnesses who mock Jesus and condemn him in his trial and what does Jesus do Jesus cries out in Luke chapter 23 forgive them father for they know not what they do and I find it absolutely fascinating that the man called

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    Shimei in 2 Samuel 19 David forgave him forgave him just as Jesus was to forgive those who mock him and then there were the people who risked their position to protect the king Zadok who courageously took the ark back to Jerusalem to ensure protection and who might he mirror in the life of Jesus in his final night well may I suggest he would be Nicodemus just as Zadok took the ark to its resting place it was Nicodemus who took his ark which was Christ to his burial to rest and then there's a man called Hushai Hushai who pleaded on David's behalf in the courts of Absalom he interceded on David's behalf so who might he foreshadow who else in the life of Jesus beseeched the body of Christ in the courts of the enemy this is the foreshadowing of a man called Joseph of Arimathea every single person in the last night of Jesus had been played out ten centuries earlier in the life of his forefather the last night of Christ was the betrayal of the story of Absalom every single person was in the right place at the right time not only to fulfill the scriptures but to inspire the son of David after the flesh Jesus felt the struggles of David in a greater fashion so that he could be proclaimed as the son of God and just as there was an Absalom who conspired and rebelled against his father so there would be an obedient son who would give his life for his all of it was designed to stir up Christ and we know Jesus knew how the story ends

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    and how does the story of Absalom end how does the Davidic drama end in this episode it's going to end in the death of a son isn't it it's going to end up in the death of the son who will vindicate who the father a death of a son will exalt the father do we know how Absalom died might we remember the death of Absalom shall we remind ourselves well it's in 2 Samuel 18 and it's our final verse 2 Samuel 18 verse 9 Absalom is riding a mule that's interesting isn't it who else rode on a donkey colt a colt of a donkey he's riding a mule and Absalom's in battle and Absalom's head then gets caught in a bow in other words Absalom's head gets entangled with branches and as he's on his mule he gets entangled with branches and he's caught up in the middle of the air you'll tell us there in verse 9 caught up in the middle of the air what we find is the death of Absalom he's risen up and he's hung upon a tree and his head is wrapped around with what thorns and to finish the job Joab thrusts three darts into the heart of Absalom whilst he's alive and he's alive in an oak the son died upon a tree as he was hung in the air wearing a crown of thorns with a pierced body and three wounds and that was the death of a son in which proclaimed the father triumphant Jesus died the death of Absalom and he cried out in the garden knowing this thy will be done as the

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    obedient son submits to the father and Jesus took what to the crucifixion he took Israel's rebellion the rebellion of Absalom he took to that crucifix and crucified it in his flesh a sacrificial act where self seizing Israel were utterly removed and spiritual Israel was formed and the ironic thing is in all of its biblical poetry and divine providence spiritual Israel was formed in none other than the son of David the son of Jesse the son of God