Following hot on the heels of the rebellion led by David’s son, Absalom, came the rebellion led by Sheba in 2 Samuel 20:1-26. Called a ‘worthless fellow’ in verse 1, Sheba’s rebellion also proved fruitless and only led to more bloodshed, including his own and that of Amasa’s, David’s chief. Thankfully, God in His mercy did not treat our rebellion against Him as a reason not to come in grace and save us, which He did by David’s Son, Jesus who never rebelled but paid the price of death for rebels like us.

With the death of Absalom, the civil war that threatened to undermine David’s kingdom came to an end. On returning to his throne, we find in 2 Samuel 19:1-43 that David immediately sought to put his house in order – rewarding some, ending the service of others and reviewing the actions of those given responsibility. When Jesus the King returns, he will also undertake similar actions and none shall escape his searching eye.

2 Samuel 18:1-33 records how the civil war led by Absalom against his father came to an inglorious end. It was a sad day for David for many reasons, one of which was that this was the culmination of some bad choices and parenting. Yet still, in spite of the tragic nature of the text, David again points us to Jesus who could do and will do what David could not.

After David fled from Absalom, it seemed that his whole kingdom was in danger of falling. Ahithophel, David’s trusted adviser, had gone over to join Absalom, and his counsel would have been dangerous for David. However, God was at work and in 2 Samuel 17:1-29, there are three particular evidences of His providence which meant that David knew that God had not abandoned him and that His plans were being unfolded.

When David left Jerusalem because of Absalom’s push to replace him, 2 Samuel 15 told of 3 men who came to his aid. Following this, 2 Samuel 16:1-33 tells of 3 other men who wanted to achieve just the opposite – either to further their own standing in his eyes, to curse him or to cause his kingdom to crumble. In the end, so much of what David endured points us again to His greater Son, Jesus, who also endured what He did to save His own.