Following Absalom’s death, two men make a request to run to David to give him the news of his victory. The first, speaking to Joab, expressed a desire to give the king word of the victory, speaking in the language of exodus, saying “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies” (2 Samuel 18:19b). Though Joab knew that the king would not exult in learning the news of Absalom’s death, he granted this request. When both had reached the king, the other man also spoke in the language of exodus, saying “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered…” (18:31b). These words are what preceded David then learning about the death of Absalom, which resulted in a great and painful crying out from the king.
David’s cry had been “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!” (18:33b) Upon hearing that the king had said such things, effectively shaming those who stood by him and fought for him, Joab goes to David and says “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day” (19:5b). In a day that should have seen exultation in the honor of God that had brought exodus, David brought shame (exile). Joab will not abide this, and essentially tells David, “if you want exile, you’ll get exile.” He threatens David, effectively ordering him to go out and disavow his son and encourage his servants that they have done the right things, and says “For I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time” (19:7b).
At this point, David had not returned to Jerusalem. He was still in physical exile from his throne. The people’s hearts were still turned toward Absalom. Eventually though, and we are not told how this was done or how long of a process it was, “He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, ‘Return, you and all your servants as well.’” (19:14) With this having been said, “the king returned and came to the Jordan River” (19:15a). David came to the Jordan River. When David was leaving yet another exile, having been granted yet another exodus, he returns to the Jordan River. David must cross the Jordan to re-take the throne and to re-enter into God’s purposes and plans for him. Naturally, this is highly symbolic, as it was also when Israel crossed the Jordan River under the leadership of Joshua, that their long exile from their land of promise was brought to an end. Of course, the Jordan River will often play a role in Israel’s history, taking a prominent place in the story of Elijah and Elisha, as well as the story of John the Baptist and Jesus. The exodus theme, quite understandably, lies quite heavily within those stories.
At the Jordan River, David experiences what we would describe as a “parousia,” as “the people of Judah had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him cross the Jordan” (19:15b). A “parousia” is an event in which a king (to keep things simple) comes to visit a land or a city over which he ruled. The king would not simply enter into the city unannounced or unaccompanied, but rather, would be met outside the city, by local officials, prominent individuals, priests, and those chosen to participate in the occasion, and escorted into the city with great pomp and fanfare. Here, we take note of the fact that Jesus, the Son of David, will experience this type of event during His lifetime, with expectation of another similar event to come. In addition, we must notice the location of David’s Jordan River crossing, which was Gilgal. It was at Gilgal that Israel camped following their Jordan River crossing. It was at Gilgal that the men of Israel were circumcised, as this rite had not been conducted during their time in the wilderness. The circumcision marked their participation in the covenant, and it was performed in conjunction with their entrance into the land of promise, which was the sign of God’s covenant faithfulness to His people. It was at Gilgal, following the circumcision, that “The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have taken away the disgrace of Egypt from you.’” (Joshua 5:9a) After that, we read “So that place is called Gilgal even to this day” (5:9b).
Gilgal, therefore, represents the taking away of disgrace, and this is the place at which David is going to re-enter his kingdom, with the disgrace of his fleeing from Absalom, and perhaps even the disgrace of his failures as a man, a father, and as a king, taken away from him. Beyond that, we read that Shimei---who had pronounced curses upon David as he fled from Jerusalem, and who had pointed out his disgraceful actions, calling him a “man of bloodshed,” and “a wicked man” (16:7-8), that had spilled the blood of the house of Saul---“came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David… They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within the sight of the king. They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought was appropriate” (19:16b,17b-18). Having done this, “Shimei… threw himself down before the king,” saying, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left Jerusalem! Please don’t call it to mind. For I, your servant, know that I have sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king” (19:18b-20). Yes, God was removing the disgrace of David’s exile, as evidenced by this supplicant. The one who had called David a wicked man of bloodshed, was now confessing him as lord and king. Is there not something of the Gospel and the foolishness of the cross to be found there? Jesus was put to death as something of a wicked man, and He was most certainly a man whose blood was shed, but was later confessed as Lord and King.
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