God is our consolation.

Scripture:
2 Samuel 15:30 “But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot.”

Observation:
David’s son, Absalom, had conspired against him and planned a coup de tat. When David got word of his son’s actions, he gathered his entourage and fled the city to avoid capture and possibly death. David fled through the southern part of the city and crossed the Valley of Hinnom and went up into the Mount of Olives. While he was on the mountain, he was bare foot and weeping all the way. He wept because his son plotted to take his life and end all he had done. His trip took him through the graveyard where his grandson would later spend much time in prayer.

Application:
It is interesting to note that the Bible tells us that David went up into the Mount of Olives weeping and lamenting his situation. In an hour of desperation and facing a possible execution, he wept among the dead. The Mount of Olives was an olive grove, but many people were buried there over the centuries. It became known as a graveyard. Jesus spent many an hour on the Mount of Olives praying. The author of Hebrews wrote that Jesus often prayed with loud moans and crying. We can’t accurately say that these times of great anguish were on Mount Olivet, but we can be sure that there were times when he prayed there with great sorrow in his heart. In fact we know that the night of his arrest, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane under such stress and anguish that he sweated blood from his forehead. This garden is located at the base of Mount Olivet.

David had no foreknowledge that Jesus would spend countless hours praying on the mountain and doing so in great sorrow and with much weeping. Jesus knew David had gone there and cried over the plot to kill him because he witnessed it from heaven. We really don’t know why either man chose to grief among the dead on the Mount of Olives, but they did. This passage stuck out to me because of the fact that “father” and “son” chose the same spot to grieve on the very day their lives were threatened with death. 

So what can we take away from this verse? Do we learn that we should grieve among the dead? Do we learn to cover our heads and go barefoot when someone threatens our lives? Do we learn that the Mount of Olives is the choice place for suffering? No. We learn that it is okay to be sad and troubled when it seems bleak and pointless to live. David was threatened by his son; Jesus was threatened by his close friend. David didn’t know whether he would live or not; Jesus knew that he would overcome death. David lived in fear; Jesus lived in life knowing full well that his Father would raise him from the dead to glory once again. David ran for his life; Jesus stood still and offered his life for all. Both men faced death and grief and fear in their own way, but there is one example that we should follow  – Jesus.

David constantly cried out to God in his psalms about his fear of death and those who pursued him. Jesus cried out only once, at least what was recorded, that he didn’t want to face death, but he knew he had to complete his mission. David was a manic depressant and lived in fear continually. Jesus knew fear but didn’t let it rule his life. He ruled it instead. David trusted in God to deliver him, as did Jesus. Both men knew that in their hour of need there was only one to whom they could turn for deliverance – God the Father. We have to learn the same thing. When the world seems like it is closing in on us and makes life unbearable, we have to trust in God to see us through. If we persevere to the end and don’t give up on God, we will inherit eternal life and spend eternity with God. Hang in there. Put your trust in God. He will come through for you!

Prayer:
Father, recently I have run up against a brick wall and questioned many things in my life and even wondered if I would make it. Then in your sweet, gracious way you spoke to me LOUD AND CLEAR and let me know that there is a purpose for my life. You reaffirmed your call on my life and showed me that I am still in the palm of your hand. Life looked like it was going to swallow me up, and I came close to giving in. Some way, some how you extended grace to me and shored up the troubles in me and let me know that my feet are planted on the solid rock of Jesus. In this dark hour you were the only light for me. I hung on to the cross and clutched it with all my heart. I don’t like walking through the valley of the shadow of death, but like David and Jesus, I know that you will come through for me. So long as I trust in you, there is nothing that the enemy can do me. If he should take my life for the cause of the your kingdom, then I will have accomplished my mission of doing what you called me to do. Thank you for loving me and keeping me together. In Jesus’ name, Amen.