As a newcomer, I just thought it was a parade. But something was wrong. The palace officials marching by seemed distraught. I silently watched as six hundred of the Royal Honour Guard passed by my house. If it started as a celebratory parade, something drastic must have happened in the meantime. His Majesty's bodyguards looked extremely nervous. Why were they leaving the city?
I strained my eyes, and sure enough, there was the King himself and his family walking with them. The King's shoulders were sagging. His head was down, and he tried to keep it covered. He kept wiping his eyes. He had no shoes on his feet. My heart was touched. Why such sorrow? Why was the King weeping?
My neighbours helped me with the answers. They told me about Prince Absalom, the King's son. What a tragedy! All I had ever heard about the King was incredible and amazing. We couldn't have had a better King. But I've been told his son was in total rebellion. Treacherously and deceitfully, he had plotted to overthrow his father. A coup was underway!
The King – a loving father, was fleeing a rebellious son. Little wonder he wept as he left Jerusalem and walked up the dusty road to the Mount of Olives. All were weeping.
And the King went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house…. And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by, and the King crossed the brook Kidron….. David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. 2Samuel 15:17-31
That was BC1023 when a father went to the Mount of Olives with tears, sorrow and much sadness. A loving father climbed the hill as he fled from a rebellious son. But just now, think of an Obedient Son walking up the same hill to draw near to a loving Father.
Some years later, a much smaller group left the same city, crossed the same brook Kidron and climbed the same hill. The year was AD33.
The hour was late; the night was dark. Eleven men, with their Leader, sang a hymn together and then, with heavy hearts, they left the Upper Room. They left the city. They, too, crossed over the Brook Kidron and climbed the Mount of Olives. They followed the trail into the Garden — yes, Gethsemane. The 33-year-old Leader spoke to eight of the men, and they stopped right there. Then He led the remaining three deeper into the Garden and asked them to sit and watch. Alone, He walked a little farther.
Watch Him kneel in the darkness. Now, He is lying flat with His face to the ground. Agony. Deep sorrow. Scalding tears. Blood-like sweat falling to the ground. Stricken with grief.
Why such sorrow? Why was this “King” weeping? Was He rejected, too?
Whatever could be happening on the Mount of Olives that night? Jesus was also a ‘Son.’ He was the obedient Son drawing near to His loving Father. And what was the occasion? He was anticipating the furious storm of suffering that would break loose upon Him the next day at Calvary. Listen to Him as He prays to His Father: “Not My will, but Yours be done.”
And why? On behalf of whom? Pause, dear child of God. Is your heart cold? Linger at Gethsemane and then at Calvary and let the thaw begin.
By way of the Cross, I have been placed as a son in the family of God. What kind of a child am I in God’s family? Am I like Prince Absalom – a bit rebellious, doing my own thing, taking my own way, causing grief? Or is my desire to be more like Christ – the Obedient Son who always pleased His Father? The Apostle Peter referred to ‘obedient children’ who abandoned their old life to live a life for God. (1 Peter 1:14)
As a Christian, is it my deeply-rooted desire and daily prayer that obedience will mark my life? Do I pray that God will give me help to quickly discern and judge and immediately confess any and all signs of rebellion in my thoughts and deep within my heart? Sadly, we know what kind of a child Absalom was. But as we ponder these things – really, what kind of a child am I in the family of God?
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons (children) of God.” 1John 3:1
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