“But [King David] covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, ‘O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!’ 2 Samuel 19:4

Absalom, like King Saul, had a kingly and charismatic appearance but a self-serving bent. He gradually began to see himself as a potential successor to his father’s throne and began gathering supporters among the northern tribes of Israel. It was his intention to raise an army, mount a rebellion against his father, and take over the throne. But in a battle with David’s armies, Absalom was killed, throwing David into an extended season of grief. Even though Absalom was his enemy, David loved him unconditionally, even at the time of his death. 

Loving an enemy unconditionally is the New Testament’s picture of our salvation. Even while we were God’s enemies, He sent Christ to die for us. Thank God today for His unconditional love.

“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” Romans 5:8

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.“ Romans 8:35

“God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5

GOD IS A RIGHTEOUS GOD AND HIS WRATH WILL BE POURED OUT ON AN UNREPENTANT WORLD

God poured out His wrath once before on an unrepentant world at the time of Noah’s Day and we know from Biblical prophecy that He will pour it out again in the not-too-distant future with the Trumpet (Revelation 8) and the Bowl (Revelation 16) judgements.

“But because of your hard and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” Romans 2:5