The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness ... But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. 2 Samuel 15:23-30
When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it. John 18:1
The Kidron Valley, both David and Jesus crossed it, perhaps at the same place. I am amazed at the parallels – and one difference – between David's flight from Absalom and Jesus' last journey to the Garden of Gethsemane. They both were being betrayed by their own children. Both had been rejected as King by their people. Both crossed the Kidron Valley; both went up to the Mount of Olives1, both wept.
Another parallel: they both had to rein in their followers from fighting for them and shedding blood. David was cursed and pelted with stones by Shimei son of Gera, and Abishai, one of David's military leaders, wanted to cut off Shimei's head (2 Samuel 16:5-13).
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head." But the king said, "What does this have to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord said to him, 'Curse David,' who can ask, 'Why do you do this?'" … leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to." 2 Samuel 16:9-10, 11
In a parallel rejection, Jesus was not welcomed by the Samaritans on his final journey to Jerusalem and his followers wanted to call down fire from heaven and destroy them.
As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Luke 9:51-55
Jesus also put a stop to violence in the Garden of Gethsemane:
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" John 18:10-11
Both David and Jesus trusted their futures to God on their journeys of rejection, but – and here's the difference – while David was fleeing from his betrayer, Jesus was resolutely walking toward his. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" (John 18:4).
All this caused me to realize that we are all crossing over the Kidron Valley. Some of us are those throwing stones, rejecting Jesus as King and cursing him - and some are those following him. Some of us are those who zealously want to "pick up their swords" and punish those who curse. That seems like such a righteous response. But can we, instead, choose to be one who resolutely walks with him where he leads, blessing those who curse, doing good to those who hate us, and trusting that God knows what he is doing? We need his strength and transforming grace to drink the cup the Father has given us.
There is another parallel between David's journey and Jesus'. They were both accompanied by enemies. A "foreigner" or outsider accompanied David, Ittai the Gittite (2 Samuel 15:19-22). In fact, the people of the Gittite tribe had traditionally been enemies of David. The Gittites were the Philistine tribe of Goliath and his brothers whom David and his men had slain in battle. But Ittai had thrown in his lot with David - "As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!"
The "enemies" of Jesus also went up with him to the Garden.
For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Romans 5:10
That's us. We were all enemies of God, actually hostile to God, and continue to be, without the blood of Christ shed on the cross to make the way for us to come to the Father, without the power of the resurrection. Without the power of the Holy Spirit made available to us through Jesus' sacrificial death.
… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death … Philippians 3:10 (ESV)
Let us go with Him through the Kidron Valley. Let us keep on following to the foot of the cross. Let us receive the gift of grace that he died there to give, that we might be former enemies, and keep on following Him to the end.
As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!"
Come follow Jesus
1Mount of Olives and the Garden https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-of-Olives
Photo, Looking south along the Kidron valley, from Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Looking_south_along_the_Kidron_valley_%285765310939%29.jpg
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