born banished

I love the Old Testament. It's so full of rich history and amazing stories. I love how these stories reveal God's plan to redeem us through his son Jesus.

King David's son Absalom kills David's other son Amnon and Absalom flees. Over time David gets over mourning Amnon's death and begins to mourn Absalom's absence. David's friend and army commander Joab realizes this and devises a plan to bring Absalom back. He gets a woman (a wise woman from Tekoa according to 2 Samuel 14) to go to David and claim she has the same type of story (one son has killed the other). And the story is important because in those days someone accused of murder could be struck down on the spot by a dude with the job title of "Avenger of Blood". To stay away from this guy until you get a trial you had to run and make it to a city of refuge. You were banished.

So David finally realizes Joab put her up to this and agrees to let Joab go get Absalom and provide him safe passage back to Jerusalem. Check out this wise woman's words in 2 Samuel 14: ".......But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him." So way back then (and way before that) the plan was in place. God was revealing his nature of giving us safe passage back to him.

We are born banished from a kingdom. But the King is looking to adopt. And not just take us into a family. But to also make us heirs of the kingdom. Incredible.

The cross Jesus hung on is "so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him."

Are you ready for your inheritance?