    Even with the end of Absalom’s rebellion, the problems for David and for Israel were not over. Certainly, the elders of Israel were hesitant to ask David to return to Jerusalem, likely afraid that he would punish them for their part in the rebellion so recently ended. Yet, David had a different view of events. He understood the nature of the rebellion and sought to return Israel to its former state, secure within its borders and at peace with itself.
    In a way, David’s desire to reunite Israel was much like God’s desire to unite all of us to Him. It is God’s desire that all me be saved, and to that end He sent His own Son to die for all of our sins, thereby eliminating the barrier between us and Heaven. Though faith, we realize that barrier is gone, allowing us to set ourselves firmly on the road to Heaven as much as David set himself firmly on the road to Jerusalem.
DLH
