1 Samuel 18 brings change for David and the people.
Verse 5Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

We see David's heart that did not kill Saul , give same the orders for his son that had done terrible things to him.

I know I have done things that broke God's heart and I am glad He has dealt gently with me. David has a forgiving heart unlike any we have seen. David is a complicated character and loves as hard as he fought in those battles.


Verse 9Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.

Interesting phrase “hanging between heaven and earth,” he was not dead yet. General Joab does this , verse 14Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.

David mourns when he hears about Absalom , during a time a great victory has just took place and the people want to celebrate. They have been chased for a long time and the chase just ended.

Verse 33 And as he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!”

Jesus suffered and died for us to have victory over death.
1 Corinthians 15:55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?

Twenty thousand died in this battle, we know killing a body has never killed the enemy. We are in a war over souls till the return of Jesus. Many lives where lost this week in America and around the world. David had a relationship with God and knew about life and death, David was not afraid to die.

Absalom was on the wrong side of this war and David knew that. There are only 2 sides and God wins this battle...
Suit up with the Armor of God, that is what David wore and what we are to wear.