Gospel Reflections #1141: God will do everything necessary to protect us

2 Samuel 18:9 ‘When Absalom met one of David’s servants, he was riding a donkey; and as the donkey passed under the thick branches of a large oak tree, his head got caught in the tree, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth. The donkey he was riding simply carried on.’

This depicts a symbolic scene in which Absalom, the son who rebelled against King David, became entangled in the branches of an oak tree by his hair (head), leaving him suspended in mid-air and unable to move.

Absalom was widely praised throughout Israel for his striking good looks, and in particular, his ‘thick, beautiful hair’ was a symbol of his pride (arrogance).

However, whilst fleeing from David’s army, his prized hair (head) became entangled in the branches of an oak tree, turning into a trap that bound him. This illustrates the Bible’s warning that the things people take pride in (such as appearance, ability or wealth) when they forget God can sometimes lead to their ruin.

‘One who is hanged on a tree’ is regarded as one cursed by God.

The description of Absalom being ‘hung between heaven and earth’ visually expresses how he was abandoned by both heaven (God) and earth (the people), and placed in a state of isolation and helplessness, belonging to neither.

The ‘curse’—as retribution for rebelling against the anointed king appointed by God (his father David)—is emphasised.

The ‘mule’ he was riding was, at that time, a noble mount reserved for royalty.

However, the moment Absalom’s head became entangled in a tree, the mule abandoned him and galloped away.

This teaches us that human authority and status (the mule) are utterly useless in the face of a life-threatening crisis and will betray a person without a second thought.

After this, with Absalom unable to move, he met a gruesome end when Joab, David’s general, stabbed him in the heart, ignoring King David’s plea to ‘spare his life’. David, having lost his son, was plunged into deep and intense grief.

Although this is a tragic ending, it represents the ultimate fate of those who follow God and those who follow their own will.

If we, too, do not focus solely on escaping the difficulties before us, but choose—like David—to entrust even our own protection to God, He will do everything necessary to protect us.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.