We know God established David as king over Israel.
And Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.” 2 Samuel 15:21
2 Samuel 15 is the account of the beginning of the civil war that Absalom started against his father David.
The understatement of scripture and our own knowledge of how the events resolve strip David’s escape from Jerusalem of its desperation.
David was fleeing for his life.
But Ittai still called David the king.
And David would be the king until God said otherwise. (v. 25-26)
It didn’t matter that Absalom’s co-conspirator’s declared that Absalom was now the king.
It didn’t matter that Ahithophel and others defected to help Absalom.
It didn’t even matter that there were those in Israel who would have preferred Absalom to rule over them.
God established David as king.
If you are where God has established you,
You may face tremendous opposition and maybe open rebellion.
You may face abandonment and betrayal.
You may face wrenching sorrow and desperation.
But if you are where God has established you,
There are people like Ittai who are loyal.
There are wise friends.
There are those who will weep with you.
David knew that God had established him as king.
So David also knew the battle would come … but on God’s terms and not Absalom’s.
Just a few chapters later, it did.
If you are where God has established you, you may just be a chapter away, too.