Crossing The Kidron Valley

CROSSING THE KIDRON VALLEY

"13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” 14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.......

"23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness." 2 Samuel 15:13-14; 23.

King David’s heart was broken and sore as a result of Absalom's betrayal. The young man was not content with being a crown prince. He wanted so much to be Israel's King. So he led a coup to take over his father's throne. To worsen David's woes, Ahithophel, who had been David's close friend and chief counselor, deserted him and joined forces with Absalom. The betrayal genuinely hurt David; he described his feelings in Psalm 41 verse 9: "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me." In order to avoid bloodshed, David was forced to flee. He abdicated his throne and ran out of his city. As he flees Jerusalem, David walked across the Kidron valley with a small group of loyal followers and made his way up the Mount of Olives, barefoot and weeping as he went.

Have you ever experienced the pain of betrayal? Has your trust been broken and violated by those close to you? If so, you’re not alone. We've all been there. Everyone has had to deal with betrayal. It could be from a co-worker, a boss, a pastor, a friend, a parent, siblings, a child, or a spouse. Betrayal is disloyalty. It is to be unfaithful. Betrayal is the breaking of an agreement. It is a violation of a relationship. Betrayal is to lead astray, deceive, seduce and then abandon. It is to be harmed by the intentional actions of a trusted friend. Betrayal destroys the foundation of trust. It is violation of confidence by someone close to you. Betrayal is learning someone you thought was with you is actually working against you. You share your most intimate thoughts and secrets with them. They know you better than anyone else. Yet they've betrayed you. Betrayal affect you mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Betrayal hurts! It creates deep wounds in the soul.

"1 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. 2 And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples." John 18:1-2.

Jesus understood the pain of betrayal. He was betrayed by one of His closest associates. Judas walked with Jesus for three years. Yet he joined the enemy in their evil plot to humiliate and crucify His Lord. Judas ate bread with Jesus, yet he betrayed Him with a kiss. Judas heard all the life changing teachings of Jesus, yet he betrayed the Savior. He did not value the relationship he had with Jesus. Judas betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. That betrayal led to a painful and humiliating death on the Cross. But it was not the end! Jesus overcame death and resurrected. And He is coming again.

THE BROOK VALLEY:

Both David and the Lord Jesus were betrayed by those closest to them. And they passed through the Kidron valley.

So, what's the Kidron valley. The Kidron valley is a valley between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives. It is in the Kidron valley that the Levites dumped the unclean things they found in the Temple. "Then the priests went into the inner part of the house of the Lord to cleanse it, and brought out all the debris that they found in the temple of the Lord to the court of the house of the Lord. And the Levites took it out and carried it to the Brook Kidron." 2 Chronicles 29:16. The Kidron valley was a burial ground. It was a place of death! At the Kidron valley, the false idols of Israel were destroyed. thus representing a temporary cessation of idolatry in Israel. 1 King 15:13; 2 Kings 23:4-12; and 2 Chronicles 30:14. After Absalom seized the throne by force, David was forced to flee over the brook of Kidron. Figuratively this was a symbol of the temporary end of David’s reign. But he later reclaimed his throne! The Kidron valley was the epitome of filth, refuse, decay and waste. It is a place of weeping and sorrow. "And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:44. Jesus crossed the Kidron to go pray in Gethsemane, a garden in Kidron valley, where he was ultimately arrested. John 18:1-11.