V.1-5 David makes his plans.
V.6-18 The climax arrives. Absalom who was such a tricky, vain and wicked man, dies by hanging on a tree; his head (his intelligence) caught in the branches. We might be wondering why God gives us all these details. What do they mean? If you will look on your chart (“C, D, E”) you will see the period of time called the “tribulation.” It takes place just after all the believers in the Lord Jesus will be caught up suddenly to heaven (maybe today!). Then a man will appear on earth in Israel who will claim to be the “Messiah” (2 Thess. 2:7-10). He will be allowed by God to “steal” the hearts of millions of people by deceiving them into thinking that he is the promised One. Then he will suddenly change and announce he is against God. He is the “Antichrist” (1 John 2:18; 4:3) the Lord Jesus will cast him alive into hell (Rev. 19:20). There he is called the “false prophet.” “E” on chart.
So now we can better understand that Absalom is a picture of this man.
V.33 Whether David should have felt the way he did, is doubtful. The Lord had brought punishment on Absalom, and probably he should have been thinking God’s thoughts more. Nevertheless, it shows us David’s tenderness.