Gtcotr/ws061015
Absalom
had a rebellious heart and a treasonous intent. For him to succeed in
his self promotion attempt he needed two groups of supporters:
Two
groups needed for every rebellion -
- Those who know what they are doing and have reasons why they participate
- They did not like something about David
- They were promised prosperity, power or position by Absalom
- They wanted to be the ruler themselves
- These are used as leaders for the rebellion to draw innocents
- Many worship a rising sun expecting something from it which a setting sun does not promise … only setting suns reveals rising stars.
- Those who do not know what they are doing but can be swayed to support
- The innocents who would be used to legitimize the rebellion
- People who wanted nothing and had nothing to gain
- Those who recognized no difference between Absalom & David
- These are not the brightest people in the group and are used as pawns by the leaders of the rebellion
In
order for the whole thing to work these two groups had to be unified.
There had to be a common bonding experience of such magnitude that
it transcended initial concern, overwhelmed opposition and demanded
unquestioned support. In order to unify these two groups Absalom
needed a noble cause and must appear to be chosen instead of self
promoting. To accomplish this magic trick – welcome to the stage:
Ahithophel, a well known public figure who is a recognized former
high counsel of King David.
Ahithophel
will legitimize the rebellious effort and give it a certain high
quality sense about it all but how will we solidify and unify the
masses of innocents and get them to support the takeover? Brilliant
strategy – a strategy that has been used through the ages and is
still in use today! “Let’s pray and offer sacrifice and involve
God in our rebellion.” – In fact, let’s make God the head of it
all and then the people will not dare withhold support – if only we
can make them believe that God is running this show!
2
Samuel 15
10
Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying,
"As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall
say, ’Absalom reigns in Hebron!’"
11
And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and
they went along innocently and did not know anything.
12
Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor,
from his city — from Giloh — while he offered
sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with
Absalom continually increased in number.
There
was no devotion to God in these sacrifices. Prayer was but a pretense
to infuse a god aroma into the plan, like spice sprinkled on a
spoiled truffle in attempts to fool the innocent and undiscerning –
it’s only Smoke
and Mirrors!
Absalom is a charismatic charmer who flattered his way into the
hearts of these innocent and unsuspecting people. If he had been
straightforward and honest with them, no one would have followed.
Ahithophel,
the grandfather of Bathsheba as some say, was Prime Minister of
Israel and a very opinionated man. He could not stand it when the
King did not take his advice over everyone else’s. He was prideful
and arrogant and believed he was wiser and smarter than everyone
else. This attitude had put him at odds with King David and
Ahithophel decided it was time to change his support and back a
younger man who he thought he could control. All of this was behind
the scenes … nonetheless without Ahithophel and his advice Absalom
would never have made it. Ahithophel did not realize that this young
Absalom was using him to gain credibility and legitimize the
takeover. Absalom never intended on becoming Ahithophel’s puppet …
and neither of them realized that they were both driving on dead end
streets.
Sure
this team looked good and could draw a crowd and gather support by
making the takeover look like God’s idea, however time has a way of
dealing with deception and in just a little while these two leaders,
King Absalom and would be king maker, Prime Minister Ahithophel,
would both be dead. Maybe God wasn’t the one responsible for this
treason!!!
However,
during the mean time things looked pretty bad and got pretty bad for
King David and his family and followers. David did not want to go to
war with his son or have to harm him or those innocent supporters of
Absalom. David was a man after God’s own heart and his godly heart
broke because of this split. Nonetheless David could not give up the
crown God had given him … what could he do?
Although
our lesson is not about King David but rather about his son Absalom,
it behooves us to at least read the account of this man chosen by God
to shepherd His children: David maintains an unselfish and
magnanimous spirit towards others throughout this whole unfortunate
event. David did not want to see the city or nation divided or the
people hurt. Absalom however only wanted to be king at any cost. God
allowed it but did not support it … however people did and the
numbers grew.
2
Samuel 15
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."
15
And the king’s servants said to the king, "We are
your servants, ready
to do
whatever my lord the king commands."
16
Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the
king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
17
And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at
the outskirts.
18
Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites,
all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had
followed him from Gath, passed before the king.
19
Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why are you also
going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are
a foreigner and also an exile from your own place.
20
"In fact, you came only
yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since
I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and
truth be
with you."
21
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."
22
So David said to Ittai, "Go, and cross over." Then Ittai
the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were
with him crossed over.
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.
24
¶ There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the
ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and
Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from
the city.
25
Then the king said to Zadok, "Carry the ark of God back into
the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me
back and show me both
it and His dwelling place.
26
"But if He says thus: ’I have no delight in you,’ here I
am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him."
27
The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Are
you not
a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you,
Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.
28
"See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word
comes from you to inform me."
29
Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to
Jerusalem. And they remained there.
30
So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount
of
Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went
barefoot. And all the people who were
with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.
David’s
Prayer:
31
Then someone
told David, saying, "Ahithophel is
among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O
LORD, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!"
As I
said earlier, this lesson is not about King David, although he
figures heavily into the stories of all of his sons and none more
than Absalom. However, the account God had chosen to give us of this
event calls it a conspiracy. What is a conspiracy? This one was smoke
and mirrors …
When
one person decides they are going to self promote or that they
deserve more or better or something God that has given to others, the
act on their part to involve others in their decision is a
conspiracy. This rebellion, as with any rebellion, began with one
person and spread from there. Perhaps there were no initial
intentions to divide the kingdom or kill the king but conspiracies
evolve and grow with each new person added to the group. Sometimes
conspiracies get out of hand and go beyond mere disgruntled talk and
end up dividing families and destroying lives.
But …
if God be for you, then who can be against you! And if God is not …
He needs no help in removing you from planet earth!
What
can we learn from these things?
- God does not commit to a man’s charisma
- God is not impressed with numbers
- God does not divide His Kingdom
- God does not support everything He allows
- We need to keep a humble heart and keep our future in God’s hands
