Sermon Tone Analysis

, NIV - (10) Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, "As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, 'Absalom is king in Hebron.' " (11) Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom.

They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter.

(12) While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown.

And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom's following kept on increasing.

(13) A messenger came and told David, "The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom."

(14) Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come!

We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom.

We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword."

(15) The king's officials answered him, "Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses."

(16) The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace.

... (24) Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God.

They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

(25) Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back into the city.

If I find favor in the LORD's eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.

(26) But if he says, 'I am not pleased with you,' then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him."

(27) The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Do you understand?

Go back to the city with my blessing.

Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar's son Jonathan.

You and Abiathar return with your two sons.

(28) I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." (29) So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

(30) But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot.

All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up.

Then Absalom -

33 So Joab went to the king and told him this.

Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king.

And the king kissed Absalom.

15:1 In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.

2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate.

Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?”

He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”

3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”

4 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land!

Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.

6 Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

7 At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.

8 While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the LORD takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’

”

9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.”

So he went to Hebron.

Verse 6: Stole the hearts of the people of Israel

Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel:

Absalom’s cunning campaign worked.

He became more popular and more trusted than David.

i. Absalom knew exactly how to do this.

• He carefully cultivated an exciting, enticing image (chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him) and” Man of the People”

From what we know of Absalom we can guess that he really didn’t consider himself a “man of the people” at all.

He regularly acted as if he was above others and the laws that applied to others didn’t apply to him.

He knew he was better looking, better connected, better off, and had better political instincts than most anyone.

But these political instincts made Absalom know that he had to create the image of a man of the people.

ii.

In ancient Israel they were too easily impressed by image and too slow to see or appreciate the reality behind the image.

Since then, we are only more impressed by image over reality.

• He worked hard (Absalom would rise early)

• He knew where to position himself (beside the way to the gate)

• He looked for troubled people (anyone who had a lawsuit)

• He reached out to troubled people (Absalom would call to him)

• He reached out to troubled people (Absalom would call to him)

• He took a personal interest in the troubled person (What city are you from?)

• He sympathized with the person (your case is good and right)

• He never attacked David directly (no deputy of the king to hear you)

• He left the troubled person more troubled (no deputy of the king to hear you)

• Without directly attacking David, Absalom promised to do better (Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice)

The LORD hates these seven things:

eyes that show pride, tongues that tell lies, hands that kill innocent people,

hearts that plan evil things to do, feet that run to do evil,

witnesses in court who tell lies, and anyone who causes family members to fight.

David Flees

13 A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

14 Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come!

We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom.

We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

There does not appear any reason why such a person, in such circumstances, should not act on the defensive; at least till he should be fully satisfied of the real complexion of affairs.

- he appears to take all as coming from the hand of God; therefore, he humbles himself, weeps, goes barefoot, and covers his head!

He does not even hasten his departure, for the habit of mourners is not the habit of those who are flying before the face of their enemies.

15 The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”

16 The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace.

17 So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city.

18 All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.

19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us?

Go back and stay with King Absalom.

You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland.

20 You came only yesterday.

And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going?

Go back, and take your people with you.

May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”

21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.”

22 David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.”

So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.

23 The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by.

The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.

24 Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God.

They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

Priests still viewed David as the rightful King – They remained loyal.

25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city.

If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.

26 But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand? (You are a Seer) Go back to the city with my blessing.

Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan.

You and Abiathar return with your two sons.

28 I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.