Absalom’s Hair-Raising End

Well, good morning. Good morning. For those of you that were an hour one must have you I guess. It's Ben's fault. We went too long. It's been stalled.

I'm sure.

alright, never fear

Even though we're starting late. We have too much music and too much sermon, so we'll be alright, we'll be able to.

To order in lunch and just stay we probably should think about that. There should be a rule if the pastor goes too long Rita should have to order lunch for us while we're here.

I know we have to Uber Eats it I think. Probably should be a service for that provided where they could click on if your preacher is preaching to you long, press this button and then food will arrive.

Well, we can pretend we're in the Philippines in the Philippines ever really worried about when they started or what they ended.

And since the Ross, he's made it we can start now. Good morning. Rossi's. Are beautiful songs called open up the heavens.

You're the worst.

your presence in this place

descending leg yesterday

Show us your glory.

But you sent me if we didn't do that. So go through the greeting time.

You know, we've been singing and speaking to some extent about Advent about the coming of our savior, which is the anticipation of it this time of year. It should continue to build not just among the retailers who are very excited. Not among School teachers who are very excited for a break.

You are ready to have time off. but especially

among the Believers to anticipate the celebration of Jesus birth. If we didn't have this we would have nothing. And we should allow that to flow over us and to fill us with gratitude and joy to make a deliberate Choice even in a reminder to be grateful and thankful for the advance. of our Christ coming death is arrested for this is the name of the song and it teaches and preaches at truth of our Salvation through Christ in Christ alone.

Grand Theft Auto

restaurants

Open heart.

Grand Theft Auto

You have me.

released from Match Game

you have been

Heaven has

is your

OMG

When did Tom Joyner?

And then a cool song. Every once in awhile, I think in my head that we're going to run out of things to think up. Then we're going to get to the end of creativity originality or artistic design and then there's another whole wave of things that The Human Condition is never seen. I don't mean to say there were infinite that I do think that our God has poured so much into his people that were unlikely to find the end of our abilities within our lifetime or the lifetimes it come and there will be this economy of creativity that will continue to pour out until God does return So take joy. When I when a great author writes a great piece and a new song comes out that resonates with your heart or innovation occurs that changes your life because that is a blessing from God himself. So we hear a song like that or something like this that works really well be grateful to God for the text and the creativity of his artist.

I was

I could attack.

Except when he died.

I could I could.

You know, I've been looking through I've had some students graduates in other to follow my Twitter feed which is remarkably boring education reform stuff unless you're into that but then once in a while I was there, so pop up on my feed and it's remarkable how many young talented relatively affluent American kids and young people are pining for someone to love them. They just want somebody to love them. It's real simple. Need and a desire that is expressed in social media is confused sometimes with physical affection. With so many times it is just as Cry of a person's heart that somebody loves him. We can't take for granted that our God loves us and we sing a song like Jesus Loves Me it affirms. The most bass need of humanity is met by Jesus Christ and that he loves us. As if Jesus loves you this morning.

Godspeed

Jesus loves me.

sing Hallelujah

Jesus loves me this I know. Florida bar

MP3 download

If you guys have a seat, and I've asked Alex and Seth to come up and light our Advent candle.

And they've got a special reading or two for you as well.

Good morning. Today we light the candle of joy and anticipation of Our Saviors arrival will be reading from Zephaniah 3 verses 14 through 17. Sing daughter Zion shout aloud Israel be glad and rejoice with all your heart daughter Jerusalem. The Lord has taken away your punishment. He has turned back your enemy the Lord the king of Israel is with you never again. Will you fear any harm on that day? They will say to Jerusalem. Do not fear Zion. Do not let your hands. Hang limp. The Lord your God is with you the mighty warrior who saves he will take great Delight in you in his love. He will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing

Philippians 4 4 through 9 rejoice in the lord always I will say it again Rejoice let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near us about a situation by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving let your requests to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ. Jesus, finally brothers and sisters. Whatever is true. Whatever is Noble whatever is right, whatever is pure whatever is lovely whatever is admirable is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me put it into practice and the God of Peace will be with you.

Thank you. Write family. Appreciate that.

All right. There's just so much good stuff in the Bible. Have you guys recognize that even a passage and not making a full meal out of it? And in today's experience could be much like going to Golden Corral for some of you when you walk in.

There's a lot there's a lot of opportunity on the buffet. There's a lot of opportunity in our passage today. So you're going to have to pay careful attention. I'm going to change it up just a little bit. And then I'm going to give you your main points before I get into the passage and I want you to be able to link what you hear in the passage to the main points now because I've given you the main points there. They are obviously the most important main points you can get out of the passage, right? Okay, thank you. Miss. Ma's. I'm glad you were listening. There. It is. Absolutely not nothing out for me. These were the things that I was cleaning. But even as I wrote These down I thought men is like 18 more really wonderful things. You can learn from that but these are going to be my point. And we'll get to those in just a moment, but beer be ready going to give you four points and then has written going to the passages if I make it through all three chapters. Yes. I said three chapters are 2nd Samuel that I've given my key to put up then you're going to have lots of material to link back to these four points and may be several more but I want to cover a lot of the a lot of the narrative a lot of this story. It's it's one of my favorite things to hear the stories in the Bible. I am a I love stories. I love epic Tales. I love battles. I love love stories and I like the bad guy getting it in the end. I like to hear house Justice is restored and the Bible is that kind of a narrative it is the ultimate epic story of all Humanity select individuals along the timeline of humanity and how we can relate to the guy that created Humanity. I love story. So I hope I hope you hang in there. You take good notes what God is saying to you not know what I'm saying? What God is saying to you as we look to more of this narrative today. We've been studying the sort of spinal third dish even if it's not chronologically the last third of David's life. It's towards the last part of his life. You have the the early days was it where he was called as a young man and through the conquest in the excitement of becoming who God has designed him to be you had his sort of placement in the perfect position where God wanted him to be and you saw the beginning of the Fulfillment of God's blessing on David and his family and his tribe and his nation and then we saw the destruction the fuse being lit on the destruction of David's Legacy, but I want to remind you to even in the middle of this God's will will be done, right? In other words extra point for you, no matter how hard you worked a mess up stuff. God can still work to your life. If you're God's people no matter how much Carnage and record you leaving your pathway. God will take care of his business. He will operate in his perfect will or he will operate in his permissive will thank God for his grace, but he will operate in his will. Aren't you glad aren't you glad we don't have a guy that can be diverted by our sin from achieving his ends. Aren't you? Glad that we don't have a guy that can be diverted by our goofy ideas about how our lives going to be run. He will still see his will done. We will see that in the course of David's life despite this last third where he worked diligently. It seems to destroy everything that God intended for him. And for his kingdom I last week we saw the deception of Absalom who was Absalom

It's not how many sons did he have?

The number is a lot. So that's where we have several that are named. How many daughters did he have? We know he's only one that's named. Right and Absalom is fall came and direct relation to what occurred with his sister Tamar ready to go to remember the story. How can you not remember the story? What are horrific story to have in your heads now, right? Amnon a brother to Tamar half brother to brother brother to Absalom raped his own sister and it began to unravel the family from the inside out in for two years Absalom sat on this with his anger building until finally Whitaker.

He killed his brother, right? He killed his brother was eventually restored. To a relationship with his father is a king, but it was incremental. He he was in sort of wisely determined self-exile and then he comes back and once he's back he still isn't permitted to speak to King David or go to his presence. But he wanted to get back into the good graces with the king or at least back into proximity with the King until he eventually even worms his way back into the household. Over the next four years after he's done that Absalom then begins to build his own capacity. What was he building capacity for a coup, right? He developed a way of speaking to the people at the gates of the city that endeared their hearts to him. He was an incredibly attractive and charismatic figure. He was spare an appearance. The Bible says no blemish and what kind of hair does he have? Good hair everybody wanted his hairy. He shaved it off once a year and it weighed over 5 pounds. That's a lot of hair. That's a lot of hair. He was Insidious in the way. He won the hearts of his people and he was intentional away. He built his capacity to overtake the throne. He would go about town with 50 men and their regalia on Horseback and he was just sort of go through town as a young prince that he was until the day he decided it was time. It was time to take over the kingdom. What happened? How did he do that?

He said when I tell you the time is right you announce from these places throughout the kingdom Absalom is now the king. Word got back to David through his trusted advisers that Absalom was about to 2 to take this coup and move forward. You can dismiss.

It's not anymore.

Even though he wanted he wanted just the right moment for the Cuda take place David hears about the coup in David hears about the coup about the half. And what does he do? He leaves he says if we get engaged in this massive Civil War, they will be tremendous Bloodshed. So I'm going to take all those that are loyal to me mostly from Judah and we are going to leave and leave mostly Israel enthroned in this area of Jerusalem, and they fled Into the Wilderness along the way he he had some interaction with some people some people that would would later proved right to be instrumental in his restoration to the throne. In fact, he sent the two sons of the priest back to inform on on Absalom to David. He defended advisor back it would speak with speak to Absalom wouldn't speak truth to absolutely speak truth in the David about what album was doing. He sent the Ark of the Covenant back into Jerusalem. No, David was conflicted. It seems I'd only hear of it later on about whether or not he even deserve to be able to go back into leadership David seems to communicate on a number of occasions. This may very well be God's judgment on me for my sins. And who am I to say God is wrong. But he still left he went into the Wilderness and we going to pick up with these kind of Four Points as we look into this further narrative. First of all, a person's true colors are often revealed under duress. A person's true loyalties True Heart are revealed when the pressure is high sometimes in our relationships with people. We think we know them but we really find out some times that we don't know them because when the pressure increases and when the chips are down we find out who they really are. Look for those examples in today's narrative. Number two Heroes aligned with the truth. No matter the perceived our actual cost Heroes real heroes real women and men of righteousness before God's will always align with the truth. No matter how much it cost them or how much they think it will cost them. And we'll see examples of that as well number 3 that's sewn Justice often in the form of kindness will always yield an eventual Harvey Stone Justice frequently in the form of kindness or Mercy will yield a harvest eventually? And finally Justice will rise. Justice will rise and we'll always be served. And it won't be pretty. And it won't be pretty we know when the end of time this occurs. We know that in our own time this occurs and we know in these past time it did occur that Justice will be served. Our God is of course a god of perfect justice. So for those of us that sometimes wonder if the scales will ever be balanced they will be and then some And for those who are not on the side of Justice where they should be it will be a horrific payment. They will come do on that day.

Today's narrative will show the end of Absalom in the culmination of the Civil War in the Kingdom of Israel. If we get through it all all of the Bloodshed and suffering following again that fuse being lit in Davis decision and his relationship to buy Sheba. Let's Dive Right In. 2nd Samuel first one Chapter 16 when David had gone a short distance Beyond The Summit. There was ziba Steward of mephibosheth waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkey saddled and loaded with 200 loads of bread a hundred cakes of raisins a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine who is ziba the steward of mephibosheth.

Air1 folk, I know you guys have been there you remember.

Jonathan who Jonathan Davis best friend and the son of Saul so this is Saul's grandsons chief steward. We got it. Now, we're going to learn right off the bat that he may not be all he appears to be and when there is chaos and turmoil in the Kingdom's people are all playing this chess game simultaneously like what is my next best move? Who should I be aligning with who should I follow in this chaos? I've got to make a place if I don't make a place. I'm going to be dead. If I'm going to make that I can write play. I'm going to benefit and people are always making this calculation. We do this if we're not careful and we make the calculation of what we think will benefit us not know. What is the right thing to do and I want you to understand that the right thing is always the right thing. It's always the right thing. Even if it does not seem to preserve you or pay off in the end. It is always the right thing our friend Judy. What are we saying? I just do the right thing. Is aggravate the heck out of me when she would say that because when she would say that whatever it was we were contending with some become clear to me do the right thing. The right thing is always always available to us with the Holy Spirit within what does viva bring these gifts to David and the King asks Zeba the obvious question, but the most important question. Why with me what is your motivation? Why have you brought these are zebra answered the donkeys are for the king's household to ride on the bread and fruit or for the men to eat. And the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the wilderness not why did you bring these things? Why did you bring the thing? He answered the wrong question. They did ask the right question.

The king that asked where is your Masters grandson trying to get a little closer to the truth? Who is the grandson? Mephibosheth. Why is he still around? He should have been dead. You know what happened when somebody's conquered a king that was trying to kill him. What did you do with all the king's descendants? You got to get rid of them. They will come back to bite you on the butt David sees this with another whole chapter two comes on later on. I think it's in First Kings where there's another whole group of people have been oppressed by Saul's people and the only way they can make it right as to get them 7 of 7 2 7 of Saul's descendants 2 kill on the hill at the store when I get there today. But he was he was somebody that could have been dangerous.

He was laying he was crippled, right? How do you get crippled by anybody? Remember that story?

Nurse was fleeing with him because what happened?

Solid falling right solid been declared dead in battle. So they knew what was about to happen. They gathered up everything. They could the nurse May grab mephibosheth running out drop the kitty gets crippled.

This tragedy on tragedy here, right? But because of his crippled nature, he probably slipped under the radar until David was later trying to find someone to bless in Jonathan's name. Is it is there anybody left who they said? What and what did David do with

Meto Val, this is critical because we'll come back to this later made a valve to what? To restore him right to restore him and put him at his table. And for the rest of his days mephibosheth would be welcome at or actually at the king's table. So this is all of that back door, by the way. If you just read a little past it's like that you don't have all this back story doesn't make sense. Right? It's just a thin veneer. You don't even understand the story until you get into it and it's so much more of it that I can't possibly government ziba mephibosheth. Chief steward is now here and David said where is mephibosheth? Didn't answer. See me today. The Israelites will restore me to my grandfather's Kingdom.

Abused you know right now what's going on with that actually true is lying. He's playing both sides against the middle fact. He's trying to set my favorite shut up for a fall and he's trying to get himself in good graces with David. Then the king said Jay-Z Vol that belong to a reaction to this is not true because I don't know why I didn't cut off Zebra's Head at that point, but he doesn't but anyway, we'll talk about that in a bit. I humbly bow zebra says, may I find favor In Your Eyes by Lorde the kynge, so you can begin to see people's true character coming out under pressure. You can see zebras example, you can see David's character as well. Now we're going to see another character who will come back and his behavior are going to be quite clear what he does now and then his behaviors later or explain to this as King David approached by here room a man from the same plan as Sol's family came out from there. His name was shimei son of Gera and he cursed as he came out. So this guy belongs to what family? Saul family he sees David on the run and what is he thinking?

About time that guy got his dude. I've been waiting a long time to say this and he came out cursing. He loses his and all the kings officials with stones the all the troops in a special guards were on David's right and left as he cursed to Mason. Get out. Get out of you murder your scoundrel. The Lord is repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul and whose place you have rain for the Lord is giving the kingdoms of the hands of your son Absalom you come to run to ruin because you're a murderer episode is a bad dude. I wish I was one of the nephews of David.

Joab, you're going to find her a lot more about joab. These are very very important characters young Joe abs and abishai Witcher. David's sister's kids. They got that like 23andMe Old Testament style. They're related to David there. Nothing their families, right? And if this makes them since we're going to try to figure out why people act the way they do and when you see their position both biologically and politically to David it makes some sense later on we understand who he is. By the way. This is a tough dude. He is later on we won't get to this but he was in charge of one of the three groups of David's Mighty Men. At one point it says that he held off 300 guy by himself and then ran them through with a spear. This is a warrior haven't I done play and he's the nice one of the brothers from what I can tell you are off the charts like aggressive. He yells at Kings and he kills people and I mean this is abishai and joab as this.

Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the king. Let me go over there and cut off his head. Which I would think if I'm David is a good idea. I would let that Pitbull off his chain. This guy is throwing rocks at my guys were running we are tired. He is telling us with words and was still the king of guys are apparently blocking stones and rocks and their just it doesn't say he brought all his men with him. It's one dude oppressing the king of Israel. Every time I said, let me go take care of this dead dog. What does this have to do with you? Sons of Zorua is he cursing me? Because the Lord said to him curse David who can ask? Why do you do this? Davidson said the abishai in all his officials my son my own flesh and blood is trying to kill me how much more than this benjamites leave him alone. Let him curse for the Lord is told into it may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore me to his Covenant blessing instead of his curse today. Again. David is struggling with this idea. This is what I deserve. I deserve the death of my son to Bass Shiva. I deserve to be thrown by my son. I even deserve to have my daughter raped by my son and my son murdered all of this is my due for my behavior.

Interesting quandary that David finds himself in if you come from a position of having sinned and degraded the name of God, it's very difficult for you to declare right and wrong from that position and David was struggling. David told his people when I going to kill him. Maybe he's right in what he saying.

So David and his men continued along the road while she may was going along the hillside opposite him cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt. The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted and there he refreshed himself. This is the first of many sorts of decisions that the people of the men of David would put a question. Why is the king doing this? A king in his right mind and right heart would do these thing and David was often struggling to know if his motivation was right or if he deserved what it was he was struggling many times to place the right thing in his mind and heart when he was in with his sons for example, and we'll see that later on as well. Will the Intrigue build back in Jerusalem. Meanwhile Absalom? And all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem and it was with him. Then who's got the archive David's Confidant went to Absalom instead long live the king long live the king. Remember where we heard who shot his last name last.

A chapter or two ago as David and his people are leaving they find who shot the archive on top of the hill you remember what condition he was in?

He has torn his robes and covered himself with dirt as if you were morning and said David I'm coming with you and David said no, I need you to what? I need you to go back in the clear your loyalty to Absalom. And be my man on the inside as a big ass, right because everybody knows why was it a little research? This is one of David's truly most trusted confidant. And for him to go back into Jerusalem exhibit is not only obedience, but bravery and this is this is Absalom question. Why are you here? Why didn't you go with David? Absalom set himself. Is this the love you show for your friend if he's your friend? Why didn't you go with him? And who she said to Absalom know the one chosen by the Lord by these people in my all the minute Israel his will I be and I will remain with him further. Who should i serve should I not serve the sun just as I serve the father, so I will serve you. Absalom said to I had to feel I'm going to continue to say his name differently. Every time I told you this is some point I'll get it correct, but we won't know. Now, who is this guy?

Was that an advisor? What did David praise specifically about his advice? That would stink. Right God. Please confuse the mind of this advisor because this guy is really really really good. He literally had the ears of Kings when he would say it. It'll say just a moment it is as if his advice came directly from God. And so stop Absalom turns and asks him what he thinks we should do what he thinks he should do about who shot. Add a hit the field said sleep with your father's concubines who he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel hear that you made yourself of noxious to your father and the hands of everyone with you will be more Resolute. So they pitched the tent for Absalom on the roof and he slept with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. This is Hardball. This is as. Clear as anyone needs to see the picture laid out.

The adviser said you need to draw this line in the sand in such an indelible way that there can be no question among anyone what you have done and what you're asking them to do. Remember David left 10 concubines 10 of his common-law wives in the talus to care for it to keep everything going. Well even gone. You have to remember what Nathan the prophet said Whitaker remember that? That this exact thing would happen something so audacious and so disgusting the daily probably had difficulty believing that it would occur and yet almost verbatim. This is what occur the evil advice of the king's counselor told absolute to perform this incredibly heinous acts to re-season women on the roof of his father's house. And he did it it said inside of all Israel.

Domino's Daisy advice I hit the pill gay was like that of one who inquires of God. That is how both David and Absalom regarded at all. What is it by? It says Absalom, I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. I would attack him while he is weary and weak I would strike him with Terror and then all the people with him wolf leave. I would strike down only the king and bring all the people back to you the death of the man. You seek will mean the return of all all the people will be unharmed this plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the Elders of Israel. So this particular case he gives some very wise counsel. He says what you need is to take a very small highly trained with small 12000 mobile Sports and your One mission is to kill David. Basically, it means if you need to expend all 12000 of these guys to kill one man. It's what you need to do. When you take out David after the statement you've made with his wives. All of Israel will be yours. Nobody else has to be killed. No, remember who else is there? Absalom says summon also bushati archive so we can hear what he has to say. Remember who is what position did he hold previously?

Advisor to the king write the most significant advisor Absalom is trying to figure out what the best move would be and this man placed in the position for such a time as this responds in the following way. Who's that replied to Absalom?

Number 7 has given is not good this time, you know your father and his men they are Fighters and as Fierce as a wild bear robbed of her Cubs besides your father is an experienced fighter. He will not spend the night with a troop even now he is sitting in a cave or some other place if he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say there's been a Slaughter among the troops to follow Absalom. Then even the bravest soldier whose heart is like the Heart of a Lion will melt with fear for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and if those are with Him arbre Absalom has these two competing pieces of advice very powerful very compelling. He thinks about this for a bit and who she goes on to say this. So I advise you that all Israel from Dan to Beersheba as numerous as the sand on the seashore be gathered to you with you yourself leading them into battle. I think keep component here with you yourself leading them in the battle. Then we will attack him wherever he may be found and we will fall on him a zoo settles on the ground. Neither. He nor any of his men will be left alive if he would drawers into a city then all Israel will bring ropes to that City. We will drag it down to the valley until not so much as a pebble is left.

the Bible says that Absalom And all the men of Israel said the advice of the archive is better than that of a hit than that of ahithophel for the Lord has determined to frustrate the good advice about NFL in order to bring disaster on Absalom. I'm going to be glad when he dies and I'll just his name again. It's going to happen in a couple of guys that are sent one says you sent a small surgical Strike Force to take out the head. King David the other says now you take everybody including the head of the opposition. This is key Absalom. You should be leading this punch. You should take these men out into battle and you should fall on him like do falls on the ground and wherever he goes, we will annihilate him if he holds up in the city, we will pull that City down until there is not a stone remaining on a stone and he got these Men of War fired up. Cuz everybody want to have a piece of this action and Absalom at his man card out in question because in the in the former idea Absalom was going to stay in the palace while his soldiers went out. But if this idea he would be a part of the Conquering forced to eliminate his father. So the guy thought about that. And I Know It appeal to their testosterone and their masculinity and their Warrior spirit because now everybody gets to go. And this was a course. The Trap that was being set for them. Absalom in all the men of Israel said the advice of who shot. The archive is better than that of a hit the fell for the Lord had determined to frustrate to get advice and 15 or zadok and Avatar the priest I hit the fellas advise Absalom in the Elders of Israel to do such and such but I've advised him to do so and so he just said I told him yada yada and then they said yada yada and then we moved on but it was a way of the writer saying we went through all this and this is where they are now send a messenger at once and tell David do not spend the night at the Fords in the wilderness cross over without fail or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up. He was in Athens giving David enough time to embed himself into a safer area so that he wouldn't be overwhelmed by the support. She said you got to go now Jonathan and I were staying and AndroGel. A female servant was to go inform them and they were to go in till King day before they could not risk being seen entering the city. You see those two guys were the sons of the priest so that the precinct gone back with the ark and their sons to also be men on the inside. So David will have somebody to convey messages like this back and forth. All of this is working out quite beautifully in a female servant wouldn't talk to them and they had to stay undercover. But in the midst of this another little bit of intrigue and verse 18 a young man saw them and told Absalom, this is like a movie of the week. It is action packed. This guy goes back to Absalom absences those two spies. We got to go find them and they send men out to get them right now.

Tell the truth and let it once I went to the house of a man in bahurim. He had a well in his Courtyard they climb down into it. His wife took a covering and spread it out of the opening of the well and Scattered rain over didn't know and no one knew anything about it. When Absalom is men came to the woman that house a square RI Paws and Jonathan a woman answer they crossed over the Brooks and then searched but found no one and they returned to Jerusalem after they had gone to climbed up out of the well went to inform the King David and they said to him set out and cross the river at once. I hit the felt as if I such and such a Guinness you so David and all the people with him set out and cross the Jordan by Daybreak. No one was left but not crossed the Jordan when I hit the foul saw his advice and not been followed. He saddle up his donkey and set up for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father's to me make this stuff up. You know, that's true. You can't make this stuff up. The detail is absolutely interesting like individuals trajectories are clearly Human Condition pieces not Something that somebody made up in their fictional story line. They don't fit together that neatly everything is quite beautifully crafted around human nature and God's will. We have time to get to absalom's death. Let's continue on David went to man a man named and Absalom cross. The Jordan was all the men of Israel Absalom had a point in a Mazda over the Army in place of joab Kumasi was the son of the jester and ishmaelites would marry Abigail the daughter of May has his sister and mother of Joe at this is all such a pain to put kind of mixed matched, you know, Abigail was

I think it's the same Abigail is it or not? I believe it's the same Abigail if it's not correctly on this Abigail was David. second one and she was the wife of a kind of evil overbearing guy was that

oh, I couldn't hear you. Naboth neighbors. Her husband was an evil overbearing guy. He ends up getting killed and David marries her to take care of her. I think it's the same every year.

Absalom reporte de Masa / joab to sort of King of the armies before and now he was demoted or moved aside when they came to Manheim show by Sanam nahash from re-bath of the am and I said make your son of Mi out of lodebar and barzilai that Gilead from a helium brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley flour and roasted green beans and lentils honey, encouraged sheep and cheese from cow's milk for David and his people to eat for they said the people that become exhausted and hungry and thirsty in their Wilderness. So when they came to this town at a place where David was going to build a stronghold, how was he received by the people there?

He was well-received, right? How could the people have received him? They knew what was going on all throughout the kingdom absolute have been declared King. They'd heard that Absalom had done with David's concubines on the roof and view of everyone.

They could have turned on David these guys were exhausted from traveling. So this is again that that moment that we see when the chips are down when the pressure is greatest the true colors of people in March set example of that David must have just men who were with him in a point over them commanders of thousands and commanders 100 Davidson had his troops 1/3 into the command of joab 1/3 under joab's brother abishai and the third under eatthai to get tight.

Where do we hear from him last?

He was loyal to David Wright. David is fleeing Jerusalem. And this guy says I'm with you and David says now you just got here, right? If you stay here, you'll be treated fairly if you come with me, you can get wiped out and he said me and all of my household are with you and they packed up and left put themselves into Exile again, a perfect example of those who are loyal proving their loyalty and now it's coming back to benefit David knows who he can trust. He takes joab and abishai these like crazy tough military leading brothers. And then this non-jew this get tight. And put them in charge of 1/3 as this could not have happened. By the way, this organization of David's men. If a force of 12000 Rapid Strike Force have been sent out to get him. But because all of the nation of Israel is being gathered together to come out after him David has time to get his men in order all apart of God's plan. It's time to refresh and build into a fortress and organize his minutes prepare them for battle. He was a warrior king he knew what he needed to be doing. It was doing it. So the king told the truth. I myself will surely March out with you. But the men said you must not go if we are forced to flee they will care about us you have half of us die. They won't care but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better for you now is to give us support from the city and the King answered and then usually right fashion for David. I will do whatever seems best to you when you play chess. When you play chess, what is the ultimate goal of the chess game? The Checkmate and take the King right that you can't Checkmate anyone else. If at the end of the game Victor and I are playing and I have taken every one of Victor's pieces except for his King and he's taken none of my pieces except for my king who Victor win these guys knew this They know we've got to keep the king out of the conflict. David is being kept in the stronghold while he Marshalls is mean to go out to do battle for the king Stood Beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and thousands the king commanded joab abishai and eat. I be gentle with a young man Absalom from my sink. David but I get it right that's his son. That's his son.

Be gentle with a young man absence for my how can you be gentle he's murdered. His brother is overtaken. The King of Thieves raped the women of your Palace. He intends to kill you to be gentle with my son Absalom for my sake and it says that he he said this in front of the all the troops heard the King give you orders concerning Absalom. The commander says each of these units came out. He said be gentle was Absalom be gentle with Absol be gentle was Absalom Absalom David Tommy Martell the city to fight Israel in the battle take place in the forest of Ephraim. We know that this was a Battleground literally chosen by David's people not by absolute people. It was a setup from day one. They had fewer forces, but they were fighting with better forces and an advantage that they establish they knew exactly where they wanted to meet him on feet on the field of battle. They're Israel's troops were routed by David's men and the casualties that they were great 20,000 men the battle spread over the whole Countryside in the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword. The forest would have been full of Hazards and animals and and pits and all kinds of things. I gained an advantage for David's men. The Absalom happened to me David's men 4th in his face create is chaos. It was an organized absolon happened to me David meant he was riding his mule and it's a new one under the thick branches of a large Oak absalom's hair got caught in the tree and he was left hanging in midair while the mule he was riding kept on going. Everybody can see this, right? This was one of the few kind of Sunday school stories that we got to read. It was kind of graphic like this, but I remember thinking I mean I can see this happening. He's he's running or his mules running away because he just running to David truth. He is fleeing he goes under the tree and the tree gets in by that beautiful head of hair by his pride and joy catches him rip them off of the mule and he's left. They're trying to get out of a can't do it.