Absalom's Rebellion
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In the book of Samuel (one book that was split later in history into 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel), we get a glimpse of what God intended for his people.
God’s promise to Abraham —> he will be the father of many nations
God’s promise to make Israel a nation of priests to the nations (Gentiles)
God creating a new Eden where he can live with his people (the Temple)
God promising an eternal kingdom, then promising that eternal kingdom to the House of David
“This is what the Lord says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you from your own family: I will take your wives and give them to another before your very eyes, and he will sleep with them in broad daylight. You acted in secret, but I will do this before all Israel and in broad daylight.’ ”
Why did God divide his kingdom?
Have you ever gotten excited over a campaign promise?
Why do people make the same mistakes over and over?
Is God active in modern politics?
Absalom was David’s 3 son, the son of the daughter of the King of Geshur (NE Israel, Golan Heights). David’s marriage and alliance to the King of Geshur was in disobedience to God’s command to drive out the Canaanites from the land. Absalom was hansom with “great hair”.
Tamar was the full sister of Absalom. She was beautiful like her brother, but the scripture doesn’t mention her hair.
Amnon was David’s oldest son, by an Israelite woman. Amnon raped Tamar and David did not punish him. Absalom invited all the princes to a sheep festival and his servants murdered Amnon. Absalom hid at Geshur with his grandpa for three years until David, via Joab and a wise woman, convinced him to return to Jerusalem. Absalom didn’t see David for 2 years while living in Jerusalem, kept away by Joab. Absalom burned Joab’s field, and then Joab let him see his father David. We pick up the story at this point. After our passage in chapter 15, David’s forces defeat Absalom’s forces. Absalom is riding away on his mule, but his great hair got caught in an oak tree but the mule kept going. Stuck handing by his hair in the oak tree, Joab killed Absalom against David’s wishes. Joab rebels against David later because he doesn’t want Solomon to be king. Solomon's defeats him and the captain of the guard kills him after he sought sanctuary in the Tabernacle at the Horns of the Altar.
Absalom built himself a monument in the Valley of the Kings when his 3 sons died. However, his daughter Maacah (named after Absalom’s mother) married Solomon’s son Rehoboam. He became king and fathered the next king, Abijah, by her. Abijah is in the genealogies of Jesus, a grandson of Absalom and Solomon.
After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run before him. He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, “What city are you from?” If he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” Absalom said to him, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you.” He added, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land. Then anyone who had a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would make sure he received justice.” When a person approached to pay homage to him, Absalom reached out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him. Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for a settlement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
2sam15:7-12
When four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord really brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’ ”
“Go in peace,” the king said to him. So he went to Hebron.
Then Absalom sent agents throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron!’ ”
Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and were going innocently, for they did not know the whole situation. While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David’s adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase.
2sam15:13-18
Then an informer came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”
David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! Leave quickly, or he will overtake us quickly, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
The king’s servants said to the king, “Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants.” Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace. So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the people of Gath—six hundred men who came with him from there—marched past the king.
The king said to Ittai of Gath, “Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you’re both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”
But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, “As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there!”
“March on,” David replied to Ittai. So Ittai of Gath marched past with all his men and the dependents who were with him. Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching out of the city. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the wilderness.
Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had finished marching past. Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor with the Lord, he will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place. However, if he should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am—he can do with me whatever pleases him.”
The king also said to the priest Zadok, “Look, return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. Remember, I’ll wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.
David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. All of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.
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