Absalom Stole Israel’s Heart

 

2 Samuel 15:1-12    

Key Verse: 15:6

 

“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.”

Introduction.

Absalom had thoroughly prepared to be a king. This passage shows that he does focus on stealing the hearts of the people of Israel. May the Lord help us to know how our enemy is working in our spiritual battle and we may prepare ourselves as good soldiers for God. Amen. 

 

1.      Read verses 1-4. In the course of time what does Absalom provide himself with? (1) What does Absalom do for anyone who comes with a complaint to be placed before the king? (2-3) What does Absalom suggest as a solution? (4)

 

1-1) Read verses 1-4. 

 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.” 

1-2) In the course of time what does Absalom provide himself with? (1) 

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

Absalom meant business to become a king through a chariot and horses and his loyal soldiers. 

1-3) What does Absalom do for anyone who comes with a complaint to be placed before the king? (2-3) 

 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.”

Like today if they had hard time solving the problem in local court, they brought it to a king for it is considered as superior court.

1-4) What does Absalom suggest as a solution? (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.” 

2.      Read verses 5-6. How does Absalom treat anyone approaching him to bow down? (5) What is Absalom’s motive? (6) What can be wrong in stealing the hearts of the people of Israel like this?

 

 

2-1) Read verses 5-6. 

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.

2-2)How does Absalom treat anyone approaching him to bow down? (5) 

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

Absalom behaved like a man of compassion who reached out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 

Absalom tried hard to become a man of the people. 

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.

People were easily impressed by his image. Absalom was like a rising son and David a setting son.

Likewise we are only more impressed by image over reality.

2-3) What is Absalom’s motive? (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.

2-4) What can be wrong in stealing the hearts of the people of Israel like this?

Nothing is worse than stealing the hearts of the people of Israel because our enemies are aiming at stealing the hearts of God’s people. 

Absalom's cunning campaign worked. 

He became more popular and more trusted than David.

Absalom knew exactly how to do this.

a. He carefully planned for image (chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him)

b. He worked hard (Absalom would rise early)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

j. 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)

David became unpopular because of several reasons.

·        Because David was getting older

·        Because David's sins diminished his standing

·        Because people like change and they were exciting about a young leader

·        Because Absalom was very skilled and cunning

But God had David enter into the fellowship of His sufferings, and be rejected like the Son of David

  

3.      Read verses 7-9. What does Absalom say to the king at the end of four years? (7-8) What does the king say to him? (9)

 

3-1) Read verses 7-9. 

7 At the end of four[HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+15#fen-NIV-8397a"a] 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.[HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+15#fen-NIV-8398b"b]’” 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron. 

 

3-2) What does Absalom say to the king at the end of four years? (7-8) 

7 At the end of four[HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+15#fen-NIV-8397a"a] 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.[HYPERLINK "http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+15#fen-NIV-8398b"b]’”

Interestingly KJV shows forty years insteadf of four years. It may mean that Absalom was 40 years old. 

After four years of thorough preparation, he asked David to go to Hebron for conspirary(commit treason) under the guise of worship. 

Absalom says, “let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord.”

It sounds like very spiritual! He may see himself and feel very spiritual.

But he deceives himself. He became an instrument of division. Satan aims at division among church members through a person thinking that he is more spiritual than others.

Jesus points out, “you better consider others to be better than you.”

3-3) What does the king say to him? (9)

9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron. 

4.      Read verses 10-12. What does Absalom do? (10) Who accompanies Absalom? (11a) Do they know what’s going on? (11b) Whom does Absalom send for? (12a) What effect did this have on the conspiracy and people’s following of Absalom? (12b)

 

 4-1) Read verses 10-12.  

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.

4-2) What does Absalom do? (10) 

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.’” 

4-3) Who accompanies Absalom? (11a) 

11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. 

We do not know why 200 men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. Maybe they were innocent people but follow what others are doing. 

4-4) Do they know what’s going on? (11b) 

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

4-5) Whom does Absalom send for? (12a) 

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

Because Absalom had to maintain his image, he pretends to keep all God’s laws. But his purpose was to stole the hearts of people continually to be a popular king shortly.

Ahithophel must have grudge against what David had done to his granddaughter. 

Absalom knows what is going on and takes advantage of this for his own. 

4-6) What effect did this have on the conspiracy and people’s following of Absalom? (12b)

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

In conclusion.

Nothing is more worse than stealing the hearts of God’s people. Without knowing we realized later that our enemies are stealing the hearts of our precious childlen and Bible students. May the Lord help us to be enlightened and fight the good fight against our enemies to rescue from our enemies daily through the word of God. The word of God is penetrating into souls and is able to rescue any. 

One word: to be stolen or not to be stolen, that is the question!

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