July 27, 2010
Absalom plans to take David's Kingdom. Plans!! He went in to see his father. He bowed face down before his father, and then he leaves and puts his covert plan into motion. Cold-hearted. Arrogant.
Absalom was full of pride. The only thing that mattered to him was what he wanted and it didn't matter to him how he got it. He was going to get it no matter what! So, the scheming began. He got for himself chariots, horses, and 50 men to run before him. He was going to make himself look important. As people would come to the city to see the king, Absalom made sure he would be the first person they saw. He would listen to them, empathize with them, and appear to care about them. II Samuel 15:6 says, "In this way, Absalom stole the hearts of all Israel."
Absalom requests that the king allow him to go to Hebron. Absalom "uses" God and spiritual things to get what he wants. He tells David he promised the LORD he would return to Hebron to worship him, but it was all a ruse and part of his covert plan. Absalom was cunning and conniving. He "invites" two hundred men to go with him and they go. They had no idea what he was planning.
Absalom worked behind the scenes for years to set his plan in place. David was totally unaware and didn't know what Absalom was planning. The people of Israel didn't know Absalom was using them. And, the 200 men had no idea what Absalom was planning either.
What is written in II Samuel 15:12 jumped out off the page when I read it this time. It says something I never noticed before. II Samuel 15:12 - "While Absalom was offering sacrifices." What? Absalom knew he was setting traps. He knew he was plotting David's destruction. He knew he was lying. He knew he was cheating. And what does he do? He has the audacity to offer sacrifices to the very God that he was attempting to "use" to get what he wants. How could he? How could Absalom possibly have the nerve to offer sacrifices to THE God who he was mocking with his actions. He had to view God as a god and not THE God, or he couldn't have done that. He did not truly know God. You can't submit to what you don't know.
Absalom sends for Ahithopel, one of David's counsel. "Absalom's plans were working very well." David finds out what is happening. David's response was not to turn and fight Absalom. His response was to leave, to quickly leave, before Absalom could catch them and destroy him.
David and his followers leave even though "I don't even know where I'm going." His men were willing to go, whether it meant life or death. They headed to the desert and the wilderness. They had been living in comfort in the valley. But now they were leaving all that behind and were headed into the unknown. David said, "Maybe the LORD will bring me back... I am ready. He can do what he wants with me."
David sent Zadok the priest back to Jerusalem and tells him that he will wait until he hears from him. David went up to the mount of Olives crying as he went. David finds out that Ahithophel was one of the men who had secretly plotted against him. David prayed that Ahithophel's advice would be foolish.
Ziba (Mephibosheth's servant) shows up with donkeys, food, and supplies for David. Ziba tells David that "Mephibosheth didn't come because Mephibosheth is hoping to get his fathers kingdom back." Either Ziba or Mephibosheth had hidden motives. Later Mephibosheth says that Ziba was lying. I don't know who had the wrong motive and it doesn't matter. God used it for David's good.
David left his home and fled to the wilderness. Now, as if having to leave wasn't bad enough, David is taunted and cursed by Shimei as he left. Shimei throws rocks at David and curses and falsely accuses him. David's men ask if they should kill Shimei. David replies that it is his own son who is trying to kill him. Betrayal by family hurts a lot worse than insults hurled by someone else. David goes on to say to leave Shimei alone because God is using him.
Then David says, "Maybe the LORD will see my misery and repay me with something good for Shimei's curses today." (Psalm 140:6-8 - "O Lord, I say to you, 'You are my God.' Hear, O LORD, my cry for mercy. O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle, do not grant the wicked their desires O LORD; do not let their plans succeed, or they will become proud.") But Shimei kept following David, cursing him and throwing stones and dirt at him. When David and his men arrived at the Jordan, "They were very tired."
The Life Lesson today sent me to read Numbers 16 and I Kings 1 and I Kings 2. Both stark reminders that there are indeed consequences for rebellion and sin. God IS God. He cannot be belittled or mocked. He is either God of everything or He is not God. We cannot pick and choose what it is we will submit to. Several different times (in the chapters I was sent to and in this journal)I have made the following statement: The heart of the matter is the HEART of the matter. Rebellion is sin; sin is rebellion. There is NO getting around it. Our outward actions WILL reflect our hearts. There will either be blessings for obeying or curses for disobeying. We are in control over what we choose—our actions—but we do not get to pick and choose our consequences. God will not be mocked. Psalm 1 - "...this is because God takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed" is true.
I read the story of Absalom and David and I am astounded at how much the sins and actions of the characters in the Bible are the same as the sins and actions of people today. I recognize what David is going through. I recognize it because I've experienced it. The deceit. The trickery. The covert plans. "The storm."
Next Entry: II Samuel 16:15 – 17:23
Absalom plans to take David's Kingdom. Plans!! He went in to see his father. He bowed face down before his father, and then he leaves and puts his covert plan into motion. Cold-hearted. Arrogant.
Absalom was full of pride. The only thing that mattered to him was what he wanted and it didn't matter to him how he got it. He was going to get it no matter what! So, the scheming began. He got for himself chariots, horses, and 50 men to run before him. He was going to make himself look important. As people would come to the city to see the king, Absalom made sure he would be the first person they saw. He would listen to them, empathize with them, and appear to care about them. II Samuel 15:6 says, "In this way, Absalom stole the hearts of all Israel."
Absalom requests that the king allow him to go to Hebron. Absalom "uses" God and spiritual things to get what he wants. He tells David he promised the LORD he would return to Hebron to worship him, but it was all a ruse and part of his covert plan. Absalom was cunning and conniving. He "invites" two hundred men to go with him and they go. They had no idea what he was planning.
Absalom worked behind the scenes for years to set his plan in place. David was totally unaware and didn't know what Absalom was planning. The people of Israel didn't know Absalom was using them. And, the 200 men had no idea what Absalom was planning either.
What is written in II Samuel 15:12 jumped out off the page when I read it this time. It says something I never noticed before. II Samuel 15:12 - "While Absalom was offering sacrifices." What? Absalom knew he was setting traps. He knew he was plotting David's destruction. He knew he was lying. He knew he was cheating. And what does he do? He has the audacity to offer sacrifices to the very God that he was attempting to "use" to get what he wants. How could he? How could Absalom possibly have the nerve to offer sacrifices to THE God who he was mocking with his actions. He had to view God as a god and not THE God, or he couldn't have done that. He did not truly know God. You can't submit to what you don't know.
Absalom sends for Ahithopel, one of David's counsel. "Absalom's plans were working very well." David finds out what is happening. David's response was not to turn and fight Absalom. His response was to leave, to quickly leave, before Absalom could catch them and destroy him.
David and his followers leave even though "I don't even know where I'm going." His men were willing to go, whether it meant life or death. They headed to the desert and the wilderness. They had been living in comfort in the valley. But now they were leaving all that behind and were headed into the unknown. David said, "Maybe the LORD will bring me back... I am ready. He can do what he wants with me."
David sent Zadok the priest back to Jerusalem and tells him that he will wait until he hears from him. David went up to the mount of Olives crying as he went. David finds out that Ahithophel was one of the men who had secretly plotted against him. David prayed that Ahithophel's advice would be foolish.
Ziba (Mephibosheth's servant) shows up with donkeys, food, and supplies for David. Ziba tells David that "Mephibosheth didn't come because Mephibosheth is hoping to get his fathers kingdom back." Either Ziba or Mephibosheth had hidden motives. Later Mephibosheth says that Ziba was lying. I don't know who had the wrong motive and it doesn't matter. God used it for David's good.
David left his home and fled to the wilderness. Now, as if having to leave wasn't bad enough, David is taunted and cursed by Shimei as he left. Shimei throws rocks at David and curses and falsely accuses him. David's men ask if they should kill Shimei. David replies that it is his own son who is trying to kill him. Betrayal by family hurts a lot worse than insults hurled by someone else. David goes on to say to leave Shimei alone because God is using him.
Then David says, "Maybe the LORD will see my misery and repay me with something good for Shimei's curses today." (Psalm 140:6-8 - "O Lord, I say to you, 'You are my God.' Hear, O LORD, my cry for mercy. O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle, do not grant the wicked their desires O LORD; do not let their plans succeed, or they will become proud.") But Shimei kept following David, cursing him and throwing stones and dirt at him. When David and his men arrived at the Jordan, "They were very tired."
The Life Lesson today sent me to read Numbers 16 and I Kings 1 and I Kings 2. Both stark reminders that there are indeed consequences for rebellion and sin. God IS God. He cannot be belittled or mocked. He is either God of everything or He is not God. We cannot pick and choose what it is we will submit to. Several different times (in the chapters I was sent to and in this journal)I have made the following statement: The heart of the matter is the HEART of the matter. Rebellion is sin; sin is rebellion. There is NO getting around it. Our outward actions WILL reflect our hearts. There will either be blessings for obeying or curses for disobeying. We are in control over what we choose—our actions—but we do not get to pick and choose our consequences. God will not be mocked. Psalm 1 - "...this is because God takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed" is true.
I read the story of Absalom and David and I am astounded at how much the sins and actions of the characters in the Bible are the same as the sins and actions of people today. I recognize what David is going through. I recognize it because I've experienced it. The deceit. The trickery. The covert plans. "The storm."
Next Entry: II Samuel 16:15 – 17:23
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