DAVID AND ABSALOM: LESSONS IN TRUE CHRISTIANITY

January 30, 2011
MF Blume

We continue this week from the study of “David And Saul” and move on to David’s next Phase of self denial – “David And Absalom”.

When we know that God will let us go through trials, and that He will use the “Sauls” of this world to remove the Saul from within us, this knowledge can do something to you.
When you know who the Sauls are around you and know how evil their intentions are and how they are there to cause hurts to you... there is something you need to add to that knowledge.
If you are thinking of different people who surely must be Saul, and know that you are surely not a Saul, then you are certainly somebody other than Saul alright.
YOU ARE ABSALOM!

Absaloms are people who see Sauls all the time.

We will never truly know who the Sauls are in our lives.

And when we begin to think that so-and-so is a Saul, and so is that other person, then we have just fallen into another trap.

2 Samuel 15:2-6 Complete Apostles' Bible (2) And Absalom rose early, and stood by the side of the way of the gate. And it came to pass that every man who had a cause came to the king for judgment. And Absalom cried to him, and said to him, Of what city are you? And he said, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. (3) And Absalom said to him, See, your affairs are right and clear, yet you have no one appointed of the king to hear you. (4) And Absalom said, O that one would make me a judge in the land; then every man who had a dispute or a cause would come to me, and I would judge him! (5) And it came to pass that when a man came near to bow down to him, that he stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him. (6) And Absalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Absalom gained the hearts of the men of Israel.

David was said to be withal of a beautiful countenance.

1 Samuel 16:12 Complete Apostles' Bible (12) And he sent and fetched him. And he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes, and very good looking. And the Lord said to Samuel, Arise, and anoint David, for he is good.

But read this about David's son, Absalom.

2Sam 14:25-26 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled [it]: because [the hair] was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight.

David was said to be handsome, but Absalom was even more handsome than David.

And his hair was so bountiful that he had to make efforts to handle it so that he could keep it.
Absalom was a proud man.
Proud of himself.
He would rather take efforts to ensure he look as beautiful as he could, than lose the admiration that fed his pride.

Nothing is said about him being wise.

At this time, Absalom was about the same age as David when Saul was jealously hateful of David.

And at this time David was about as old as Saul was when Saul's reign ended.
WOULD HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF?
Would David allow Absalom to make him jealous and become another Saul?

David was king, now, as Saul was king.

David had the position of seeing Absalom rise up underneath him into popularity just as he rose into popularity under King Saul.

People were admiring Absalom and imagining him to be king.

So many questions.
Saul was very hard on David in his similar circumstance, but would David react like Saul now?
And what if David did treat Absalom badly?
Would God bless Absalom as he did David when David was treated badly?

Absalom was able to seemingly answer all the problems that people had.

He offered his advice to all the people of what he thought things should be like.
He made people feel they were right about things.
And people soon began to wish David was gone so that Absalom would be king.
Absalom was too humble to ever dethrone his own father, they felt.

And more and more the people began to think that there were more problems in the Kingdom than they ever thought before.

Liken this to today.
(People discuss the church and what they think it should be like and what is not right. They see more and more they do not agree with.)

More and more people came to listen to these problems everyone spoke about.

Absalom was there, and just let them talk.
He never added any words.

While the people hoped Absalom would speak up and speak against all that was wrong, he finally did.

But he only said one word.
Then he said more.
But he warned them that he would never speak against David.
Yes, things were bad, but he would not speak against David.

He only told them WHAT HE WOULD DO, if he was king.

That started a rebellion.
It did not start a rebellion in Absalom, though.
Everyone else in the room was pushed into a rebellion.
But not Absalom.
HE HAD REBELLION IN HIS HEART FOR YEARS.

God's kind of people are not critical at all.

The critical ones actually have motives hidden in their hearts.
Why don't they just walk away?
They can't walk away without having to rally people with them.
This proves their dishonesty.

Absaloms are the type of people who will only find that they will be criticized later and will not tolerate it.

But David knew all along what Absalom was doing.
And he did not stop him.
David would not talk against Absalom.
He would not stand to hear people speak of Absalom around him.

When it comes to troubles and you do not know what to do... DO NOTHING.

Absalom would go ahead and divide God's people from one another and not even hesitate to do it, for his own ulterior motives.
Absalom would never say he wanted people to follow him, but when they followed him and talked about David he let them follow if they wanted.
He should have stopped them if he was sincere.
David was unfairly and unjustly looking bad in front of people and Absalom was letting it happen.
Inwardly Absalom loved it, but he acted so righteously and pretended he was concerned.
But he still let people talk.

So David had a choice.

Would he fight back AND BE LIKE SAUL?
Some might think that if David struck back when Absalom was innocent like David was in his young years, then and only then David would be a Saul.
As if David could strike back when Absalom was doing wrong.
Otherwise if Absalom was wrong then David’s striking back would not make him a Saul.
David was sincere, unlike Saul, so why should he not fight back?
Saul fought back because he was insincere and was unfair to David.
David did not treat Absalom badly to justify Absalom’s actions to rise up.
In Saul’s day, David never spoke against Saul and never allowed people to speak against Saul the way that Absalom let people speak against David.
So if David attacked, he would not be Saul because David would be fighting against an insincere and guilty man.
Surely Sauls are the ones who only attack innocent people.
Absalom as not innocent.
Should we not attack those who aren’t innocent, and serve them justice?

To make it worse, not only did Absalom act unlike David did in the same situation, but Absalom did it while David was a merciful king!

What a contrast was Absalom compared to David!
David did nothing to Saul, and David could have split the kingdom and coerced everyone to follow him out of completely just causes.
David could have taken the throne without lying about anything.
But Absalom has twisted and distorted in order to garner a rebellion against David.
David respected Saul, but Absalom had no respect for David.
David let Saul walk over him because it was God's kingdom and he would not see people suffer.
If David could avoid people suffering by simply walk away from Saul instead, he would.
Absalom cared nothing for what was best for the people and kingdom.
David refused followers, but Absalom let them come.

Absalom had no right at all compared to David to take the throne.

SO IF DAVID FOUGHT BACK AGAINST ABSALOM WOULD HE NOT BE RIGHT?
David never mistreated Saul and never mistreated Absalom.
If he stopped a man like himself, another David, who was innocent, then he would be a Saul. But Absalom was not innocent.
What would it be to stop a cheater like Absalom?
(The nation would surely turn against David if David let Absalom continue.)
It was not a question of whether or not that would happen.
It would.

But, yes, if David took it into his hands and stopped Absalom, David would still be a Saul, no matter how crooked Absalom was.

Again, David would be just like the one resisting him – Absalom.

It was as though Absalom was the reincarnation of Saul, and positioned underneath David now.

And for David to fight back at him would still be like becoming Saul.

Let me pause here and say we are speaking about the kingdom of God.

We may be brought into legal matters with unsaved people, and the bible only tells us to not take brethren to court.
But when it comes to the Kingdom of God, we let God deal with the situation.
Even if David had to die, it would be better than being like Absalom.
He might avoid his death by dealing with Absalom, but he would be a living Saul.
It would be better to die as a dead David than continue as a living Saul.
In other words, let people speak against you.
Who cares what they think?
God knows the truth.
But as soon as you become hurt and spread it around, you are not a David, but a Saul.

Those who work for God will have to come to grips with this.

It is not our kingdom, but God's.

The bottom line is that God allows the people to treat us unfairly.

He allows this.
It would not happen to us if He did not allow it.

1Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

God will not let you be tempted with something you cannot handle.

So really, if you fight the person, you actually fight God, since God ultimately allowed this to occur!

God has us in his hand.

If He is in control, then let Him handle it.
"Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. I will repay."

2Sam 15:7-9 And it came to pass after forty years (SOME FEEL THIS IS AN ERROR AND SHOULD BE FOUR YEARS), that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD. And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.

David was going through the mill.

And God willed it.
God was still removing Saul from David.
Or now we can say, removing Absalom from David by using an Absalom.

Absalom asked to go to Hebron at that time because he knew that the principle important folks would come to the sacrifice.

HE WAS USING GOD!
USING SPIRITUAL DEDICATION to garner rebellion!
David knew too, but he let Absalom do it.

2Sam 15:10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

David was an example!

He would not fight back.
He knew who was saying what against him.
But he let them do it, and that allowed God to take care of the situation.
Later we find that God certainly did deal with Absalom.

Let’s not take over and handle it ourselves.

That is a sign that we are too concerned over ourselves, more than we ever ought to be.
Too proud.
And it shows we want OUR WILL instead of God's will.

David went through the entire episode that he did with Saul all over again.

Exactly the same.

Think of Saul, though.

Saul thought David was an Absalom.
David certainly was not.
But those who are like Saul always fight back.
They only fight because they think people are Absaloms.
And Absaloms never see a real David.
They always see Sauls.
Sauls always see Absaloms and Absaloms always see Sauls, whether there really are such people around them or not.
They’re PARANOID.
Damaged.
They do not take notice that DAVIDS do not fight back.
But it allows God to work on the DAVIDS.
They are so caught up with what they think things should be like that they are convinced anybody trying to correct them is a Saul.
Some people cannot take any constructive criticism.
To them, everything is destructive.
You need to understand that God uses people as pastors to help guide you like a shepherd guides a sheep.
There are wolves out there in sheep’s clothing, but there are true men of God, too!
Have a heart like David.
Do not fight back.

Absaloms always make good Sauls later in life.

If People who think everything is bad ever became leaders, they would be tyrants like Saul.

Long before, Moses was faced by a man named Korah.

Numb 16:1-3 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took [men]: And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, [Ye take] too much upon you, seeing all the congregation [are] holy, every one of them, and the LORD [is] among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

Moses' heart was humble.

Those are the hearts that God's kingdom and glory are put upon.
One man's disagreement turned into 250 rebels.
Problems are in every age and every church!

Imagine you there that day seeing all of this.

Who would you join?
Today knowing the bible’s warnings we would say, “Stick with Moses.”
But when you are THERE, and someone criticizes another with a very good reason, there is only one way to know what to do.
Consider CRITICISM – leave it all alone.
Moses said nothing, and Korah Criticized.

Numbers 16:4 KJV And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face:

Long before, when Moses was forty years old and first wanted to leave Egypt, he would have been a good Korah.

He smote an Egyptian, and took over the problem he saw.
But when he was 80 and Korah attacked him, he was no longer like Korah.

Moses fled Egypt and had gone through spent forty years in the wilderness – the backside of the desert.

Sounds like the worst of the worst.
Notice the change in Moses:

Acts 7:22 KJV And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

Forty years later…

Exodus 4:10 KJV And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

GOD CHANGED MOSES in the wilderness!

Moses' only response to Korah’s criticisms was to pray to God.
He let God decide.

Numbers 16:5 KJV And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.

After He knows God will prove the truth, listen to Moses plead to the rebels.

Numbers 16:8-15 KJV And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: (9) Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? (10) And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? (11) For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? (12) And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: (13) Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? (14) Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up. (15) And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

Numbers 16:28-31 KJV And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind. (29) If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. (30) But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. (31) And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:

God took care of the matter and Korah was openly shown a failure.

And even when God judged Korah, the people later got mad at Moses, themselves!
So Moses prayed for them.
David also prayed for Absalom.

It’s not our places to decide who and who is not a Saul.

That is God’s business.
It is just our place to react the way David did.
As soon as you think THAT A CERTAIN ONE MUST BE A SAUL, you are an Absalom.
Imagine a son against his own father!!!!!
What kind of ruler would he be?
A TYRANT! DICTATOR!
Absalom took rule.
What did David do?

2Sam 15:14 And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

He fled just like he did when Saul attacked him.

The less we do the more God can work.
Do nothing and God will do it as soon as He plans.
But work, and God has to slow it up or maybe not deal with it at all.
LET GOD BE GOD.

Galatians 2:20-21 KJV I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (21) I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Let God work and do not get in his way by handling it yourself.

So David walked out...

...he walked and walked... ...right into the hearts of all true believers who truly love God and who will the KINGS AND PRIESTS WHOM GOD CAN USE IN HIS KINGDOM mightily!