2 Samuel 14 & 15: Deceit – Part II
Saturday, October 19, 2024
We see Absalom set himself up as heir to a throne he will not inherit. We see him strip away all that is holy from his life. Reading ahead, we see him die a ridiculous death, hanging by his hair from a terebinth tree while one of David’s soldiers runs him through with a spear. Absalom plots for years to murder his brother for the rape of their sister, Tamar. Absalom relies on the very human resources of power, looks and cleverness to win for him the vengeful goals he lays out for himself. It is clear that Absalom does not consult God as he enters into and executes his plans.
Absalom was a prince of a powerful nation. It was written that: In all of Israel not a man could so be praised for his beauty as Absalom, who was without blemish from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (14:25) But what had become of his soul? How had the events of his childhood so shaped him to produce such anger? Why were the gifts he had received from a loving God not enough to please him? What was it that made him always want more?
Upon his return from exile, Absalom falls to the ground at his father’s feet when he is pardoned. He then stands, and leaves the palace to set his newest grab for power into motion. He employs deceit to win friends and enemies alike rather than obedience to God as his game plan. He relies on his influence and charm and for awhile these tools prove a powerful arsenal; but in the end they are not enough. In the end, Absalom – the master deceiver – is himself deceived. He returns from Geshur and continues to weave the labyrinth of his life with chariots, horses and henchmen all the while forgetting that the proper response to pardon is a grateful heart. Let us learn a lesson from Absalom’s ruin.
For more information about the people and places in this reflection, visit yesterday’s post, Deceit – Part I.
A Favorite from November 21, 2008.
Image from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamar_(daughter_of_David)
The Noontimes 