David And Absalom

by F.L. Evans, Yeovil | Category: The Life And Times Of David | Aug 1972

"Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from thine house." These were the sad words of Nathan the prophet when in a very forthright manner he brought home to David the gravity of the sin he had committed by humbling Bathsheba and engineering the death of Uriah. They were one part of his three-pronged warning-the ever-present sword in the family, evil against David out of his own house, and the public humiliation of his wives. The relationships between David and Absalom were marked by the specific realization of this warning (2 Sam. 12:7-15).

Absalom the Man

Absalom was the third son of David, born of an alien mother. He was obviously a very attractive young man, renowned for his beauty. "From the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him." One of the most distinctive features of his personal appearance was his long hair. This he cut once a year, and he was vain enough on each occasion to weigh the amount of hair cut off. That he used his good looks and personal charm to steal away the hearts of many of his father's subjects is to his great discredit. These two attributes alone are not sufficient criteria for leadership. Dependence on them rather than on inward characteristics of strength and goodness have frequently proved disastrous. "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). Yet his father delighted in him, many of his leaders were attracted to him, and numbers of the people idolized him.

Absalom the Schemer

Some of his actions clearly portray him as a calculating and clever schemer. By low cunning and rank hypocrisy he deceived his father and caused the assassination of his elder brother, David's eldest son, Amnon, whom he had hated for two years because of his humiliation of his sister Tamar. The revengeful sword struck in David's own household in a cruel and cold-blooded manner.

Again, when Joab twice refused to visit Absalom to talk about the latter's restoration with the king, the schemer arranged for one of Joab's fields of barley to be set on fire so that he would in anger call to obtain an explanation.

Yet again, Absalom's method of stealing the hearts of people was clever and deceitful. Soon after receiving the king's kiss of reconciliation, he began popularity hunting by disparaging his father. Rising early and taking his stand near the gate of judgement, he poisoned the minds of the people by spreading the impression that their law-cases were sound and good, but the ineptitude of the king was resulting in a lack of judges to try the cases. In this way he posed as the champion of the oppressed and the upholder of justice! "So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel" (2 Sam. 15:6).

Throughout this period, although Absalom was anxious to be restored to the favour of his father, there was little or no evidence of a humble spirit. During his voluntary exile in Geshur and the two-year period in Jerusalem when "he saw not the king's face", he made no confession of his evil neither did he seek any repentance. On the contrary, he made specific preparations for the conspiracy against his father. Restoration without confession and forgiveness is not God's way. "If My people ... shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin" (2 Chron. 7:14).

Absalom the Rebel

Intrigue and falsehood played a large part in the events leading up to the rebellion. Under pretence of going to pay a vow in Hebron, Absalom persuaded David to allow him to go there. His treachery is only increased by his words, "If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD" (2 Sam. 15:8). But when he arrived in Hebron, he raised the standard of revolt, a fulfilment of the warning of the evil which would emanate from David's own house.

Spies were sent throughout all the tribes of Israel, warning them that the sound of the trumpet would be the signal for the message, "Absalom is king in Hebron". Although the early supporters "went in their simplicity" for "they knew not any thing", the conspiracy became strong as the people increased in number continually with Absalom (15:7-12). He was now in open revolt against his father, God's anointed king.

To rebel is to fight or make war against a lawful sovereign. In Scripture there is naturally a bitterness about it, as it is distasteful to God and provokes Him to anger. They are very sad words spoken by Jehovah concerning Israel, "I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me". David, a man after God's own heart, must have felt keenly the same disappointment and heartbreak.

Samuel's solemn denunciation of Saul emphasizes pointedly the serious nature of rebellion in the eyes of God. "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (Heb. divination)" (1 Sam. 15:23). Witchcraft envisages recourse to forces diametrically opposed to the only true God - seeking the help of evil powers led by the great arch-enemy of God, the devil himself. Rebellion against God is rejection of the almighty God Himself, rejecting His authority and His eternal Word. It is the very opposite of obedience, a quality exceedingly precious to God. "Obeying the voice of the LORD" gives Him great delight, even greater joy than burnt-offerings and sacrifices. When Absalom rebelled against the Lord's anointed king, his own father, his action was repugnant to God and one of the greatest possible insults to David.

The Rebellion

On the outbreak of the civil war, David departed from the city of Jerusalem that he loved so well. What a pathetic sight! He went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, weeping as he went and barefooted, accompanied by his companions also weeping. And soon after his departure Absalom and his men entered Jerusalem. By lying with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel, it is suggested that he laid claim to his father's throne and committed himself and his followers to implacable hostility. This blatantly obnoxious proceeding was a fulfilment of Nathan's third warning.

But Absalom's triumph was short-lived. David's commanders routed the rebels, slaying 20,000 men in one day. The circumstances of Absalom's ignominious death are well known. Riding on his mule under the thick boughs of a great oak, he was left hanging in the tree while the mule rode on. His hair had been his pride, but this very thing became the means of his own destruction. Contrary to David's express request to him and others to deal gently with the young man "for my sake", Joab wreaked his own vengeance. He thrust three darts through Absalom's heart, and his ten young armour-bearers surrounded him and slew him. On hearing the fearful news, David was very moved, weeping and mourning for his son. The day of victory became a day of mourning. The revengeful Joab went to great lengths to rebuke his master and king, even accusing him of loving them that hated him, and hating them that loved him (2 Sam. 19:6).

The rebellion revealed clearly those who were David's genuine and dependable friends, and on the other hand those who were unfaithful and fickle. There were those who remained true to him throughout the uprising, e.g. Ittai the Gittite and Zadok the priest. But there were also those who in modern language were anxious to "jump on the bandwaggon" of Absalom, e.g. Ahithophel and Amasa. Loyalty in adversity is a true test of friendship. Allegiance to a master in a period of rejection reveals the depth of the genuineness. This is the true touchstone today for us. Our Lord is now rejected and disowned by the vast majority. To be true to Him and show our allegiance to the despised One calls for faith, courage and humility.

Conclusion

Absalom's inordinate ambition had disastrous results, leading to an excessive desire to displace those near and dear to him. It spurred him on to remove his eldest brother and to the futile attempt to unseat God's anointed king, his own father. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18).

Despite all the treachery and evil machinations of his son, David loved him dearly to the end. Unlike the prodigal son, Absalom never 'came to himself', neither did he come to his father with humility and confession. "Love suffereth long, and is kind" (1 Cor. 13:4). David's love never failed. But what were David's thoughts when he fled from Absalom his son? They are summed up in the Third Psalm: "LORD, how are mine adversaries increased! Many are they that rise up against me.... But Thou, 0 LORD, art a shield about me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head... Arise, 0 LORD; save me, 0 my God... Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: Thy blessing be upon Thy people." (verses 1, 3, 7 and 8)

F.L. Evans, Yeovil | Aug 1972
The Life And Times Of David