David: A Man after God’s Own Heart Series [27] Absalom’s Conspiracy David: A Man after God’s Own Heart Series [27] 2 Samuel 13:1-15:12 © October 15, 2017 Pastor Paul K. Kim 2

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the LORD, ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house. And I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun.’” 2 Samuel 12:10-12

INCIDENTS & REASONS THAT LED TO ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY Rape: Amnon lusts after and eventually rapes his half-sister, Tamar, which enrages Absalom, Tamar’s full brother with intense hatred toward Amnon (13:1-22). Murder: After two years of David’s passivity about the injustice of rape, Absalom plans and murders his half-brother Amnon; he flees to Geshur (13:23-39). Broken Relationship: After three years, Joab makes an intervention for reconciliation through a wise woman and brings Absalom back to Jerusalem with David’s permission (14:1-24). Revengeful Ambition: After two years of living in Jerusalem yet away from King David, Absalom makes a desperate attempt; David sees him reluctantly and Absalom’s revengeful ambition grows rapidly (14:25-33).

THE STORY OF ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY AGAINST KING DAVID Stealing the People’s Hearts: To plant the seeds of conspiracy (15:1-6)  1 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” 3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.”

THE STORY OF ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY AGAINST KING DAVID Stealing the People’s Hearts: To plant the seeds of conspiracy (15:1-6)  4 Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” 5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. (12:1-9) Absalom’s pompous royal parade reveals his pride and vindictive anger. Notice how patient and methodical Absalom is in planting the seeds of conspiracy—this emerged out of his wickedly hurt heart. His reason seems justifiable to himself because he longed for justice for all—even the poor or weak.

THE STORY OF ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY AGAINST KING DAVID A Secret Day of Coup: To revolt against his father and the king (15:7-12) 7 And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron. 8 For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the LORD.’” 9 The king said to him,  “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. 10 But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”

THE STORY OF ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY AGAINST KING DAVID A Secret Day of Coup: To revolt against his father and the king (15:7-12) 11 With Absalom went two hundred men from Jerusalem who were invited guests, and they went in their innocence and knew nothing. 12 And while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite,  David's counselor, from his city Giloh. And the conspiracy grew strong, and the people with Absalom kept increasing. (15;7-12) Many were persuaded by Absalom’s conspiracy—either due to his growing popularity or one’s past hurts against King David. Notice how subtle his plans for conspiracy is—sin is secretive at first. Conspiracy grew as the public opinion about Absalom grew positively; majority does not make sin justifiable.

LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY Lesson #1: Consequences of sin show the damaging effect of sin—how we ought to take sins (regardless of small or big) in our lives seriously. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:12-13  God forgives our sin when we confess it; but often God uses the consequences of sin to teach us how damaging sin is. In so doing, God builds us to be a godly man/woman that fears the LORD. The wisdom is to know how vulnerable we are to sin and the powerful effects of sin—sin feeds on sin.  

LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY Lesson #2: Unresolved conflicts leave us vulnerable to the Evil One’s cunning schemes and to the deceitfulness of sin. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. Ephesians 4:26-27 We are to live peaceably with all as long as it depends on us (Rom. 12:8). Holding grudges and bitterness against others blurs our spiritual vision. In resolving conflict, we need to pursue full and real reconciliation with an open and full heart.

LESSONS FROM THE STORY OF ABSALOM’S CONSPIRACY Lesson #3: Our brokenness and past hurts should never be a reason for rationalizing our sins no matter how justifiable our cause may be. 2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Proverbs 16:2 Sins done to us by others leave us broken and hurt unavoidably, but we are to surrender them to God’s sovereign by faith. We must never rationalize our sins no matter how much pain we experienced from others. We must never allow our “good causes” to justify our sins.

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE In what ways will you take your sin (regardless small or big) seriously as a result of today’s message? What would it mean for you to give no opportunity to the Evil One’s cunning scheme in conflicts or reaction to others’ sins? What is your first step toward being honest about your hidden motives and self-justifications for your sins?