1 April This Congregation meets at: Sunday Bible Class at 10:00 am. Sunday Worship Service at 11:00 am. Sunday Night Worship service at 6:00 pm. Wednesday Night Bible Class at 7:00 pm. Please be so kind to turn off your cell phone. Let’s be reverent. We are worshipping God.

2 April

3 April

4 April Lesson # 32

5 April Adam 7. Isaac. 13.Joseph 22. Phinehas 2. Cain 8. Jacob. 14. Aaron 23. Barak 3. Abel 9. Esau. 15. Nadab and 24. Balaam 4. Enoch 10. Reuben. 16. Moses 25. Achan 5. Noah 11. Simeon. 17. Joshua 26. Samuel 6. Abraham 12. Judah 18. Caleb 27. Eli 19. Gideon 28. Saul 19. Gideon 28. Saul 20. Samson 29. Jonathan 20. Samson 29. Jonathan 21. Jephthah 30. David Part Jephthah 30. David Part 1 31 David Part 2 31 David Part 2 32?

2 Samuel 12:10-12… 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 adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, 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, before the sun.’

Did David pay according to the words of Nathan? Yes he did. From then on, the life of King David was full of sorrow and trouble in his own house. This evening I would like to talk to you about Absalom, the third son of David. Why Absalom? Well, because Absalom would fulfill some of the words of Nathan when he told David that the Sword would never ever depart from his house anymore.

1.The third son of David. 2.Name Meaning: “Father of Peace”. 3.A man of great Physical Beauty. 4.The man who tried to take the throne away from his father. 2 Sam 3:1-3 5.The son of a woman named Maacah with whom David had a polygamous relationship. 2 Sam 3:1-3 6.Key word in his life? TRAITOR.

The story of Absalom is very fascinating. A man who lacking capacity, certainly made up for it in charm. Absalom is described in the Bible as the rebellious son, who stood against his father, with the idea of taking the throne away from him and with the desire to kill him. Absalom was a royal descendant on both sides. His mother was the daughter of a king, so, without any doubt we can say that Absalom was heir to the throne and the favorite idol of his father.

25 Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head--at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him-- when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king's standard. 27 To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance. 28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king's face.

From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish on him. The man was beautiful. He was the typical handsome man who abused of his power, authority and all commandments thinking that because of his beauty, he would be pardoned. When Nathan spoke to David, he told him that from his house the enemy would go out. Absalom and all of his beauty betrayed his father. This is the man that every time he had a hair cut, he weighed his hair. We don’t know why, but he did that!

David never thought that the words of Nathan meant that one of his own sons would rise up and try to usurp his power. Absalom possessed in himself the charm of eloquence and persuasiveness which won him the heart of Israel, who felt that in him they had a God-sent champion.

1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, "What city are you from?" And he would say, "Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel." 3 Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you." 4 Moreover Absalom would say, "Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice." 5 And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. 6 In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

He was a very sweet talker and he also very sweetly convinced the people to not go to Jerusalem to seek the wisdom of the king. He convinced the people to stay with him so that he could give advice and counsel for any problem. Absalom was traitorous by nature. Absalom murdered his own brother. 2 Samuel 13:29. Absalom was guilty of designing politeness 2 Samuel 15:2, 3 Absalom conspired against his own father.

2 Samuel 15:13, 14 … 13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." 14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword."

Listen to David talking to his servants here: "Arise, and let us flee; or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.“ The King running away from his own son? No, it is not David. It is the Word of the Lord spoken through Nathan that is being fulfilled. “From your own house the sword will never depart”.

2 Samuel 15:30, 31… 30 So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up. 31 Then someone told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O L ORD, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!" Absalom will pay for this. His father is barefooted, with his head covered and weeping because of his beautiful son, the one who weighed his hair every time he had a haircut and wanted to kill him.

2 Samuel 18:1-5… 1 And David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 Then David sent out one third of the people under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the people, "I also will surely go out with you myself." 3 But the people answered, "You shall not go out! For if we flee away, they will not care about us; nor if half of us die, will they care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us now. For you are now more help to us in the city." 4 Then the king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So the king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, " Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.

Listen please to the Love of the parent. Even though he is persecuting him, even though he wants to kill him, David said please, for my sake, don’t treat my son badly, treat him gently. Will they listen to David? No they won’t because they know what the penalty for traitors is. Absalom MUST die.

2 Samuel 18:7-9… 7 The people of Israel were overthrown there before the servants of David, and a great slaughter of twenty thousand took place there that day. 8 For the battle there was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9 Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.

2 Samuel 18:10-13… 10 Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, "I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!" 11 So Joab said to the man who told him, "You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt." 12 But the man said to Joab, "Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!'

2 Samuel 18:15-18: 2 Samuel 18:15-18: And ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him. 16 So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. 17 And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom's Monument. Can a father be so selfish? Do you know why I am saying that? Well, in his lifetime he had erected a monument and said: I have no son…Did he have a family?

2 Samuel 14:27… 27 To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.

2 Samuel 18:24-29… 24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone. 25 Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there is news in his mouth." And he came rapidly and drew near. 26 Then the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, "There is another man, running alone!" And the king said, "He also brings news." 27 So the watchman said, "I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news." 28 And Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, "All is well!" Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, "Blessed be the L ORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!" 29 The king said, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king's servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about."

2 Samuel 18:30-32… 30 And the king said, "Turn aside and stand here." So he turned aside and stood still. 31 Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "There is good news, my lord the king! For the L ORD has avenged you this day of all those who rose against you." 32 And the king said to the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" So the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!"

2 Samuel 18:33… 33 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: "O my son Absalom--my son, my son Absalom--if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!"

2 Samuel 19:1-4 … 1 And Joab was told, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day, "The king is grieved for his son." 3 And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!"

2 Samuel 12:10-12… 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 adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, 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, before the sun.’ Does the Lord punish his children when they sin? Well, this evening you have heard the answer and you will also hear it next time when we study our next Bible character.