Key Words: Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons
The life of Absalom can be summed up in one word: rebel.
Someone has described Absalom with a three-fold rebellious spirit in that he...
1. Rebelled against David’s mercy (II Samuel 13:23-29). David had shown his son, Amnon, mercy after he had raped Tamar, his half-sister, and Absalom’s full sister. This went against the spirit of Absalom and he rebelled against David’s mercy.
2. Absalom rebelled against David’s ministry (II Samuel 15:11-12). While David was busy carrying out his ministry, Absalom was busy undermining it by winning the hearts of the people and turning them against David.
3. Absalom rebelled against David’s majesty (II Samuel 18:31-33). Absalom was determined to dethrone his father. Years ago there was a movie, Rebel Without A Cause. The gist of the movie was a young man, a rebel, who rebelled against all authority without any apparent cause or reason; but Absalom would be a rebel with a cause, and his cause was to take David’s throne for himself.
No one word could better describe Absalom than rebel.
But when we live in a rebellious state, we tend to live in a constant state or being of revenge. This was the case, not only with Absalom, but with Cain, Rehoboam, Shimei, and the list goes on and on.
I read the following and found it both humorous and sad, but a perfect picture of the depths we will go to “get even” when we live in rebellion.
“When he was an attorney, Abraham Lincoln was once approached by a man who passionately insisted on bringing a suit for $2.50 against an impoverished debtor. Lincoln tried to discourage him, but the man was bent on revenge. When he saw that the man would not be put off, Lincoln agreed to take the case and asked for a legal fee of $10.00, which the plaintiff paid. Lincoln then gave half the money to the defendant, who willingly confessed to the debt and paid the $2.50! But even more amazing than Lincoln’s ingenious settlement was the fact that the irate plaintiff was satisfied with it.”
Such is the mind-set of a person filled with rebellion.
What to do:
✞ Remember, when you are rebellious as a believer you only hurt the cause of Christ and yourself!
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