Absalom’s Attempt to Become King

So due to mad crazy schedule i sadly haven’t been able to update like i’m suppose to. For that I’m greatly sorry for it.

So on with the notes from this past sunday 🙂

Just before i started i grabbed one of my smallest boys and put a XXL tshirt over him.

This lesson comes out of 2 Samuel 13:1-19:10

1.Absalom was Angry at his half-brother, Amnon, for disgracing his sister Tamar

(i said to the kids he hurt her but the reality is that he raped her)

Absalom was Tamar’s brother and felt responsible for her well-being. In those days the older brother’s job was to care for the young sister. I shared with the kids how i’m VERY protective of my little sister too.   Sadly David did not punish Amnon after he hurt Tamar. It is here that we learn that while David was a good king he really wasn’t a great father.

Because Amnon had gotten away with his sin, Absalom hated him. Now while anger is a natural reaction to this situation we have a choice as to what we do with that anger.  Sadly Absalom gave into sin and his anger turned to hate and began to be filled with pride.  I pulled out 2 blown balloons and wrote Pride and Hate on them and then shoved the balloons up the over sized shirt my assistant was wearing.  (this of course makes the kids laugh a bit)

Absalom never gave God a chance to correct the situation.  He never looked to God to bring healing to himself. As a result he plotted to kill Amnon the first chance he could get.  It is here that i took out 3 balloons and wrote Unforgiveness, Anger, and Murder and then put them up my assistant’s over size shirt.

2. Absalom Killed Amnon and fled

Absalom’s anger toward Amnon finally brought him to the act of murder. It took 2 years but it finally happened.  While the physical act of murder didn’t happen till  2 years later, Absalom had committed murder time after time in his mind and heart.  Scripture says

Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
1 John 3:15

This murderous thought was sin from the beginning.

After wards Absalom fled to his grandfather, the king of Geshur. For 3 years he stayed there and never saw his father. When he came back David refused to see him! he rejected his son for what he had done. This cause Absalom to hate his father even more. Absalom began to think about his future. He thought he could be a far better king than his father.

3. Absalom tried to kill his own father and seize the throne

Because he allowed his anger to control him he began to be filled with even more Pride, Hate, and now Rebellion. After i told the kids that i took 3 balloons and wrote those word on them and put them up my assistant’s shirt. (the kids were really laughing at this point. it was kind of hard to keep them in line so i could tell the rest of the story haha)

Absalom was a smooth talker and he began to talk people into siding with him in a rebellion against king David.  He wanted that throne and he didn’t care what he had to do to get it.  after he had raised up a sizable army they rose up against David determined to kill him. David ran to save his life and Absalom promoted himself to be the king of Israel.

Because Absalom was motivated by sin God was not happy with him.  For a short season Absalom ruled as king of all Israel.  However, God would not let him be in control for long. One day while he rode about his hair got caught in a tree! he hung there struggling to free himself but he couldn’t.  Suddenly David’s men came of the woods and saw him haning from the tree. it must have been quite a site to see this puffed up, prideful man hanging there by his hair.

After a good laugh (i’m assuming cuz that had to be funny) David’s men cut Absalom’s head off! (with this i popped the balloons under my assistant’s shirt! 🙂

What was the point of  this lesson. Simply that God puts people in position of authority. We shouldn’t plot and plan evil in order to get what we want. The truth of the matter is that if Absalom had left it to God, God would have handled David, Amnon, and probably even promoted him to become king.

you may not like your leaders and they may do some DUMB things. But it is your job to listen and obey them and not plot against them. Let God take care of the situation. He will punish those who have done wrong and he will bless those who are righteous