II SAMUEL 15

I'm writing about II Samuel 15 this morning.  It is a beautiful morning today, and I'm looking forward to a wonderful day in the LORD. Over 300 yards of gravel are being brought in to make a overflow parking area for 50 more cars.  The grading took place earlier this week and finished up last night.  In my looking at this chapter, I saw the rebellion of Absalom, and the response of David.  Notice the differences: ABSALOM: THE PLOT- In verse one, Absalom "prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him."  Already, Absalom was concerned with gaining power.  It was not the people at all he cared about, that was his pretense. THE PROMISE- ".... and I would do him justice!"  Absalom's promise was not justice, but he was promising that he would see things their way.  That is a perversion of Justice!  Justice should be blind and no respecter of persons. THE PASSION- "he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him."  Absalom developed a physical connection with the people by hugging them and letting them think he cared deeply about them. THE PRETENSE- Absalom told David that he wanted to go to Hebron to worship God.  Amazingly we see no worship of God in Absalom's life, nor is there even a suggestion of any devotional life with God.  We see that all over David's life, but not in his son's life. THE POWER-Absalom was all about the power.  He wanted to be the king.  So the people who followed him heard the trumpet and the saying: "Absalom reigneth in Hebron."  How could he be reigning if the people had not first followed him?  That was not issue to Absalom... he would reign, and they would follow.  The Bible says of his followers... "they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing."  Such are the followers of any new movement not founded in the Bible. DAVID- (Now notice the difference) THE PATRIARCHS- Look to see what side of the issue the Patriarchs line up on and you will have a BIG clue which side to choose!  In verse 15 "Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint."  These were servants that had been with hm a long time.  In verse 18, "six hundred men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king."  Hey.... this is David's original 600 fighting men!  Now, they are aged warriors,... patriarchs!  And finally in verses 19-22, we see Ittai the Gittite, the aged man who just came to Jerusalem a day or two ago, and he says: "surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be."  Wow!  What devotion!  Look to the Patriarchs my friend! THE PRIEST- Follow the preachers!  Zadok and the priest took the Ark of the Covenant and were ready to travel with David, but David said go back to the city, and let God bring me back to the city if God will.  Where do the men of God line u[? THE PAIN- David and his men left Jerusalem weeping.  He was leaving the city of God and it hurt.  Not because he was not king, but because David loved the city of God and the tabernacle.   Still, now he goes with God! THE PRAYER- "O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."  We see no prayer in Absalom's plot, but we see David praying.... guess who is going to come out on top??  May the LORD see such a difference in our lives and ministries as well!  Pastor Mike Mutchler