Sermon Tone Analysis

*30*

*Acceptance of Absalom*

2 Samuel 14

 

David received more chastisement for his adulterous sins through the conduct of Absalom than from all other people combined.

The chastisement of David began when David’s infant son died whom Bathsheba had borne to David.

Next came the rape of David’s daughter Tamar by David’s eldest son Amnon.

Then Absalom came on the scene in David’s chastisement by murdering Amnon for raping Tamar who was Absalom’s full sister (and Amnon’s half-sister).

The murder forced Absalom to flee into exile to the country of Geshur where his mother’s family lived and ruled (2 Samuel 3:3) which made it a logical place for Absalom to be in exile.

Though in exile, Absalom was still popular in Israel unfortunately.

So eventually the acceptance of Absalom by David back in favor in the land was demanded—the world is always trying to get us to accept that which we ought to reject.

Finally David unwisely yielded to pressure and accepted Absalom back into the land.

This unwise acceptance of Absalom laid the groundwork for some very serious problems for both David and Israel in the years that followed Absalom’s return, and these problems provided much painful chastisement for David for his sins involving Bathsheba and Uriah.

In this chapter we will study some of the significant details concerning David’s acceptance of Absalom back into the land of Israel.

In our study of this acceptance of Absalom, we will consider the promoter of the acceptance (vv.

1–3), the pretender in the acceptance (v. 2), the parable for the acceptance (vv.

4–20), and the person being accepted (vv.

21–33).

*A.

THE PROMOTER OF THE ACCEPTANCE*

 

Joab was the person who led the way in promoting the acceptance of Absalom by David.

It was through his action that David finally accepted Absalom back in the land of Israel.

To examine Joab’s work of promoting the acceptance of Absalom, we note Joab’s perception, power, purpose, and plan.

*1.

His Perception*

 “Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom” (v. 1).

After Absalom had been three years in exile (2 Samuel 13:38), Joab perceived that the time was ripe to begin promoting the acceptance of Absalom by David to bring Absalom back into the land in good favor.

Timing is important in the success of any endeavor, especially in touchy endeavors as the promoting of the acceptance of Absalom.

Absalom’s murder of Amnon caused some serious wounds and problems in the royal family especially with David.

Time was needed to heal the wounds and to cause people, especially David, to not be so upset about Absalom’s bloody deed.

Timing was also important regarding the political picture (in regards to Joab) as we will see shortly.

And so after three years, Joab “perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom” and so decided it was “now” the right time to start promoting the acceptance of Absalom.

Joab was better able to perceive the right time for promoting the acceptance of Absalom than about anyone else, for few knew David as well as Joab did.

*2.

His Power*

Because of his position (he was head of Israel’s army and had easy access to the king) and his knowledge of David’s evil (Uriah’s death), Joab had much power in influencing David.

No one in Israel outside of the prophets had such powerful influence over David.

And Joab would not hesitate to use his power to promote an evil cause such as the acceptance of wicked Absalom.

How shameful it is to use one’s position and knowledge to promote evil.

But many are those who follow this shameful path in life.

And many of those, like Joab, are government bigwigs.

If God gives us position and knowledge, let us use these things to promote good causes instead of evil causes.

*3.

His Purpose*

The primary purpose of Joab in promoting the acceptance of Absalom was self-interest.

Joab was a selfish man whose main interests and motivations in life were generally prompted by self-interest.

Joab would, therefore, be concerned about Absalom’s situation primarily because it could greatly affect Joab’s own future.

Joab’s self-interest would cause him to be ever watchful of the attitudes of the people and especially of David regarding Absalom.

Though Absalom was in exile, Joab could see that Absalom still had much political appeal; and thus Absalom must be considered a very viable prospect to follow David as king.

With Absalom’s prospects of becoming the next king looking better, Joab wanted to get on the good side of Absalom (which promoting his acceptance would do) so that Joab could keep his position as head of the army.

Furthermore, Joab would prefer Absalom over the other sons of David to be the next king; for in view of Absalom’s murder of Amnon, Absalom, if he became king, would not be as likely to slay Joab for his murder of Abner (and later Amasa [2 Samuel 20:8–10]) as the other sons of David would be if they became king.

That this slaying of Joab by the other sons of David was a strong possibility is proven by the fact that after Solomon became king, he did in-deed order the slaying of Joab for the murdering of these two men (1 Kings 2:5,6,29–34).

Hence, as far as selfish Joab was concerned, Absalom was the best one to be the next king; for he would be more sympathetic to Joab’s murderous ways than the other sons of David.

They, as Solomon proved later, would not think kindly of Joab’s evil nor of his remaining in high position.

Many folk in this world are like Joab.

They are looking out chiefly for themselves.

Their conduct is not guided by principles of holy character but by what will contribute to their personal advantage.

Friendships, favors, and loyalties are all primarily based on gain for themselves, not on godly principles of high character.

Such folk will help promote your cause if they see personal gain for themselves in so doing.

But if your cause cannot be used by them to boost their own personal interests and if it becomes a hindrance to their personal interests, then they will not hesitate to thrush deadly darts into your heart and life and career as Joab did to Absalom (2 Samuel 18:14) when Absalom was no longer of any help or advantage to Joab.

 

*4.

His Plan*

Joab resorted to a crafty plan to bring about the acceptance of Absalom by David.

We note the design of the plan and the duplication in the plan.

/The design of the plan/.

Absalom had committed murder in his killing of Amnon; and, therefore, David by law was obligated to execute Absalom.

This presented a very serious problem for the acceptance of Absalom by David.

Therefore, the design of Joab’s plan was to provide David with a very good excuse for David to justify—at least in appearance—his acceptance of Absalom without being obligated to execute Absalom for his crime as the law demanded.

Basically Joab had to provide David a way for circumventing the law without appearing to be a lawbreaker.

Being the guileful person that he was, Joab would be skilled at making the breaking of the law look acceptable as his plan will evidence.

Joab is typical of the men who by hook or crook try to circumvent the law without looking like a lawbreaker.

They devise clever schemes and employ crafty lawyers who can talk a good line and confuse the issues so that breaking the law will not look like evil.

They twist and pervert situations in order to make circumventing the law look commendable, charitable, and even necessary.

They can pervert the interpretation of the law to make it appear to contradict what it was really intended to say and do.

Much evil results from such beguiling behavior, however, as will be seen plainly in the case of Absalom.

/The duplication in the plan/.

“And come to the king, and speak on this manner unto him.

So Joab put the words in her mouth” (v.

3).

The plan which Joab used to try to persuade David to accept Absalom back into the land in good favor craftily duplicated the plan which God used to get David to repent of his evil regarding Bathsheba and Uriah.

That plan (which is recorded in 2 Samuel 12) involved sending to David a /person/ with a /parable/ to denounce David for his evil.

In that chapter the /person/ was Nathan and the /parable/ was about a stolen lamb.

In Joab’s crafty plan, as recorded in our text, the /person/ was the woman of Tekoah (whom we will learn more about shortly), and the /parable/ was about a calamity in a family which was to mirror David’s situation and indict him for not accepting Absalom (we will study the parable in detail later).

The crafty duplication of God’s method here emphasizes the fact that the devil is the great imitator.

And the guile of Joab in this duplication emphasizes that the devil’s imitations are always corrupt.

God’s plan was to promote righteousness (David’s repentance), but the devil’s plan (Joab’s plan) was to promote unrighteousness (circumvent the law about Absalom).

In trying to duplicate God’s method, the devil tries to make people think that he is doing the same thing as God; when, in fact, the devil is actually doing just the opposite.

This deceitful imitation of God’s ways is to beguile people into sinning.

Christ warned of these devilish duplications when He said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15).

*B.

THE PRETENDER IN THE ACCEPTANCE*

 

“Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman . . .

[and sent her] to the king” (vv.

2, 3).

Joab could not go to David himself about Absalom without quickly prejudicing David against accepting Absalom (vv.

18, 19).

So, as we noted above, he sent a woman instead.

When he sent her to David, Joab had her pretend that she was a widow with a great problem (v.

5).

Thus her role in this endeavor to get David to accept Absalom was that of a pretender.

Here from verses 2 and 3 which introduce her, we note the choice, character, and city of the woman.

*1.

The Choice of the Woman*

As we noted earlier, Joab was endeavoring to duplicate the plan God used when trying to get David to repent of his adulterous sin.

In that plan God sent a man, Nathan, as the messenger to David.

But Joab’s plan (the devil’s plan) sent a woman in-stead of a man.

This is typical of the devil’s program.

It does not want to recognize Divine callings; and so, as an example, it forever tries to put women in men’s place.

We see it here in our text in this woman of Tekoah; and we see it today in woman preachers, bossy wives, and the despicable feminist movement.

*2.

The Character of the Woman*

This woman was of bad character.

We discover this fact in the word “wise” in this verse about her.