2 Samuel 15
“Are you a Wannabe or a Worshipper?”
Absalom’s Desire to be King (1-12)
His Desire Wasn’t Necessarily Wrong
His Unchecked Desire Became Evil
“Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.” (vs 1)
And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.”And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. “So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” (vs 2-6b)
Approval from people is not the same as Anointing from God.
He trusted his own thoughts without seeking God’s.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8
Trusting God’s plan takes faith and perseverance
His desire became a selfish pursuit at all costs.
His Selfishness Seemed Right
He was willing to destroy his father.
He was willing to ignore and go against God.
“At the end of 4 years…let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron.” vs 7
“But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, ‘As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, Absalom is king at Hebron!’” vs 10
Instead of bowing before God and finding His purpose and His plan, he creates his own and makes it happen.
He goes against the king and The King.
His heart was set on building his own kingdom, not supporting the kingdom of God.
David’s Desire to Serve The King (vs 13-37)
He protected the people
“Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” vs 14
He didn’t let pride interfere with his responsibility to protect the people.
He trusted the Lord
People encouraged him
He remained faithful
“Carry the ark of God back into the city.” vs 25
“If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.” vs 25-26
“But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.” vs 30
He turned to the Lord
“And David said, ‘O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.’ While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him.” vs 31-32
A Wannabe Desires Self, A Worshipper Desires God
John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
“he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.” Philippians 2:6-11
