Absalom's Rebellion (2 Samuel 15)

Can reconciliation be abused? Do people abuse Christ's act of reconciliation on the cross? Will there be tares among the wheat, wolves among the sheep? Are forgiveness and trust separate issues? Let’s begin in 2 Samuel 15.

Did Absalom respect his father’s reconciliation or plot a rebellion?

Some time later, Absalom got a chariot and horses for his own use, along with fifty men to run ahead of him. Absalom would get up early and stand by the side of the road that went through the city gate. Whenever anyone had a lawsuit to bring before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him, “What city are you from?” When the person said, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” then Absalom would say to him, “No doubt your claims are correct and valid, but the king won’t listen to you. If only I were made a judge in the land,” Absalom would continue, “then anyone with a lawsuit could come to me, and I would give them justice.” (2 Samuel 15:1-4 CEB)

Did Absalom plot to set himself up as king in Hebron?

Whenever anyone came to Absalom and started bowing down, he would reach out and hug and kiss them. That's how he treated everyone from Israel who brought a complaint to the king. Soon everyone in Israel liked Absalom better than they liked David. Four years later, Absalom said to David, “Please, let me go to Hebron. I have to keep a promise that I made to the Lord, when I was living with the Arameans in Geshur. I promised that if the Lord would bring me back to live in Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron.” David gave his permission, and Absalom went to Hebron. He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him, but they had no idea what he was going to do. Absalom offered sacrifices in Hebron and sent someone to Gilo to tell David's advisor Ahithophel to come. More and more people were joining Absalom and supporting his plot. Meanwhile, Absalom had secretly sent some messengers to the northern tribes of Israel. The messengers told everyone, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets, you must shout, ‘Absalom now rules as king in Hebron!’ ” (2 Samuel 15:5-12 CEV)

Did David and his servants with him in Jerusalem flee before Absalom’s threat?

And a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom.” Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.” And the king's servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides.” So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house. And the king went out, and all the people after him. And they halted at the last house. And all his servants passed by him, and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king. (2 Samuel 15:13-18 ESV)

Did Ittai the Gittite remain faithful to David even though he was new and a foreigner?

The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you’re both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.” But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, “As the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there!” “March on,” David replied to Ittai. So Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and the children who were with him. Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching past. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the desert. (2 Samuel 15:19-23 HCSB)

Did David have faith that God would protect the ark of the covenant in Jerusalem?

Meanwhile, Zadok showed up also, along with all of the descendants of Levi with him, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God and Abiathar approached while all the people finished abandoning the city. The king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I’m shown favor in the Lord’s sight, then he’ll bring me back again and show me both it and the place where it rests. But if he should say something like ‘I’m not pleased with you,’ well then, here I am—let him do to me whatever seems right to him.” The king also asked Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer, too? Go back to the city in comfort, along with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. Look! I’ll camp at the wilderness fords until you send word to inform me.” So Zadok and Abiathar returned the Ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. David then left, going up the Mount of Olives, crying as he went, with his head covered and his feet bare. All of the people who were with him covered their own heads and climbed up the Mount of Olives, crying as they went along. Just then, someone told David, “Ahithophel is one of Absalom’s conspirators!” So David prayed, “Lord, please turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” (2 Samuel 15:24-31 ISV)