Absalom's Rebellion Against King David Series

The conspiracy gained strength. It’s gaining momentum. Momentum is very important in life, in business, and in ministry. If you have forward momentum you’re moving and gaining strength, gaining followers, gaining support and funds. If you’re sitting still, well you aren’t growing, you aren’t reaching new people. You’re kinda stuck. For Absalom his rebellion is gaining momentum.

I return again to the comparison between David and Absalom and God and Lucifer. Did Lucifer’s rebellion occur something like that? Did Lucifer quietly gather support, and begin to turn the minds of many of the angels against God and toward himself? I think we get a picture here again of Lucifer’s rebellion against God in heaven and how it may have played out.

So you have this sinister rebellion gathering power in Hebron. I’m sure it feels like there is a dark cloud over the nation. There are rumors of trouble. And eventually word reaches King David.

In verse 13, “A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.””

This sinister rebellion is taking hold across the nation and David can sense it. I’m sure God is giving him a sense that he will have to retreat for the time being.

Similarly in our own lives God will give us a sense of the situation. What should we do next? God will guide us if we seek his counsel. And if we have wise people around us to give us good advice.

In verses 14-15 it says, “Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

15 The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”

It’s interesting to me that David chose to leave immediately. You might think he would try to fortify Jerusalem, put troops on the walls, gather his forces, but David is very wise. He’s not prideful at all. I would want to stay and fight on the city walls.

But guess what? David knows that Absalom has turned the people even of Jerusalem against him. Many of his troops would not remain loyal. And citizens might plot to let Absalom’s troops in at night or something.

David’s humility guides him to leave the city. This is a very humbling move for him. Sometimes we have to make humbling moves in our lives as well.

We have to humble ourselves and say, well, we need to try something else. This didn’t work. We need to admit that it didn’t work out, and we need to change our strategy. If we’re stubborn and refuse to change, because of pride, then, we may end up harming ourselves and our cause greatly.

Then in verses 16-18, “The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17 So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. 18 All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.”