How To Destroy Our Enemies

Many times the BREAKING NEWS is about:

• Some deranged person who came into a building and started shooting innocent people.

• The news of a flood, hurricane or an earthquake is often breaking news.

• The breaking news about an explosion that has taken place.

If we had been living in the days of David and they had television the life of king DAVID WOULD HAVE BEEN BREAKING NEWS at least twice.

(1)IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BREAKING NEWS WHEN ABSALOM KILLED HIS HALF BROTHER AMNON.

The investigators would have reported some of the details of the life of Absalom.

What they would have discovered:

A. ABSALOM WAS A VERY ATTRACTIVE INDIVIDUAL

HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?

Look at II Sam. 14:25, we read, “But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for HIS BEAUTY: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.”

This was a good looking dude!!!

Notice, the Bible tells us NONE in Israel was better looking than Absalom…None!!!

And when this BREAKING NEWS tell us of the story Absalom killing his half-brother a few days later some more BREAKING NEWS is brought to our attention by Absalom. That is…

(2)ABSALOM TRIES TO OVER THROW HIS FATHER AND TAKE HIS FATHER’S THRONE.

Now the investigators would want to find out…WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED ABSALOM TO TURN ON HIS FATHER THE WAY HE DID?

Some believed the reason that Absalom turned against his father was because of his grievance with his father about an injustice to his sister Tamar.

Tamar was a beautiful young lady but her half brother Amnon and Jonadab tricked her into a situation and Amnon raped her.

Tamar’s brother Absalom was very close to his sister Tamar and he felt that his father should had punished him severely for what he did to her.

Many reasons have been suggested why David did not deal with this injustice as he should have...

(1)That is, one reason that David went light on punishment was because David had been guilty of sexual sin himself with Bathsheba and in this case he felt inadequate to judge Absalom.

(2)Another possible reason is that there was no witness to the crime. Amnon’s friend Jonadab had carefully orchestrated the crime to avoid the possibility of witnesses to please Amnon; therefore, there was no way to prove the crime according to Jewish law.

Regardless of the reason, Absalom took matters into his own hands. He avenged Tamar by killing his half-brother Amnon.

Look at II Samuel 13:28-29, Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

The reason that Absalom now tries to overthrow his father as king was because it is evident he had lost all love and respect for him.

But let us investigate the scriptures some more about Absalom.

Absalom knew how to get his way by using his position and looks to convince people to agree with him.

When people came to Jerusalem to bring their grievances before the King look at what he would do.

Look at 2 Samuel 15:1-6, “And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man assigned of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”

This man knew how to PROMOTE HIMSELF.

Look at some of the things he did:

When he arrived in town in his chariot, he had fifty men run before him so that people would think someone important was coming to town.