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Text: 2 Samuel 18:1-18
Before we go through this, jump down to verses 17-18. Absalom’s death has occurred and he’s been buried under a pile of rocks. Read verses 17-18. Absalom made himself a monument because he had no future. That monument is there outside Jerusalem to this day. It’s called Absalom’s place. That title will serve as the theme for what we’re going to talk about.
Absalom’s place is a place of grief for his father (vss 1-5)
- Unnecessary civil war: Israel will now fight itself; friends will kill friends, and brothers will kill brothers. There is no winning in this war. And the country has been brought to war because of David’s rebel son.
- A fool for a son – A foolish son is a grief to his father.
- David is asked to sit out this battle by his officers, but he still organizes the men and sends them out in three divisions. His men will be attacking multiple sides. David’s main concern, though, is his son, Absalom. David seems to know that Absalom is no military leader. And that Absalom doesn’t stand a chance against his men.
- Deal gently for my sake with the young man… David sees a once young man who was innocent and loveable. At one time he was a toddler, he was cute, and he was innocent. But injustice entered his life and it turned him into a fool and a monster.
- A foolish son is the calamity of his father.
Absalom’s place is a place of opposition to God (vss 6-8)
- God opposes the proud; he’s in active opposition to them.
- If Absalom would stay in Jerusalem, he puts David at a huge disadvantage. …the wood devoured more people that day than the sword… The minute he decided to fight, and hunt David, Absalom had no chance.
- Why would you pick a fight with your dad who is a seasoned warrior? Why? Because you believe you’re better than you are. You think the selfies are real. You think the congratulations are because people love you. You forgot how you made it this far? You just told everyone what they wanted to hear. Of course, people come to you. Do they like you? Not necessarily. As long as you give them what they want they’ll stick with you.
- …pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a great fall. Absalom has no future. His dangerous cocktail of a wicked heart and an abundance of self-confidence mean he is on a crash course with destruction.
Absalom’s place is a place of death (vss 9-17)
- As Absalom runs for his life, his army has been destroyed, and now this want-to-be king knows what it’s like to be on the run for his life. Then something ironic happens …and his head caught hold of the oak…His head, his puffed-up imagination of himself, his overconfident hatred of good people; now he’s caught by his head.
- The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. Absalom hangs in the same trees his men get caught in.
- For years Absalom has only thought about death. He spent 2 years planning to kill his brother. He spent another 3 years hating his father. He spent another 2 years plotting the overthrow of his dad. And he dedicated the final days of his life trying to kill his dad. When your mind is this consumed with death and rebellion, how else is this going to end? As he thinketh in his heart, so is he! This brings us to the last point.
Absalom’s place is a place without a future (vs 18)
- Absalom made himself a monument because he had no future. That monument is there outside Jerusalem to this day.
- When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
- You’re looking for your place in this life and the next. Your place in this life and the next is found IN the will of God.
