“Thief of Hearts” – Page 2 - 2/19/2012
Absalom mean “Father of peace.” In ancient days when a parent named a child with such a grand name, it was because they hoped that this child would live up to his name. In this case, they had the high hopes of Absalom being a man who would promote peace. But Absalom chose the route of rejecting the God of his father. So he never could become a father of peace. If anything, he became a father of war; personal war with his brothers and, especially with his father.
Now, what’s also amazing about Absalom was his appearance. He was handsome. Yet, his father so despised him that he didn’t even want to see his face. Please don’t think the Bible is out-of-date. This same scenario is played out time and again in our modern world. And this is the problem right here in this story from 1,000 B.C. How could or how should Absalom, “The Father of Peace” respond to a father who refused to even invite him home for a meal; to meet him,; to see him face to face?
For those of you who know someone is this situation and for those of you who know what the LORD says to do, here’s what Absalom could have, yet did not, do. He’s now been back in Jerusalem for two full years, but faceless, at least to King David. But, when he could have conveyed a repentant spirit to both God and his father, he didn’t. Instead, he searched and found a way to wound and disrespect his father. As you can see here, out of his hurt and his inability to deal with his anger against his father in a positive and practical manner, he connives a way to get back at him.
You see, this is where the real story lives when you read the pages of the Bible. When you read these stories, you find that people in 1,000 B.C. are the same as the people in your own family. We all know what pain broken relationships bring. And Absalom, like a lot of us, myself included had a father who could not connect with his son. I had a dad who must have had the same problem with his father. My dad turned to alcohol early and it affected him morally. It affected his relationships. It affected his family. It affected his health. It even led my dad to shoot a man, wounding him by shooting off his arm. My five brothers and sisters and I grew up in a violent home where my dad physically and emotionally abused not only my mother, but all of us children. I now know that he had no idea how to relieve his own personal pain. His only recourse was to deaden his thought life with alcohol. And all of my brothers and sisters still feel the effects of his alienation.
Well, fortunately some of us have found a new father. My heavenly father has fully and completely filled up the lack of fatherlessness I grew up with. And, had I not come to Christ when I was fifteen, I can’t imagine how my life would have turned out. You see, the only answer to family strife and bitterness and pain is in a personal relationship with the LORD through Jesus Christ.
This is one of the keys to true life success. When you see your sin as offensive to God and repent of your sin, you can find that the blood of Christ washes away all your sin. The Answer to those who grew up in fractured homes is Jesus Christ. He died as your Substitute on Calvary. When you deal with your own sins and come to God for His forgiveness, you find a new life and a new relationship to God. He becomes your Father and He treats you like a true Father treats his sons and daughters. Your Creator becomes the Father you so desperately need.
Salvation, folks, not only removes your sins; it also restores your heart aches. Absalom, sad to say, although give numerous opportunities, never turned his heart to God. Had he done so, he might have seen that he himself was the one to restore the broken relationship with his father, difficult as that would have been.
In Absalom we see a wounded son reacting to an unloving father; II Samuel fifteen. Handsome Absalom takes the initiative, not to find restoration with his father, but he proceeds to carry out a plan to steal something much larger than i pads and cash. He went after the hearts of all those who had at one time been devoted to King David.
Here it is in verse two. (2) 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. (3) And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. (4) 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! (5) 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. (6) 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.”
Now, what’s also amazing about Absalom was his appearance. He was handsome. Yet, his father so despised him that he didn’t even want to see his face. Please don’t think the Bible is out-of-date. This same scenario is played out time and again in our modern world. And this is the problem right here in this story from 1,000 B.C. How could or how should Absalom, “The Father of Peace” respond to a father who refused to even invite him home for a meal; to meet him,; to see him face to face?
For those of you who know someone is this situation and for those of you who know what the LORD says to do, here’s what Absalom could have, yet did not, do. He’s now been back in Jerusalem for two full years, but faceless, at least to King David. But, when he could have conveyed a repentant spirit to both God and his father, he didn’t. Instead, he searched and found a way to wound and disrespect his father. As you can see here, out of his hurt and his inability to deal with his anger against his father in a positive and practical manner, he connives a way to get back at him.
You see, this is where the real story lives when you read the pages of the Bible. When you read these stories, you find that people in 1,000 B.C. are the same as the people in your own family. We all know what pain broken relationships bring. And Absalom, like a lot of us, myself included had a father who could not connect with his son. I had a dad who must have had the same problem with his father. My dad turned to alcohol early and it affected him morally. It affected his relationships. It affected his family. It affected his health. It even led my dad to shoot a man, wounding him by shooting off his arm. My five brothers and sisters and I grew up in a violent home where my dad physically and emotionally abused not only my mother, but all of us children. I now know that he had no idea how to relieve his own personal pain. His only recourse was to deaden his thought life with alcohol. And all of my brothers and sisters still feel the effects of his alienation.
Well, fortunately some of us have found a new father. My heavenly father has fully and completely filled up the lack of fatherlessness I grew up with. And, had I not come to Christ when I was fifteen, I can’t imagine how my life would have turned out. You see, the only answer to family strife and bitterness and pain is in a personal relationship with the LORD through Jesus Christ.
This is one of the keys to true life success. When you see your sin as offensive to God and repent of your sin, you can find that the blood of Christ washes away all your sin. The Answer to those who grew up in fractured homes is Jesus Christ. He died as your Substitute on Calvary. When you deal with your own sins and come to God for His forgiveness, you find a new life and a new relationship to God. He becomes your Father and He treats you like a true Father treats his sons and daughters. Your Creator becomes the Father you so desperately need.
Salvation, folks, not only removes your sins; it also restores your heart aches. Absalom, sad to say, although give numerous opportunities, never turned his heart to God. Had he done so, he might have seen that he himself was the one to restore the broken relationship with his father, difficult as that would have been.
In Absalom we see a wounded son reacting to an unloving father; II Samuel fifteen. Handsome Absalom takes the initiative, not to find restoration with his father, but he proceeds to carry out a plan to steal something much larger than i pads and cash. He went after the hearts of all those who had at one time been devoted to King David.
Here it is in verse two. (2) 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. (3) And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. (4) 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! (5) 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. (6) 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.”