by Traci Carson
In the beginning Absalom was a good son favored by his father, King David and the people. He was honorable, handsome, a gifted musician and poet. He captivated the hearts of the people. He had integrity. Nevertheless as years progressed, there were things Absalom witnessed that were wrong and unjust. Let’s face it, King David dropped the ball so to speak and Absalom picked it up. But that ball was not his. David was King, not Absalom.
What Absalom failed to understand was how battle weary his father had become. Years of battles, kingdom politics and family manipulation had worn him down. David just wanted peace! He longed for his family to sit at his table and enjoy the harvest of his work. Even so, the blessings had become a place of slothfulness, defiled amusement and games.
Absalom was right to be angry, nonetheless how he handled it was wrong. He longed for justice at any cost. For several years he brewed and built himself a support system from the people. The dance of flattery and manipulation was an undertow that David was not prepared for. In the end it was a bitter and fateful battle. This was not God’s intention.
Absalom’s name in Hebrew is “father of peace.” The gifts he had were given with the intention to minister and mentor a people with loyalty and allegiance to the Lord and his chosen one. God desired to use him for a purpose that was different than King David. This Divine purpose was not lesser than David’s. Unfortunately we will never know exactly what Absalom’s book contained and what he missed (Revelation 20:12).
There is a two-edged sword to this true story. A father who became weary and allowed defilement, and a son who forsook the path of God by taking matters into his own hands. He failed to rightly discern and undergird his father in prayer. Without a doubt both were wrong. Their relationship and dependency upon God had turned away toward unjust reasonings.
HONOR AND INTEGRITY
Noah had spent years building the ark. During that time he was ridiculed and mocked. On his six hundredth year, he, his family and every living creature chosen by God finally entered the ark. For forty days and nights
they floated. Can you imagine the work and stress involved? God finally stopped the rain and sent a strong wind to recede the waters. After 150 days the waters subsided and the boat comes to rest on the lower slopes of the mountains of Ararat range. God blesses Noah and makes a covenant with him in the sky.
One of the first things Noah did was plant a vineyard. It is recorded he drank himself drunk and was uncovered (naked). (Genesis 9:18-29) He had three sons. One of his sons saw his nakedness and told his brothers. His brothers immediately took a garment and entered Noah’s tent walking backward and covering his naked body Their faces were turned away from him and they did not see him naked. The son who exposed Noah brought a curse upon himself, but the brothers who covered him were blessed.
There is much to apprehend here. Respect, honor and integrity. We can all start out upright, but circumstances can attempt to twist our heart into a wretched character. One thing to remember is this, DO NOT lose sight of God. How vital it is to continually examine our heart through the eye of the Spirit.
No one is exempt from bitterness and self-justification. I believe we have all faced this temptation from time to time. Even so we have a choice to keep our soul upright by turning toward the Spirit of God. When we attempt to justify our self or the people, we've become a dangerous character.
As my husband has often said, "We have a choice to not allow the shortcomings and failures of others to determine who and what we are."
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