the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 2 of 5
2 Samuel 15:1-12
No work of his conscience is evident in Absalom’s attitude. His rebellion had been carefully prepared. Day after day he had presented himself at the city gate, there to meet those who had a matter to judge. He held out his hand to them, kissed them and asked them about the business for which they had come. Next he gave them to understand that his father was incapable of administering appropriate justice. He on the other hand, so he added, if he should have the power, would not fail to do justice to their cause.
To criticise one’s parents, and to claim that one knows better than they, is always a very worrying symptom. Hypocrite and flatterer, Absalom nevertheless succeeded by this means to build up for himself a reputation throughout Israel of goodwill, amiability, uprightness, all at his father’s expense. He "stole the hearts of the men of Israel" away from their true lord (v. 6). Are there not still today people (and things) apt to steal our hearts from the true David? Let us remember that these hearts belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. He has paid a price sufficiently great to possess them without reserve and without recall.
In vv. 7 to 12 we see Absalom covering his infamous action by a religious pretext, and formulating the plot calculated to place him upon the throne.
