2 Samuel 14

Absalom

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. 2 Samuel 14:25.

Today we are going to talk about someone who was a prince we are none of us that! Someone who was splendidly and perfectly beautiful, are any of us that? Someone who had a particularly charming manner and most of us would be none the worse of that! Someone who was utterly spoiled of course none of us are that! Someone who was vainer than a peacock equally of course none of us are that!

Have you guessed the name of this someone who was so like I beg your pardon, unlike ourselves? If I give you two more hints, perhaps you will be able to tell me his name. First, he was famous for his beautiful hair; second, his name began with an “A.” Yes. It was Prince Absalom.

The story of Absalom makes one feel sad, for he could have been such a splendid success, and all he succeeded in being was a miserable failure. You remember he was not only the son of a king, but he was the son of a kings daughter, and he was the heir to the throne of Israel. He was brave and fearless too, and his handsome face and winning manners made him the idol of the court. To see him was to admire him.

But Absalom had one great fault, and it was just the fault you would have expected such a young man to have he was full of conceit. Later this vanity grew so great that it choked out all his virtues as a strong weed chokes out tender flowers. Later it, this same vanity, led even to his death.

Absalom was not altogether to blame for his conceit. His father David was partly responsible. For David had never found fault with the boy. David had petted him and spoiled him and given him everything he wanted, except the one thing he most required a touch of the birch-rod.

And so Absalom, this petted child of fortune, this darling of the people, grew up to bring nothing but sorrow to his father's heart. First he slew his own brother. Then he plotted to seize his father's crown. He was not content with being heir to the throne, he wanted to fill it immediately, partly because his vanity told him he would fill it extremely well, partly because his vanity was hurt at his father's having banished him from court for a few years as a punishment for having slain his brother.

He set about the matter in a very clever and cunning fashion. He flattered the foolish people till he had won them over to his side. Then he seized Jerusalem and his poor old father had to flee from the city with the few who were faithful to him.

Absalom was very near indeed to the throne that day he entered Jerusalem, but he lost the throne and his life as well all because of his vanity. He held a council of his followers as to what his next step should be. One man, named Ahithophel, advised that Absalom should let him and a picked number of men go at once in pursuit of the king, that they might slay him while he was weak and weary with the flight, and before he had time to gather round him sufficient men to oppose his son. But another man, Hushai, who was really David's friend, and who knew Absalom's weak point, advised Absalom to wait till he had gathered together all his admirers and followers in Israel. Hushai told Absalom how magnificent he would look at the head of that great multitude and what a splendid show it would be. And Absalom could not resist such an idea as that. He took Hushai's advice.

Then, of course, while Absalom was taking time to gather together all these followers, David had time to collect his men, and he also had time to choose the ground where the battle should be.

It took place in a wooded country and the story says that the wood “devoured more people that day than the sword,” for Absalom's men were accustomed to fight in the bare open country, and David's followers knew the woods. Absalom's men got lost and bewildered among the trees, and they fell down the crevices between the rocks, crevices which were filled with brushwood and shrubs. They were altogether beaten, and Absalom himself fled on one of the royal mules. He fled in haste through a part of the wood, and there a terrible thing happened. Perhaps he was looking over his shoulder to see if his pursuers were gaining on him, at any rate he did not notice where he was going, and he caught his head in the branch of an oak. His mule sped from under him, and there he was left hanging between heaven and earth. Some people think that his long hair became entangled in the branches, and that the more he struggled to free himself the more he became imprisoned.

And as he was hanging there helpless, a certain man, perhaps one of those from whom the prince was fleeing, saw him and ran and told Joab, one of the three generals on David's side. And Joab, although David had given him and his brother generals strict orders to spare Absalom's life, said to himself, “Here's a chance to get rid of a traitor and a troubler of the peace!” And he went to the tree and stabbed Absalom as he hung there. Then ten of his men-at-arms finished the horrible job. They hacked Absalom with their swords, and cast his body into a pit over which they piled a heap of stones. It was adding insult to injury, for that was a burial which the Hebrews thought specially insulting. Everyone who passed that way was supposed to add a stone to the heap. It was as if they cast a stone at the evil-doer himself.

And perhaps the saddest part of it all was that no one really mourned for Absalom except the poor old father whom he had tried to kill. Vain people may have followers, they may have plenty who are ready to toady to them and feed their vanity if they have a high position, but they have no real friends. How can they? When the heart of a man or woman, boy or girl, is entirely taken up with self how can he or she expect to have a friend? To have a friend you must have room in your heart for him.

Now, I think the story of Absalom needs nothing added to it. It is a sermon in itself. But I should just like to say this. If, boys and girls, you are ever tempted to be conceited about your person, or your possessions, or your brains, or anything that belongs to you, say to yourself two things. The first is, “Remember Absalom!” The second is, “Remember Christ!”

Christ also was the Son of a King. And all the Universe was His. Yet He came to earth a humble carpenter. And ever as He walked this earth He said over and over again, both in words and in deeds, that the greatest man is not the.man who thinks himself great, but the man who is ready to be servant of all, not the man who is proud and haughty in spirit, but the man who is humble and lowly of heart.

Absalom or Christ! Which will you follow? Which will you take for your model and your hero?