Absalom is good looking. His story causes me to contemplate the burden of beauty. Yeah, like how bad could it be to be admired for your looks? I've noticed how people are drawn to follow those who have a physical presence or beauty. Most leaders are tall. I've even observed how a beautiful child will garner more attention at church than one that is less than attractive. Object if you want. But I've seen it. It is our nature to be drawn to lovely things and people. But what a burden beauty really is. Think of all of the attention and excuse one is given for there beauty and not for who they are. Good looks are viewed as a blessing but it can often be a curse. Looks are simply a hollow shell that must be filled. What's really important is what's inside. Don't roll your eyes. Look to pretty-boy Absalom.
Absalom uses his beauty to get what he wants. He stands at the city gate and befrends each of David's subects and tells them exactly what they want to hear. It's all part of his plot to overthrow his father. He uses his beauty to accomplish his purposes...and, ironically, God will use Absalom's beauty to achieve his purposes [Absalom's hair will be entangled in a tree branch].
So spoiled is Absalom that he sets fire to Joab's field when he doesn't think Joab is being attentive enough. Absalom doesn't know -- but is about to learn what we all know -- that you don't mess around with Joab.
Why does David accept Shimei's physical and mental abuse? His curses and his throwing stones and dirt down on David and his men? Shimei is just one man and David is traveling with a band of fighters. Is this part of David's attraction to God? His heart knows his sin and he accepts the abuse because he knows the punishment is just. He is being punished through Absalom -- a man avenging his sister's rape by someone who should have protected her -- a sexual sin, something taken that was not his to take. Isn't this David's sin mirrored in his son's life? And so he is punished.
Finally, should we make anything of the fact that David goes up to the Mount of Olives to mourn his betrayal by his son? [2 Samuel 15:30]
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