2 Samuel 15:6 – 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.

Hello readers, new blog today. I would recommend reading 2 Samuel 15 for yourself as that is what this blog will be dealing with. Absalom was king David’s son. He lived his life with a chip on his shoulder, and got to wanting the kingdom of his father. He wanted to take charge, thinking he’d do a better job of it than his dad. We often think we know better than our godly parents don’t we.

The Bible says that Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. We want to relate this to our lives today. When people fall in love they sometimes speak of their heart being stolen. This person or that person stole my heart away. Obviously, it’s very important to guard your heart and to not let your heart get stolen by the wrong person. The hearts of the men of Israel did not belong to Absalom, they belonged to David. David was the God anointed king. If you are saved, your heart belongs to God, God ordained authority in your life and to your future spouse. When an Absalom steals your heart, it won’t turn out well for you. You see what happened to these men who had their hearts stolen, they ended up fighting for Absalom, they ended up on the wrong side, against God, God’s word and God’s king, fighting for the wrong guy, and getting killed. The Bible says they went after Absalom in their simplicity. They let their hearts get stolen because they were dumb, naive idiots. The Bible is written so we can smarten up, so we can get wise to what’s what and not be played for a fool by someone who is no good for us, who doesn’t really care for us or love us.

So while this can apply in valuable practical sense in the area of romance, there is also a spiritual truth which I want to highlight today. Your heart belongs to someone. It can belong to the Lord God, which if you are saved, that’s who your heart belongs to. And we are commanded to keep our hearts. Hearts need protecting and defending. Proverbs 24:3 – Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. However… there are many things that compete for our heart. Satan wants your heart, this world is after your heart, and so is your flesh. There are many things in the world that turn our heart, that draw our heart away from truth, from our Creator. Satan wants the hearts and souls of men. He gets them through enticing, seducing, playing to our flesh… as we will see Absalom did to steal hearts here. Committing your heart to God is putting your heart in the hands of the loving, faithful God who knows what best for you (although Satan wants to make you doubt that!)… but committing your heart elsewhere, letting it go after Satan or things of this world and this life… that’s not going to end well for your.

This blog is a warning to make sure you heart doesn’t get stolen away from Jesus Christ. Absalom was a very smart cookie, children of the devil behave just like their father… and he exploited the simplicity, the gullibility, the sheer stupidity of the men of Israel. He got them to go against God’s word, against God’s king. He made them doubt David’s goodness, David’s care, David’s ability to be leader. Has Satan made you doubt God’s goodness? Has he made you doubt God’s word? Well if he has, he’s well on his way to taking your heart… and later stabbing it. We can see how stupid the men of Israel really were, but are we being that same level of stupid today? Absalom was smart. He used tactics to steal hearts which Satan and his ministers still use today. Of course, Absalom is a picture of Satan. He was a usurper and a rebel, and he became corrupted with bitterness, hatred, revenge, and even by his own beauty.

Absalom stole their hearts by first of all looking impressive. In verse one we read that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. See, he did this to look impressive. If he’s going to take over, he’s going to try and impress. Many people are very superficial. They vote based on what they see, not really what policies politicians are pushing. We are that superficial we go on looks. We know from another section of scripture that Absalom was a very beautiful man, he was a good looking dude. See, the men of Israel saw this king’s son, looking powerful and mighty and impressive… and that began to turn their hearts from David to Absalom. Hey, this guy would make a good leader. He looks strong and capable. It was David that killed Goliath… but Absalom making himself look important… that kinda got to meaning more to them! Absalom actually hadn’t done anything… in fact all he had done was murdered his brother. That was his greatest achievement. People will follow some dropkick over the Lord. How stupid! God and his proven word… but no, we take Absalom! And Absalom wasn’t God’s anointed. Often Christians look on the physical, people gauge churches by attendance and programs, not by obedience to God’s word. People look on externals, are are easily fooled.

Next, we see that the men of Israel would come to see David to sort out controversies. So they’d go to the king with a grievance or a complaint wanting the king to fix it. But Absalom figured out that he’d see them first. So between the king and them he stood. Satan will always try and stand between you and God’s word. He’d talk to them as they were on the way to see David. How often we are going to talk to the Lord, but the devil meets us on the way, and he sidetracks us before we ever get there. We get to thinking about things, and Satan talks us out of doing right. We get to rationalizing our sin and reasoning with our flesh. Absalom preyed on people’s controversies. People have injustices or issues or disputes in life between them and others… and in comes Satan to prey upon it. Maybe a Christian in the past has hurt you, well hello Satan, he will prey upon that to turn your heart away from God. Many people never get to the king because they get to Satan first who wants to have a chat to them. And they stop there. And he’ll talk to them and tell them what they want to hear.

Absalom would agree with the people that were coming with a controversy to the king. That’s what people want to hear when they’ve got an issue. They want to hear that they are right. You’d much rather have someone pander to you than rebuke your sin right? See, this is why people don’t want to be around God’s word or God’s people, because they’d rather be with people who agree with them, who sympathize with them. Naturally when Absalom was talking to them so nicely and caringly, they were sucked in. That’s how stupid people are. They thought, hey this is a good guy, he cares for me. He actually cares for me. People think Satan cares for them more than God does. People think more of this world than of the Lord Jesus Christ who died for them. See Absalom said there was no man deputed of the king to hear you. He was saying… the king don’t care about you mate! But if I was king… I would! Behold the catch cry of socialism. People want to feel heard and cared for, they go straight past the Lord who really cares for them and proved in on the cross… to some idiot who exploits them and uses them and doesn’t give hey for them.

So the men of Israel would come to king David for judgement on their controversies, but Absalom would meet them, he’d give them a hug and a kiss, he’d agree with them. Yeah I sure hear you mate. Yeah you’re right that is wrong. Yes you’re so hard done by. If I was in charge I’d do better by you than the king does! Relate all this to spiritual life. We all live real lives, disputes and issues and controversies are part of life. And in real life, our actual trust and belief in God gets tested. We get to doubting God’s word, God’s ways. We get to thinking we know more, or we know a better way, or it’s not us that need to change, hey maybe the king needs to change! We change God’s word rather than God changes us! Often we don’t really rate God’s way of doing and dealing with things. Satan after all is so much nicer, he agrees with me, he doesn’t rebuke my sin, he cares for me, he’d be a better leader. We always seem to come to the conclusion we know better than God.

Of course we don’t see that it is really Satan we are dealing with do we, we see a beautiful impressive Absalom. He didn’t look like what he really was. Nor does the devil. But don’t forget, David was still the king by the word of God. See they were on the way to get the king’s word, and instead Absalom’s word suited them more. People have gone after Absalom and forsaken the king, the Lord Jesus Christ. See, Satan and his ministers, they aren’t going to challenge your sin, they are going to play to your pride and your lust. Men would feel important and loved when they spoke to him. Did he really care for them? Not a bit. He just wanted to take power, and he was manipulating people.

So Satan will prey on issues in your life and he’ll get an entry point. He just needs a foothold. He just needs to open that conversation. He’ll take advantage of you, you’ll forsake God and his word because there’s another way which plays to your pride, which doesn’t require repentance and faith and submission and humility… here’s someone who goes along with you, he says you’re right! He who seems really caring and genuine. It’s amazing how people talk so glowingly of people who are evil and wicked, and yet would condemn God’s word and Jesus Christ. You don’t know who truly loves you. Proverbs 27:6 – Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. So many people in churches today have had their heart stolen and they don’t even know it. They’re not serving Jesus Christ, they’re following Absalom. Let’s go to a church where the pastor is such a good and caring and loving guy, a big popular no issues church where we all get perfectly along. So many people rather Absalom who panders to them, who strokes their pride and ego, who plays into their need to feel important and justified… but Absalom was not God’s anointed king. Whereas your heart should belong to David, it belongs to Absalom, and you are following him to your own demise.

By the way, most of Israel got to following this guy. Absalom was conspiring nonstop to take over and the Bibles says that the people increased continually with Absalom. More and more people started following him. They agreed with Absalom that he’d make a better king and judge than his father. And as already stated, the Bible says in 2 Samuel 15:11 – And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. They didn’t know who and what they were really following. So many Christians, when they ought to have wisdom, instead they’re following an Absalom. They’re actually opposing God’s word. They’re fighting for the devil! How many people calling themselves Christians that even I talk to, and they’re on the opposite side of God’s word on so many issues. They’re against people who are actually care for the truth of God’s word. Satan is so good at what he does he can have Christians fighting for him! They’re riding with him… against the God they claim to serve! Look what Jesus encountered… a religious system hellbent on murdering him… who was the God they claimed to believe and serve.

Satan takes advantage of controversies, and he gains entry. That’s what Absalom did. I’ll pretend to care for people with issues, and they’ll join me. That’s how politicians work, it’s a popularity contest. People vote you in because they think you care for them and have their interests at heart. But Absalom had his own agenda didn’t he. He wanted to be in power. Wake up people. We see Absalom’s rampant in the world today. So here they come with a controversy. They have a dispute, they might feel hard done by, they want a ruling in their favour. Real life has happened and they want to see the king. How many people plan to see the king… but never do. So many people plan to think about getting saved or looking into a faith journey. It never eventuates. You’re easy meat.

A controversy is a dispute, a debate… an agitation of contrary opinions. It’s in judgement where people often get unhooked from God. Because God’s word says this… but I wanna do that! So in comes Absalom, hey good looking! What a ticket. Often people have their own opinions and they’d rather them than God’s word. So how great to follow a king that goes along with my opinions rather than saying no! Wow Absalom cares so much more for me than king David! Churches are full of people that want a pastor who goes along with them. They want an impressive, popular church, they want to feel important, and they want to feel loved and cared for rather than truth… which is true love. Do you even know who truly loves you? See people are that vain and superficial they don’t realize who truly cares for them. Jesus has proved his love to you reader. Absalom hadn’t proved anything to anyone. All he had done was look in the mirror and murder his brother and burn someones field to get attention. Absalom didn’t love them, he used them. But it’s so much easier to follow Absalom. It’s so much easier to follow a leader who plays to my sin, who won’t tell me I’m wrong, who won’t open God’s word. If we leave wide open doors for Satan to stroll though, he will… and he’ll leave with your heart.

We have to be aware of how Satan works. The Bible says not to be ignorant of his devices. In the world we live, we are seeing so much of the pattern of Absalom’s life. As Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel, so Satan wants to make you follow him. He wants your heart. And many people give their heart to him and go out riding for him into his battles. If you are a Christian, you shouldn’t be on team Absalom. An enemy who knows how to play to your flesh. But maybe you are, because you’ve been sucked in by the lies and manipulation of the enemy. Oh you think you’re on the right team. Oh but you’re not. When they went to the real king, David might have ruled against them, but Absalom said hey man, you’re right. Absalom was identifying with them. Pretending to be a man of the people, pretending to be on their side. Suckers. Look at 2 Samuel 15:3 – And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. People want to feel heard rather than to hear God’s word. You see, God’s word stops our mouths, but we like to run our mouths. We are more interested in what we think rather than what the king says. And Satan is right there to take advantage of our sin, our pride, our lust, our flesh. He’ll tell you what you want to hear, he’ll come in alongside you, he’ll be that voice agreeing with you in your rebellion. But he’s not a true friend.

Watch you’re not so simple as to end up fighting for Absalom. There are many Christians who call themselves so (but aren’t really), and they’re against David, they’re against Jesus Christ! They doubt the capacity, the veracity, the authority of God’s word. Old David just doesn’t have it anymore. We need a newer, cooler, better king. That’s what modern Christianity is. The cool beautiful Absalom with his long hair, rather than that old tried and tested and true king. They’ve been won over by Absalom. They’ve gone hip. They went after beauty. They followed their eyesight and flesh, rather than wanting truth. And they got what they wanted. People loves lies, they can’t endure straight preaching of God’s word anymore. They had no depth of character because there was no depth of earth in their heart. They were conned into disobeying God’s word, they were out of God’s will.

God’s word had said David is my king. But here they are trying to run him off the throne and kill him! Are you in rebellion to God’s word like they were? When we have controversies, disputes, issues of judgement, Satan loves to prey upon them to turn our hearts from Jesus to himself. You’ve got a sodomite son or a lesbian daughter, now you are going to reconsider your position because old Absalom says that’s ok, and he understands more than Jesus Christ of the Bible does. Are you having conversations with the devil? Or are you going straight past and you want to see the king? If Satan gets your heart, he’s got you. And he’ll lead you to waste and destruction. All because you’re too simple, too vain, too superficial to realize what’s truly what.

We all love having our flesh tickled, it’s much more fun than the rebuke of God’s word. Many people have a religion that’s all about them… that’s why they ended up following Absalom. He made them feel they were right. He got them to doubt and distrust David, he got them to think he’s an incompetent who didn’t care for them. David had the track record, Absalom had none. What idiots! Why would we follow the same mistake so many years later? Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. He was great at manipulating, at seducing, at enticing, at exploiting. We’ve gotta watch our hearts, and make sure it doesn’t get won over by Absalom. David is still the king. Don’t doubt Jesus Christ and his word. He’s still on the throne.

Many people followed Absalom, and their numbers swelled, but God’s word still said David is my king. Stick to God’s word, stick to tried and tested and true. Stick to who truly loves you. Many people today have had their hearts stolen and they don’t know it, they’re fighting for the devil, and they don’t know it. All because they have their flesh tickled, they have no spiritual eyes to see what’s truly what, and they’re riding against God’s word and God’s anointed. Where will Satan get you? Is he having a conversation with you? And he’s turned you away from the king unto himself. And he’s got you. Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel, and it cost many men their lives, because at the end of the day he was just a bitter, unrepentant, sin cursed rebel. Follow the Lord Jesus Christ, get back to the Bible, the word of God, give your heart to Jesus the faithful Creator who truly loves and cares for you, and don’t be played for a fool no more.

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