Podcasts about Absalom

David's son Absalom is a handsome young man who has won the hearts of Israel by deception, telling them that King David had no time for them but he would grant justice if only he were in charge. Absalom devises a coup to overthrow David, but his father catches wind of his plot and flees before he arrives. Today, David's men prepare for battle and meet the forces of Absalom's Israelite troops. He “goes out on a limb” as it were and fights against his father but ends up “hanging out with the wrong crowd.” That's two dad jokes for the price of one; if you don't get it, you will soon. Anyways, the forest itself claims more lives than the sword, and Absalom meets his end at the hands of Joab. 2 Samuel 18 – 1:02 . 2 Samuel 19 – 9:36 . :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

After killing his brother at a family dinner, Absalom fled to another country, and was only brought back after Joab convinced David to do so by way of a theatric analogy. Today, Absalom begins a plan to win the hearts of the people and turn Israel against his father, the king. Learning of this impending insurrection, David flees Jerusalem with all of his people, save a handle of men who serve as spies. Nathan prophesied that the Lord would bring disaster on David from his own family, and that another man would sleep with his wives before Israel in broad daylight. David's own son, Absalom, is that man. 2 Samuel 15 - 1:02 .  2 Samuel 16 - 9:41 .  2 Samuel 17 - 14:47 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

Send us Fan MailJune 14, 2026, message from apostle Tommy Miller, senior pastor, Legacy Church, Ohio. Recorded live.Absalom is a pattern that represents justified dysfunction — pain or offense that has been made acceptable rather than brought to healing. Week 3 of our series exploring patterns that disrupt and subvert kingdom culture.Learn more about Legacy Church: https://www.legacychurchint.org/Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/legacychurchohSow into what we're doing: https://www.legacychurchint.org/give#theFracture #absalom #jezebel #sacredbiology #biodivine #asheissoareweinthisworld #unveiled #conscience #sons #manifestsons #fathers #union #legacychurchoh #newcreation #jesus #church #jesuschrist #gospel #transfigured #revelator #apostle #deathless #immortality #believe #bible #creator #godisgood #grace #hope #sermonshots #sermonclips #holyspirit #love #godislove #kingdom #peace #freedom #memes #truth #inspiration #motivationalquotes #vibes #positivevibes #christ #jesuslovesyou #russellbrand #jordanbpeterson #joerogan #atm #tommymiller #soulintelligence #EQ #emotionalintelligence Support the show

In this message, we explore the tragic image of Absalom — literally suspended "between heaven and earth," caught by his own hair. It's a powerful picture of a spiritual condition many of us know well: pursuing heavenly things while still clinging to the world. From the rich young ruler to Lot's wife to Israel longing for Egypt, Scripture shows us that we cannot serve two masters or chase two treasures. Eventually, the choice is made for us. Absalom's physical predicament mirrored a divided heart he'd carried for years. This message challenges us to examine what we're truly holding onto — and to remember that gaining the world while losing heaven is no gain at all.

In this message, we explore the tragic image of Absalom — literally suspended "between heaven and earth," caught by his own hair. It's a powerful picture of a spiritual condition many of us know well: pursuing heavenly things while still clinging to the world. From the rich young ruler to Lot's wife to Israel longing for Egypt, Scripture shows us that we cannot serve two masters or chase two treasures. Eventually, the choice is made for us. Absalom's physical predicament mirrored a divided heart he'd carried for years. This message challenges us to examine what we're truly holding onto — and to remember that gaining the world while losing heaven is no gain at all.

Today's reading includes an account of sexual violence, so listener discretion is advised. The sexual sin that began in David's heart and was executed in front of his household is now spreading throughout his family, as his sons begin to use their own power to satisfy their own lust and perversity. David's son Amnon lusts after Tamar, his own half-sister, and plots to rape her at the encouragement of his friend Jonadab. When David discovers that Tamar has been raped by Amnon, he is furious, but sadly, he does nothing to intervene. Tamar's brother Absalom is furious, setting in motion a series of events that causes havoc, not only in David's household, but in his kingdom. 2 Samuel 13 - 1:05 .  2 Samuel 14 - 10:01 .  Psalm 101 - 17:47 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

The account of King David and his rebellious son Absalom illustrates tragic parental love. Despite David's orders to spare him, Absalom died in battle, caught in a tree. David's anguished cry: 'O my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you!' reveals a father's broken heart. Sadly, David's own sins and permissive parenting fostered Absalom's rebellion. But what David desired, to die in his son's place as his substitute, Christ accomplished for all believers.

Betrayal cuts deepest when it comes from those closest to us. In Psalm 109, David writes from the wreckage of Absalom's coup — and his words echo through history to Judas, to Christ, and to every Christian who has ever faced false accusation. Pastor Daniel walks through this raw, imprecatory psalm using a threefold framework: what it meant for David, how it was fulfilled in Christ, and what it means for the church today. When enemies surround you and accusers multiply, who stands at your right hand? The answer changes everything.

Israel's royal family is broken by unaddressed trauma. King David's oldest son, Amnon, assaulted his half sister, Tamar. When David found out, he was furious but chose passive silence over justice, issuing no consequences. After two years of watching his father do nothing, Tamar's brother Absalom took matters into his own hands. He orchestrated Amnon's assassination and fled into exile. While David grieved his estranged son, his general, Joab, realized the king was paralyzed between his duty as a judge and his heart as a father. To break this deadlock, Joab hired a woman from Tekoa to trick the king into making a decision. Let's see what happens as we dive into 2 Samuel 14.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. 2 Samuel 16:15-17:29 Spencer Cary Download TranscriptMy name is Spencer and I am one of the pastors here. We are going to be in 2 Samuel chapter 16. We're going to go all the way through chapter 17 today. So, if you have a Bible around you, those black Bibles, you can grab one of those. We're going on page 306. and most of the text or all of this text will be on in those Bibles. We'll have some text on the screen as well. I'll try to cue when that comes up, but you can go ahead and follow along there. I've been following Jesus for 20 years at this point.And there are times when you follow Jesus long enough that just feel really dark. whether that's for suffering, whether that's affliction, sadness, all types of things that come upon us. But there are times where it just feels very very dark. But like the words we just sang, when darkness seems to hide his face, as the original hymn said, when darkness veils his lovely face. It's just this idea that if you follow God long enough, you're going to have times where you just don't feel the presence of God. you don't feel his goodness. And then when that happens, there are questions that begin to linger.Does God love me? Is he for me? Does he care about me? And those questions can linger in a way and surface and sometimes resurface when we are going through times that are difficult, when we're traveling through times that are very dark. Man, if you follow Christ long enough, that's that's going to happen. the reality of following Jesus this side of the fall. But then there are moments there are moments where God in the middle of darkness and his kindness breaks through. And it doesn't always mean that your circumstances get better. But in the middle of suffering, in the middle of what feels like hopelessness, God meets us in some wonderful and powerful ways.And that is the experience that all of God's people feel in the lifetime, the marathon of following Jesus. And maybe that's you right now. Maybe that maybe that's where you're at. That you just feel darkness and all the things that come with that we just talked about. And if that is you, and certainly for all of us, it will be us at some point. If that is you, then this part of the story of David is actually going to be, I think, wildly encouraging because David's been in it. We have I mean it's like week after week as we're following his story right now. He's living in the aftermath of his sin against Bathsheba and Uriah and he's dealing with the discipline of the Lord and it just feels unrelenting.But today, we're going to see that in the middle of all of this darkness that he's walking through, we're going to see God shine through like like a like like in a really difficult storm, like a light that just pierces through. We're going to see some hope that's found in that. And then as we look at this as Christians, we'll be able to take a step back and see that this is the hope that he has for us as well. So, I'm going to pray for us and then we're going to work through the story together. Heavenly Father, I thank you for the good news of the gospel that we just got to read, sing, and pray.I pray that you would help us as we seek to understand who you are even as we encounter the sufferings of this present life. So may you give us ears to hear in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. All right. So, before we jump into verse 15, let's recap a little bit where Mike took us last week. Absalom, the son of David, has been leading to this point a very successful rebellion, a civil war against his father, King David. And David has fled Jerusalem. Absalom has entered Jerusalem, is set up on the throne. And now Absalom is seeking to establish his reign. Picking up in verse 15. Now Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel came to Jerusalem and Ahithophel with him. Okay? So Absalom has a party of men of followers of leaders and it's going to be referred to as the men of Israel. And the most prominentfigure in that party is a man named Ahithophel. Ahithophel is a counselor to the king. He was a counselor to David. He was someone that David brought in to give wise counsel and advice. But now he's betrayed David and he's joined his son in this rebellion. And we don't really know why. Some have theorized that Ahithophel that when you follow his line, he has a son named Iliam. And that that might be the same Iliam that is the father of Bathsheba. That this might be the grandfather of Bathsheba and that he's exacting some type of revenge against David here. We don't know that to be true, but he has betrayed David and now he's joined in with Absalom and he's giving counsel to him. But he's not the only one seeking to give counsel to this new king. Verse 16.And when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, "Long live the king." Long live the king. Okay, we'll pause there. There are a lot of names as we're going to see in the story today. There's a lot of names last week, so some of this stuff is hard to track. But if you remember back from last week, Hushai is a spy that David has sent to disrupt Ahithophel. So in 2 Samuel 15, what we read last week in verse 34, this will be on the screen. It says, "But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king, as I've been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant. Then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel." This is David sending in Hushai to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which he knows is going to be veryhelpful to Absalom. And then in verse 37 it says, "So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem." So that's what's happened here. He has sent he sent Hushai in to be rival counsel to Ahithophel to disrupt all of this. And Hushai, who's playing the part of double agent quite well, comes in immediately and says, "Long live the king."Now Absalom may be pretty but he's not that stupid because he knows that Hushai is a friend to David. So he responds verse 17. And Absalom said to Hushai, "Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?" And Hushai said to Absalom, "No, for whom the Lord and this people and all that the men of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. And again, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? As I have served your father, so I will serve you." So Absalom says, " don't you like play golf with my dad?Like, aren't y'all boys? What's happening here? Why are you where why are you here?" And he's like, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I play golf with whoever sits on the throne. I'm for the position, not the man. And the Lord is with you and the people are with you. So I am with you. So I'm here to help you. And it's great. You're David's son. You're the next. So he plays the part of double agent quite well. He doesn't get immediately thrown out. The question is, is he going to be able to keep his cover as he's trying to infiltrate his way into Absalom's influence? Verse 20, then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give your counsel. What shall we do?" So he's looking to what's my next move is now that I've established my place in Jerusalem. And Ahithophel in verse 21 said to Absalom, "Go into your father's concubines whom he has left to keep thehouse and all Israel will hear that you've made yourself a stench to your father and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened." Okay, that is a diabolical plan. All right, for a variety of reasons. First, this is a egregious sin. This is an egregious violation of the law. Leviticus 20:11 prohibits this. It gives the death penalty for anyone who will lay with his father's wife. And though concubines were seen as lesser status wives in the reign of the kings, they still are wives of the king. So what Ahithophel has recommended is a wicked and gross violation of the law. But as far as evil plans go in and its most brilliant base form, it's smart. From a worldly perspective, from a godless perspective, this is a massive power play. This is his way to show all the rebels that are fighting for him that I mean business.So it's wicked and it's evil and it's vile and it's obscene, but also it's very cunning. So Ahithophel gives him this counsel and Absalom listens. Verse 22. So they pitch a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went into his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed both by David and by Absalom. And that's a way of saying that Ahithophel's counsel was so valued. It was like hearing the word of God. Meaning that the word of God says this, you do it. Ahithophel says this, you do it. And he recommends this rebellious, cunning, and wicked act. And Absalom does it. And they pitch a tent. And they work out this plan in front of all of Israel. But this is also fulfilling the prophecy of Nathan after David sinned with Bathsheba and murdering Uriah. For Nathan the prophet in 2 Samuel 12 will be on the screen. It says, "Thus says the Lord, behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and givethem to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of the sun. for you did it secretly, but I will do this before this thing before all Israel and before the sun. So God gives up Absalom to his own sinful desires. And this brings judgment upon David and his house. And Ahithophel's counsel is followed. And he makes himself a stench to David and his followers. Now he's got more counsel to give becausenow they've got to reckon with David himself. And this is where we're going to see rival counselors Ahithophel and then Hushai is going to come into the scene and both of them function like the cabinet of the king. Right? So if you follow US history every US president has a cabinet and if you follow some of the biggest battles that have happened between these cabinet members. These are counselors to the king. The biggest one is is the original cabinet. So in Washington's presidency, he had Jefferson and then he had Hamilton. And both of them represented two very different political philosophies. That's why he put them in the counsel in the first place in the cabinet because he wanted to see two rival philosophies go at it, which didn't work out very well. They actually ended up forming two different political parties that came out of that. But if you follow theythey've written all this down. If you follow some of the history of how they fought, there were times where Hamilton would go on these 45minute monologues. He just go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and it's and this recorded that Jefferson would just be like head back just like just so annoying. And then there are times where Jefferson would win the day and he would get the influence of Washington and it's recorded that he would like sneer and like make faces at Hamilton, which is just funny because these are our founding fathers. of the people that helped found this nation and we can all act like children in our own sinful state at times. But that's not abnormal.That's not just US history. That's ancient history. That's happened for thousands of years that kings and presidents and prime ministers and sovereign leaders, they have counsel that they bring in often to oppose one another to find what is the best way forward. So what we're going to see is that type of cabinet battle here starting in verse one of chapter 17. Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose 12,000 men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man and all the people will be at peace and the advice seemed right in the eyes ofAbsalom and all the elders of Israel. Okay. So Ahithophel's plan I'll be honest is very very good. This is a good plan. He says listen we have a standing army of 12,000 men tonight that we can ride out of here. In fact, I will lead this. I will lead. You can stay put. I'll lead these 12,000 men. And we're going to catch David because David's not just traveling with his warriors. He's also traveling with his wives and probably some of his children, but with some grandchildren. He's got and they're tired and they're discouraged and they're weary. And he says, "You know what's going to happen?We're going to come upon them. It's going to be like lightning warfare. Boom. We're going to come in quick. And then all we have to do is cut off the head of the snake. All we have to do is take out David. There won't be lots of bloodshed. Only one man has to die. And then guess what? You're good. There's no more threat. Everyone gets behind you and you're the king. Now, that's an objectively good plan. All the commentators, everyone's looked at this and said, "That's a smart way to do this." And they hear it and they say, "Absalom likes this. The elders who are sitting in counsel like this." Now seems to be happening here is you got Absalom with a counsel of elders. Ahithophel comes in he makes his pitch and they like it and then he exits. Then verse 5, then Absalom said call Hushai the Architealso and let us hear what he has to say. So Ahithophel leaves Hushai comes in and now Hushai has to follow up a very very good plan. And that's difficult because if you have to outdo a very very good plan, you it's hard. If someone said, you know what, you're going to have to out-pitch ice cream as the staple dessert. That's a hard thing to do. You know why? Because ice cream is amazing. The fact that you can take the best part of milk, which is cream, and slowly turn it to where it's not so hard where it's just like ice, and it's not too soft that it's just this perfectly formed. and you could throw chocolate in it and all types of things. The person who pitches that idea originally, that's a good pitch. It's for you to come in and try to pitch something else. Unless milkhates you, it's a pretty good dessert. So that's what's that's happening here. Hushai is has to come in. He's going to outdo a very very good plan. Verse six. When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, "Thus has Ahithophel spoken. Shall we do what shall we do as he says? If not, you speak." So they tell him, "This is Ahithophel's plan. Should we do what he says?" Verse 7. Then Hushai said to Absalom, This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good, which I so appreciate as the opener to what we're about to read as a monologue because it's like Ahithophel has chosen poorly. Like, this is just no. It's the equivalent of Trump just saying wrong when someone says something it's just no immediately we're diverging this is not a good plan so then he starts to pitch his plan first by poisoning thewell of Ahithophel's plan verse eight said you know that your father and his men are mighty men and that they are enraged like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is an expert in war. He will not spend the night with the people. Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears this, hears it will say, "There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom." Then even the valiant men whose heart is like the heart of a lion will utterly melt with fear. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are valiant men. All right, pause.Hushai basically chooses fear. He chooses fear, which I don't know if you've been bombarded with the most obnoxious political ads that have been ra running right now, but all of them, 95% of them are fear-based because fear is effective. So, he chooses fear. He says, "You ever seen a bear robbed of her cubs? It's not good. You don't want to get in the middle of that." And he's enraged. They're furious. They're very upset with you, Absalom. So, I know you're thinking, "We've got the numbers. We've got 12,000 men. We can catch them off guard. First off, no you won't. You think David is stupid? He's hiding. He's off. You remember how you used to be hiding in the caves all the time? You think you're going to find him easily cut off the head of the snake? No. No.No. You He's not with his people. You're about to enter a hornets's nest. And let me tell you something. This is what he does. He says he says, "Your men, they've got strong hearts. Some of them courageous like lions. But the moment they start taking L's on the battlefield, the moment they start getting slaughtered, it's going to spread like wildfire. And everyone knows that David and his mighty men are bad. And that is 100% true. I mean, you look at some of their resumes, they are bad to the bone. And he says the moment that they start hearing that people are getting slaughtered, your men'll run.Seeing them not super courageous once they start getting defeated, that's a bad plan. So that's how Hushai begins. He poisons the well with fear. Okay. Now that he's poisoned it, he's going to shift to his plan. Verse 11. But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you from Dan to Beersheba as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found and we shall light upon him as dew falls on the ground and of him and all the men who are with him not one will be left. If he withdraws into a city then all Israel will bring ropes to that city. We shall drag it into the valley until not even a pebble is to be found there.Okay. So what Hushai just did is he is wisely buying time. That's what he's doing. Ahithophel's plan is quick. That night he says, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. You don't want that. Already talked about this. This is this this is going to go wrong for you. Also, Ahithophel's super old. You want him leading you to battle?" No. Here's what's going to happen. We're going to slow it down. We're going to go from Dan to Beersheba, which is basically from north to south. Think Maine to Florida. Okay? We're going to gather all the people of Israel, not 12,000 men, hundreds of thousands of men. We're going to get all of them in our side. that we're going to find David and we're going to surround him. He doesn't matter how mighty his men are, we will have numbers upon numbers upon numbers. And then once we surround him, we're going to win. And ifsomehow he escapes and he makes it to a city where there's where there's walls, guess what? We'll have so many people we'll take ropes, throw it over the wall, rip the walls down, bring all the pebbles into the valley, and guess what? We'll kill every single one of them. That's the option. That's the one you should choose. It's guaranteed. It's going to take some time. But let me tell you something. You don't want to go out without the numbers. That is Hushai's plan. And you've got these two different plans. One, which still, I'll be honest, is way better. Very quick. 12,000 men coming upon them as they've been running. They've got women and children with them. Boom. Kill David. Done. or Hushai's plan which is long drawn out buying time.What are you going to choose? Both are given. Verse 14. And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom. So they choose Hushai's plan. And what we see in this is this is what David prayed for. If you remember back in 2 Samuel 15:31, it says, "And David said this on the screen." Oh Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. He prays this and God answers this prayer. For it says, "The Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel so the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom." David's prayer is answered because ultimately God is going to bring judgment upon Absalom for his wickedness and his rebellion against David, the Lord's anointed king.So while that's happening, Hushai seemingly he's out of the room. So he's left the room. They're in here discussing this and they are making the decision that Hushai's plan is very very good. Hushai outside the room is now not going to wait to see what happens next because he heard Ahithophel's plan and that's a good plan. So he has got to get a word to David because David is exactly where Ahithophel said he would be. He's out in the open. He's not hiding. So that was all smoke and mirrors and he's got to get word to David in case Ahithophel's plan is taken. And that's what we pick up in verse 15. Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priest. Okay, we got a lot of names here. Stay with me. Zadok and Abiathar are priests, Levitical priests that were loyal to David. So Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar, the priest,thus and so did Ahithophel's counsel, Ahithophel counsel, Absalom and the elders of Israel. And thus and so have I counseled. Now therefore send quickly and tell David do not stay tonight at the fords of the wilderness but by all means pass over lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up. So he says you've got to leave now. If they follow Ahithophel's plan they're going to catch you. You've got to get out of town. You got to get out of the wilderness. You got to get away as far as you can. So that's the word they give to Zadok and Abiathar. Verse 17. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel. Okay. Jonathan and Ahimaaz are sons of Zadok and Abiathar. They are Levitical priests as well. And they're waiting at En-rogel which is just outside of Jerusalem. And it says a femaleservant was to go and tell them. And they were to go and tell King David for they were not to be seen entering the city. So what we have here is a chain of spies. One to the next to the next to the next to get to David. so that David and his crew can leave and flee danger. But verse 18, the young man saw them and told Absalom. So both of them went away quickly and came to the house at a man at Bahurim who had who had a well in his courtyard. And they went down into it. And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth and scattered grain on it, and nothing was known of it. So while they're trying to get the message out, one of Absalom's men sees what happens. So they go, they hide in a well and then the woman very smartly spreadscovering over the well, puts grain on top of it, very much like Rahab and the spies in Jericho and hides them so that they can evade capture. Verse 20. When Absalom's servants came to the woman of the house, they said, "Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan?" And the woman said to them, "They have gone over the brook of water." And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. So they successfully evade capture. Verse 21. After they had gone, the men came up out of the well and went and told King David. They said to David, "Arise and go quickly over the water, for thus and so has Ahithophel counseled against you."Then David arose and all the people who were with them, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan. So chain of spies works. They cross and guess what? They didn't even need to because Hushai's plan won. And Ahithophel's plan was defeated because God has determined to bring his judgment upon Absalom. And that plan is now in full effect. And Ahithophel cannot handle the defeat of this rival counselor. Verse 23. When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order and hanged himself and he died and was buried in the tomb of his father. Now, it's possible that Ahithophel was so poisoned by his own pride and self-worth and his own great advice, his own great counsel that the moment that he's defeated, he can't handle it and hecommits suicide. It is also possible that at this point he may see the writing on the wall and that David is actually going to win this war and he'd rather take care of it himself as opposed to falling to David's sword. We don't know for sure. I lean towards the former. I think the text more I think pushes in that direction that when he says his counsel was not followed I think what's bound up in here is pride which just for the moment is a very good case study and a warning sign to anyone who puts their worth and their value and their work and their abilities and their talents and what they do. Because if you put so much value into those things and those things are taken from you, what you've done is you've set up an idol to worship. And when that idol is taken, it can lead you to some very dark places.And what this serves as is a cautionary tale to be mindful of not putting so much of your value and your worship and the things that you do because that's what I think Ahithophel does. And when his counsel is not followed because of his shame, he goes and takes his life.So let's finish out the chapter verse 24. Then David came to Mahanaim and Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army instead of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, the sister of Zeruiah, Joab's mother. and Israel and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead. Verse 27. When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim brought beds, basins and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched, beans and lentils, honey and curds and sheep, and cheese from the herd. for David and the people with him to eat. For they said the people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.The chapter ends with even though they're in the wilderness and even though they're on the run for their lives and even though it seems like things are going against them, God still cares and raises a people to provide provisions for them in the wilderness. And that closes chapter 17 to set up next week which we will see is the great battle between Absalom's men and David's men.Okay. So, if you've been with us the last few weeks, if you study this just in its immediate context, it's very hard to see the light in all of this darkness because we've seen so much of it. At this point, David has suffered for years under the discipline of God. He's watched his family be torn apart. He's watched his nation be torn apart. He's had to deal with the emotional agony of his own son leading a rebellion against him to murder him. I mean, he it's all these chapters, it's dark. And in the middle of all this darkness, in the middle of all this brokenness, in the middle of all of this pain and suffering, is a reminder that God is still for David.Because what commentators will say is that in all these chapters of suffering, right in the middle in verse 14 of chapter 17 is this shining light that breaks through the storm. So it says, "For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom." And that right there is the glimmer of hope that the wickedness and the evil, the dishonor of his father, the dishonor of his nation, the dishonor of his God, Absalom will be judged. and that the covenant that God made with David is remembered. Does David deserve to have favor? Absolutely not. Does God remember his covenant of favor towards David?Absolutely. That no matter how dark it has gotten, no matter how bad has gotten for David, God remembers his covenant to him. God remembers his covenant to his people. That is the glimpse of light that breaks through the storm of all of this darkness that we're reading. And as you take a step back as a Christian, it is a helpful reminder for us because we I think also we forget this because we will go through seasons of intense present darkness, of suffering, of affliction. And in the middle of all of the suffering, in the middle of the affliction, in the middle of all of it, those questions can linger. Is God for me?Does he care about me? Does he love me? Because it doesn't feel like it right now. If you follow Jesus long enough, you will have been there. And the good news is we don't just have the scriptures that testify to how God meets his people in the middle of darkness. We also have wonderful stories from church history. In the modern missions movement in the 19th century, there's a lot of missionaries that went out to parts of the world that were very difficult to reach and very difficult to reach with the gospel. One of them was named John Paton. John Paton was a missionary.Him and his wife, they went to the island of the New Hebrides Islands in the 19th century. It's an island that had zero Christians, had tribes that were cannibals. And he arrived on the island then not long after arriving there, his wife died. And then their infant son also died. And in his autobiography he says, "Then in a moment altogether unexpectedly, she died on March 3rd to crown my sorrows and complete my loneliness, the dear baby boy whom we had named after her father, Peter Robert Robson, was taken from me after one week's sickness on the 20th of March.Let those who have ever passed through any similar darkness as a midnight field for me, as for all others, it would be more than vain to try to paint my sorrows. And he just says that after losing his wife, after losing his son, after being obedient to the Great Commission to go and make disciples of nations that did not know him, that he felt such an intense loneliness it would be vain to try to paint and describe his sorrows. So he dug two graves with his hands and buried his wife and buried his son. and he's alone on an island with people who are trying to kill him.And this is what he writes. I'll put this on the screen. Stunned by that dreadful loss and entering upon this field of labor to which the Lord had himself so evidently led me, my reason seemed for a time almost to give way. The ever merciful Lord sustained me. But for Jesus and the fellowship he vouchsafed to me there, I must have gone mad and died beside that lonely grave. And it's such a wonderful reminder that even in the darkest of moments, even when all hope seems lost, even as he's buried his wife and his son and he's alone on an island under the threat of death, that in the intense darkness that he faced, Jesus Christ came. He says, "The ever merciful Lord sustained me. but for Jesus and the fellowship vouchsafed to me there, he says without it I would have gone mad beside that lonely grave and that story in some versions happenedover and over and over again and he continued and now that island for centuries at this point was converted to Jesus and has a legacy of Christ but God's people sometimes go through intense bouts of suffering I don't think any of us have ever faced anything like that. But in the middle of darkness, in the middle of complete what seems like hopelessness, God shines through to his people. And the reason he does this is because when he saves you and redeems you and seals you with the Holy Spirit, he never leaves or forsakes us. He is for us. And even though darkness may seem like it's prevailing, even though hope may seem like it is lost, even though it feels so sad and lonely, God is for you if you belong to him. He is for your good. It may not seem like it and he may not answer you with the circumstantialchange that you want, but God breaks through to his people. I don't know why some of you have suffered in the way that you have. I don't know why you feel the way that you do, but I do know that if you belong to Jesus Christ, he is with you. And my hope and my prayer is that you would sense it just like Paton did. That he would break through. That you would sense it just like David did and be reminded that just as David had a covenant that was made with him, we because we belong to Jesus Christ have a covenant that was made with us by his blood. that when Jesus Christ goes to the cross and sheds blood for our sin and then captures us and brings us into the family of God, that covenant is remembered and it is never forgotten that our God is for you. And wecelebrate that regularly and remember that as we come to the table. George is going to come up and we're going to prepare to take the Lord's Supper, which is a meal of remembrance that Jesus instituted and gave to the church. On the night that he was betrayed, he took bread and he broke it. He said, "This is my body that was broken for you." And then he took the cup of the new covenant. He said, "This is my blood that was shed for you that as often as you eat and drink this, you proclaim my death until I return." And Jesus gives us that meal to remember the covenant that was made with his blood.That God loves you so much that he gave up his one and only son. that you even in this life that is filled sometimes with suffering and darkness would persevere by faith trusting in the finished work of Christ and finding those moments where God encounters us with his presence and breaks through the dark questions that linger in our soul looking forward to a day when there will be no more questions like that because there will be no more suffering or sin or brokenness. There will only be him in eternity. So as a Christian you get to come to the table remembering the work of Jesus Christ as a reminder as a memorial as remembrance that he is for you. Even if it doesn't feel like it right now he is.So may you prepare your hearts and then in a moment you can come to the table. There's gluten-free at that table back there. If you do not belong to Jesus Christ, we don't want you to come to the table. We want you to come to Jesus. We want you to place your faith in him. We want you to see what it is like to walk with a God who loves you so deeply that he gave himself for you.And the invitation is for you to follow Christ. And if you want to know more about that, find me, find another pastor, find a Christian who brought you here today, and we can show you what it means to follow Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray that you might prepare our hearts to receive this meal of remembrance. God, I pray that you might help us, especially those of us that belong to you that are right now feeling so hopeless, feeling such darkness as so many of your people have done and felt. God, I pray that you would as they take this meal, would you break through the darkness, would you help them see that you love them, that you're for them, that they belong to you, that they're treasured by you.May they remember who you are. And for those who do not belong to you, I pray, God that you would compel them to faith in you this morning. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Come when you are ready.

What do we do when life seems to fall apart? King David faced betrayal, humiliation, false accusations, and the painful consequences of past sin. He fled from his rebellious son, Absalom. Yet in this darkest of hours, displayed humility, submission to God's providence, and confidence in the Lord's mercy. David's greater Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, was also rejected and reviled, yet entrusted Himself wholly to His Father. A challenging, but encouraging study for all who face trials and seek to trust God through them.

On our last episode we followed the trajectory of David's son Absalom, a handsome young man who had won the hearts of Israel by deception, telling those who came to King David that the king had no time for them. Absalom devises a coup to overthrow David, but his father catches wind of his plot and flees before he arrives. Today, David's men prepare for battle and meet the forces of Absalom's Israelite troops. The forest itself claims more lives than the sword, and Absalom meets his end at the hands of Joab. Later, David is restored as king, but not without personal turmoil. 2 Samuel 18 - 1:16 .  2 Samuel 19 - 9:41 .  2 Samuel 20 - 19:59 .  Psalm 83 - 25:38 .  :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

After killing his brother at a family dinner, Absalom fled to another country, and was only brought back after Joab convinced David to do so by way of a theatric analogy. Today, Absalom begins a plan to win the hearts of the people and turn Israel against his father, the king. Learning of this impending insurrection, David flees Jerusalem with all of his people, save a handle of men who serve as spies. Nathan prophesied that the Lord would bring disaster on David from his own family, and that another man would sleep with his wives before Israel in broad daylight. David's own son, Absalom, is that man. 2 Samuel 15 - 1:12 .  2 Samuel 16 - 9:44 .  2 Samuel 17 - 15:01 .  Psalm 81 - 21:26 .  Psalm 82 - 23:30 . :::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Biblefacebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

In this Bible Story, Sheba begins a revolt against David, and many people gather to defy him in the streets of Israel. David, knowing that Sheba's rebellion could topple Israel, sends his strongest men in pursuit of him. This story is inspired by 2 Samuel 19:9-20:13. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Samuel 19:15 from the King James Version.Episode 108: Absalom was dead, but his rebellion was not. So David invited those who were loyal to Absalom to come into his courts, receive forgiveness, and have positions of influence fit for their skills. Just as God was giving him the ability to govern the people into unity, a man named Sheba began a rebellion of his own. David, seeing that this rebellion could be worse than the one they just went through, sent his commanders to deal with it swiftly.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Absalom had everything on the outside and nothing on the inside-his vanity destroyed him.

The enemy does not always attack from outside the house. Sometimes he stands at the gate, disguises slander as concern, promotes rebellion as justice, and slowly steals the hearts of people through deception. Leon du Preez exposes the spirit of Absalom and reveals why fellowship, loyalty, honor, and spiritual covering matter. This message is a call to discernment. Guard your heart. Refuse gossip. Protect the bride of Christ. Remain in the fellowship of light.

The Battle of Gibeon 12Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.13And Joab the son of Zeruiah and the servants of David went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. And they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool. 14And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men arise and compete before us. And Joab said, Let them arise. 15Then they arose and passed over by number, twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. 16And each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent's side, so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim, which is at Gibeon. 17And the battle was very fierce that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David. 18And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. 19And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20Then Abner looked behind him and said, Is it you, Asahel? And he answered, It is I.21Abner said to him, Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil. But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?23But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still. 24But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. And as the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.25And the people of Benjamin gathered themselves together behind Abner and became one group and took their stand on the top of a hill. 26Then Abner called to Joab, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you tell your people to turn from the pursuit of their brothers? 27And Joab said, As God lives, if you had not spoken, surely the men would not have given up the pursuit of their brothers until the morning. 28So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men stopped and pursued Israel no more, nor did they fight anymore. 29And Abner and his men went all that night through the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim. 30Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David's servants nineteen men besides Asahel.31But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner's men. 32And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron. Abner Joins David 3There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 2And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; 3and his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 4and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;5and the sixth, Ithream, of Eglah, David's wife. These were born to David in Hebron. 6While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. 7Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you gone in to my father's concubine? 8Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, Am I a dog's head of Judah? To this day I keep showing steadfast love to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David. And yet you charge me today with a fault concerning a woman. 9God do so to Abner and more also, if I do not accomplish for David what the Lord has sworn to him,10to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba. 11And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him. 12And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf,saying, To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you. 13And he said, Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face. 14Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines. 15And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. 16But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, Go, return. And he returned. 17And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. 18Now then bring it about, for the Lordhas promised David, saying, By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.19Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do. 20When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21And Abner said to David, I will arise and go and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires. So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. 22Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he has let him go, and he has gone in peace. 24Then Joab went to the king and said, What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why is it that you have sent him away, so that he is gone?25You know that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing. Joab Murders Abner 26When Joab came out from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it. 27And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.28Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the Lord for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread! 30So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon. David Mourns Abner 31Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner. And King David followed the bier. 32They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. 33And the king lamented for Abner, saying, Should Abner die as a fool dies?34Your hands were not bound;your feet were not fettered;as one falls before the wickedyou have fallen. And all the people wept again over him. 35Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down! 36And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will to put to death Abner the son of Ner. 38And the king said to his servants, Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39And I was gentle today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. The Lord repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week.Additional context: Watch the theology teaching video, What is the Bible? 2 Samuel 15 Mike Goble Download TranscriptAll right, so Chet and Spencer are away. Let's get down to business. No, no, no, no, no. My name is Mike. I'm an elder in training here. Last week at the end of the sermon, I had three people come up to me and say that I reminded them of Absalom.I had one person come up and tell me I reminded them of Abimelech and I reminded them that that's not what the story was about and that was Raz. So when they told me that I reminded them of Absalom, I said, "Oh, of course, the striking good looks." And they all pretty intentionally clarified, "No, that is not why. it is because you have long hair and you are trying to convince people to leave this church and go out with you to plant another church. And so that brings me to my first point today. Oak Ridge Church in Lexington will be meeting sometime in January of 2027. Now this is not an infomercial for our church plant, even though we are very excited about that.We're going to be today in 2 Samuel. We're going to be in chapter 15. This is going to be on page 304 of the Bibles that are at your seats. We would ask if you'd consider not using an electronic Bible if you're willing and instead maybe pick one of those Bibles up and we're going to read the Bible together. And we think that's a helpful thing. Before we get started in our text, I'm going to pray for us. Father, we thank you for being our God, for being our salvation.We thank you for your good scripture that teaches us about you. Please Lord, may the Spirit work in our hearts through the foolishness of preaching that we would be changed to be more like your Son in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. Last week we saw that David permitted Absalom to return back to Jerusalem after he initially spent three years in exile after murdering his brother Amnon after Amnon's sin with Tamar. But even though Absalom was back in Jerusalem, he was not allowed to be in the king's presence.And after about two years, he kind of forces himself back into the king's presence by burning down Joab's field. Now, Joab is one of David's nephews. He is the son of David's sister. And he's one of the commanders of David's army. So, Absalom burns down the field, gets his attention, and Joab tells David, and David lets Absalom back into his presence. And then Absalom goes and spends the next four years positioning himself daily at the city gate, rendering judgments and manipulating the people, stealing their hearts is what it says. He is taking them away from their loyalty and their allegiance to King David.He then travels down to Hebron, which is about 18 miles or so south of Jerusalem. And he's got a large group of followers with him. And guys, remember Hebron is actually a pretty significant place. It's significant that he goes down there. So Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the patriarchs, the men from which all of Israel descended, are buried.They're all buried in Hebron. And David himself was was anointed king down in Hebron. So this is a pretty significant place. And now we see Absalom is down there and he's proclaimed as king, but he's not anointed. He's taking it by manipulation. And we're going to see taking it by force.This is the beginning of a full-scale rebellion. And today we're actually gonna look at how David responds and how the people around David respond to what's going on here in Israel. We pick up in verse 13 of chapter 15. And a messenger came to David saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom." Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom," "Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword."And the king's servant said to the king, "Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my Lord, the king, decides." So the king went out and all his household after him. And the king left 10 concubines to keep the house. And the king went out and all the people after him and they halted at the last house. All right.So a messenger comes in and tells David, hey, Israel is going to follow Absalom. So through his manipulation over the last four years, he has won over a significant portion of people that this messenger comes right in and says, "Hey, is the hearts of the men of Israel, they're gone. And they're not just gone from you. They've gone to your son Absalom." Meaning Absalom has the loyalty of these people. So David responds by saying to all his servants that are still in Jerusalem that they need to flee because if they stay, they will not escape from Absalom and he will come quickly and violently and he will ruin them.And so his servants get up with him and they get ready to flee and they leave behind the 10 concubines to maintain the house. And now they're going. And this is a pretty high pressure moment in this story. And we've we've kind of seen stuff like this play out in stories before, right? You know, you know the story the the tale of the prince who his uncle wanted to become king. And so he convinces the prince that the prince killed his dad.And the prince gets so overwhelmed and so scared that he flees. And he leaves Pride Rock. And Zazu and Rafiki have no idea what they're going to do. And we see stories like this in our entertainment. But guys, this happens a lot and it has happened a lot in history.There are so many coups in history from the murder of Julius Caesar to Napoleon taking over France to Castro and the Cuban Revolution. Did you know that in 2024 there was a coup in South Korea where the president of South Korea decided he was going to declare martial law so the legislature you know they couldn't meet or do anything and then well the legislature met anyway and 11 days later he was impeached and then put on trial. That was two years ago. This kind of stuff has been happening forever throughout history. And honestly, when I think about that, I can't help but think back to 1 Samuel chapter 8, where Israel is demanding that they have a king so they can be like all the other nations.And David, their king, is now here fleeing Jerusalem because his son is coming to overthrow him just like so many other nations before them and so many other nations that will come after them. What do you think was on David's mind? What do you think he was thinking about here? You know, the text doesn't directly say, but do you remember what the Lord said through the prophet Nathan in chapter 12? In chapter 12, when Nathan is pronouncing his judgment from God on David for his sin, the Lord says to David that the sword will not depart from your house. And then right after in chapter 13, we find out Absalom kills his brother Amnon.So, one of David's sons kills the other. And now David suspects Absalom is coming for him. So his plan is to flee. And it might be because he's afraid of Absalom. It might be because he wants to avoid conflict with his own son. It might also be acceptance of the judgment of God.And I actually think that the rest of what we're going to look at today supports that idea. Supports that David has accepted what God has planned for him no matter what. All right. So, David's servants are ready to go and they begin leaving Jerusalem together. And let's pick up verse 18. And all his servants pass by him.And all the Cherethites and all the Pelethites and all the 600 Gittites who had followed him from Gath passed on before the king. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, "Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner, and also in exile from your home. You came only yesterday. And shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go, I know not where? Go back, take your brothers with you.And may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you." But Ittai answered the king, "As the Lord lives and as my Lord the king lives, wherever my Lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will be your servant." And David said to Ittai, "Go then, pass on." So Ittai the Gittite passed on with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. And all the land wept aloud as all the people passed by and the king crossed the brook Kedron and all the people passed on toward the wilderness. Okay, so David's leaving and as he's leaving he passes by different people that are highlighted for us here in the text.First there's the Cherethites, the Pelethites and the Gittites. So the Cherethites and the Pelethites are part of the royal bodyguard. So these are warriors who protect David and they go with him. And the Gittites and their leader Ittai are originally from Gath, we're told. And that's a a Philistine city. And the reason that we're told that is because back in 1 Samuel, David when he was originally fleeing Israel, fleeing from Saul when Saul wanted him dead, lived in Gath.And these men followed him when he returned back to Israel. And so he gives Ittai the option. He says, "Go back. You can just go back and align yourself with Absalom. You do not have to come with me." He says, "There's not really a reason for you, Ittai, to go ahead and get caught up in this problem.I'm releasing you from that." And Ittai refuses and he says, "He's going to stay with David even to death." And that is pretty awesome. There's something in us that just kind of loves a display of loyalty and a display of friendship like that. If you remember the famous book series that was adapted into the blockbuster movies, The Lord of the Rings, the whole series, the whole journey, the main character is trying to destroy this ring that he has to carry. And right when he's at the end, right when he's just feet almost steps from being able to do so, he runs out of strength and and by his side with him the whole time is his friend, his best friend that he's known his whole life.And his friend looks at him and says, "I can't carry it for you." And that's the ring, "But I can carry you." And when you watch that in the theater or maybe at your house, you're like, "Yeah, and I can carry it for you, too." You just like get so swept up in it, it's really cool. And your wife says pipe down, but you're like, "No, this is this is awesome." And so we see that and that strikes a chord within our hearts because we love that display of loyalty and friendship.We want to be a part of that display of loyalty and friendship. And so I think that's a really noteworthy thing and I think it's included in that in who he passes by on his way out of town because we get to see that exceptional display of friendship and loyalty to David. So, he's got this large group of faithful friends who in his darkest hour are leaving Jerusalem with him and they're all together and it says that they're weeping and that they're headed into the wilderness. Verse 24, and Abiathar came up, and behold, Zadok came also with all the Levites bearing the ark of the covenant of God.And they set down the ark of God until the people had all passed out of the city. Then the king said to Zadok, "carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, I have no pleasure in you, behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him." The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace with your two sons, Ahimeaz, your son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar.See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remain there. But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and they went up weeping as they went. And it was told David, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, "O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness."All right. Now we are going to get into David's response to the situation that he's in. So Abiathar and Zadok, who are they? They are the chief priests. They are part of the Levites and they carry the ark of the covenant. And the ark of the covenant represents God's presence with his people.What does David say? He tells them, "Take it back to Jerusalem." Why? Why would David say that? Part of the answer to that question is because he says, "Zadok, aren't you a Aren't you a seer? Aren't you a prophet?" maybe David thinks, well, if he's back there, he can he can get some information out to me while I'm out here in the wilderness.It might be good to have him back there. And that is part of it. However, I think the main answer, the main reason that David tells him to take the ark, tells them to take the ark of the covenant back, is because he is accepting of the sovereign will of God. And he's doing it with humility. David's response is to essentially resign himself to the will of God. And if he sees the ark again, he knows God has looked favorably on him.And if not, then may God do what seems good to him. In the 1600s, German theology professor Samuel Rodegast wrote a song for his friend who was dying. And the song is called Was Gott tut das ist wohlgetan. Do you got I'll translate that for you for those of you who don't speak German. Whatever my God ordains is right. And one of the verses in this song goes, "Whatever my God ordains is right, he never will deceive me.He leads me by the proper path, I know he will not leave me. I take content what he has sent. His hand can turn my griefs away, and patiently I wait his day." So David resolutely accepts the will of God and he ascends the Mount of Olives weeping and here we see the second aspect of his response. We first see the humble acceptance of the divine will and after that we see him pray. What does he pray?He asks God to make the counsel of Ahithophel foolish. Now, Ahithophel was once David's advisor, but he turned his allegiance toward Absalom. And David here, powerless from a position of humility, asks the Lord to make whatever Ahithophel advises Absalom to be foolish. And we're actually going to see later on that God is going to answer this prayer. But something I want to see is that the two aspects of the response are actually linked together, require each other.Because intrinsic to prayer is humility. It's recognizing that the greatest thing you can possibly do is acknowledge the will of God and the fact that he is ordaining all things. And when you do that, you are going to pray. No, you are. You pray. When you have a heart posture like that, what comes out of it from within you is prayer.Because you finally understand how insignificant you are in affecting outcomes on this earth and you realize that God is sovereign and that God is ordaining all things and you are not God. What happened in Israel when they decided to accomplish their own will? Sexual sin, murder, treachery, it doesn't really go well. And the world around us doesn't really understand this, right? Because what happens when we see tragedies and things like that and people say, "Well, you know, our thoughts and prayers are are with the victims and and the things that have happened, right?" And people just don't like that.They sort of respond back with, "Well, we don't want that. We would rather you do something. We would rather see action. But if you know God and you know your relationship to him and you understand in your heart that what he ordains is right, that what he is doing has a purpose, then you know that the greatest thing you possibly could do would be to pray and to ask him, hey, if it could work out this way, would you change the counsel of Ahithophel to be foolishness? Right? And to commune with God from a position of humility is a really powerful thing.Let's pick back up in verse 32. While David was coming to the summit where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and dirt on his head. David said to him, "If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom,"I will be your servant, O king, as I have been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant. Then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel."Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king's house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. Behold, their two sons are with them. Ahimeaz Zadok's son and Jonathan Abiathar's son. And by them you shall send to me everything you hear. So Hushai, David's friend, came into the city just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.Okay. Here, David tells Hushai, another one of his close friends and counselors, to go back to Jerusalem and act as a spy, essentially to feed information to Zadok and Abiathar, who will through their sons get that information out into the wilderness to David. And so now we finish chapter 15 with David on his way out of Jerusalem. And we begin chapter 16. And as David is out of Jerusalem, Absalom has now entered Jerusalem. Chapter 16 starts, "When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled bearing 200 loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine."And the king said to Ziba, "Why have you brought these?" Ziba answered, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who faint in the wilderness to drink." And the king said, "And where is your master's son?" That's Mephibosheth. "Where is your master's son?" Ziba said to the king, "Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father." Then the king said to Ziba, "Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours."And Ziba said, "I pay homage. Let me ever find favor in your sight, my Lord the king." Okay, so back in 2 Samuel 9, we see the first interaction of David with Ziba. And what's happening there is remember David wanted to honor someone of the lineage of his friend Jonathan. And so he wants to find someone of the lineage of Saul. Jonathan was Saul's son.And he wants to honor him. And Ziba says, "Well, actually, Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, is here." And David says, "Okay, bring him to me." And he brings him and he honors him. And he says, "You're going to always eat at the king's table." And Ziba then after that is made the servant of Mephibosheth.And now where we are, we've got Ziba coming to tell David, "Hey, just so you know, as you were leaving back in Jerusalem, Mephibosheth went ahead and said, "Awesome. Now I'm going to get the kingdom back because David's gone." Like as if the house of Saul is going to now take back the kingdom. And David kind of takes this just at face value. And I don't know if it's because maybe things have not been working out super well for David. So, you know, when you're not having the greatest of time and you hear a piece of information that's not that great, you're like, "Of course, yeah, that's going wrong, too.The car is broken as well." You know, it's that kind of thing where, yeah, Mephibosheth thinks he's going to be king. I guess that's what he wanted all along. I don't know if that's exactly what David's thinking, but he responds by giving what he had originally given to Mephibosheth over to Ziba. But later on, and we're not going to unpack this as much today, in chapter 19, Mephibosheth is going to dispute this.And we're not actually sure if this is what happened. But from David's perspective, he thinks Mephibosheth has also sort of abandoned him and is looking to gain his own kingdom. And he thinks that's another person who probably is not on his side anymore. Verse 5. When King David came to Bahurim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera. And as he came, he cursed continually. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David.And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And Shimei said as he cursed, "Get out. Get out. You man of blood, you worthless man. The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you have reigned. And the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom.See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood. So Shimei, who is one of Saul's relatives, sees things aren't going very well for David. And as David and his guard and all his people with him are are passing by, he starts flinging stones at him and saying a curse at him. And the text sort of reads this as one man just out there flinging rocks into a crowd of hundreds, thousands at David and cursing at him. And we're told he does this because he resents David for what happened to Saul. In verse 9, you see, then Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my Lord the king?Let me go over and take off his head." But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, "Curse David, who then shall say, why have you done so?" And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjaminite? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today."So David and his men went on the road while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust. And the king and all his people who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan and there he refreshed himself. Okay. So Abishai is Joab, the guy who we talked about from last time whose field was burned. He's his brother. So this is another one of David's nephews, one of the children of David's sister.And Abishai, he is not liking this. He does not like what he sees here. This is like, you know, if you're like in high school and maybe you're like having a feud with another person and so like all your friends, they're like shooting that other person dirty looks. Maybe that person's having a party and they're like, "Well, we're not going to go because, you know, our friends are feuding with each other. we're not going to go support that. And then your friend kind of comes up to you and he says, "Look over there at that dead dog. How about I just go bring his head to you?"And you're like, "Whoa." Love the zeal, but no. And so David here tells Abishai, "No." But this isn't the first time that's had to happen because actually back in 1 Samuel, Abishai is with David when David is in the camp of Saul when Saul wants to kill him and Saul is sleeping and David and Abishai are there and see him and Abishai goes let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear and David tells him no and he tells him here no again. So he's being cursed and mocked by Shimei and Abishai will not stand for that.And in his zeal he wants to go kill him. And you know David could have just been like yeah I am so tired of this. I am so sick of this. Go over there and bring me his head. But he does not.Instead, he says, "Let him curse because if God told him to curse, then who are we to question that? And perhaps one day God will look favorably upon it for me." This is David again accepting God's will humbly. He rejects the opportunity to control the outcome by manipulating the circumstances and instead he resigns himself to the will of God. I think that's really hard. And I know some of you feel like you're in the same boat, right?Maybe your mind is three steps ahead of everyone else and you're always trying to engineer the best outcome for yourself, especially if things haven't been going well lately. And so seeing David do this this act of humility is impressive and it's really challenging. We're going to bring our time together with this story to a close today. I want us to look back through some of those themes that we stopped to talk about. You know, we're not kings and queens. We probably will never flee our own homes on foot because of a coup.But a lot of these are reflections of what goes on in people's hearts. And I think some of these things go on in our hearts. First, I want us to reflect on Israel's desire for the king. Their desire to be just like everyone else around them. You know, this was a rejection of God as their king. And we talked about this in 1 Samuel, but now here they are just like everyone else.Because murder and sexual sin and treachery are all just glimpses of what life choosing your own sin and choosing your own will can lead to. And it doesn't ever seem like that. Nobody ever says we want a king and is thinking about a military coup. But yes, sin can take us to the place that we never think we'll go. So where are you tempted to believe these things?Where are you tempted to say that you know better that you desire a king even though that's not what God wants? I mean, I know I'm not supposed to sleep with my boyfriend or girlfriend before we're married, but what's the big deal? I mean, it's just so impractical in this economy anyway to not live together. I mean, I understand that God says I shouldn't lie, but really, honestly, taxes are crazy high, and I don't really believe in them anyway. So, what's a big deal if I count that as a deduction? Where do you think you know better than God?And where will it take you today? Reflect on that and turn from it. You can do it. You can turn from it. You can reject it and obey God, but not in your own willpower. But Romans tells us that we were once slaves to sin, but from a changed heart, we can now obey.You can obey if you have repented of sin and put faith in the gospel because your heart is changed. And only from a changed heart can we obey God. Second, I want us to see the beauty of friendship and the beauty of loyalty. David in one of his darkest hours is surrounded by men who refuse to leave him. So where do we need to be a friend like Ittai the Gittite?Where do we need to say that wherever you will be, I will be, good or bad? Are you sticking it out with your friends? Are you showing it up? Are you showing up when they need you or are you just busy? What do you need to remove from your life so that you can have the space to be there for other people? Some of you have been in rough situations in your life.Some of you are in rough situations and some of you can think of people who have showed up. Some of those people are sitting nearby you in this room. Rejoice in that because guys, you know that's a reflection of God. You know in the book of Hebrews it says that God will never leave us or forsake us. Why? Because he forsook Jesus.And so we are welcomed in a relationship with God that even death cannot sever. And we should reflect that to the friends around us that God has brought in our path. Thirdly, I want us to see David's humble contentment with God's will. We see it in his posture toward the ark of the covenant and in the cursing from Shimei. David accepts whatever God has ordained. And the temptation in times when you're walking a dark road can be to look up at God and say, "No, I am the master of my fate.I am the captain of my soul." And so I ask you today, where are you discontent with what God has sent? work, family, dating, children, health. Remind yourself of his goodness and entrust yourself to him. David ascends the Mount of Olives, weeping, resolved to God's will. And about a thousand years later, a descendant of David will sit at the base of the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane. And in grief, he is going to call out to God and say, "Let this cup pass from me."Yet, not as I will, but as you will. And that's Jesus. And that's David's descendant who humbly accepts the will of God and goes to the cross and is punished for sin and he dies and he's buried and he rises again. And because of that, because Jesus has humbly accepted the will of the Father and was crushed, you can humbly accept the will of the Father and live. And the band is going to come back up and we are going to close this morning reflecting on Jesus, on the freedom he brings from our own sinful will and desire, on the relationships that he makes possible for us to have with God and on the example of humble acceptance of the will of God that he showed us on the cross that allows us to accept whatever comes our way.

Absalom had everything on the outside and nothing on the inside-his vanity destroyed him.

(A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.) LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.@AnnaVanDellenFree e-book: https://books2read.com/u/mv8j0JNew e-book: https://books2read.com/u/b5Ed61Quantum Christianity@Spreakeropinions are my owngivesendgo.com/AnnaVanDellen2Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.3But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.5I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.6I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.7Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.8Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

Audio reading: Numbers 1:21-41, 2 Sam 18:1-19:10, John 20:1-31, Psalm 119:153-176, Prov 16:14-15Join us on an exciting adventure as we walk through the entire bible in one year! This one-year Audio Bible podcast invites you to listen to the Bible daily, spending just 20 minutes a day walking through the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation.  In this episode of our 1 Year Audio bible podcast, we do a deep dive on why it seems there are those who love those who hate them. Why is that? Joab asks this of David:Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, “in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. 2 Samual 19:5-6Whether you're looking to deepen your relationship with Jesus or stay consistent in your daily listening to Bible devotions, this podcast offers insightful reflections and an engaging walk through the Bible.Connect With Us - Website: Https://Www.Dailyaudiotorah.Com/  Spotify: Https://Open.Spotify.Com/Show/7zuyulxhnkthbgmnxu6q5t Apple Podcasts: Https://Podcasts.Apple.Com/Us/Podcast/1-Year-Audio-Bible-Podcast/Id1562405086YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@1YearAudioBiblePodcast  

In this Bible Story, we witness the short-lived coupe of Absalom. Having just taken over the throne of David, Absalom's army is defeated in battle by David's mighty men and Absalom is killed. This story is inspired by 2 Samuel 17:24-19:8. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Samuel 18:9 from the King James Version.Episode 107: David and his commanders went to gather the army, but Abishai told David that it would be better for the army if he stayed behind and recruited more soldiers. David sent the army off and asked them to deal gently with Absalom for His sake. But during the battle, Absalom got caught in some branches and was killed by David's men. When David heard about his death, he mourned for his son. But his mourning would lead to shame for the entire army and a confrontation from Joab.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the second installment in our series on the three pieces of a book, we turn from beginnings to that more difficult territory: the middle. What happens in the middle of a book? Is it simply the space connecting a strong opening to a satisfying ending? In this episode we explore the experience of living inside a book: development, repetition, immersion, wandering, pressure, rhythm. This feels like the space where the book does its work. We discuss the middles of sprawling novels as well short stories, asking what middles do and why thinking about this has helped us become less reactive and more attentive readers.2026 Novella Book ClubWe have announced the four novellas we will be reading for The Mookse and Gripes Novella Book Club in 2026!* January: Daisy Miller, by Henry James* April: An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter, by César Aira* July: The Hour of the Star, by Clarice Lispector* September: Prelude, by Katherine MansfieldDiscussions will be hosted at The Mookse and the Gripes Discord (see below!).We've got some fantastic author-focused episodes lined up for the foreseeable future, and we want to give you plenty of time to dive in if you'd like to read along with us. These episodes come around every ten episodes, and with our bi-weekly release schedule, you'll have a few months to get ready for each. Here's what we have in store:* Episode 135: William Faulkner* Episode 145: Elizabeth Taylor* Episode 155: Naguib Mahfouz* Episode 165: Annie Ernaux* Episode 175: Henry JamesThere's no rush—take your time, and grab a book (or two, or three) so you're prepared for these as they come!Join the Mookse and the Gripes on DiscordWant to share your thoughts on these upcoming authors or anything else we're discussing? Join us over on Discord! It's the perfect place to dive deeper into the conversation—whether you're reading along with our author-focused episodes or just want to chat about the books that are on your mind.We're also just about to read the second novella book club book of 2026: An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter, by César Aira, translated by Chris Andrews. It's a fantastic book, and we'd love to have you join the discussion. It's a great space to engage with fellow listeners, share your insights, and discover new perspectives on the books you're reading.Shownotes* In Trees: An Exploration, by Robert Moor* On Trails: An Exploration, by Robert Moore* If This Be Magic: The Unlikely Art of Shakespeare in Translation, by Daniel Hahn* A General Theory of Oblivion, by José Eduardo Agualusa, translated by Daniel Hahn* Catching Fire: A Translation Diary, by Daniel Hahn* The Unconsoled, by Kazuo Ishiguro* 2666, by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Natasha Wimmer* In Search of Lost Time, by Marcel Proust* Middlemarch, by George Eliot* Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurtry* First Love, by Ivan Turgenev* Giovanni's Room, by James Baldwin* The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark* Daisy Miller, by Henry James* An Episode in the Life of a Landscape Painter, by César Aira, translated by Chris Andrews* Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson* Effingers, by Gabriele Tergit, translated by Sophie Duvernoy* To the Lighthouse, by Virginia Woolf* “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” by Flannery O'Connor* Reinhardt's Garden, by Mark Haber* Lesser Ruins, by Mark Haber* Ada, by Mark Haber* Ducks, Newburyport, by Lucy Ellmann* Moby-Dick: or, The Whale, by Herman Melville* If on a winter's night a traveler, by Italo Calvino, translated by William Weaver* Pale Fire, by Vladimir Nabokov* Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell* House of Leaves, by Mark Z. Danielewski* Audition, by Katie Kitamura* Transcription, by Ben Lerner* 2666, by Roberto Bolaño, translated by Natasha Wimmer* Like a Cat Loves a Bird: The Nine Lives of Muriel Spark, by James Bailey* Absalom, Absalom!, by William Faulkner* The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner* Light in August, by William Faulkner* As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner* The Hour of the Star, by Clarice LispectorThe Mookse and the Gripes Podcast is a bookish conversation hosted by Paul and Trevor. Every other week, we explore a bookish topic and celebrate our love of reading. We're glad you're here, and we hope you'll continue to join us on this literary journey!A huge thank you to those who help make this podcast possible! If you'd like to support us, you can do so via Substack or Patreon. Subscribers receive access to periodic bonus episodes and early access to all new episodes. Plus, each supporter gets their own dedicated feed, allowing them to download episodes a few days before they're released to the public. We'd love for you to check it out! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mookse.substack.com/subscribe

In this Bible Story, Absalom successfully takes the throne of David. David, not wanting to cause a civil war in the streets of Jerusalem, flees into the wilderness until he can plan his next step. This story is inspired by 2 Samuel 15-17:23. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Samuel 15:14 from the King James Version.Episode 106: Absalom began to plot against his father David by manipulating the people. Anytime someone would come to visit the king, he would meet them first and speak sweet-sounding lies to them. He built himself up in the eyes of the people while tearing his father down. Four years later his plans would succeed. He forced his father to flee by threatening war within the city. David was once again forced into the wilderness, but this time half the city went with him.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Bible Story, Joab convinces David to allow his son Absalom to return from exile. Absalom returns, not as a reformed or changed man, but more bitter than ever. This story is inspired by 2 Samuel 14. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Samuel 14:24 from the King James Version.Episode 105: Joab, seeing David wishing for Absalom's return but unwilling to get him himself, devised a scheme with a woman from Tekoa. The woman came to David as her king and told a sad tale of her two sons. David, realizing Joab's hand in this, called him in and ordered him to bring back Absalom. But because of his ban from seeing his father David, he too began to nurse a hatred for him. Beginning to devising how he would take the throne from himself.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Bible Story, we peer into the difficult relationships within David's family. One of David's sons, Amnon, rapes his half sister Tamar. And as an act of revenge, Absalom murders him. This story is inspired by 2 Samuel 13. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Samuel 13:30 from the King James Version.Episode 104: David was blessed with many children, yet because of his many marriages, this made for dysfunction rather than joy; such as the lust that Amnon had for his half-sister Tamar. He schemed with his friend Jonadab to feign sickness and raped her as she was caring for him. Running in shame to her brother Absalom she told him all that had happened. He took her in and cared for her but he also took the spirit of revenge in and nursed it in his heart. Two years later he killed Amnon and fled to Geshur.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Tactical napping” is a series of guidelines for soldiers for effective, 10-30 minutes of sleep. While experiencing a rush of adrenaline, loneliness, or anxiety, sleep-deprived soldiers may not be able to relax. Tips include using earplugs and reading before bed. They’re even offered military-grade caffeinated chewing gum to reduce grogginess after a nap. It’s when we most need rest that it’s often difficult to find. King David experienced this after fleeing into the wilderness to escape his son Absalom’s treason. David and his followers wept aloud at his betrayal with their heads covered in mourning (2 Samuel 15:30-31). In fact, “the whole countryside wept aloud” (v. 23). It was around this time that David cried out, “Lord, how many are my foes!” (Psalm 3:1). Perhaps thinking about past troubled nights, however, David continued, “I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will not fear” (vv. 5-6). David realized that it was God, not Absalom, who had control over his situation. David even sent the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem, acknowledging that the future was fully in God’s hands (2 Samuel 15:25-26). Sleep feels especially fleeting when we’re facing adversity in our waking hours, but it’s a good reminder of how many things are outside our control. In contrast, all things are under Jesus’ control. As we trust Him, He can help us lie down in peace.

This sermon draws from Psalm 3 to reveal the profound reality of the Christian life as a battle marked by suffering, temptation, and emotional turmoil, yet anchored in unwavering trust in God's faithfulness. Centered on David's flight from his rebellious son Absalom, the message highlights the believer's experience of loneliness, abandonment, and internal conflict, not as signs of divine failure, but as moments where God's presence becomes most evident. The core truth is that, despite overwhelming adversity, the believer finds security in God's character—He is a shield, a source of glory, and the sustainer who grants peace even in the midst of chaos. The sermon emphasizes that faith is not the absence of fear, but the conscious remembrance of God's past deliverances and the confident reliance on His sovereign plan, which ultimately works all things for the good of those who love Him. It calls the church to persevere, to share testimonies of God's faithfulness, and to fix their hearts not on earthly outcomes, but on Christ alone, whose victory over the world is the foundation of enduring hope and joy.

In this Bible Story, we peer into the difficult relationships within David's family. One of David's sons, Amnon, rapes his half sister Tamar. And as an act of revenge, Absalom murders him. This story is inspired by 2 Samuel 13. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.Today's Bible verse is 2 Samuel 13:30 from the King James Version.Episode 104: David was blessed with many children, yet because of his many marriages, this made for dysfunction rather than joy; such as the lust that Amnon had for his half-sister Tamar. He schemed with his friend Jonadab to feign sickness and raped her as she was caring for him. Running in shame to her brother Absalom she told him all that had happened. He took her in and cared for her but he also took the spirit of revenge in and nursed it in his heart. Two years later he killed Amnon and fled to Geshur.Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.This episode is sponsored by Medi-Share, an innovative health care solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max BardProducer: Ben GammonHosted by: Pastor Jack GrahamMusic by: Andrew Morgan SmithBible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marriage, Divorce and Fornication (1) (audio) David Eells, 5/24/26   Scriptural Marriage and Divorce David Eells I know this can be a real can of worms and such a touchy subject when dealing with people who love each other, but we owe it to the brethren to speak the truth concerning their eternal life. We must consider scripture rather than human reasoning, which has gotten a lot of people in trouble and they don't know why they are there. Here are some basic things the Lord has shown from scripture on divorce and remarriage: Jesus' commands superseded the Jews' permission for divorce by His statements, so we cannot go to the law to justify divorce. (Mat.19:8) He said to them, Because of your hardness of heart Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way. Once again religion is wrong. Hardened hearts cannot be turned easily but in respecting scripture there is safety. There is only one reason for divorce. (9) And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for fornication (Numeric) and marries another woman commits adultery.” If a spouse commits fornication, whether outside of the first marriage or by illegal remarriage, the other is free to remarry because the first spouse broke the marriage bond. Being legally able to remarry does not mean this is God's will for you. God loves to restore. If your mate repents and asks your forgiveness, then forgive as Christ forgave you. Also, spiritual fornication of the heart is not an excuse, for the scripture speaks of physical fornication of the body. You may be concerned, thinking, “What can I do if I got married before I came to the Lord?” Don't worry about that, because everything we did before we came to the Lord was sin, and we can't go back and do anything about it. After you're saved, you are now a new creation in the Lord, and your sins are washed clean by the blood of Christ. The disciples admitted this was a hard statement, and many think so today, but it is better to obey than to bring yourselves under a curse that many endure. (Mat.19:10) The disciples said to Him, “If the relationship of the man with his wife is like this, it is better not to marry.” Even in the Old Testament, it was fornication for a believer to be married to an unbeliever but hear me out... (Ezr.9:2) For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. ... (Ezr.10:10) And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel. (11) Now therefore make confession unto Jehovah, the God of your fathers, and do his pleasure; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women. Don't act here without reading on. And so it is in the New Covenant: (1Co.7:39) A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. Notice we are to marry “only in the Lord”. (1Co.9:5) Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer. Notice the condition, the wife must be a believer.. (2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what portion hath a believer with an unbeliever? (If one becomes one with an unbeliever to some extent they are leavening themselves.)(16) And what agreement hath a temple of God with idols? for we are a temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. Better not even to date an unbeliever, saints. You don't want to go there because it will bring you a lot of heartache and curses in the future. However, God makes a concession in the New Testament when a person comes to the Lord with an unbelieving spouse because the unbelieving spouse might eventually be saved through their faith. (1Co.7:12) But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. (13) And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. (14) For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. If that spouse, as an unbeliever, departs, you can remarry. (15) Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such [cases]... Even if you are remarried illegally many times before coming to the Lord, the commands are to Christians and are not retroactive to the old life, for we are a new creation, cleansed of all past sins. Also, Christians can do things in ignorance that are under the blood, for knowledge precedes sin in the New Testament, as before the Law. (Rom.5:13) for until the law sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law. (Rom.7:8)... for apart from the law sin [is] dead. (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (Joh.15:22) If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. This is not an excuse for someone to falsely claim ignorance because God looks on the heart and knows all; He knows what you understand and what you do not. Judgment is sure for fornicators and adulterers. (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators (Basically illegal sexual actions), nor idolaters, nor adulterers (Sometimes this is marrying someone who is already married and not scripturally divorced), nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (Rev.21:7) He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (8) But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part [shall be] in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. Marriage and divorce can be a very convoluted problem. If, after diligently searching into all that the New Covenant teaches on this subject and asking elders with no satisfaction, remember what Moses did. (Exo.18:25) And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. (26) And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. God told Moses that he would be as God to Israel. For some things, we need to get a word from our Lord. But be careful that you don't receive a flesh pleasing answer from your own mind. Samson kept choosing women for looks rather than staying with scripture and it got him killed. Let's look at what Paul wrote to the Corinthians about marriage. (1Co.7:1) Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. (2) But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. (3) Let the husband render unto the wife her due: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. (4) The wife hath not power over her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power over his own body, but the wife. (5) Defraud ye not one the other, except it be by consent for a season, that ye may give yourselves unto prayer, and may be together again, that Satan tempt you not because of your incontinency. (6) But this I say by way of concession, not of commandment. (7) Yet I would that all men were even as I myself. Howbeit each man hath his own gift from God, one after this manner, and another after that. (If you're not married, then you won't be distracted, but not everybody has this gift to be celibate, and we're told, (Pro.18:22) Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, And obtaineth favor of the Lord.) (8) But I say to the unmarried and to widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. (9) But if they have not continency, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. (10) But unto the married I give charge, [yea] not I, but the Lord, That the wife depart not from her husband (11) (but should she depart, let her remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband); and that the husband leave not his wife.  (I know there are circumstances where a believing or unbelieving husband can be very obnoxious, very overbearing, very sinful, and that's very crucifying to the wife, but that's not an excuse to leave. In most cases, unless he is asking the wife to willfully sin, there can be submission on her part. However, no one should stay in a situation where their life or the lives of their children are in physical danger. We have permission in such a case to flee (Matthew 24:16; Luke 21:21; etc.). (12) But to the rest say I, not the Lord: If any brother hath an unbelieving wife, and she is content to dwell with him, let him not leave her. (13) And the woman that hath an unbelieving husband, and he is content to dwell with her, let her not leave her husband. (14) For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in the brother: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. Sanctified here means that the influence of you Christian life can save them and also your faith can stand in for them. (15) Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such [cases]: but God hath called us in peace. (Just know that in the New Testament, being married to an unbeliever is not grounds to leave them; again, only if they leave you, are you free. In the Old Testament, however, if a believer married a non-believer, they demanded a divorce over that because for Jews to be married to non-Jews was fornication (Nehemiah 13:23-30; Ezra chapters 9 and 10). (Neh.13:26) Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, and he was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did foreign women cause to sin. (27) Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women? Back to (1Cor.7:16) For how knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? Or how knowest thou, O husband, whether thou shalt save thy wife? …(25) Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: but I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be trustworthy. (26) I think therefore that this is good by reason of the distress that is upon us, [namely,] that it is good for a man to be as he is. (27) Art thou bound unto a wife? Seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife. (28) But shouldest thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Yet such shall have tribulation in the flesh: and I would spare you. (29) But this I say, brethren, the time is shortened, that henceforth both those that have wives may be as though they had none; (In other words don't let this distract from your service to God.) (30) and those that weep, as though they wept not; and those that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and those that buy, as though they possessed not; (31) and those that use the world, as not using it to the full: for the fashion of this world passeth away. (32) But I would have you to be free from cares. He that is unmarried is careful for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; (In other words, they're not divided in their attention. However, people don't have to be divided in their attention; they can be celibate or they can always put the Lord first.) (33) but he that is married is careful for the things of the world, how he may please his wife, (Well, if a man is married, it's necessary for him to please his wife, but not to the extent that he lets her be the head of the house; that's bad, very bad. That's like Jezebel and Ahab  and I'll share more on that later.) (34) and is divided. [So] also the woman that is unmarried and the virgin is careful for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married is careful for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. (Is this a bad thing? No, it's commanded, as a matter of fact. It's not a bad thing; it's just that your ability to have your total attention on the Lord without being distracted by family situations is going to be limited. God created the family, so He's not against families. He's against families where they're not married, obviously. What Paul is saying is that if a woman is married, she has to please her husband.) (35) And this I say for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is seemly, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. (36) But if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his virgin [daughter], if she be past the flower of her age, and if need so requireth, let him do what he will; he sinneth not; let them marry. (You have to understand that a woman was under the authority of her father until she married.)(37) But he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power as touching in his own heart, to keep his own virgin [daughter], shall do well. (38) So then both he that giveth his own virgin [daughter] in marriage doeth well; and he that giveth her not in marriage shall do better. (39) A wife is bound for so long time as her husband liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is free to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. (40) But she is happier if she abide as she is, after my judgment: and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.   Polygamy in the Church? Question from a sister: Someone told me that polygamy is allowed by God! I don't believe this, but I had no way to refute this claim. I tried finding some scriptures, but to no avail. When I looked this subject up on the internet, I actually found a “Christian” website promoting polygamy. What will they think of next? Can you share some scriptures that refute this claim? My answer: Under the Law, they were permitted to have more than one wife and divorce their wives because of their “hardness of heart” but under grace, there is no such permission. Jesus said a man could have one wife and “the two shall become one flesh.” (Mat.19:5-8) and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh? So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. They say unto him, Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorcement, and to put [her] away? He saith unto them, Moses for your hardness of heart suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it hath not been so. From the beginning, God gave Adam, the Son of God, one wife. It appears his righteous seed through Seth were monogamous also. Cain's evil descendant, Lamech, was the first to take two wives. (Gen.4:19) And Lamech took unto him two wives. In order that a line of Israel not be extinct, the next of kin was permitted to raise up seed to a dead man's wife. But the seed of New Testament spiritual Israel is passed on through the Word (seed or sperma) of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Although they disobeyed God, the Kings of Israel were forbidden to multiply wives. (Deu.17:17-19) Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold. And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of [that which is] before the priests the Levites: and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life; that he may learn to fear Jehovah his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them. The Apostles had one wife. (1Co.9:5) Have we no right to lead about a wife that is a believer, even as the rest of the apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? All of God's people must be upright, but Paul required elders to be “without reproach” and “blameless” in that they were to be the “husband of one wife.” This is definitely one wife at a time because fornication is a legal ground for divorce and remarriage (1 Corinthians 7), and the death of a spouse is a legal ground to remarry. (1Ti.3:2) The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach. (12) Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling [their] children and their own houses well. (Tit.1:6,7) if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly. For the bishop must be blameless, as God's steward... If the elders or the mature in the Lord need to be upright in having one wife, all need to be this way to be mature. The husband is the head of one wife as Christ is the head of one church. (Eph.5:23-33) For the husband is the head of the wife (not wives), as Christ also is the head of the church, [being] himself the saviour of the body. (24) But as the church is subject to Christ, so [let] the wives also [be] to their husbands in everything. (25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; (26) that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, (27) that he might present the church to himself a glorious [church], not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (28) Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself: (29) for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church; (30) because we are members of his body. (31) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife (not wives); and the two shall become one flesh. (32) This mystery is great: but I speak in regard of Christ and of the church. (33) Nevertheless do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and [let] the wife [see] that she fear her husband. Now, I want to share this, too. Men, do not appease a Jezebel spirit; it's going to seduce you and lead you astray. This is our command from God. (Eph.5:22) Wives, [be in subjection] unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (The Lord, not I, said this, but those who have a Jezebel spirit will still get angry, although this is the truth. We have to obey God's Word, or we can't call ourselves “disciples.”) (23) For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, (Just as much as Jesus is Head of the Church, the husband is the head of the wife.), [being] himself the saviour of the body. (If a wife does not obey her husband, she is not going to get saved.) (24) But as the church is subject to Christ, so [let] the wives also [be] to their husbands in everything. (To make this possible for the wife, we are then told,) (25) Husbands, love your wives (Feeling unloved isn't an excuse for a wife to disobey her husband, but love makes it easier for the wife to obey her husband.), even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it. Men, loving your wife does not include giving in to a Jezebel spirit. Giving in means you are putting yourself under a demon spirit and taking yourself and your family out from under God. If you do that, you will pay the price. On the other hand, do not judge the lost wife. God insists on Christ the Word being your Head. Don't judge her, but don't allow her to be your Head. If Jesus is not your Head, then you are following a false god. It's very plain. (Mat.12:30) He that is not with me is against me… If, because of your stand for Christ, your wife leaves you, then suffer for Christ's sake. We all have to suffer in one way or another, but do not follow a false god. The Bible says, (1Co.7:15) Yet if the unbelieving departeth, let him depart: the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such [cases:] but God hath called us in peace If your spouse leaves because you follow Jesus, then so be it. You are not bound in such a case; God never really wants you to be married to an unbeliever anyway. He says to stay married to them only if they are content to dwell with you, because they can be saved through your witness. Amen! The wife who has an unbelieving husband should obey him up to, but not including, moral sin. (1Pe.3:1) In like manner, ye wives, [be] in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives. (Read our book on our site, Word Woman and Authority.) If you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you have to follow the Word. If you want to be a “Christian” and not be a disciple of Jesus, you are not going to be saved. It's that simple. The word “Christian” is a very loose term in our day, meaning almost nothing. In the early days, people were called “Christians” because they followed Christ Jesus and did His works. Today, the word “Christian” should mean more, but, sadly, it doesn't mean much to people. Jesus told us, (Mat.10:34) Think not that I came to send peace on the earth (You might think, “Peace between me and my wife is the most important. I have to do whatever I have to do.” No, you don't. Jesus did not come to send peace on the earth.): I came not to send peace, but a sword. (And that “sword” is to divide those who are loyal to God's Word from those who are not.) (35) For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law (Now, there are many more relationships. He's just making a point.): (36) and a man's foes [shall be] they of his own household. When you come to God, and they have not, you have no communion there. The Bible says, (2Co.6:14) Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? If you follow the Lord, they can be converted by your witness. If you don't follow the Lord, you have no favor from God, and in that event, don't expect your family to be saved. For your family to be saved, the most important thing for you to do is follow the Lord as a disciple of Jesus Christ and have favor from God. He will save your family if you believe Him for it. (Mat.10:37) He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. You can love people more than you love the Word. The Lord and Word are the same. If you love someone or something more than the Word, you are going to be deceived. It's possible to pity demon-possessed people and then, through demons manipulating that pity, to be deceived and fall right into their situation. Don't believe that all those who call themselves “Christian” are going to be saved, because (Mat.10:38) And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. (We are to die on our “cross” in order to gain our higher life, the life of the born-again man.) (39) He that findeth his life (This is the old psuche life.) shall lose it; (39) and he that loseth his life (Again, this is the old psuche life, the carnal self.) for my sake shall find it. Let me share with you a testimony we have on our site called:   Marriage Lost and Found William and Jamie Leek - 02/09/2010 My wife and I have been separated and near divorce twice since the year 2000 because we loved “our sin”, plain and simple. The first separation was in 2002 and 2003. This separation wasn't as bad as the second, but there were a lot of lies and deceit practiced by both parties during the first separation. We got back together in 2003, where our “Mother in the Lord” renewed our vows. The only problem with this is that we were still mocking God in our walks with Him and still “playing church.” We had made a “confession” of Jesus Christ, but we were not being taught the “whole counsel of God,” so we thought the Lord forgave our sin at the cross, and we were “Covered in the Blood.” According to Matthew 12:43-45, when we confessed Christ and His blood cleansed us from our sin and the curse, we allowed that sin to remain in our lives. The demons, which plagued us, brought seven more back with them, stronger than the first. Thus, we were worse off than ever before. We thank the Lord for His mercy, grace, and long-suffering with us. In 2004 came the second separation. This time, the Lord had given us both over to the desires of our very own wicked hearts and allowed us to sink to levels of darkness that we never knew we had in us. During our second separation, the Lord allowed us to see just how sick the human heart, will, and emotions really are (Jeremiah 17:9). During this time of separation, we both fled at top speed back into the world, and we returned to our old ways. I began to smoke pot again (all day EVERYDAY), and she began to drink more than she ever did. We both began to sleep around with other people outside of our marriage. We were separated for nine months, and the combined number of people the two of us slept with was 16. The Lord really allowed us to fall to the bottom of the depths of the sea of sin, which our lives had become. We were going to a little Pentecostal church at the time when these separations took place. It was here we met a woman I considered to be like a mother in the Lord. She loved my wife and family with all her heart. She took time to come to our home and share the scriptures with us once a week for an extended period of time. She believed with her whole heart that we were “called” to the ministry. She would call me in the middle of the night and say, “I woke up in tears, praying in tongues because I just had such a burden for your family.” The Lord would end up using this mighty woman of God and her fervent prayer life to reconcile our marriage and heal our family. She also told me during the 2004 separation that the Lord gave her a dream where He showed her my family living together in a home happier than we had ever been. This, of course, did not matter to me at the time because my heart was full of rage and hatred. I don't believe in accidents; I believe in the sovereign God written about in the scriptures. In January of 2005, I took a trip to Florida with a woman with whom I had been committing adultery. We drove down together, but for some reason at the end of the trip I made her get on a plane, and I drove home alone. On the trip home, my wife and I started to talk again. The Lord also began to really convict me of my sin. Even though, at the time, I did not understand the meaning of “conviction of sin.” All I knew was that I had an overwhelming feeling of guilt for what I was doing. I knew that a change had to come. In April of 2005, my wife and I really started to talk again on a regular basis. At the beginning of May, we had been together for the entire weekend when we received a phone call from a lady with whom we had gone to church. This lady had news that would shake my wife and me to the very core of our being. She told me that my Mother in the Lord, Shirley Summers, was dying of cancer. Well, this is where we know the Lord began to heal our marriage. When the woman shared this news with me on the phone, I began to weep. With tears streaming down my face, I shared the news with my wife, and we shared tears together. She looked at me and said, “I am going to my parents' house, and I'm getting my things, and I am coming home.” That was on May 4, 2005. The next day, my mom called me on the phone and told me that Shirley had gone on to glory. The reason this stands out as one of the most important events in our marriage is that this woman prayed for us fervently (James 5:16). She never stopped believing in our call to the ministry, and she stood in faith for our marriage when we couldn't. Also, the number “5” in the scriptures signifies “GRACE,” and we didn't realize that until a year later, that our Mother in the Lord had died on 5/05/05, a number and day of GRACE. The Lord was very long-suffering with my wife and me. It was not until after we reconciled that we ran across a website where we began to hear the “full Gospel” being preached. We had never heard all the important doctrines taught throughout the scriptures. We had not been taught about repentance, obedience, holiness, or real Bible faith. We also realized that neither one of us was truly saved, as spoken of in the Bible. The scariest thing of all is that we realized that if the Lord would have called our numbers, we would have gone to HELL! It has been a long journey for both of us, as we got rid of the leaven in our lives after leaving the organized church. Over the years, we have had to learn what it means to repent and to truly come to the Lord, believing who He is and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. We thank the Lord for UBM for standing for the “TRUE GOSPEL”! Deuteronomy 4:30 When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the Lord your God and obey his voice. Matthew 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Now, what about common law marriage? Is that biblical? Most states in America have abolished common law marriage, and only a few states recognize it as a legal marriage between two people who have not purchased a marriage license or had their marriage solemnized by a ceremony. The few states that do recognize it have conditional statutes. Scripture is clear that marriage is a binding commitment before witnesses and God; a public, covenantal relationship. It is a commitment agreement until death. When Christians marry, they commit to loving each other just as Christ loved the church. If you are not married, you are living in fornication.   Heterosexual and Homosexual Fornication Letter from a friend:  Hi! I have a neighbor friend with whom I've been having sort of an ongoing “discussion/argument” about whether sex outside of marriage is OK, according to the Bible. I know in my heart it is not, but he wants me to prove it to him with scripture. I haven't studied it extensively, but what I've read doesn't say it precisely enough to prove my point. There is one passage about two unwed people being found in the act and having to marry. Since the Ten Commandments do not say, thou shalt not have sex outside of marriage, he thinks it is ok. (LOL) Of course, the real issue is that he's not a born-again believer. But he asked me to prove it to him, so I'm going to try to do it. I don't know much about the Hebrew meanings of the words, etc. Can you help when you have time? :-) Thanks! My reply:  Fornication is the broad term that covers all sex outside of heterosexual marriage. Adultery, homosexuality, whoremonger, bestiality, and masturbation all fall under this category. The Greek word for fornication is “porneia”, from which we get pornography. Many commit fornication with pornography in print or on any visual screen, TV, social media sites, movies, etc. (Mat.5:28) but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. The same is true for any other illicit sexual desire. Repentance and faith deliver from these sins.   Heterosexual Fornication Everyone who has sex out of marriage is a fornicator. (1Co.7:1) Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. (7:2) But, because of fornications, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. All fornicators must repent or face eternal damnation. (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. (15) Know ye not that your bodies are members of Christ? shall I then take away the members of Christ, and make them members of a harlot? God forbid. (16) Or know ye not that he that is joined to a harlot is one body? for, The twain, saith he, shall become one flesh. (17) But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (18) Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. (1Co.10:8) Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. (Gal.5:19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (License to “go beyond the things that are written”), (21) envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Rev.21:7) He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (8) But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part [shall be] in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. (Rev.22:14) Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right [to come] to the tree of life, and my enter in by the gates into the city (the bride). (15) Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie. (1Co.7:9) But if they have not continency (self-control of sexual appetites), let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. (1Ti.5:14) I desire therefore that the younger [widows] marry, bear children, rule the household, give no occasion to the adversary for reviling: (15) for already some are turned aside after Satan. (Job.31:1) I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin? (9) If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor's door; (10) Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her. (11) For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: (12) For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase. (Pro.2:16) To deliver thee from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner that flattereth with her words; (17) That forsaketh the friend of her youth, And forgetteth the covenant of her God: (18) For her house inclineth unto death, And her paths unto the dead; (19) None that go unto her return again, Neither do they attain unto the paths of life: (Exo.22:16) And if a man entice a virgin that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife. (17) If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins. (Deu.22:28) If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, that is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; (29) then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty [shekels] of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he hath humbled her; he may not put her away all his days. Do you believe that because you are “saved” that you can get away with this willful disobedience? (Jer.7:9) Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods that ye have not known, (10) and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered; that ye may do all these abominations? (11) Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, saith Jehovah. (12) But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. (13) And now, because ye have done all these works, saith Jehovah, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not: (14) therefore will I do unto the house which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. (15) And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. That is just the Old Testament, you say? In any place that we are willfully disobedient, we need the fear of God. Sins of ignorance (Rom.5:13; 7:8,9) and sins of failure (Rom.7:19-25) are under the blood when we repent. However, we cannot claim the sacrificial benefits if we willfully walk in premeditated sin. (Heb.10:26) For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, (27) but a certain fearful expectation of judgment... Jesus bore all sin; He also bore the penalty for all sin, except willful disobedience. Notice that there is “no more a sacrifice” for that sin. We would have “a certain fearful expectation of judgment.” Many of us have been lied to about the cleansing of the blood. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. The blood cleanses the one who walks in the light of the Word, not in the darkness of willful disobedience. For willful disobedience, we are promised certain judgment. We pay the penalty for this sin here and now, as in the following verses: (Mat.18:34) And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors (demons), till he should pay all that was due. (35) So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. God will use the demons to make us pay for a sin of the will. (Mat.5:25) Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge (God), and the judge deliver thee to the officer (demon), and thou be cast into prison. (26) Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing. The prison here is spiritual bondage to sin and the curse, administered by the demons. Jesus came “...to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to them that are bound” (Isa.61:1). Willful disobedience throws us back into the prison that Jesus delivered us from. David sinned willfully with Bathsheba. When he repented, Nathan the prophet said, “The Lord also hath put away thy sin”, but he also said, “The sword shall never depart from thy house.” In other words, I forgive you, but you will have to pay the penalty. This proved true, for David lost three sons and many people. His own son Absalom won the sympathy of the people and usurped the kingdom. David had to flee for his life. As parents we do not spank our children for failure or mistakes, but for willful disobedience. Paul said, “For the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not (willed not), that I practice. But if what I would not (willed not), that I do, it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me” (Rom.7:19,20). Paul was failing God in a sin that his will was against. Notice that he hated the sin and was not accounted guilty; the old sin nature was guilty. When we are against the sin, God takes our side against the sin. He takes the side of the spiritual man against the old man. In this state, Paul cried out to the Lord. (24) Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this death? Then he accepted God's promise of deliverance by faith. (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus bore the curse of the sin for a person who, like Paul, is repentant. The curse of death is upon the one who will not save themselves for marriage. (Deu.22:13) If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her,(14) and lay shameful things to her charge, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came nigh to her, I found not in her the tokens of virginity; …(20) But if this thing be true, that the tokens of virginity were not found in the damsel; (21) then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the harlot in her father's house: so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee. Only repentance and faith in the sacrifice of Jesus removes this curse. (22) If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband,(Adultery) then they shall both of them die, the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away the evil from Israel. (23) If there be a damsel that is a virgin betrothed unto a husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; (24) then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them to death with stones; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbor's wife: so thou shalt put away the evil from the midst of thee. (25) But if the man find the damsel that is betrothed in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her; then the man only that lay with her shall die: (26) but unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbor, and slayeth him, even so is this matter; (27) for he found her in the field, the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.   Homosexual Fornication (Jude 1:7) Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh (Men with men/women with women), are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire. (2Pe.2:6) and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, having made them an example unto those that should live ungodly; (7) and delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked (8) (for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] lawless deeds): (9) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto the day of judgment; (10) but chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise dominion. We have seen many people who fell into faction and ultimately into fornication of many kinds, and God reprobated them. Let me share a portion of a dream from Reynaldo Portela: In this dream, an angel put me in a room where a group of men was practicing homosexuality, and the angel told me, “The man who has sex with another man is going to regret it. God hates the practice of that sin.” (David: In the spiritual, we are reborn with Christ's spirit. Therefore, we should only sow Christ's spirit in our soul, which is our mind, will, and emotions. If we receive the spiritual seed of “men”, we often lose our first love and become reprobate.) (Rom.1:24) Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: (25) for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. (26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature: (27) and likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working unseemliness, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due. (28) And even as they refused to have God in [their] knowledge, God gave them up unto a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting (32) who, knowing the ordinance of God, that they that practise such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but also consent with them that practise them. In an open vision, I, David, saw a factious group, and one of them that I knew left them and went behind a wall. The Lord said, “Follow him,” so I did. What I saw behind the wall was this man committing sodomy on 3 of his friends. Over the next day or two, I went to this man and told him my vision, and his eyes widened, and Michael and I both saw he was guilty. He didn't deny it, but later he threatened me. The factious leader told me about three times that he spoke with them during a certain time period, when he was supposed to be with us, and then he fell away three times. I told him he could not associate with them according to the Word. Eve Brast had a dream where they had captured her, and they were bisexual. Other factious leaders had the same problem and were also bisexual. They all have sexual perversion. Satan demands perversion from his servants. The DS are satanists also and are bisexual. They have the same spirits. God is always willing to deliver anyone like this if there is repentance. (Gal.5:19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (21) ...they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (1Co.6:9) Or know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with men, (10) ... shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) And such were some of you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. (Deu.23:17) There shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. (18) Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot, or the wages of a dog, into the house of Jehovah thy God for any vow: for even both these are an abomination unto Jehovah thy God. (Rev.21:7) He that overcometh shall inherit these things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (8) But for the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, their part [shall be] in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death. (Rev.22:14) Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right [to come] to the tree of life, and my enter in by the gates into the city. (15) Without are the dogs, and the sorcerers, and the fornicators, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and every one that loveth and maketh a lie. Sodomite Crossdressers -(1Ki.14:24) and there were also sodomites in the land: they did according to all the abominations of the nations which Jehovah drove out before the children of Israel. (1Ki.15:11) And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah, as did David his father. (12) And he put away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. (Deu.22:5) A woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whosoever doeth these things is an abomination unto Jehovah thy God. (Lev.18:22) Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. (Lev.20:13) And if a man lie with mankind, as with womankind, both of them have committed abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.   Bestiality (Exo.22:19) Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. (Lev.18:23) And thou shalt not lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith; neither shall any woman stand before a beast, to lie down thereto: it is confusion. (Lev.20:15) And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast. (16) And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. (Deu.27:21) Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.   Masturbation (Gen.38:8) And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her, and raise up seed to thy brother. (9) And Onan knew that the seed would not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest he should give seed to his brother. (10) And the thing which he did was evil in the sight of Jehovah: and he slew him also. Remember I said that through repentance and faith in Jesus and His sacrifice for us, there is deliverance from these sins and its curses. Now God knows that you did not necessarily choose this life, and some of you think you had this from birth, which is not true. A lot of you already know that you were molested at some point in your life, and you became a sinner. Well, these demons entered in then. Now the Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ bore this sin upon Himself for you, and He is offering you grace to repent and be delivered from it so you will never have these wrong desires and emotions again. He took away the sin nature of homosexuality and any sin of fornication. He wants you to repent and surrender your life to Him. Confess your sins as the Bible says in 1Jo.1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God will give you a new, clean spirit and a new nature, this free gift of His salvation! Let's pray. Father, we thank You, and we ask You, Lord, to reach out and touch the people out there who are in bondage to sin, homosexual, heterosexual, or any kind of sin, and we ask You, Lord, to reach out and touch them with Your convicting power. Father, we ask You to show them that Your word is true. We ask You to reveal Yourself to them, and to show them the Real True Good News that Jesus has already delivered them from this; He's already borne their sin on the cross, and they don't have to bear it any longer. Father, we ask it in the name of Jesus that You go forth right now and deliver those who are listening to us who believe what's been shared here. Please, Lord, go forth and deliver them now in the name of Jesus. We rebuke these demons from your life in the name of Jesus Christ! O Lord, we thank You for Your mighty power going forth to restore those that You have loved from the foundation of the world. Thank you, Father.  Now, friends, if you agreed and prayed this with us, you need to go and start reading your New Testament and believe what it says and know that the Lord is working in you both to will and do of His good pleasure. It's not by your works, it's His working in you! Now, I want to share a published article on a study done that proves there is freedom from homosexuality.   'Groundbreaking' study shows 'gays' can change  Posted: September 15, 2007 1:00 a.m. Eastern © 2007 WorldNetDaily.com In the first longitudinal, peer-reviewed, scientific study of its kind, researchers have concluded that some homosexuals can change their “orientation” through religiously mediated guidance. Researchers Stanton L. Jones and Mark A. Yarhouse released the results of a three-year study on Thursday during an address at the American Association of Christian Counselors World Conference. Their conclusions contradict the claims of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association, which contend that such a change in sexual orientation is impossible and attempting to pursue it likely will cause depression, anxiety, or self-destructive behavior. The new study concluded such changes do not cause psychological harm to the patient. Nicholas A. Cummings, former American Psychological Association president, praised the research. “This study has broken new ground in its adherence to objectivity and a scientific precision that can be replicated and expanded, and it opens new horizons for investigation”, he said. Exodus International, the world's largest Christian ministry to homosexuals, said it funded the research because of the absence of any scientific, peer-reviewed research on the topic. The major findings are reported in a book to be released by the evangelical Christian publisher InterVarsity Press, “Ex-Gays? A Longitudinal Study of Religiously Mediated Change in Sexual Orientation.” A homosexual-activist group called Truth Wins Out warned news organizations “to be highly skeptical of a biased 'ex-gay' sham study.” The homosexual group said, “Caution should be taken in prematurely critiquing the study until the full methodology is available. However, based on unconfirmed reports, there is great concern that these notorious anti-gay researchers did little more than professional ex-gay lobbyists and ministers from Exodus International, and ask them if they had 'changed.'” Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International and a former homosexual, said, “Finally, there is now scientific evidence to prove what we as former homosexuals have known all along - that those who struggle with unwanted same-sex attraction can experience freedom from it.” “For years, opponents of choice have said otherwise, and this body of research is critical in advancing the national dialogue on this issue”, he said. Chambers said, “the life-changing process of leaving homosexuality behind” is not easy, but “for thousands of us, the journey has been well worth it, and we are grateful that these study findings give credence to our existence as men and women whose lives have been transformed by Jesus Christ.” Jones, a provost and professor at Wheaton College, an evangelical school in Wheaton, Ill., told CitizenLink magazine in an interview he was prompted to do the study because of the “ever-increasing pessimism expressed in the professional world that sexual orientation could ever be changed.” “This was in contrast to the fact that I occasionally met individuals in Christian circles who claim to have experienced precisely such change”, he said. “When the mental-health field actually began to say that change is impossible - that sexual orientation cannot be changed - it formed the perfect scientific hypothesis to be able to conduct a study.” Jones noted there have been dozens of studies conducted suggesting change is possible for some people, but “the research is not of the highest quality and has been deeply and highly criticized.” After studying the criticisms of those studies, Jones and Yarhouse concluded the proper methodology would need to be both “prospective and longitudinal.” “Prospective means that you catch people before they begin the change process and follow them through the process, while longitudinal means that you're actually following people over time to see if the change is stable”, Jones explained to CitizenLink. “The scientific characteristics of the study are unique, in that no one has ever started early and then followed people over a long period of time like we did.” Jones said they found that, by following the subjects over time, “not everyone is successful, not even a majority is successful, but a very substantial group of people report fairly dramatic change.” “We found that 15 percent of our sample of about 100 claimed to actually have changed from homosexuality to heterosexuality”, he said. “These people experienced significant enough change that they really felt like they had left one sexual orientation to shift into another.” He acknowledged “life is still complicated for these people, and some still have some residuals of their homosexual attractions.” “However, they are people who report being able to function as heterosexuals, they're happy with their marriages, and they feel that their lives have changed dramatically”, he said. The other type of success he found - in almost a quarter of the subjects - was “people who left the homosexual lifestyle and experienced very substantial reductions in homosexual attraction by embracing the Christian discipline of chastity, not acting on their sexual impulses.” “These were people who felt like they were free now to orient their lives not on their sexual, erotic desires and needs, but on their relationship with God and on healthy, nonsexual intimacy with other people”, Jones said. The two groups together, those who converted and those who experienced chastity, made up about 38 percent of the sample. “We feel these changes observed over this substantial period of time provide a clear indication that the opinions of the secular mental-health field that change is impossible are simply wrong”, Jones said. The second area of the research focused on the secular mental-health community's claims that the attempt to change is harmful. Jones and Yarhouse administered a standard psychological inventory that measures psychological distress to subjects at every point along the way. “We found that there was essentially no change in their psychological distress over time”, Jones said. “On that basis, we feel that there is no evidence that the change attempt is harmful, and we found evidence that change is possible for some people.” He added, however, the research does not prove that anybody can change or that no one has ever been harmed from the attempt to change. “It just suggests that the forceful way in which the secular mental-health community is saying change is impossible and harmful is just not well-advised”, he said. Jones pointed out that the American Psychological Association has a blue-ribbon panel right now examining the question of how it should formulate its policies on the subject of attempts to change sexual orientation. Certain members, Jones noted, have already said publicly that change is impossible and harmful. Jones said he hopes “there will be enough of an open mind on the part of the secular mental-health community that they will not continue the movement towards banning these kinds of attempts to change sexual orientation, harassing them out of existence and labeling as unethical any professional person who cooperates with them.” “There is a need to respect the autonomy of individuals who are distressed about what they have experienced sexually and for religious or moral reasons want to try the attempt to change”, Jones told CitizenLink. “Those people first need to be fully informed about just how complex and difficult that process is, and then they should have the right as individuals, as an exercise of personal and religious freedom, to seek support in their attempt to change sexual orientation.”   Printer-friendly version

The story we'll examine today from 2 Samuel 20, happens during a dangerous, unstable time in Israel. The story opens right as King David is trying to stabilize the kingdom after surviving a massive civil war started by his own son, Absalom. The war is over, but the country is still deeply divided, exhausted, and ripe for more chaos.Out of nowhere, a troublemaker named Sheba - a Benjamite, Saul's tribe - convinces the northern tribes to abandon David and start a fresh revolt. David knows he has to act fast, so he sends out his elite guard to hunt Sheba down before the rebellion grows. Tune in to find out what happens next.

Group Guide Use this guide to help your group discussion as you meet this week. 2 Samuel 14 Spencer Cary Download TranscriptGood morning. What a wonderful morning. Baptisms are a time to truly be thankful that God redeems any of us and that we get to enjoy the benefits of what it means to follow him, belong to him in the context of the church community. What a blessing. We're continuing to walk through 1 and 2 Samuel. We're in 2 Samuel chapter 14 today.We'll spill into chapter 15 as well. We've got quite a bit of story to get through. Let me give us a little bit of a recap from last week. It'll be on page 303 in the Black Bible. So if you're going to grab a Bible nearby, you can follow along with us.Last week, really last week in the next few chapters, we're kind of living in the aftermath of David's sin. What we saw last week is that his son Anon desired his half-sister Tamar, and then he assaulted her. And we saw the devastation of that spill into two years of Tamar's brother waiting for his opportunity to exact revenge, and then we saw Absalom kill Amnon. And we are in the aftermath of that tragic story, and we're going to see more of this continue into a story today that has also elements that are laden with sin. And my hope as we walk through this story today that in the darkness of this really section of 2 Samuel, we would actually discover some really wonderful hope.Some really, really wonderful hope. So let me pray for us, and then we're just going to jump straight into the story. Heavenly Father, we thank you that you, in the middle of sin and brokenness, in the middle of darkness, in the middle of all sorts of suffering, because of the effects of sin, you bring wonderful hope. God, I pray that we would be reminded of that today as we walk through a story that continues in this section that is difficult. And we ask that you would open our eyes to what is true, and that we might leave here as not just hearers of the word, but we would also be doers of the word.We ask this in faith, in Jesus' name. Amen. All right, so pick up in verse 1. Now Joab, the son of Zeruiah, knew that the king's heart went out to Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoa, and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, Pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments. Do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead.Go to the king, and speak thus to him. So Joab put words in her mouth. So Joab sees how much this situation with Absalom has affected David, and he wants to do something about it. Joab is the commander of his army. It's David's nephew. He loves David.And he wants to ease his pain, and he figures out a way to do this, that he's going to do pretty much what Nathan the prophet did, which is to come and act out a story. I don't know why David keeps falling for these, but he does. Like he apparently appreciates theatrics, but he just... Joab sees what happened with Nathan the prophet, and says, I'm going to do the same thing. I'm going to find this wise woman. He goes and sends for a woman from Tekoa, which is not far away from Jerusalem.And then basically says, you're going to be someone who's mourning, who is sad. And then he gives her a script that she's going to go act out before the king to illustrate a point. So this is the script. Verse 4. When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and paid homage and said, Save me, O king. Which is a dramatic entry into something that actually would have been very normal for their time.The Israelite kings were meant to be Judges for the people. That you could come and bring your dispute to the king, that he would hear it and give a ruling on it. This is a normal practice. And she says, Save me, O king. Verse 5. And the king said to her, What is your trouble?She answered, Alas, I'm a widow. My husband is dead. And your servant had two sons. And they quarreled with one another in the field. There was no one to separate them. And one struck the other and killed him.And now the whole clan has risen against your servant. And they say, Give up the man who struck his brother that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed. And so they would destroy the air also. Thus they would quench my coal that is left and leave my husband, neither name nor remnant, on the face of the earth. So, that's the script that Joab writes for her. And it is indeed sad.It is a woman who has been widowed. She has two sons. Her sons are in the field. They're fighting, and the other one, one of them kills the other. So it's devastating to lose a son.Now, the remaining son, her clan, is wanting capital punishment. They want him to be put to death. And she's hiding him. And they're demanding this. And she's coming to the king. So that she could be spared more of this grief so that her husband would have a name, have a remnant that's left behind.That's the situation. Then the king said to the woman, Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you. And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, On me be the guilt, my Lord the king, and on my father's house let the king and his throne be guiltless. The king said, If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again. Then she said, Please let the king invoke the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed.He said, As the Lord lives, not one hair on your son shall fall to the ground. So she gets David. She reels him in. And she gets him to agree to, invoking the name of the Lord, a protection upon this fake son. So he's going to, no one's going to lay a hand on him.So this is David, y'all. David just so clearly can assess the situation that's outside of himself. He just so clearly sees it. He's like, I'm going to intervene. And she's got him. Verse 12.Then the woman said, Please let your servant speak a word to my Lord the king. He said, Speak. And the woman said, Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision, the king convicts himself inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again. And that's the point of Joab's script. To get David to reckon with the fact that Absalom cannot come back to Jerusalem.She got him. Joab wrote this well. She says, You've convicted yourself. It is you who have made sure that Absalom cannot come home. And then she continues. Verse 14.We must all die. We are like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life and he divides his means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. Now I've come to say this to my Lord the king because the people have made me afraid and your servant thought, I will speak to the king. It may be that the king will perform this, the request of his servant. For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the heritage of God.And your servant thought, The word of my Lord the king will set me at rest for my Lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you. So she basically says, Listen, we're all like water spilled to the ground. We're all going to die one day. And as for this banished one, Absalom, why punish him any longer? But she ties it back to her story, this script, and says, See, you should bring him home.You have the power, David. You can make this right. Bring him home. And after boldly correcting their king, she very wisely begins with some flattery. She says, The king is like the angel of God that has discerned good and evil, which is very wise at this point because you've just put the king on blast. Maybe you should say some kind words about who he is.Verse 18, And the king answered the woman, Do not hide from me anything I ask you. And the woman said, Let my Lord the king speak. The king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this? The woman answered and said, As surely as you live, my Lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my Lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab commanded me. It was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant.In order to change the course of things, your servant Joab did this. But my Lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth. Which is just really laying on thick at the end. Which, again, is very smart at this point. Her fate is in his hands. She says, Yes, you figured it out.Joab is the one who gave me this script. He's the one that put the words in my mouth. In order that you might reckon with the situation with Absalom. So at this point, I just, as I'm reading this, I feel like David going forward should probably ask a few more questions before he just jumps into giving judgments. This is the second time this happened. We don't know if this happens over and over again.But David keeps falling into this. And people keep using these type of situations to illustrate points so that David's eyes can be open to his situation. Now Joab seems to be here, present for all of this. And he turns to him in verse 21. Then the king said to Joab, Behold now I grant this.Go, bring back the young man Absalom. And Joab fell on his face to the ground and paid homage and blessed the king. And Joab said, Today your servant knows that I found favor in your sight, my Lord the king, and that the king has granted the request of his servant. So Joab arose and went to Geshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. And the king said, Let him dwell apart in his own house. He is not to come into my presence.So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king's presence. So this ruse, it works. Joab sees how much David has been in distress. He illustrates this whole living parable before him. It makes the point. And David says, Okay, bring him home.He can go back to Jerusalem. He can go back to his home. He's not going to come back to my presence. So he goes. He gets him. He brings him back.And what we're going to see is that bringing Absalom back is going to create some real problems for David in this kingdom. So verse 25. Now in all Israel, there was no one such to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, there was no blemish in him. And when he cut the hair of his head, for at the end of every year, he used to cut it. When it was heavy on him, he cut it.He weighed the hair of his head 200 shekels by the king's weight. They were born to Absalom three sons and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman. Which that last part, it's just a beautiful nod to his sister, Tamar, who would not have children after everything that happened to her. And he named a daughter after him. But we get a description of Absalom.Absalom was praised by the nation for being a handsome man with beautiful hair. He is good looking. I mean, he is basically Fabio. Or if that reference is lost on you because it's too old, Gaston. Whatever, whatever you can try to picture, it says there's no, there's no blemish on him. He's beautiful.Beautiful. And his hair is beautiful. His hair is so thick, it's so luscious, that every year when he cuts it, he weighs it, which is weird, but he does. He weighs it and it's 200 shekels by the king's weight. Five pounds is about what that is. So he's a beautiful person, beautiful man.He's handsome. It's not just handsome, he's overwhelmingly handsome. He's the kind of handsome that when you show up in Hollywood with no discernible talent to act, they just hand you a role. And you know it when you see it. He's very handsome, which means, if you understand, take a step back and understand the context of Absalom. This man was born on third base, y'all.He's a prince, which means he has status and he has money and he's famously handsome. So, he's extremely blessed. And the question is, okay, with all of this blessing, what is he going to do with it? And what you see is he chooses evil. And that is where all this story is going. Verse 28.So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem without coming into the king's presence. Then Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab would not come to him. And he sent a second time, but Joab would not come. Okay. So Joab, one would think, you know what?You got away with murder. Maybe just live in luxury in your home in Jerusalem. Is that enough? No. He goes to Joab, he sends for Joab and says, I want, I want a present, I want a moment with the king. And Joab ignores him.And then he sends a second time. And he says, I want to be in the king's presence. And Joab ignores all of this. Now, it does not appear from the context here that what Absalom wants is reconciliation with dear old dad. What we're going to see is that all of this is politically motivated. So he sends for Joab, he gets rejected, he gets ignored.And then we're going to see what kind of character is bound up in Absalom. Verse 30, then he said to his servants, see, Joab's field is next to mine and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire. So Absalom's servants set the field on fire. Have you ever been in a situation where like you've you've reached out to your boss and you've asked for a raise but they just put. The meeting off and then you reach out again to ask for a raise and then he just put the meeting off and then you set his desk on fire.That's Absalom. He's the crazy ex who keys the car. I'm going to I'm going to get your attention somehow. Burn his field down. So he does.He has a tantrum. He burns the field. And guess what? When you use emotional sabotage, it sometimes works. And he comes. Verse 31, then Joab arose and went to Absalom at his at his house and said to him, Why have your servants set my field on fire?Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent word to you. Come here that I may send you to the king to ask why have I come from Gesher. It would be better for me to still be for it would be better for me to still be to be there still. Now, therefore, let me go into the presence of the king and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death. So it works.And Joab shows up and he's like, Crazy, what are you doing? What is the point of all of this? And he says, You didn't come. I have a message for the king. It would be better for me not to be in this house. I might as well be in exile in Gesher.But no, I want to be in his presence. And you know what? Send for him. Let me go. Because if he wants to kill me, he can kill me. But I'm getting my audience with the king.So his temper tantrum works. Absalom goes. Verse 33. And Joab went to the king and told him and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king and the king.Kissed Absalom. In the end of 14, before you get into 15, kind of feels like the eye of the hurricane. Because there's a moment where the sun is shining and things are, okay,. They've reconciled. He kisses them. He embraces them.That maybe this is the moment where things just get good again. That maybe, like, it's just, they're going to have, you know, moments together out in the field. Hunting and it's going to be wonderful. Maybe, just maybe, things are good but it's, it's the eye of the hurricane. And as the sun passes, the storm quickly approaches. And in verse 1 of chapter 15, we're going to see that what he is shooting for is a play for power.After this, Absalom got himself a chariot and horses and 50 men to run before him. So, pause there. The more you read the Old Testament, the more you'll pick up on some themes. One of those themes is that trusting in chariots and horses is bad. That using chariots and horses to flex your might, your power, and your greatness is a bad idea. This is what Egypt did.This is what the surrounding nations did. It doesn't mean they couldn't ever have chariots. It doesn't mean they couldn't ever have horses. It doesn't mean that those are in and of themselves bad but those are military weapons that the people of God are not meant to trust in because they are meant. To trust in the power of God but you positioning yourself on a chariot for all to see as we're going to see this is all a play. For power and majesty for himself.So, as soon as we read that there's some context there I think the eye has passed and there's trouble abroon. So, he basically outfits himself with a tank, a rocket launcher and a crew of 50 men and then we're going to see. How he positions himself amongst the people. Verse 2 Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate and when any man had a dispute to come before the king. For judgment Absalom would call to him and say from what city are you? And when he said your servant is of such and such tribe in Israel Absalom would say to him see.Your claims are good and right but there is no man designated by the king to hear you then Absalom. Would say oh that I were judge in the land that every man with a dispute or cause might come to me. And I would give him justice and whenever a man came near to pay homage to him he would put out. His hand and take hold of him and kiss him thus Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king. For judgment so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel and it's clear at this point that what Absalom. Is doing is he's positioning himself for a place on the throne because the king is the one who makes judgments.Like this this is the king's responsibility and Absalom seems to be getting in the middle of that and he seems to be. Taking what the king does and he says oh where are you from what's your problem oh oh no oh I'll give you justice. Oh I just wouldn't it be great if you had a king that listened to you wouldn't it be great if you had someone who could make. Good judgments for you and you could all receive judgments oh if there was just someone I guess I'll be the one. That does this and you can almost see him in his chariot in his stupid chariot with his wind blowing through his hair. Riding up to the gate posting up the people swarming him and he's just like oh I can help you and the people begin they.Listen this is what the people do they fall for cheap tricks every nation doesn't matter what nation what era what time. People fall for cheap tricks they just do and this is something that is working with every judgment with every hair toss. With every swooning kiss that he gives to the people he starts to capture their hearts and y'all he's lying. I mean you think about this he's lying this is we we just saw that David does give judgments. He met with a woman from Tekoa but Absalom's in the shadows he's he's politically maneuvering. He's out now in front of the people he's doing things that are shady they're falling for fool's gold they're falling.For a man who murdered his brother without one ounce of regret one ounce of repentance. One ounce of sorrow we see none of it they're falling for a man who burns down fields. To get people's attention they're falling for a guy who positions himself on chariots. To show his power they're falling for a guy who this is the really evil part of this. That's lost on us culturally he's dishonoring his father y'all which is a massive sin in the bible. He's dishonoring him not just his father but the anointed king of Israel and if you can remember how in first Samuel.How David the future king of Israel went about treating Saul the present anointed king. Of Israel and all the deference that he gave towards him you can see the difference. That approaches this is wickedness this is evil and he's positioning himself for a shot at the throne with every million. Dollar style with every wink with every nod with every judgment and now the storm is raging and a civil war. Is brewing verse 7 and at the end of four years Absalom said to the king please let me go. And pay my vow which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron for your servant vowed a vow while I lived.At Geshur in Aram saying if the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem. Then I will offer worship to the Lord the king said to him go in peace so he arose and went to Hebron. So David led him out of his sight which is not really the main point of the story I get so annoyed. With David sometimes when I'm reading this because I'm just like what are you doing how are you not. Seeing what's happening here how are you not in attention to your kingdom and not seeing what he's doing. But he does that's him out of his sight verse 10 but Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel.Saying as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet then say Absalom is king at Hebron with Absalom went 200 men. From Jerusalem who were invited guests and they went and their innocence and knew nothing and while Absalom was offering. The sacrifices he sent for Ahithophel the Gilanite David's counselor from his city Gilom. And the conspiracy grew strong and the people with Absalom kept increasing so that's where we pause today. Is that what he has done is he's taken he's enacted a plot to take the throne by force from his father and God's anointed king. And he's going to Hebron with some supporters with some bystanders who don't know what's going on and with a plan.And a conspiracy that we're going to see play out so to recap let's think about this story in context. Absalom is born with everything he's born on third base he has good looks he is a prince. He literally gets away with murder he gets away with it and then is restored he's allowed. To be back in Jerusalem where he gets to continue to live in royalty he should just. Be content he should just be satisfied and what does he do with all this blessing it's not enough it's not enough. For him he wants more he wants a throne that is not his to take he starts to dishonor.His father he lies he plots he schemes and he plans to take his throne which by the way. The only way you take the throne from a sitting king is by killing the king so this plan is moving towards. He wants to kill his father and that means what we're seeing is a story that plays out like a tragedy. And built into this tragic story is a self-centered prince who wants to be his own king and we're going to witness. Absalom do some truly evil stuff he has all the blessings and in the end he chooses himself. He chooses self-interest even if it tears the nation apart which it is.And the reality is if we can have enough foresight to take a step back from all of this we are just like Absalom. We are just like Absalom we in this room are born on third base just like Absalom. And you might say oh you don't know I'm ugly and it's like maybe that's subjective. It's not the point not the point of the comparison I'm trying to make we're just like Absalom. And that we have so many blessings that we've been given so many luxuries y'all. We live better than the kings of old the people of royalty from ages.Past we live better than them we have food that we can. Summon we have an abundance of food we have food that goes. Bad we don't know what a famine is like here in our. Nation that even if you're struggling there are places you can go. To get it we have food we have running water. That is clean we have our own chariots that never grow tired.You can get in a car and you can drive people used to have to. Walk for miles and miles and miles or ride a horse for miles. And miles and miles and it would take days and days and you. Could do it in a matter of hours if you go through the list of all the. Things that we have in fact that you have a machine in your. Pocket that is one of the most powerful machines that's ever been made.With that machine you can summon food to be delivered. Groceries to be delivered a car we have blessing upon blessing. Upon blessing the things that we think are just common needs. It's like no it's comparatively we are blessed. In more ways than we could possibly and on top of. The material blessings of this present world in this place.In this area the Columbia area we have access to spiritual. Blessings that are wonderful y'all I can take a rock. And throw it and get close I can throw it a couple. Times and get close to a church down the street where they're. Preaching the gospel right now where Chet Andrews at State Street is preaching. And that's keep driving and you're going to see on a hall.Avenue where Dow is preaching it's like. We have people that are preaching the gospel in this city you have. Access to Christian community in this city you have community. Groups and small groups and maybe we are blessed beyond. We have access to the word of God that you can read it in front. Of you right now you can pull it up on your phone you probably.Have maybe some of you have it in your car you have. It at your house we have every spiritual blessing some of. Us who belong to Jesus Christ who are Christians we have. Access to our creator y'all that he has we can. Pray to him and he listens that we have no middle. Man other than Jesus Christ it's wonderful access.To our triune God we're not born on third base. We're born rounding third base on our way. To home we are so wonderfully blessed and like Absalom. It's not enough we want more money we want more power we want. More success we want more praise we want more and better friends. We want better looks we want a better life it's never.Enough it's never enough we want more and then we'll do. Actions that are similar to Absalom many of us know how to politically. Maneuver you know how to at the workplace position yourself to compete for a job. Like it's a throne that you're fighting for your life for you know how. To position yourself ahead of another co-worker you know how to make. Business deals work the way that you come out on top we know how to.Play the game at the workplace we know how to play the. Game in our social spheres some of us know how to maneuver. And put ourselves and say I really want to be closer with this person. But I need to get in between this person and this person I need. To make this friendship work better and it's like all. That political maneuvering reveals the same heart it's not enough it's never.Enough and we'll do some of the same things behind the scenes. To get what we want for our own good we'll. Act just like Absalom we can be erratic we can throw temper. Tantrums we can act like petulant children we know how to. Yell in an argument to get what we want some of. Us know how to break things to get what we want.And you might say I would never I am cool calm. And collected I would never yell to get what I want. But you might know how to give a cold shoulder you might. Know how to be passive aggressive we know how to. Do this we know how to act in order to get what we. Want for our own interest we do things just like.Absalom we fortify our lives just like he did with he did. It with a horse and a chariot and a squad of 50 people because he. Wanted to trust in his own strength as opposed to in all. Of this trusting and the strength of God as opposed to trusting. That what God wants and what God desires for this kingdom is what. Is good he doesn't it's not enough but he trusts in his own self.And we do the same thing we'll find ways to trust in our own. Selves we'll do it through a savings account we'll do it through. Work ethic and working endless hours one of the ways that shows. Up in my life is just prayerlessness this idea that I can work. And work and strive and do and do and do and do and do. And not run to the Lord and I've just seen over and over again.That the prayerlessness in my own life is symptomatic of a greater problem. That I trust in my own strength and not the Lord but we. Have the same streak that runs through Absalom that's in us this self. Centeredness and wanting more and not being content content we're just. Like Absalom and yet in so many ways we're blind to it we can't. See it so if that is reality and I'd argue that for the majority of us if not all of us.In some form or fashion it is then where's the hope if that's the problem then what's the. Remedy like what what do we actually how do we not live. Like this Absalom type lives I want us to go to Philippians chapter. 2 It's on page 1135 1135 in the black bibles because. Bound up in this wicked story that we've read that we're going to. Continue to see play out and that's the backdrop of the darkness of our own lives.And the ways that it aligns with this story is some incredible hope. This is Paul writing to the church to Philippi addressing this directly. He says in verse 3 chapter 2 do nothing from selfish. Ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant than. Yourselves which I read that and the times where I have the clarity. To see that Absalom prideful self-interested streak in me.I'm like okay I'm in you've got me do nothing. From selfish ambition or conceit but in humility count others more significant. Than yourselves I'm in how I want that then verse 4. Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also. To the interest of others that's like okay again you've. Got me I'm in I don't want to look to my own interest.Only I want to be a man that lives for the interest. Of others I'm in but how do I get there verse 5 have this. Mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus who though. He was in the form of God did not count equality. With God a thing to be grasped but emptied himself by taking. The form of a servant being born in the likeness of men and being found.In human form he humbled himself by being obedient to the. Point of death even death on a cross and the. Remedy for self centered souls and the way to fix. Our prideful beset sin in our lives is through. Jesus Christ it is by trusting and a God who left. The glory of heaven to take on human flesh and dwell among us.Who subjected himself to be murdered by his own creation for our own interest. That we might not be sprinting into an eternity of destruction. Under the wrath of God forever but he might bring us from. Darkness into a kingdom of light by choosing to surrender in the same. Way that Stephen declared in the baptism waters today. That the only hope we have for the self centered and self.Interested soul is through the work of Jesus Christ entrusting. In him and not ourselves and then every day in following Christ. Day by day we continue to come back to the hope of the. Gospel of a God who loved us so much that he. Gave himself for us that he might mold us. And conform us into his image into being people that are.Not so interested in our own lives but live for the. Sake of others hope is Jesus Christ that's the only. Means that we get there it is through faith and daily. Repentance of dying to our own selves and doing it every. Single day as we grow to be more like Christ. So when we read stories like this it's a warning and what.We're going to see is absolutely just absolutely wrecked his own. Life and so many people the pain and the. Fallout of his sin is massive and it's a warning. Of what it means when we trust in ourselves and we care about. Our own lives and thank you God that he's given us stories like. This to remind us not only the seriousness of sin but the wonderful.Gift of a savior and as we get ready to sing one final song in worship. My hope is that we would begin to reckon with our own sin and then. Run to Jesus Christ asking him to both reveal our self-interest to feel our. Pride reveal all the self-centeredness within us but also celebrate that he. Came and that he died and that he gave his life so that I. Wouldn't be a slave to myself and worshiping my own self but I might live.To worship in Christ and the fruit of that would show up in so many other. Ways so we'll get the opportunity to do that in worship here in a moment. We'll have the opportunity in groups to do that this week as we get to live. This out and this is a care week where we get to maybe confess. Our own sin and our own self-interest and we pray that. God would stir that work in us and then we'll worship and sing heavenly father I pray.That you might open our eyes to the reality of our own. Absalom like sin within God I just I so. Need you I so feel it myself this concern for self. This lack of contentment that it's never enough and I think there's others like. Me here that need you that desperately need you to go to. Work and may we trust in you and you alone and not.Ourselves and may you regularly graciously confront our sin and remind. Us beautifully of our savior you and may that change. The way we live our lives in Jesus name amen the band's. Going to come up we're going to sing this final song together and as we. Sing and celebrate and make much of Jesus Christ for what he has done for us. My hope is that this wouldn't just be things that we hear but we.Would actually begin to put into practice in our lives and as we leave here. Begin to take practical steps in running towards Jesus and watching him change. Us to be a people that live not to ourselves but for the sake of others.

3:06 - Acts 15:21, What does James mean here? / 9:12 - Why did Absalom's advisor kill himself? / 25:59 - Is it ok to own a dreamcatcher? / 32:19 - What's the difference between a struggling believer and a sinner? / 44:09 - Prayer request for relationship with daughter.

In today's readings, Fr. Mike points out how the loss of David's son overshadows everything else for a time. The readings are 2 Samuel 19, 1 Chronicles 24, and Psalm 38. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Today, we hear about the downfall of Absalom, and how David reacts to the news of his death. In Chronicles, we read about David changing some of the rules of worship, as he prepares for Temple worship. The readings are 2 Samuel 18, 1 Chronicles 23, and Psalm 37. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Fr. Mike explains the events of today's readings, breaking down Hushai's advice to Absalom, David's warning and charge of Solomon, and the theme of centralized worship. We all desire to be temples of the Holy Spirit, and we bring this prayer to God through today's episode. Today's readings are 2 Samuel 17, 1 Chronicles 22, and Psalm 36. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Fr. Mike talks about the horrible things that can happen when we turn away from God and stop asking him "what's the next step?" In today's readings we see David humbled and humiliated, Absalom revealing how devastating sin is, and the evil that comes from war. Today's readings are 2 Samuel 16, 1 Chronicles 21, and Psalm 15. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

6:18 - Why did Joab kill Absalom? / 14:37 - Phillippians 4:13, what can we do with God? / 22:50 - Revelation 16:15, Is this passage taking place before the tribulation? / 33:41 - Is the rapture related to aliens? / 43:42 - I see things, how can I know if it's spiritual warfare? / 50:40 - How should Christians work through child custody matters?

Fr. Mike reflects on the story of David and Absalom, and points out the lack of forgiveness and repentance on both men's part. God forgives us no matter what, but without us mirroring that forgiveness, rebellion can easily rise up. Today's readings are 2 Samuel 14, 1 Chronicles 18, and Psalm 14. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 18,  Psalm 56, Matthew 27 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! On this 10th day of May, day 130 in our journey through Scripture, Hunter invites us to open our hearts and minds as we delve into powerful passages from 2 Samuel 18, Psalm 56, and Matthew 27. Today's episode follows the stories of David's sorrow over Absalom, David's psalm of trust amidst trouble, and the profound events of Jesus' trial and crucifixion. Hunter offers insight into Jesus' cry from the cross, challenging traditional interpretations and reminding us of God's unwavering presence—even in our darkest moments. Join us as we reflect on God's Word, lift our hearts in prayer, and walk together in kindness and faith. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He never abandons us—not even in our darkest hours. On the cross, Jesus cried, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" At first glance, it looks like a moment of utter desolation, as if God the Father has turned away from his Son. Many have taught that in this cry, Jesus is forsaken by the Father, or worse still, that God is punishing the Son. But things are not always as they seem. The early church often saw it differently. Jesus is quoting Psalm 22—a psalm that starts with anguish but ends with trust. Like many of David's psalms, it begins with abandonment but always resolves with confession of God's unfailing presence and faithfulness. As the psalm reaches its end, the psalmist declares, "He did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted. He did not turn his face from me but heard when I cried out to him." In the depths of suffering, God does not hide nor forsake, but listens and draws near. So, what does this mean for us? Jesus, in quoting the psalm, enters fully into the depths of human experience—our betrayals, our loneliness, our feelings of abandonment. He knows them all, tasting them as we do. Yet the profound truth is found not just in the cry, but in the assurance that God is present, even when it seems otherwise. Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 5:19 that on the cross, "God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself." There is no division in the Trinity, no rift between the Father and the Son—not then, not ever. And if God did not abandon Jesus in his most desperate hour, he will not abandon you. He is faithful, and his love endures. Let this truth settle deep into your soul. Trust, as Jesus trusted—even when everything in you wishes to surrender to despair. God's love is steadfast. His presence never leaves. You are never beyond the reach of his care. That's a prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:  2 Samuel chapters 15-16, Psalm 32, Matthew 25 Click HERE to give! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on the Daily Radio Bible, a daily Bible‑in‑a‑year podcast with 20‑minute Scripture readings, Christ‑centered devotion, and guided prayer.This daily Bible reading and devotional invites you to live as a citizen of Jesus' kingdom, reconciled, renewed, and deeply loved. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible, where Hunter invites you to join in a journey through the Scriptures—warming your heart by the fires of God's love. In today's episode for May 8th, 2026, we read from 2 Samuel chapters 15 and 16, Psalm 32, and Matthew 25. As Hunter guides us through the dramatic tale of Absalom's rebellion, David's sorrow, and the lessons of Jesus' parables, we're invited to examine our own hearts, reflect deeply on the call to love others, and find hope and guidance for our daily lives. Settle in, open your Bible, and let's discover together what God has for us today. TODAY'S DEVOTION: This is a parable. It's important to know what we are reading. A parable is typically teaching us something about the nature of reality. Stories peel back what's under the surface. And in this case, Jesus is using a story to peel back a form of religion that is profoundly misguided. It has missed the point that our life in God is a life of love and will find its expression in the way we see all people, even those outside of our group, even those who are unseen by all groups. The religious culture of his day was preoccupied with a lot of things that had the appearance of piety and orthodoxy. A lot was being said about God and God was being leveraged by a lot of people to control and to coerce. God was being used and abused by the culture and by those in power. But he was not being known. This parable peels back what's really going on, and it asks us to examine our hearts. Today, the worst way to read this parable is to look from above and assume that I am a sheep and to use the text to condemn those that we think are goats. Rather, we are invited to sit under these words today and say, I see the goat in my own heart. Lord, I repent. And I ask you to judge this in me. Unmask the lies in my life that make me get it wrong. Help me to see how you see all people, even those who are outside my group, even those who are considered the lowest and the least. Show me those things that stand in the way of me fully understanding who I am in you and who you are for all. And that's the prayer that I have for my own heart. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's a prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Kencan Dengan Tuhan - Kamis, 7 Mei 2026Bacaan: "Cara yang demikianlah diperbuat Absalom kepada semua orang Israel yang mau masuk menghadap untuk diadili perkaranya oleh raja, dan demikianlah Absalom mencuri hati orang-orang Israel." (2 Samuel 15:6)Renungan: Kita sering mendengar peribahasa ada udang di balik batu. Jika seseorang terlihat baik, belum tentu ia benar-benar baik. Kita tidak pernah tahu kalau saja ia punya maksud tersembunyi. Berbuat baik, tapi tidak tulus, Berbuat baik tapi ada maunya. Bukan berarti kita harus curiga kalau melihat seseorang melakukan perbuatan baik. Daripada sibuk menilai dan mencari tahu motivasi orang dalam melakukan kebaikan, lebih baik kita menjaga hati kita supaya tidak melakukan hal seperti ini. Setiap kali kita akan melakukan perbuatan baik, cobalah kita jujur kepada diri kita sendiri, "Apakah kita melakukan kebaikan karena didasari kasih yang tulus, ataukah sebenarnya kita punya agenda tersembunyi?" Absalom itu punya modal yang komplit untuk menjadi pemimpin besar Israel. Punya perawakan yang gagah, elok rupanya, cakap, dan terutama: pintar mengambil hati rakyat! Maka rakyat pun tertarik dengan kebaikan yang ditunjukkan oleh Absalom. Betapa tidak? Dengan telaten Absalom mengambil hati rakyat Israel dengan kebaikan-kebaikan yang dilakukannya. Tidak main-main, "udang itu bersembunyi di balik batu" hingga empat tahun! Betapa telatennya Absalom membangun citranya demi mengumpulkan massa. Begitu mayoritas orang Israel berpihak kepadanya, barulah ketahuan sifat asli Absalom, yaitu ia ingin memberontak dan mengkudeta ayahnya sendiri! Perbuata baik tanpa disertai dengan ketulusan itu berbahaya. Cobalah jujur kepada diri kita sendiri, apakah kita tulus dalam melakukan kebaikan, ataukah sebenarnya kita punya maksud tersembunyi? Sebagai anak-anak Tuhan, sungguh tidak pantas kalau kebaikan kita sebenarnya memiliki agenda terselubung. Bagaimana mungkin kita berharap Tuhan memberkati kebaikan yang kita lakukan, jika sebenarnya kita punya maksud yang tersembunyi, terlebih lagi jika kita punya maksud yang jahat seperti halnya yang dilakukan oleh Absalom! Jadilah orang yang baik tapi tulus. Menolong tanpa pamrih. Memberi tanpa berharap imbalan, Murah hati tanpa berharap kembali. Ketika kita tulus dalam berbuat baik, maka Tuhan sendiri yang akan membalas setiap kebaikan kita. Tuhan Yesus memberkati. Doa:Tuhan Yesus, murnikanlah hatiku saat melakukan perbuatan baik, sehingga kebaikan yang aku lakukan semata-mata hanya untuk kemuliaan nama-Mu dan bukan untuk menyombongkan diriku sendiri. Amin. (Dod).

Chad joins us once again to talk about OTHER bible stories about King David and his family, and what lessons fundamentalists take from them. We examine why King David is seen as such a great king despite the many failures of his rule and the mess that was his family. We discuss Absalom's rebellion, Tamar's assault, and the ??? story that is the story of Abashag.Subscribe to Leaving Eden Podcast on YouTube!https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4q94gAnsoW2jME4SvVrrQJoin our Patreon for extended, uncensored, and ad-free versions of most of our episodes, as well as other patron perks and bonus content!https://www.patreon.com/LeavingEdenPodcastJoin our Facebook group to join in the discussion with other fans!https://www.facebook.com/groups/edenexodusJoin our subreddit! Reddit.com/r/EdenExodusBluesky:@leavingedenpodcast.bsky.social@hellyeahsadie.bsky.social@gavihacohen.bsky.socialInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/leavingedenpodcast/https://www.instagram.com/sadiecarpentermusic/https://www.instagram.com/gavrielhacohen/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this pastoral approach from Psalm 3, we walk through King David's darkest night—betrayed by his own son Absalom, fleeing Jerusalem, surrounded by enemies who say "there is no salvation for him in God." Yet in the midst of sorrow, betrayal, and loss, David models a healthy way to process pain: acknowledge the struggle, turn to God with raw honesty, and abandon yourself to His mercy. This sermon tackles the lies Satan whispers when we're wounded—"God won't protect you," "You have to prove yourself," "You'll never be saved"—and shows how the Psalms give us language to fight back. We also explore the controversial topic of imprecatory psalms (prayers of cursing) and discover how to pray them as spiritual warfare in our New Testament context. Whether you've been betrayed, are battling intrusive thoughts, or feel like you're constantly protecting yourself, this message offers hope: the safest place to be is abandoned to the hands of God.

This psalm captures David's profound spiritual resilience amid his deepest personal crisis—being betrayed and pursued by his own son, Absalom. Though overwhelmed by shame, fear, and the collapse of his kingdom, David anchors his soul in the unshakable truth that the Lord has uniquely set apart the godly for Himself, distinguishing them not by merit but by divine grace. His confidence is not in circumstances, but in the Lord's faithful presence, which he affirms with boldness: the Lord hears him, and in that assurance, he finds peace. David exhorts believers to respond to trials with righteous anger without sin, to reflect deeply in solitude, and to renew their strength through worship and selfless service. Ultimately, he testifies that true joy is not found in abundance or security, but in the Lord's favor—so deep that even in danger, he can lie down in peace, knowing only God makes him dwell in safety.

Psalm 4 presents a profound meditation on divine faithfulness amid personal crisis, as David, facing the devastating betrayal by his son Absalom, cries out to God in anguish and trust. Though the specific trial is not named, the psalm's structure, thematic parallels to Psalm 3, and historical context strongly suggest it reflects David's experience of exile and rebellion, where his honor was turned to shame and his people were drawn to empty promises. In his prayer, David anchors his desperate plea—'Answer me when I call'—not in self-righteousness, but in the unmerited grace of God, recalling God's past deliverances as a foundation for present hope. He confronts the emptiness of human rebellion and false promises, calling the people to reflect on God's faithfulness and the deeper peace found only in divine safety. Ultimately, the psalm moves from lament to confident trust, culminating in the assurance of rest and security in God's presence, demonstrating how suffering, when met with faith, becomes a vessel for spiritual renewal and a source of comfort for future generations.

In 2 Samuel 18–21, Absalom's rebellion ends with his death, David mourns deeply, and the kingdom faces further unrest and judgment before stability begins to return.Read the WHOLE Bible with me! Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. If you appreciate what is happening on this channel, please like, comment and most importantly, share this everywhere you can so we can bring as many people as possible with us on this Bible reading journey. GOD IS SO GOOD!Here is a link to all of the worship songs I have finished the Bible readings with. Worship with me!https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUcMr6ja88bC607BoR1EaQuF&si=e1HfJdRXr4LSdU7WHere is the link to read the WHOLE Bible with me on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUdyHEiJ2X2tFvXNINmLMs7O&si=FM_Od_qVefeWU1kYDo you want a Bald Headed Country Boy t-shirt? You can find them on my website with the link below.https://baldheadedcountryboy.com/

In 2 Samuel 14–17, Absalom returns and gains support, leading a rebellion against David that forces him to flee Jerusalem as the conflict intensifies.Read the WHOLE Bible with me! Subscribe so you don't miss an episode. If you appreciate what is happening on this channel, please like, comment and most importantly, share this everywhere you can so we can bring as many people as possible with us on this Bible reading journey. GOD IS SO GOOD!Here is a link to all of the worship songs I have finished the Bible readings with. Worship with me!https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUcMr6ja88bC607BoR1EaQuF&si=e1HfJdRXr4LSdU7WHere is the link to read the WHOLE Bible with me on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv0l3ExigVUdyHEiJ2X2tFvXNINmLMs7O&si=FM_Od_qVefeWU1kYDo you want a Bald Headed Country Boy t-shirt? You can find them on my website with the link below.https://baldheadedcountryboy.com/

Are you so focused on what you've lost that you can't see what you have left? In this message, "Fatal Fixations," we dive into the tragic final days of King David to see how a "tunnel-visioned" focus on one heartbreak can dismantle an entire life.We often talk about the wounds parents leave on children, but we rarely discuss the way a wayward child can wound a parent. David was swallowed up by his grief for Absalom—the son who tried to kill him—to the point that he humiliated the loyal army that saved his life. Through the lens of 2 Samuel 19, we explore:The "Rhino" Effect: How we paint our problems into every picture of our lives.The 99 vs. The 1: Why leaving the 99 for the 1 is a beautiful Shepherd's heart, but a dangerous leadership mindset.Sinkers vs. Bobbers: Do you snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory?The Joab Moment: Why we all need "truth-tellers" to give us a perspective check before we lose everything.[Scripture References]2 Samuel 19:1-8Numbers 13:30-33 (The Report of the Spies)Habakkuk 3:17-191 Samuel 30:6"It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other." (Ecclesiastes 7:18). Life is a tension between grief and gratitude. If you don't learn to manage that tension, your sadness will eventually cloud your sanity. It's time to put the world off your shoulders and back into His hands.If this message spoke to you, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with someone who might be struggling to find their perspective today.Website: https://impact.church Facebook: https://facebook.com/ImpactChurchHome Instagram: https://instagram.com/ImpactChurchHome YouTube: https://youtube.com/@impactchurchhome TikTok: https://tiktokcom/@impactchurchhome

David's life looked like the definition of success—power, influence, a throne. Yet behind the scenes, his family was unraveling through tragedy and rebellion, and he found himself fleeing his own son Absalom. In exile and grief, David prayed not with polished words, but with a heartfelt plea for mercy and justice—and Psalm 28 captures that cry for every believer who has ever felt overwhelmed, slandered, mistreated, or misunderstood. In this episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef highlights the turning point in David's prayer: when your world is falling apart, the most revealing question isn't “Why is this happening?”—it's “Will I run to God, or blame Him?” Even when we face consequences from our own wrong choices, David shows the right posture: humility. A cry for mercy is the opposite of saying, “God, You owe me.” You'll also hear why David's posture mattered—arms raised, fully engaged—because sometimes wrestling in prayer becomes the pathway to victory. And through every layer of collapse—family, leadership, reputation—one Truth held steady: God was David's Rock. If you're facing betrayal, pressure, or pain that feels bigger than you, this devotional will re-anchor your heart in the unchanging character of God: His power doesn't diminish, His love doesn't shift, and His mercy doesn't fade. Prayer: Lord, I will trust in You when circumstances threaten to overwhelm me. I will rest in Your mercy toward me and hope in Your coming Kingdom. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  Scripture Focus: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalm 28:7).  *This devotional adapted from Life-Changing Prayers by Michael Youssef © 2018. Published by Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI. Used by permission.Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon God Has the Answer to Every Problem You Face, He Is Our Rock and Role: LISTEN NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.