2 Samuel 18:6-10: a reflection

6So the people went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. 7The people of Israel were struck there before David’s servants, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. 8For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country, and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured. 9Absalom happened to meet David’s servants. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak; and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on. 10A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”

In the tragic account of Absalom's rebellion against his father David, Absalom, fleeing the battle he had provoked, is caught by his head in the branches of a great oak, left hanging helpless, his mule going on without him. His head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth, the account says. The rebellion Absalom had raised against his own father now brought him to this helpless end, caught and hanging, unable to free himself, his flight arrested. The sad picture of a son's rebellion against his father ending in his being caught and helpless is sobering. Absalom's rebellion brought him to a helpless end. Rebellion against his father left Absalom caught and helpless. The course of rebellion led Absalom to entrapment. A son's rebellion ended in his being caught helpless.

Notice the sad end to which Absalom's rebellion brought him. He had risen up against his own father, David, seizing the kingdom, driving his father out, provoking a war among God's people. And now, fleeing the battle, he is caught, his head held fast in the branches of an oak, left hanging helpless between heaven and earth, unable to free himself, his mule going on without him. The course of rebellion he had chosen brought him to this pitiable, helpless place. There is a sober lesson here about where the path of rebellion and pride leads. Absalom's rebellion against his father did not bring him the triumph he sought, but entrapment and a helpless end. The account is not without pathos; this was David's own son, whom David still loved and grieved. But it warns us soberly that the path of rebellion, of rising up against what we should honor, of pride grasping for what is not ours, does not lead where we imagine, but often to our own entrapment and downfall. We do well to consider soberly where the path of rebellion and pride leads, rather than presuming it will bring us what we seek. Rebellion and pride do not lead to the triumph we imagine. The path of rebellion can lead to our own entrapment. Consider soberly where rebellion and pride actually lead. The course of rebellion led Absalom to a helpless downfall.

That is worth taking to heart, for the path of rebellion and pride does not lead to the triumph we imagine but often to our own entrapment, as Absalom's rebellion against his father brought him to a helpless end. We can be tempted to the path of rebellion and pride, rising up against what we should honor, grasping for what is not ours, imagining it will bring us triumph; but Absalom, rebelling against his own father, was brought to a pitiable, helpless end, caught and hanging, his flight arrested. Rebellion did not lead where he imagined. Consider soberly where the path of rebellion and pride leads before you take it. Consider soberly where the path of rebellion and pride leads, for it does not bring the triumph we imagine but often our own entrapment and downfall, as Absalom, who had risen up against his own father David, seizing the kingdom and provoking a war, was, while fleeing the battle, caught by his head in the branches of a great oak and left hanging helpless between heaven and earth, his flight arrested and his mule going on without him; for we can be tempted to the path of rebellion and pride, rising up against what we should honor and grasping for what is not ours, imagining it will bring us the triumph we seek, but the course of rebellion did not lead Absalom where he imagined but to a pitiable, helpless downfall, and this warns us soberly that rebellion and pride often lead not to triumph but to our own entrapment, so that we do well to consider soberly where such a path actually leads rather than presuming it will bring us what we seek.

Lord, in the tragic account of Absalom's rebellion against his father David, Absalom, fleeing the battle he had provoked, is caught by his head in the branches of a great oak, left hanging helpless, his mule going on without him. His head caught hold of the oak, and he was hanging between the sky and earth, the account says. The rebellion Absalom had raised against his own father now brought him to this helpless end, caught and hanging, unable to free himself. The sad picture of a son's rebellion against his father ending in his being caught and helpless is sobering. Show me the sad end to which Absalom's rebellion brought him. He had risen up against his own father, seizing the kingdom, driving his father out, provoking a war. And now, fleeing the battle, he is caught, left hanging helpless between heaven and earth, unable to free himself. The course of rebellion he had chosen brought him to this pitiable, helpless place. There is a sober lesson here about where the path of rebellion and pride leads. Absalom's rebellion against his father did not bring him the triumph he sought, but entrapment and a helpless end. It warns me soberly that the path of rebellion, of rising up against what I should honor, of pride grasping for what is not mine, does not lead where I imagine, but often to my own entrapment and downfall. Take that to my heart, for the path of rebellion and pride does not lead to the triumph I imagine but often to my own entrapment. When I am tempted to the path of rebellion and pride, rising up against what I should honor or grasping for what is not mine, keep me from presuming it will bring me what I seek; help me consider soberly where such a path actually leads, Lord, as Absalom's rebellion brought him to a helpless downfall, and turn me instead to the way of humility and honor.