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The Death of Absalom · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode
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  Speaker 1: upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick
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  Speaker 1: boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold
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  Speaker 1: of the oak, and he was taken up between the
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  Speaker 1: heaven and the earth, and the mule that was under
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  Speaker 1: him went away. 2 Samuel 18.9 Heavenly Father, today I
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  Speaker 1: will focus my heart and energy in the direction of
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  Speaker 1: those who have chosen to stand by me in the battle,
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  Speaker 1: to achieve my goals. While others are focusing on all
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  Speaker 1: those who've left their lives, I will instead focus on
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  Speaker 1: all those who have encouraged and have fought for me
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  Speaker 1: through prayer and proximity. Today, I will celebrate my wins
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  Speaker 1: with those loyal to me and my family. Today, I
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  Speaker 1: will rejoice and praise you, Lord, with those who've chosen
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  Speaker 1: to build alongside me even in my toughest times. I
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  Speaker 1: thank you for the Joabs in my life who constantly
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  Speaker 1: remind me to stop crying and to stop giving my
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  Speaker 1: best energy to those who choose to exit my life
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  Speaker 1: like David did with Absalom. I will be mindful and
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  Speaker 1: open to hearing hard corrections because in the end, the
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  Speaker 1: words of a friend may be bitter and lies from
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  Speaker 1: my enemies seem sweet. But because of this, I will
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  Speaker 1: look to those who tell me the truth even when
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  Speaker 1: it doesn't feel good. I praise you, Yahweh, for you
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  Speaker 1: are all around me, creating opportunities to strengthen that which remains,
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  Speaker 1: my true relationships. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for
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  Speaker 1: praying with us today. Continue your time with God by
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  Speaker 1: listening to today's Bible story, brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: The Death of Absalom In our last story, Absalom successfully
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  Speaker 2: took the throne of David. David, not wanting to cause
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  Speaker 2: a civil war in the streets of Jerusalem, fled into
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  Speaker 2: the wilderness until he could plan his next step. Now
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  Speaker 2: we see Absalom mounting his attack on David and his
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  Speaker 2: men in the tragic fall that comes after pride, inspired
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  Speaker 2: by the book of 2 Samuel.
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  Speaker 3: I'm so glad you joined us on the Bible in
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  Speaker 3: a Year podcast today. But before we get to today's episode,
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  Speaker 3: I want you to know that I would absolutely love
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  Speaker 3: to send you my daily devotional that will give you
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  Speaker 3: fresh encouragement every single morning and day. From the moment
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  Speaker 3: we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
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  Speaker 3: the pillow, there are thousands of things demanding our attention.
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  Speaker 3: But it's in the midst of all this crush and
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  Speaker 3: hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
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  Speaker 3: truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
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  Speaker 3: you spend time each day growing in God's life-giving, life-changing
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  Speaker 3: Word by sending you my free daily email devotional, PowerPoint Today.
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  Speaker 3: So visit jackgram.org to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional.
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  Speaker 3: That's jackgram.org, jackgram.org. In our previous episode, we heard how
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  Speaker 3: Absalom spread lies and rumors to undermine David's rule until
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  Speaker 3: he was finally ready to strike and overthrow his father, David. David,
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  Speaker 3: who was unwilling to sacrifice his people to keep his throne,
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  Speaker 3: fled to the wilderness, trusting that God would restore him
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  Speaker 3: in his own time and in his own way. Today,
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  Speaker 3: we'll learn how Absalom takes the fight to David, believing
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  Speaker 3: he will win. His pride will be his downfall. as
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  Speaker 3: David and his mighty men once more show their courage
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  Speaker 3: and strength in battle and their loyalty to David and
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  Speaker 3: their faith in God. Let's listen now to today's scripture.
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  Speaker 2: Just like old times, David and his mighty men prepared
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  Speaker 2: for battle in the wilderness. There was something primal about exile.
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  Speaker 2: David and his men thought back on their time on
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  Speaker 2: the run from Saul. That is where they truly bonded
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  Speaker 2: and banded together as a unit. It was almost as
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  Speaker 2: if being in the wilderness was an unforeseen advantage. David
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  Speaker 2: sent his commanders, Joab, Etai, and Abishai, to gather them in.
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  Speaker 2: David began setting his armor and sharpening his sword when
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  Speaker 2: Abishai sat beside him. You should not go into battle
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  Speaker 2: with us, David, he said. David turned and looked shocked.
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  Speaker 2: Abishai put his hand on David's shoulder and said, If
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  Speaker 2: for some reason they overtake us, we need to have
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  Speaker 2: the freedom to retreat. If you are there, they will
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  Speaker 2: not allow us to retreat. You are the prize they
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  Speaker 2: are hunting. You must stay back. David's lips tightened and
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  Speaker 2: his brow furrowed. He was in deep thought. He knew
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  Speaker 2: Abishai was right. You must send word out to anyone
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  Speaker 2: loyal in Israel willing to fight with us, Abishai said.
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  Speaker 2: David nodded and said, Whatever seems best to you, I
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  Speaker 2: will do. So David sent them off. As they were departing,
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  Speaker 2: David turned to his generals and said, Please, for my sake,
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  Speaker 2: deal gently with Absalom. They agreed and rode into the
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  Speaker 2: distance to face Absalom's army. Absalom stood at the head
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  Speaker 2: of his army, watching the men of David appear from
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  Speaker 2: the distance. A small forest stood in between them, and
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  Speaker 2: the two armies began to run towards one another through
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  Speaker 2: the trees. The mighty men of David used the trees
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  Speaker 2: to their advantage, ramming soldiers into the wood. The armies
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  Speaker 2: of Absalom barely stood a chance against them. Absalom watched
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  Speaker 2: as his men were buried under the fury of David's army.
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  Speaker 2: He looked to his left and to his right. Bloodshed
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  Speaker 2: and carnage was everywhere, and Absalom fled in a frantic
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  Speaker 2: attempt to save his life. As he rode through the trees,
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  Speaker 2: his head was snagged between two branches. and his horse
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  Speaker 2: continued to ride without him. Absalom's neck was gripped between
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  Speaker 2: the two branches, and he flailed in the air trying
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  Speaker 2: to catch a breath. A few of David's men stood
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  Speaker 2: under Absalom, watching him squirm in the air. Joab and
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  Speaker 2: Abishai bickered over whether to kill him or not. Yet
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  Speaker 2: Joab saw very little use in arguing further. He took
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  Speaker 2: his spear and drove it into Absalom as he hung there.
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  Speaker 2: They drug Absalom's body through dirt and leaves. There they
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  Speaker 2: threw him into a pit and put stones above his body.
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  Speaker 2: His grave would serve as a reminder that a kingdom
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  Speaker 2: established by pride and greed would be a kingdom short-lived.
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  Speaker 2: When David learned of Absalom's death, he returned home and
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  Speaker 2: wept for days. David's heart broke at his son's fate
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  Speaker 2: and wished that there could have been another way to
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  Speaker 2: save him. Joab returned home from victory and saw that
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  Speaker 2: the streets of Israel mourned in shame for Absalom's death.
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  Speaker 2: Their grieving vexed Joab. He walked into the house of
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  Speaker 2: David to see him lying on the floor, weeping over
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  Speaker 2: his son. Joab approached David and picked him up off
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  Speaker 2: the floor and slammed him against the wall. The floor
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  Speaker 2: shook and a few cups fell off the table beside them.
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  Speaker 2: David looked at Joab, shocked and confused. Joab continued to
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  Speaker 2: press David against the wall as he yelled, Today we
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  Speaker 2: have saved you, Israel, and your entire family from the
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  Speaker 2: tyranny of your son. Your whole household and all of
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  Speaker 2: Israel should be rejoicing, but instead they feel ashamed because
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  Speaker 2: you refuse to encourage them. Joab released David and swatted
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  Speaker 2: at the air. He turned and pointed to David again, yelling,
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  Speaker 2: You can't help yourself, David. Ever since I have known you,
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  Speaker 2: you have loved those who hate you and hated those
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  Speaker 2: who love you. Do we mean nothing to you? We
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  Speaker 2: just got home from battle, and we have to come
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  Speaker 2: home to these darkened streets filled with tears. Joab's legs
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  Speaker 2: began to shake. He was tired from battle and frustrated
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  Speaker 2: at his king. He sighed and said, I swear, if
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  Speaker 2: you do not go out there and encourage your people,
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  Speaker 2: your men will lose hope in you. They bled for you.
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  Speaker 2: The least you can do is thank them instead of
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  Speaker 2: wallowing in self-pity over your traitor's son. David said nothing
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  Speaker 2: to Joab. He was right. David had always spent so
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  Speaker 2: much time pining after the affection of those who betrayed him.
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  Speaker 2: Saul and Absalom were both examples of that. David composed
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  Speaker 2: himself and walked among the streets of Israel. He encouraged
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  Speaker 2: those who were mourning and stood at the gates in resolve.
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  Speaker 3: In God's word today, the stage is set for battle.
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  Speaker 3: Absalom's army is preparing to attack his father, but David
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  Speaker 3: and his men are ready and they're much more seasoned warriors.
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  Speaker 3: David put three of his most trusted commanders in charge
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  Speaker 3: of his army, Joab, Abishai, and Ittai. Though he did
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  Speaker 3: not want to fight his son, David began to prepare
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  Speaker 3: for the battle as well. But Abishai advised David to
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  Speaker 3: stay behind for his safety, knowing that David's life was
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  Speaker 3: of great value. David trusted his men and agreed to
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  Speaker 3: follow Abishai's counsel. As his men readied themselves to go
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  Speaker 3: to the battle, David had a request. We read this
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  Speaker 3: in 2 Samuel 18, verse 5. And the king ordered Joab, Abishai,
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  Speaker 3: and Etai, deal gently for my sake with the young
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  Speaker 3: man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king
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  Speaker 3: gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom. After all
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  Speaker 3: the betrayal, after all that Absalom had done to David
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  Speaker 3: and his family, David still loved his son, his flesh
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  Speaker 3: and blood, and he requested that his life be spared.
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  Speaker 3: It may have seemed outrageous to those who heard it,
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  Speaker 3: as it may to you today. Absalom had committed treason
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  Speaker 3: and was actively trying to kill his father, and yet
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  Speaker 3: David asked his men for mercy upon his son. It's
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  Speaker 3: possible that this is a fault in David's life in
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  Speaker 3: that he failed to correct his children. One might even
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  Speaker 3: say that he was soft on discipline. But we also
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  Speaker 3: see in David a heart after God. And his heart
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  Speaker 3: is long-suffering and full of love and grace towards others.
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  Speaker 3: And despite the failures of his son and his family,
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  Speaker 3: David was a faithful father in so many ways. This
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  Speaker 3: would be a good time to remind ourselves that we
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  Speaker 3: have a good, good father, a gracious heavenly father who
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  Speaker 3: loves us and is merciful towards us and is forgiving
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  Speaker 3: even when we run away and betray him. Jesus is faithful.
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  Speaker 3: the son of the Father who went to the cross
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  Speaker 3: and died and rose again so that we could be
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  Speaker 3: reunited with God our Father. God went to war for us,
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  Speaker 3: not against us, and he fought for our hearts and
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  Speaker 3: our lives and our souls. David's men accepted David's request
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  Speaker 3: and set off for the fight. And as fights go,
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  Speaker 3: this one wasn't much of a match. David's army was stronger, wiser,
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  Speaker 3: and more skilled than Absalom's army, and they quickly won
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  Speaker 3: the fight. Absalom was no warrior, and seeing the defeated hand,
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  Speaker 3: he fled the fight on his mule. And as he
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  Speaker 3: rode through the trees, his head was caught between the branches,
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  Speaker 3: and he hung there, helpless and unable to escape. One
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  Speaker 3: of Joab's men found him, but he remembered David's orders
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  Speaker 3: and was unwilling to kill Absalom. Joab, however, acted swiftly
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  Speaker 3: and with his armor-bearers killed Absalom, then took his body
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  Speaker 3: down from the tree. He then buried the body and
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  Speaker 3: erected stones over the grave, a monument named after Absalom
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  Speaker 3: himself to remind all of how God had dealt swiftly
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  Speaker 3: with the counterfeit king. David was now free from danger.
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  Speaker 3: His son who sought to kill him was dead, but
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  Speaker 3: this was of no comfort to David. David wept and
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  Speaker 3: grieved his son. And when Joab saw David's response, he
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  Speaker 3: could not stay silent any longer and rebuked David for
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  Speaker 3: focusing on his sorrow for the loss of one who
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  Speaker 3: wanted to kill him rather than rejoicing in his deliverance
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  Speaker 3: and encouraging those who remained loyal to him. The king
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  Speaker 3: was convicted by the honest words of his loyal commander
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  Speaker 3: and friend. He rose from his mourning and sat at
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  Speaker 3: the gate and received his people who trusted in him
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  Speaker 3: as the king that he was truly God's king. It
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  Speaker 3: was time to return to Jerusalem, and we'll hear more
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  Speaker 3: about that the next time. Dear God, we thank you
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  Speaker 3: for today's message of restoration and the victory for David
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  Speaker 3: and his men. Thank you for the reminder that your
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  Speaker 3: promises always endure, as does your patient love for us.
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  Speaker 3: In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you for listening to today's
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  Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas.
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  Speaker 3: And before we go, I want you to know that
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  Speaker 3: I would love to send you my daily devotional to
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  Speaker 3: give you fresh encouragement every single day. So visit jackgraham.org
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  Speaker 3: to sign up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's jackgraham.org.