Sunday Sermonette: Let the complications begin

I believe I said previously that there are many twists and turns to the whole Absalom story. I believe it will be helpful to summarize the plot of Ch. 14. For unexplained reasons, Joab decides that he wants David to recall Absalom from exile for killing  Amnon. Note that it isn ' t clear why Absalom is in exile in the first place since the previous chapter says that David isn ' t really holding it against him.Anyway, Joab hatches an elaborate plot to get David to agree that he should forgive a man for killing his brother,  and then spring it on him that ergo, he should forgive Absalom. David figures out that this was all Joab ' s idea, and he goes along with it, but only part way. Absalom can return to Jerusalem, but he can ' t see David in person. Absalom isn ' t happy with this half-way forgiveness, so he tries to get Joab to intercede again with David, but when Joab doesn ' t respond, Absalom sets Joab ' s field on fire. That gets Joab ' s attention. While it wasn ' t exactly the nicest way of asking, Joab agrees, asks David to forgive Absalom entirely, and David agrees. Big mistake, as we shall see!By the way, when Absalom cuts his hair every year, it weights six pounds.14 Now Jo ′ab the son of Zeru′iah perceived that the king’s heart went out to Ab′salom.2 And Jo ′ab sent to Teko′a, and fetched 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 lik...
Source: Stayin' Alive - Category: American Health Source Type: blogs