2Samuel 15 -- Using “white fragility” to seize power

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ZNP

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2020
31,149
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#1
1 In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.

Narcissists are very concerned with their image. This is like some rap star with a big posse.

2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” 4 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

Once again the siren song of tyrants. We saw this with Saul making promises that they will not keep. “Your claims are valid” based on what? He is encouraging anyone to make a claim whether valid or false. We have seen a strong encouragement for blacks to claim they have been oppressed or a victim of a hate crime. Jussie Smollett is one sad example. Another is a girl who was going to Smith college. In 2018 she claimed she was a victim of a racist attack. Four employees at Smith college were fired over the incident and then were vilified and even received death threats. So what is it that they did? This even happened in the summer when much of the college was shut down. A custodian saw this girl in a house that was locked up and asked her what she was doing there. However, rather than explain or apologize she claimed this was a racist attack because she is black. As a result this man and three other employees who were not involved got slandered, fired, or else felt they needed to leave. We could go on, lots of bogus claims of systemic racism or police abuse over the last few years. This has been encouraged by some very shameful politicians looking to use the discontent they stirred up to help them seize power.

5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

We need to see through liars. Narcissists love people who show them honor. Anyone who is thinking rationally would see right through Abasalom, unfortunately most people only hear what they want to hear.

7 At the end of four[a] years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. 8 While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.[b]’”

9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” 11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. 12 While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.


This is a stolen election. Again, most reasonable people would not pay any attention to this person, but in his mind being king is simply about sitting in the palace in Jerusalem. As long as he has the army to seize control of the palace he can accomplish that.

David Flees

13 A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

This is a kingdom, it isn’t even a democracy and yet David realizes how significant is popular opinion. Sadly for Abasalom he doesn’t really understand this. He sends the lie that “the hearts of the people are with him” but that is simply a lie. He doesn’t realize that when he tries to rule this will come back to haunt him.

14 Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

This is what a real king is concerned about. He is concerned about the people of the city and those who are with him. Sitting in the palace is trivial by comparison. This is also ironic because in the event with Bathsheba it said that it was the season when kings go out to war and yet he stayed in his palace. If he had had the same attitude then this wouldn’t have happened.

15 The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”

What we are seeing right now in the US is the same as this. Biden and Harris have seized control of the “palace” and Trump has had to flee with his servants. But it is becoming very clear that Biden and the democrats are very scared surrounding the capital with troops and barbed wire and that Trump is still exercising major influence over the US. He is more popular and even though Biden has been president for a month no one pays any attention to him while at the same time they are still obsessed with Trump.

16 The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17 So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. 18 All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.

19 The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland. 20 You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”[c]

21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.”

22 David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.

23 The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.


This sounds like the “Stop the Steal” rallies where tens of thousands even hundreds of thousands of people gathered to weep aloud.

24 Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

What many people may not know is that the Stop the Steal rally was composed of two groups, one concerned with election fraud and the other concerned with God’s will called “Jericho March”. There were many Christians who were in these marches and a number of them were strangers to America and only came recently having seen the events that were taking place.

25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. 26 But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand? Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You and Abiathar return with your two sons. 28 I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.


This is the word that has been spoken. Christians are to submit to the authority recognizing that all authority is from God. There are many people who publicly claim the election was stolen and Biden is not legitimate. However, Christians should not take that approach. We should be looking to the Lord for His favor and acknowledging that He is over all and that all things work together for good to those who love Him.

30 But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. 31 Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

Abasalom may be a preening peacock and a fool, but the advisors behind the throne are not. Likewise Biden may have dementia and be unfit for office, but those who are pulling the strings don’t care.
 

ZNP

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2020
31,149
5,562
113
#2
32 When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice. 35 Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace. 36 Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.”

Wow, so we have very high placed people in Biden’s administration who will get the word out, people like “Q” and we also have Christians who will then pass this message on. In the past Christians have not wanted to get involved in politics because “politics is dirty”. Well, it is time for us to get over our aversion to getting dirty. There is no more room for standing on the fence either you are with the Lord or you are against Him and you have been placed in your position by God.

37 So Hushai, David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city.