No. 3: AbsalomPhysical Beauty, Pride, and Deceit Led to Ugly Events (it-1 pp.

32-33 1)

Rare but especially trying are those times when we must help a son, a daughter, a brother, or a sister to
deal with some unfortunate event that has befallen that person or to get through some distressing
circumstance they are in. Absalom, Davids son was once put into that situation. How did he handle it,
and what can we learn from his case? The matter involved Absaloms young sister Tamar. And, upfront,
we could say that Absaloms handling of this matter became a case study in how physical beauty, pride,
and deceit can lead to ugly events. Why do we say so?
When traumatized Tamar came trembling to Absalom, after being raped by Amnon, what did Absalom
do? His words to her we can read here at 2 Sam 13:20. But of course, what we know from subsequent
events, is that Absalom deceived Tamar here. He had no true intention to let the matter rest as he made
her feel, to let the matter end there and not rise to a scandal bringing bad publicity on his family and
the royal name. No, Absaloms true intention was to take matters into his own hand, and in fact use the
plight of his sister and this sad event that had befallen her as an excuse to get rid of Amnon, the only
person standing between him and Davids throne, since Amnon was Davids firstborn. Why did he feel
entitled to replace Amnon and jump at this opportunity to get rid of him? Well, obviously he was proud!
But what was the basis of his pride? We find a clue in these words here at 2 Sam 14:25. Yes, Absalom
was nationally praised for his beauty, and being better looking and more popular than all of Davids
other sons, including the firstborn Amnon, Absalom evidently felt that he deserved to be Davids
successor more than them. Thus, his physical beauty inspired the pride that, coupled with deceit, led to
ugly events of murder and treason later on.
What can we learn from this account? Well, for one thing it was pride that made Absalom resort to
deceit, rather than try to resolve the matter in harmony with the Levitical law. He could have to report
the matter to David herself, provide David with identification of Amnons attendant who witnessed
some aspect of the incidentto give David a Scriptural basis to act despite his feelings for Amnon. But
instead Absalom choose to take matters into his own hands. Similarly, might we at times believe that we
are acting in a child, a siblings best interest when we encourage them to not report their own
wrongdoing or that of another, maybe due to prideful concern for family name or reputation? The result
might be more wrongdoing might occur and before we know it, irreversibly ugly events have taken
place, such as unwanted pregnancy or the contraction of some disease. Let us not make that terrible
mistake. But rather, in whatever area of daily life we might find ourselves leaning to pride or deceit, let
us never forget that these things inevitably leadas they did in Absaloms caseto ugly, distressing
events.