David and Absalom (2 Samuel 15:1-19:8)
Session nine follows the tension between David and his son Absalom, who conspired to the throne and effectively put Israel into small-scale civil war.
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The vision of Ozark Christian College is to glorify God by evangelizing the lost and edifying Christians worldwide. The mission of Ozark Christian College is to train men and women for Christian service as a degree-granting institution of biblical higher education.
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SUMMARY: Session nine follows the tension between David and his son Absalom, who conspired to the throne and effectively put Israel into small-scale civil war. While only God emerges as the hero in this story, we will contrast David and Absalom as kings/leaders/men. Then we will, as always, make sure our eyes stay open to the gospel.
Hearing the Story
Absalom’s conspiracy (15:1-12)
David flees (15:13-17:23)
Absalom’s rise and fall (17:24-18:18)
David mourns (18:19-19:8)
Reflecting on the Story
A Contrast in Kings/Leaders/Men
Goal: self or serve?
God: to use or to submit?
Methods: division or peace?
Don’t miss the gospel echo!
If God is the hero, what is the message?
Questions for Reflection and Discussion:
What is the danger of presenting human characters in a story like this as examples to follow (or not)? Nevertheless, what is the value?
Which goal more often drives your action: building others up or pleasing yourself? How do you know?
How do we reconcile the call to spread peace with the knowledge that Jesus came not to bring peace but a sword?
This is one long story with many interesting scenes. Which scene most resonates with you, and why? What do you learn from that section?
Which of God’s promises do you need to cling to right now?