Absalom : The Man Whose Lovely Hair Meant His Death

Absalom [Ăb’salŏm]—father of peace. The third son of David by his wife Maacah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur. He was born of a polygamous marriage (2 Sam. 3:2, 13, 14).

The Man Whose Lovely Hair Meant His Death

What a singular fascination there is in the story of Absalom who, lacking capacity, certainly made up for it in charm! As to the story of his rebellion against David his father, such a heartless deed carries with it one of the most solemn lessons in the whole of the Bible. Let us briefly touch on some aspects of Absalom’s character and conduct.

I. He was of royal descent on both sides, for his mother was a king’s daughter. Undoubtedly he was heir to the throne, and the favorite, the idol of his father.

What if You Prayed Adventurous, Courageous, Audacious Prayers?

LEONARD DAVIDSON

 

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One year for Christmas our family decided to implement a new idea. We had been discussing wanting to cut back that year—partially because in prior years we seemed to really go overboard. We were buying for the sake of buying. Honestly, it was more about us feeling good about what we did than thoughtful purchasing.

Then we read a devotional by Linda Mintle entitled “An Uncluttered Christmas,” and we decided to follow some of her thinking. We asked the adult children to make lists for themselves and ones for the young children. The list could include one couple gift and then individual gifts. We set dollar limits, which was really hard for my wife. The items listed had to follow three basic guidelines: a gift really desired, a needed item and a relatively educational gift.