1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him।
2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, "What city are you from?" And he would say, "Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel."
3 Then Absalom would say to him, "Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you."
4 Moreover Absalom would say, "Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice."
5 And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him.
6 In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
2 Sam 15:1-6 (NKJV)
Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel. He had decided to rebel against his father, the king, (David), in order that he might himself be king. He had chosen to follow his own foolish ways, which would lead him nowhere but destruction.
9 Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.
10 Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, "I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!"
11 So Joab said to the man who told him, "You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt."
12 But the man said to Joab, "Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!'
13 Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me."
14 Then Joab said, "I cannot linger with you." And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.
15 And ten young men who bore Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him.
16 So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people.
17 And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.
2 Sam 18:9-17 (NKJV)
It was a sad ending, but that's where serving ourselves, and that's where rebellion will lead us. It will lead us away from God. It will lead us away from the people we love. It will lead us to a place of suffering and destruction.
Serve God.
Do not let yourself be caught up in what you would have for yourself, follow only what the Lord has for you.
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