“Deception Destroys“, by Rev. Tom Duley
If you’re looking for a good story to read while you’re at the beach or on vacation this summer you might want to look at 2nd Samuel 13-18. It has everything a good beach read should have: incest, jealousy, murder and rebellion as well as Kings, Princes and Princesses. The story revolves around the shenanigans of King David’s royal family. All the elements of a great story are there. The story is worth reading because it’s a cautionary tale about the absolutely destructive nature of self-deception. Unfortunately, like most cautionary tales involving the human tendency to self-deception it has a sad and tragic ending. Perhaps the best part is that you already own the book. It’s right there in your Bible.
This morning we’ll think about the destructive nature of self-deception on personal character, relationships, and politics. But we will go beyond that to think about how we can guard against self-deception and the havoc it wreaks in our lives and human existence in general. We may never be able to rid ourselves completely of the curse of self-deception but we can be aware of our tendency to deceive ourselves and we can look to Jesus to help us move beyond it.
—Tom Duley
The Word
The king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.
So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.
Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.
And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him.
Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, “Good tidings for my lord the king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you.” The king said to the Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young man.”
The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
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