Let's now get into the Word of God.

2 Samuel chapter 18 tonight.

We are only going to make it to verse 18.

I tried to do the whole chapter, but I don't want to rush through all that's here.

Again, there's a lot here. So as you're turning there, I'll kind of

give you the backstory here. Chapter 17 ended with Ahithafel, taking his own life after Absalom had taken Hushai's advice, and he did so knowing that

Absalom was doomed because Hushai had manipulated his pride and defeated the council the brilliant counsel by the way of

aithafel exactly as David had prayed and as God had answered but

the hell was smart enough to know that because Absalom had taken Hushai's advice that he in fact had sealed

his fate, it was a matter of time, he would have been put to death anyway as soon as David

had returned and taken his rightful place as the king, and he knew, I believe, in his heart that David would return, and Absalom would not be king.

We're going to pick it up here in Chapter 18, and again, it's a tragic chapter.

It's really a sad chapter.

I mean, it's easy to only see Absalom as this evil,

rebellious man. But keep in mind, and this is going to come out, as we're going to see here

soon, but this is David's son. This is David's son, and he loves his son, and his son, and his son

wants to kill him. But Absalom is the one who is going to be killed. He meets with his death in this chapter at the hands of Joab while in the battlefield

after launching their attack against David and his men.

And here's what's really sad.

Absalom is killed against david's direct orders david is going to issue a command

within the hearing of all of the men of israel that they are to deal gently with him. And they don't heed that.

One guy tries, and we're going to be introduced to him tonight.

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