Who do you follow?

Today it's possible to become a celebrity on social media if you create a persona that attracts enough followers.

But today on Truth for Life, Alastair Begg looks at how King David's son Absalom attempted to entice

followers in his day.

We're looking at his marketing scheme to usurp his father's kingdom.

I invite you to follow along as I read from 2. Samuel and chapter 15. Second Samuel 15.

And once again, I'm going to read the whole chapter.

After this, Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and 50 men to run before him. And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say,

From what city are you? And when he said, your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,

Absalom would say to him, see, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the

king to hear you. Then Absalom would say,

oh, that I were judge in the land. Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me,

and I would give him justice. And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put

out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

Thus, Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment.

So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

And at the end of four years, Absalom said to the king,

Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron.

For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Gesheur in Ehram, saying,

If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.

The king said to him, Go in peace. So he arose and went to Hebron.

But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel saying,

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