The Con is On

January 26th, 2025

The Con is On

2 Samuel 15:1-6

1 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 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,” 3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” 4 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.” 5 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. 6 Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom's Long Game

A “con-man” wins your confidence so that he can take something from you. If he’s really good at it, we call him a “con-artist.” Con-artists are smart, smooth, resourceful, and entertaining—as long you aren’t the mark. Today, we observe one of the Bible’s premiere con artists. Yesterday, we saw David’s handsome son Absalom receive a kiss of pardon and get his “house arrest” anklet clipped. He seems humble, grateful, and contrite. But today we learn that Absalom is really running a “long con,” to take the kingdom away from his nearly 70-year-old father. Life is about to get rocky for David.

Absalom's Image

First, notice how carefully Absalom cultivates his public image. He leaves the king’s presence and walks directly to the car lot, where he buys the best-looking chariot they’ve got. The next thing you know, this pardoned rebel is riding around Jerusalem. Picture it: he’s David’s oldest son, in his prime at forty-years-old and with looks like Thor. He travels in a chariot with an entourage of fifty attendants. The word that comes to everyone’s mind is, “King.” Absalom knows this. There is nothing wrong with giving thought to your appearance and your public presentation. But if David’s story has taught us anything, it's that “God looks on the heart,” and that my character needs more care than my looks (1 Sam 16:7; 1 Pet 3:3–4). I should be less concerned about crafting my image before men, and more concerned about my heart before God.

A Man of the People

Absalom also hustles. David sleeps in at the palace, but Absalom’s alarm goes off at 4 AM. He wants to be the first man at Jerusalem’s gates, where all the traffic flows in. There, he displays incredible interpersonal skills. Warm and friendly, he calls you by name and remembers your story. He asks about your family, listens to your problems, and puts a hand on your shoulder. His speech is graceful and sympathetic. He makes ordinary people feel heard and seen. Without being too obvious, he casually criticizes David’s leadership: “I’m afraid that you won’t get a hearing in there, friend,” nodding toward the palace. “If only I were king, I could help you.”

The crowning touch? As each person bows to Israel’s prince, Absalom hauls them up for a handshake and a kiss. “You don’t have to do that stuff with me,” he says; he is “a man of the people.” Day after day, Absalom patiently applies this personal touch, on one Israelite at a time, for four years. At the end of this “long con,” none of us are surprised by the result: “So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel (6).” Everyone is talking about him. Everyone loves him. Everyone wants him as their king.

Self-Exaltation

What’s wrong with this? Being conscious of your public image? Developing smart people skills? Forming ambitious goals and working hard to achieve them? No. The issue is deception. The phrase, “stole their hearts” literally means “deceived” their hearts. Absalom crafts the image of a humble public servant and makes you think that he cares about you. But it’s all an act. He’s manipulating you. You think he’s giving something to you, when he’s really taking something from you. His outside doesn’t match his inside. The scary thing is how effective self-exaltation is—but only in the short-term.

We are supposed to contrast the way Absalom rises to the way his father David did. You remember. Like Paul, young David acted in “simplicity and godly sincerity (2 Cor 1:12).” No ulterior motives. No hidden agendas. No manipulation. Just pursuing faithfulness, and trusting the Lord with the results. This is the person God exalts.

FOR THE NEXT INSTALLMENT, SEE:

Waking Up