Absalom _ The Son Who Rose Against His Own Father

A prince with perfect hair and a heart full of rage. A father who loved him too much to punish him. A daughter who was raped by her half-brother. A brother who was murdered in revenge. A kingdom torn apart by family dysfunction. This is the story of Absalom, the son who rose against his own father, King David.In this episode, I tell the tragic story of Absalom, one of the most complex characters in the Old Testament. Absalom was handsome, charming, and ambitious. He waited years to avenge his sister Tamar after David did nothing about her rape by Amnon. He won the hearts of Israel. He declared himself king. He forced David to flee Jerusalem. He set up a tent on the roof where he slept with his father's concubines in full view of the nation. The rebellion ended in a forest. Absalom's long hair caught in an oak tree. Joab, David's general, stabbed him through the heart. David's grief is recorded in the most heartbreaking verse in the Bible: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom. Would I had died instead of you.Turn down the lights, put on your headphones, and press play because Absalom's story is a warning about the consequences of unchecked ambition and the pain of unresolved family conflict.