When Justice Goes Rogue

Absalom let his anger fester for two years while he plotted revenge on Amnon.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   In verse 28, the plot that has been cooking in Absalom’s mind comes out. He tells his servants, “When Amnon gets a little tipsy, kill him. He will never see it coming. And boys, don’t worry about a thing. I have commanded you to do this. I am taking responsibility. Be courageous and obey me.” Absalom’s speech makes it seem like his servants were a little hesitant. And we can certainly understand why. After all, Amnon is King David’s oldest son, the presumed heir to throne. To raise your hand against him would bring upon you a certain death sentence. So Absalom has to talk them into this. He has to assure them that he is the one taking full responsibility for this. And then we read verse 29—“So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom commanded. This whole scene gives us some more insight into the very first phrase we read in verse 23, doesn’t it. It wasn’t just two full years after the events of Amnon and Tamar. It was two full years of Amnon thinking he had gotten away with something. It was two full years of Absalom not letting on his anger and hatred of Amnon. It was two full years of a controlled hatred seething and growing. It was two full years of plotting and scheming on Absalom’s part.