# A Thief’s 5 Steps

Key Passage: 2 Samuel 15:1-6
Date: June 7, 2024

…And so you pray for her as she travels to be with her sister, and her sister has knee surgery. I wanted to mention also Lloyd and Cindy Uselton. Lloyd and Cindy Uselton, they’ve been out a lot with Lloyd’s mom, who was very, very ill. Her sister, or excuse me, her daughter, Brother Lloyd’s sister, took care of her, but she got Alzheimer’s, and so they had put her in a home. Then they moved in with the Lord’s mom and were taking care of her. She passed last Friday. She was ready to go, ready to go home to be with the Lord. They are a little bit relieved because she is at home. But you pray for them if you would. The great people there said they are looking forward to getting back in church, and praise the Lord for that.

Second Samuel chapter number 15. We’re going to look at this in just a moment here.

A thief’s five steps. A thief, stealing, if you will, a thief’s five steps. We’re going to talk about that in just a moment, but let me just try to catch us all up on board. We’ve been studying through the life of David for over a year now. We’re to the part after what is typically called his great sin. Where his oldest son, Amnon, remember, he loved his half-sister Tamar, but he couldn’t think of doing anything evil or sinful or harmful to her. But Amnon had a friend, his cousin Jonadab, and he planted in his mind, and of course Amnon followed it and forced his sister.

Tamar’s full brother, Absalom, it really seemed like he was almost like a dad figure to her, and she went home and lived with him. He took care of her. Actually, a little while later on, Absalom had a daughter, and her name was Tamar.

For two years—I don’t know, but it seems like maybe for two years—Absalom did not do anything. Maybe he was waiting for David, Dad, to take care of, do some kind of punishment. Nothing happened.

So Absalom had the king’s sons over. They already had it set up. And when they were over there to party, a feast, they killed Amnon, who had forced his half-sister, Absalom’s full sister, Tamar.

After that, Absalom left Dodge. He got out of town. He went over, really, to his mom’s country—she was from Geshur—and his grandpa was the king, and hung out over there for three years. Joab could tell that David’s heart was toward Absalom, so finally Joab convinced David, “Won’t you go get Absalom back home?” And so David said, “All right,” and Absalom came home.

But then after that, David would not see him. He didn’t see the face of Absalom for two years. Two more years, five altogether. And Absalom, you could almost maybe read between the lines, it just seemed like his rebellion was building.

He tried to call Joab, the general, and said, “Hey,” but he wouldn’t talk to him. He was going to talk to him about getting the king to talk with his son, Absalom. But Joab didn’t want to talk. Joab probably had a good idea what was going to happen, so Joab didn’t answer his call, if you will.

So Absalom, his fields were close to Joab’s field, so he set his barley fields on fire. Well, that got Joab’s attention. Joab came and said, “Hey, what in the world is going on?” And he said, “Hey, I’ve got to see the king. It’s been two years since I’ve been back, haven’t seen him.” So Joab set that up. I’m kind of just giving an overview of it.

Then Absalom went to the king. The Bible does say, in the last part of chapter 14, that Absalom bowed before the king, and the king kissed Absalom. That’s kind of the end of chapter number 14. And we’re going to pick it up in chapter number 15. Chapter number 15. Did I say first or second Samuel? Good. Second Samuel, we’re good then. Good deal.

Would you please stand as we read together, 2nd Samuel chapter 15? We will read just those first six verses and then we’ll pray, asking the Lord to make us wiser and better Christians for Him through the night.

Verse number one, Second Samuel 15: “And it came to pass after this that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses and 50 men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate.” That’s where they did their business—that was likely the courthouse, the gate, if you will.

“And it was so that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him and said, ‘Of what city art thou?’ And he said, ‘Thy servant is one of the tribes of Israel.’ And Absalom said unto him, ‘See, thy matters are good and right. Well, there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.’”

“And Absalom said, moreover, ‘Oh, that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice.’ And it was so that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”

Let’s go to the Lord in prayer to get started tonight. Dear Father, I sincerely believe You want us to cover this section of Your Word tonight. I pray You to bring out what You want brought out, the way You want it brought out. And Lord, use it to grow us and to make us wiser and, Lord, to be more according to Your plan. Speak with us tonight, Lord, please. Well, thank You, praise for what You do. We love You, Lord. Thank You for these people, and give them what they need tonight. In Jesus’ name we ask, amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

It is amazing that Israel was in a time—not a time of famine, not a bad time—a time of prosperity. They were doing good. They were winning the battles. They were expanding their land. They were dominating, if you will. Doing very good. And they had a great king, David. Now, he was a poor father. We talked about that last Wednesday. I think he grew in that. It seems like he was a lot better father to Solomon, his youngest, from the book of Proverbs. But as far as a king, he was a great king. I’ve said this often, I think it’s true. If you were to ask a Jewish person, a Hebrew, what is the greatest king Israel ever had? I think the majority of them would say David. He’s a great king.

So how is it, in a time of prosperity, things are going good, in a time of a great king, that you have a civil war, that you have a revolt or rebellion, that you have people trying to take over—actually, his son? How is it when things were not horrible and bad? It wasn’t when there was a brawl over slaves or anything like in our country, with the states and federal government and all that. How was it in a time when things are good that there was a rebellion, a coup, a civil war? How did this happen? It is just amazing when you think about it, when a great king is on the throne, God put him there, God has blessed him, and yet there is rebellion and a civil war. Many die from it. How did this happen? It wasn’t just a light thing. They literally had a war, a battle over it, if you will.

Let’s look at this: five steps of a thief.

Let’s look back at these verses and just kind of see how it happened. We’ve been following Absalom and really kind of have seen why he was rebellious and warped. He’s still responsible for what he did, but you can see maybe why he’s so messed up, but he chose to go that way. Chapter 15, look at verse number one. Five steps. Here’s step number one: “It came to pass after this that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses and 50 men to run before him.”

When someone is trying to go against authority or try to steal the hearts of the people, very often they will try to get people on their side. You notice he gets this chariot and these horses and 50 men, whether he paid them or not—maybe a verse or two alludes about something—but he is just getting people on his side. It started a little bit small, 50 men, but as you read it later on, the rebellion increased, it grew. It was a snowball effect, but it started off with just getting people on his side.

Can I say this? And you can apply this to a lot of different authorities, but can I say this at your workplace? When people start trying to get you on their side against the boss, don’t follow. There will always be that crowd around. There always will be. Hopefully, you’re not the one leading in that.

I remember I talk about it fairly often: Sampson Metal and Machine in Lakeland, Florida—machine shop up front, the metal fabrication shop at the back. I remember when raises would come around, and they’d say, “Hey, I don’t want you telling each other what your raise was because of all the contention.” Brother Marlin has been a boss for years, and he probably knows a little bit about those things, and he’s back there shaking his head, yes. And it never fails, one guy is going to start kind of complaining about the raises and try to get everybody on his side. It’s just typical. When you go against authority, those type of individuals are going to try to get people on their side. And beware of that. It is so sly about it. They are often, so often, just kind of starting jokes against authority, but trying to get everybody on their side against authority. Anybody know what I’m talking about out there?

That is exactly what is going on with Absalom. Absalom is just very slyly getting people—50 people—to run in front of him.

Can I say this? Wives, never lead your children to go against your husband. I’ve said this in the past about child rearing. It was amazing, but when I would say, “All right, time to go to bed or whatever it was,” the kids were smaller. The next thing my kids would do would look at Mom, and they were hoping Mama would jump on their side, and then they could have a rebellion, you know. I’d have to whip them all, including my wife. But she could throw wax as good, so I had to be careful of that, you know. That’s just classic. Pray the Lord for a wonderful wife. She always said, “Hey, you heard what Dad said.” And that brought harmony to the house.

Always, always, there is always going to be that dynamic at work, or the home, or church, or even the nation. Just mark it down. And Absalom starts this first step. He is trying to get everybody on his side, as many as he can. He starts off with just a small amount of 50 people.

Let’s find step number two. How did he steal? He stole, by the way, he stole the heart. Why did the Bible say that? I think he’s in verse number six, that he stole the heart. The heart is the core. If he gets my heart, you got it. And he stole it because it wasn’t his. God had anointed David to be king, and he was stealing something that wasn’t supposed to be his. The Bible said that.

So how did he do that? First of all, that type of crowd always tries to get people on their side—the critical mass, if you will—on their side. Look at the next thing he does. Verse number two, step number two in stealing: “And Absalom rose up early and stood beside the way of the gate, and it was so that when any man that had a controversy came to the…”

These people were coming to the king, but Absalom would slip in. It wasn’t Absalom’s business. When any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him and said, “Of what city art thou?” And he said, “Thy servant is one of the tribes of Israel.”

Here is point number two: Instead of taking care of his own business, it seemed like Absalom could have found something better to do with his time than steal the hearts of the people. He was always getting involved in the king’s business. He wasn’t settled on taking care of his own business. These people came to see the king, and Absalom wanted to find any flaw he could, any weakness he could. He was always there.

By the way, instead of going and getting people on your side when you have an issue with the boss, your wife with your husband, or with a pastor, go talk to them. It is the best thing to do. Now, they might not listen, but you have had your say.

He is always snooping in the king’s business. It is always easier to tell someone how to do something than to do it. Always is. But this is where the Lord has called me to be, and this is what we are going to do. It is always easier to tell someone how to do it than to do it. So number one, he is trying to get people on his side. Number two, he is always snooping in the king’s business.

Then look at verse number three, chapter number 15. Steps of a thief. Absalom spoke to these people that were coming to see the king. He would always get in there. And Absalom said to him, “See, thy matters are good and right. Well, there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.” Notice Absalom said, “Oh, your matters are good. You’re right.”

Friend, I don’t know, but it seemed like every man that came to the king, they are not always right. Maybe half of them were, half of them, I don’t know, but he is just always saying, “Oh, your matters are good and right.” Can I just put it this way? He flattered the people. He just put some butter on there, and he made it all sweet and nice, and he just flattered; he was just bragging away.

Bragging or praising someone for their encouragement is one thing; that is not wrong. But the thing that is different with praise and encouragement versus flattery is your motive. Flattery is praising someone for your gain, trying to get a position, trying to look good. It is all about your motives. That is flattery. Absalom was going somewhere; he was trying to steal something, and it was flattery. “Well, your matters are good and right.” You are flattering the people, not for the people’s sake, but for Absalom’s sake. See, he is trying to steal the hearts of the people.

How are your motives when you say things to people? Is it for their good or for your good? Be careful about that. Be wise about that.

So, number one, he got people on his side. Number two is always snooping in the king’s business. Number three, he flattered the people.

Then look at verse number three and four again, just to get at the fourth thing. We’re going to be done with these five steps of a thief in just a moment here. Absalom said to him, “See, and right. But there is no man, deputy of the king, to hear thee.” The king just appointed some people to hear the matter. He said, “Moreover, all that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice.”

Here’s the fourth point: sowing seeds of discontentment. He is just very slyly sowing the seeds. You know these verses from Proverbs 6. This is God’s hate list. God writes out a list of things He hates.

Proverbs chapter 6, starting in verse number 16. Look at verse 16: “These six things doth the Lord hate; yea, seven are an abomination unto him.” Seven is just this thing here: an abomination. I can’t stand it; I hate it.

Let’s find out what these six are, and then that seventh, which is an abomination. Number one, He says what? A proud look. Number two? A lying tongue. Number three is… Number four is… Number five… And number six… So we are about to get the seventh. What is number seven? Here it is: “He that soweth discord among brethren.”

Usually, when you sow a seed, you do not reap anything for a while. But the person just very slyly sowing those seeds—God sees all that. God says that is an abomination.

It is always a sad thing when the church family—and this applies in different ways—when the church family fusses and fights. If you have a church, it is going to happen sometimes. It is always a sad thing. Sometimes you will see a pattern where some fussing and fighting happened after some events or activities. It all pointed to one person that was sowing seed. I do not think hardly anybody knew that, but they just slyly and slowly had sown seeds. People get hurt by all that. That is the sad part.

God said that right there is an abomination because God sees it all, and He sees people get hurt from it, making churches less effective. Absalom is just sowing seed. He is out there by the gate, and he says, “Oh, your matters are good and right. Boy, if the king would just have somebody out here to help you out, it would be all right. Boy, if I had some authority here, I would sure take care of you.” He is sowing those seeds of discontentment.

I thought this is amazing. Roosevelt gave his speech years ago, and he said, “It is not the critic who counts… The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and who comes short again and again.” David was working pretty hard; he had been king for a long time. Yet Absalom just saw seeds of discontentment.

Number five, and we’re going to change course in just a moment. Number one, we said he is trying to get people on his side—very typical. Number two, instead of taking care of his business, he is all wrapped up in what the king shouldn’t do—his business. Number three, he flatters the people. Number four, he is sowing seeds of discontentment ever so slyly.

Number five. Look at this in verse number five, and this one is amazing. Verse number five: “And it was so that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance”—I mean, to bow to him, respect him—“he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him.” I do not know about you, but I would have a problem with a guy kissing me. Amen. I appreciate that. You can kind of just word it this way: Man, he was so good to the people. Man, he was just slurpy, just honey dripping off his tongue, good—not to the king, but to the people. Just so very, very good to them. By the way, there is nothing wrong with being good to people. What your motive is is the key. That is the key.

I want you to change gears for just a moment here, and I want you to look down at verse number seven. We have not read this verse yet, and there is a great controversy over verse number seven. Verse number six, we just learned he stole the hearts of the people. Look at verse number seven, and I want you to see the controversy over this, especially when it comes to the King James Version versus these new versions. This is a great argument right here.

Verse number seven: “It came to pass after 40 years, then Absalom said unto the king, ‘I pray thee, let me go and pay my vows, which I vowed unto the Lord in Hebron.’” He is not going to pay vows; he is going over to Hebron. That is where David first became king. He used to go over there to lead the revolt to try to become king.

Here is where the controversy is: that 40 years. The non-change people say, “Oh, that is a mistake in the Bible. It must be a clerical error in the Bible.” Many of them say it ought to say four years. Somebody just added an extra zero in there. In fact, in my King James text, in the center column reference for that verse, it says this, and I do not like this: “Some authorities read four.” You go back to the Masoretic text; it does not. It says 40.

What is the 40? If you say it is four, there is really nothing significant about going back four years as a reference point either. We will try to explain what I believe it means in a moment. But even if you change the Bible, after it says not to add to or take away—if it does not fit you, do not change your Bible; you just… we have not lived long enough to figure it out, amen? Do not change the Bible to fit you; you change to fit the Bible. Even if you say it is four years, what is the four years? There is no really solid beginning point there either.

So what is this 40 years? “And it came to pass after 40 years.” It does not say what the beginning was. This is what I believe God’s Word is saying there: 40. Forty is a very, very important number. You find a lot of 40s in the Bible, do you not? A whole lot of it. It is true. Forty is the number of thoroughness or completeness in time of testing and trials. You have been fully tested and proved in 40.

Let me read for you some of the 40s in the Bible. God let it rain for 40 days and 40 nights to cleanse the world of wickedness (Genesis). Noah waited 40 days before opening the window in the ark—time of testing. Moses was with God in the mountain 40 days. The spies returned from searching the land after 40 days. The Israelites wandered 40 years in the wilderness. David reigned as king 40 years. Solomon reigned as king 40 years. Jehoahaz of Judah reigned 40 years. Elijah went to Mount Horeb in the strength of angelic meat 40 days and 40 nights. God gave the people of Nineveh 40 days to repent. Jesus fasted and prayed 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. Jesus appeared to people 40 days after His resurrection.

Forty is something significant in the Bible. When verse number 7 says “after 40 years,” I believe he is starting with the anointing of King David, very young, he was anointed king. I do not know what it is actually saying, but after 40 years, it may not be a mere description of the passing of a certain amount of years, but rather this description is a passing: 40 years has passed. After 40 years may indicate the completion of the biblical significance of the period of trial and testing.

So let me put it this way: David has been completely tested and tried since he was anointed king. It has been at least 40 years. Now, I tend to think it is from the anointing of David. Remember when Samuel anointed David King? It has been at least 40 years since then. David has been tested and tried. He has been completely through the testing and trial since he was anointed.

To us sometimes we think the anointing is just a ritual they went to, but to the Hebrews, to the Jewish people in the Bible time, that was significant. That was an act of anointing, saying, “God is appointing this man for that position. He is anointed for that.” Remember David several times? Remember one time he went over there in the cave and he could have killed Saul? He just cut a little bit of his garment off there, and then his heart smote him. Remember what he said? It is 1st Samuel 24:6: “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.” Something to them about the anointing.

A little while later on, he could have killed Saul again. Saul deserved it in a lot of ways, did he not? He was throwing javelins that day, trying to kill him. Another time he was down in the trench there, and he went down there; he could have killed Saul, but he just grabbed his spear and his canteen. Remember that? And then the Lord smote him again, 1st Samuel 26:11: “The Lord forbid that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But I pray thee, take now thy spear that is at his bolster and the cruse of water, and let us go.”

Here is what I am saying: There is something significant. David had been anointed, the Lord’s anointed. Samuel had anointed him to be king under God’s direction. He said, “Hey, God is taking the kingdom from Saul, giving it to another.” Remember that? And it has been over—David has been fully tested and tried for at least 40 years. So Absalom, what in the world are you doing? You are going against your dad in one point, that is true, but you are going against the Lord’s chosen, anointed one, and he has been fully tested and tried. Now you want to come along and overthrow him over the kingdom? It is almost a double shame, triple shame, if you will, for Absalom. It has been 40 years since he was anointed. For Israel, what in the world are you doing following this rebel when you have a great king who is the Lord’s anointed and has been tested and tried for 40 years? Yet Israel’s heart was stolen away. What a shame. It is almost like a conclusion God put on it: After 40 years, you are going against David.

And it was an all-out civil war. David had to flee Jerusalem. We will study it. He had to go over to Mahanaim and just leave town because the conspiracy was getting stronger and stronger.

Now let’s try to draw a conclusion or two. We are going to be done. I have mentioned a couple of positions; there can be a lot of others. Please let the Holy Spirit speak to you about it. It could be with the husband and wife. It could be with children and parents. It could be with a pastor. It could be with the employee and employer, your boss. But let God deal with His anointed. Amen.

Let God deal with the man of God. If you have a disagreement, go talk to him. Yes, I think so. There have been times that we have disagreed. In fact, we have had to leave churches. No, we have never caused problems. We did not try to lead people on our side. We just slowly, quietly, I should say, tried not to do any harm, because God had put that man there. He was anointed.

Sometimes a husband will not be what he ought to be, and it is very easy at that point to kind of lead a little bit of a rebellion against that husband. And that is easy to do at that time. It takes some wisdom and some character, some love for God, not to do that. But look, David knew Saul was dead wrong. He said, “If God does not want him to be the king, that is the Lord’s anointing.” God can take Saul out, and God did. Praise the Lord, David did not have bloody hands. God took Saul out in battle. You see, God is the one who puts them there, and God can take them out. If you just say, “I just cannot work for my boss anymore without causing trouble,” maybe you do not need to work for them anymore. I am not trying to be mean, but God has allowed that man to be there. We do not want to be Absalom; we do not want to be part of leading to the rebellion.

I never forget—and I think I have told this story maybe just twice over the years—my teen years, from eighth grade to my senior year, I went to Calvary Baptist Church in Lakeland, Florida. I loved that church; it was a great church. Dr. J. B. Buffett was our pastor; he is in heaven now. He was a very proper man in a large church, so I really did not know him that well. I met with him a couple of times over the years, but he was my pastor. I loved him.

When I went off to college my freshman year, my youth director had it out with the pastor. It was a very sad thing. Every college student wants to come home and everything to be the same, and it never is. That is just not life. I came home that summer, and I knew all this turmoil, and our youth director was leaving the church. I tried to take people with him. I felt like the Lord wanted me to go with them a couple times to another good church, and I went there. But I knew I needed to go to my home church.

I knew I needed to go and stand up for the authority. I praise the Lord, I did not have to get a whole lot involved, but I went and said, “Hey.” I was much closer to my youth director; I knew some of his side and knew some of the pastor’s side. Probably both of them had a little point on each, just the honest truth. I said, “Hey, the Lord had Dr. Buffett there as the anointed for years. That is the Lord’s anointed. I do not want to be a part of that.” I am still friends with my youth pastor. We stopped by and saw him on vacation a couple of summers ago in another state, and I love him, and he knows that. But I did not want to go against the Lord’s anointing.

Absalom absolutely stole the hearts. It is interesting how God put it that way: He stole, because God said, “No, I have anointed David.” He stole what was not his.

Would you bow your heads? We will move on. We will not be long tonight. Maybe you are here tonight, you say, “Preacher, I like to grow in this thing of loyalty, wherever it may be at work or at home.” God spoke to my heart. I like to be growing in this thing of loyalty to leaders, wherever it may be. God bless you. That is key. God bless you.

Maybe you are here tonight, you say, “Preacher, I have to let God deal with this situation. It has bothered me, and by the grace of God, I am going to try to let it go and let God deal with the situation. I am not going to lift my hand against God’s anointed. Let God take care of that.” God spoke to my heart, and I am going to do my best by the grace of God. Let it go. Let God handle the situation. Maybe that is you. I want to let God deal with the situation. God bless. That is wise. He can handle it. He always does.

Many different hands, probably many different situations. I know not of many of them.

Think about Absalom. If he had just waited, God could handle the situation. God could take care of it. Unfortunately, Absalom did not wait, and in the end, Absalom lost his life. Let us try to grow and learn from the whole.

Original File: A Thief’s 5 Steps - Pastor Paul Chisgar Wednesday 42821