Beyond Hope Of Reconciliation

Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, “What should I do next?” Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines. [2 Samuel 16.20-22] 

We should always be careful not to assume the Bible says something it clearly does not say. In contrast however, we should not ignore something that the Bible clearly says! Having established this, a closer look at the passage above in the context of its correlation to the circumstances that led to it, is in order.

Absalom's intentional public insult of his father David was prophesied by Nathan the prophet:

“This is what the LORD says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.” [2 Samuel 12.11-12]

 The causative event that brought about Nathan's prophecy is described below: 

Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. [2 Samuel 11.2]

While it might be assumed that David's palace roof was an inconspicuous vantage point from which he covertly spied upon Bathsheba, Absalom's choice of that very same spot to publicly insult his father proves otherwise. In plain language, David could see Bathsheba and Bathsheba could see David. The palace roof was visible from all over the city.

Furthermore, as the interaction between David and Bathsheba is documented, the Bible offers not even the minutest suggestion that Bathsheba resisted the king's advances in any manner whatsoever. What we find in this story are two consenting adults: two individual adults who fell victim to their own selfish desires - adultery.

We could spend hours debating which of the participants was actually to blame for the adultery, but regardless what assumptions might be made, the Bible is clear that neither David nor Bathsheba made any attempt to avoid their extramarital affair. The "stars aligned" (so to speak) for a three-part titillating voyeuristic opportunity that gave way to a forbidden sexual encounter that ultimately led to a calculated murder. In less provocative language, it might be said:

It looked good - it tasted good - it was poison.

Sound familiar now?

The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. [Genesis 3.6-7]

Rarely, if ever, does sin follow a different pattern. Idolatry, that was Israel's repeated sin and remains man's repeated sin today, thrives in this three-part digression: it looks good, it tastes good, but it is poison. Selfishness is the motivation that makes idolatry's poisonous trap so effective.

Man's sin, that is idolatry, is actually quite easy to identify. It always works in the environment of death, theft, or destruction signifying Satan's signature upon it (John 10.10). Of course, idolatry is never presented as "poison" but is always deceptively marketed as "good" at the behest of Satan whom the Bible also identifies as a liar (John 8.44). I mean, what harm could possibly come from consenting adults just pandering to "self" doing what comes naturally (if it looks good, if it tastes good...)?

Having sex with someone who is not one's spouse is no different than trusting in someone who is not God (whether it is someone or something). Just as God set boundaries upon sexual activity, so He set boundaries upon trust activity. And, He is unashamedly jealous regarding the boundaries He set.

“I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. “You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. [Exodus 20.2-6]

But, let's get back to the subject passage above... What was Absalom's goal in publicly sleeping with his father's women? It was to insult his father beyond hope of reconciliation. Just pause and think about the words beyond hope of reconciliation...

Based on my repeated reading of the Bible for many years now, decidedly avoiding extra-Biblical input and opinions as much as possible, I genuinely believe that the poison of idolatry, as it has kept pace with man's ways of advancement, is to get God's people into a place beyond hope of reconciliation. I furthermore believe that this condition is the only condition from which one can truly see and appreciate not only the unlimited blessings and grace in Jesus Christ, but also the highly-exclusive, unadulterated, undiluted faith required to enjoy these blessings. Jesus said it like this:

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)] 

And, if there is any doubt about the highly-exclusive, unadulterated, undiluted faith that is to "follow Jesus," Jesus also gave the following clarification:

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. [Matthew 7.13-14]

Are we today so immersed in the sin of idolatry (selfish adultery against God) that we are beyond hope of reconciliation? Our answer to this question is telling... If we answer, "no" then we do not fully understand our own ways of idolatrous sin against God - our fallen nature. If we answer, "yes" then our exclusive commitment to Jesus will in no way allow us to participate in and with the world's idolatry thus requiring that we give it up altogether.

Idolatry offers hope of reconciliation with circumstances but not with God. To remain immersed in man's way - the way of idolatry (selfish fulfillment in spite of God's Word) - may temporarily remediate circumstances but it is beyond hope of reconciliation with God. Is the "looks good, tastes good" idolatry of today worth the "poisonous death" of tomorrow and eternity?

Father, please continue to reveal Truth from Your Word. My opinions are no different than any other opinions - they are just opinions. But may Your written Word reveal the Truth of Jesus Your Living Word. And, may Jesus' Words "give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow Me" strike a chord in our being whose tone is so different from the world's idolatry that there is no question as to our response... May we give up the selfishness of our own way, selflessly take up our cross, and obediently follow Jesus alone. So be it.