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Speaker 1: And Absalom met the servants of David and Absalom rode

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Speaker 1: upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick

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Speaker 1: boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold

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Speaker 1: of the oak, and he was taken up between the

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Speaker 1: heaven and the earth, and the mule that was under

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Speaker 1: him went away Second Samuel eighteen nine, Heavenly Father, to day,

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Speaker 1: I will focus my heart and energy in the direction

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Speaker 1: of those who have chosen to stand by me in

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Speaker 1: the battle to achieve my goals. While others are focusing

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Speaker 1: on all those who have left their lives, I will

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Speaker 1: instead focus on all those who have encouraged and have

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Speaker 1: fought for me through prayer and proximity. To day, I

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Speaker 1: will celebrate my winds with those loyal to me and

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Speaker 1: my family. To day, I will rejoice and praise You

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Speaker 1: Lord with those who've chosen to build alongside me even

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Speaker 1: in my toughest times. I thank you for the Joe

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Speaker 1: abs in my life who constantly remind me to stop

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Speaker 1: crying and to stop giving my best energy to those

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Speaker 1: who choose to exit my life. Like David did with Absalom,

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Speaker 1: I will be mindful and open to hearing hard corrections,

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Speaker 1: because in the end, the words of a friend may

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Speaker 1: be bitter, then lies from my enemies seem sweet. But

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Speaker 1: because of this, I will look to those who tell

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Speaker 1: me the truth, even when it doesn't feel good. I

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Speaker 1: praise you Yahweh, for you are all around me, creating

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Speaker 1: opportunities to strengthen that which remains my true relationships in

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Speaker 1: Jesus name. Amen, Thank you for praying with us to day.

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Speaker 1: Continue your time with God by listening to today's Bible

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Speaker 1: story brought to you by Bible in a Year dot Com,

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Speaker 1: The Death of Absalom. In our last story, Absalom successfully

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Speaker 1: took the throne of David. David, not wanting to cause

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Speaker 1: a civil war in the streets of Jerusalem, fled into

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Speaker 1: the wilderness until he could plan his next step. Now

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Speaker 1: we see Absalom mounting his attack on David and his

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Speaker 1: men and the tragic fall that comes after pride inspired

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Speaker 1: by the Book of Second Samuel. Hello, this is Jack

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Speaker 1: Graham with today's episode of the Bible in a Year podcast.

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Speaker 1: In our previous episode, we heard how Absalom spread lies

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Speaker 1: and rumors to undermine David's rule until he was finally

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Speaker 1: ready to strike and overthrow his father David. David, who

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Speaker 1: was unwilling to sacrifice his people to keep his throne,

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Speaker 1: fled to the wilderness, trusting that God would restore him

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Speaker 1: in his own time and in his own way. Today

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Speaker 1: we'll learn how Absalom takes the fight to David, believing

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Speaker 1: he will win. His pride will be his downfall as

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Speaker 1: David and his mighty men once more show their courage

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Speaker 1: and strengthened battle and their loyalty to David and their

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Speaker 1: faith in God. Let's listen now to today's scripture. Just

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Speaker 1: like old times, David and his mighty men prepared for

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Speaker 1: battle in the wilderness. There was something primal about exile.

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Speaker 1: David and his men thought back on their time on

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Speaker 1: the run from Saul. That is where they truly bonded

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Speaker 1: and banded together as a unit. It was almost as

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Speaker 1: if being in the wilderness was an unforeseen advantage. David

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Speaker 1: sent his commanders joab Etai and Abashai to gather them in.

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Speaker 1: David began setting his armor and sharpening his sword when

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Speaker 1: abasheis sat beside him. You should not go into battle

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Speaker 1: with us, David, he said. David turned and looked shocked.

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Speaker 1: Abershei put his hand on David's shoulder and said, if

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Speaker 1: for some reason they overtake us, we need to have

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Speaker 1: the freedom to retreat. If you were there, they will

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Speaker 1: not allow us to retreat. You are the prize they

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Speaker 1: are hunting. You must stay back. David's lips tightened and

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Speaker 1: his brow furrowed. He was in deep thought. He knew

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Speaker 1: Abershei was right. You must send word out to anyone

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Speaker 1: loyal than Israel willing to fight with us, Abashei said.

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Speaker 1: David nodded and said, whatever seems best to you, I

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Speaker 1: will do so. David sent them off. As they were departing,

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Speaker 1: David turned to his generals and said, please, for my sake,

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Speaker 1: deal gently with Absalom. They agreed and rode into the

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Speaker 1: distance to face Absalom's army. Absalom stood at the head

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Speaker 1: of his army, watching the men of David appear from

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Speaker 1: the distant. A small forest stood in between them, and

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Speaker 1: the two armies began to run towards one another through

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Speaker 1: the trees. The mighty men of David used the trees

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Speaker 1: to their advantage, ramming soldiers into the wood. The armies

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Speaker 1: of Absalom barely stood a chance against them. Absalom watched

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Speaker 1: as his men were buried under the fury of David's army.

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Speaker 1: He looked to his left and to his right. Blood

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Speaker 1: shed and carnage was everywhere, and Absalom fled in a

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Speaker 1: frantic attempt to save his life. As he rode through

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Speaker 1: the trees, his head was snabbed between two branches, and

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Speaker 1: his horse continued to ride without him. Absalom's neck was

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Speaker 1: gripped between the two branches, and he flailed in the

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Speaker 1: air trying to catch a breath. A few of David's

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Speaker 1: men stood under Absalom, watching him squirm in the air.

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Speaker 1: Joe Ab and Abershey bickered over whether to kill him

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Speaker 1: or not. Yet Joab saw very little use in arguing further.

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Speaker 1: He took his spear and drove it into Absalom. As

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Speaker 1: he hung there, they drug Absalom's body through dirt and leaves.

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Speaker 1: There they threw him into a pit and put stones

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Speaker 1: above his body. His grave would serve as a reminder

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Speaker 1: that a kingdom established by pride and greed would be

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Speaker 1: a kingdom short lived. When David learned of Absalom's death,

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Speaker 1: he returned home and wept for days. David's heart broke

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Speaker 1: at his son's fate and wished that there could have

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Speaker 1: been another way to save him. Joab returned home from

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Speaker 1: victory and saw that the streets of Israel mourned in

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Speaker 1: shame for Absalom's death. Their grieving vexed Joab. He walked

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Speaker 1: into the house of David to see him lying on

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Speaker 1: the floor weeping over his son. Joab approached David and

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Speaker 1: picked him up off the floor and slammed him against

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Speaker 1: the wall. The floor shook and a few cups fell

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Speaker 1: off the table beside them. David looked at Joab, shocked

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Speaker 1: and confused. Joab continued to press David against the wall

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Speaker 1: as he yelled to Day, we have saved you, Israel,

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Speaker 1: and your entire family from the tyranny of your son.

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Speaker 1: Your whole household and all of Israel should be rejoicing,

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Speaker 1: but instead they feel ashamed because you refuse to encourage them.

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Speaker 1: Joab released David and swatted at the air. He turned

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Speaker 1: and pointed to David again, yelling, you can't help yourself. David.

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Speaker 1: Ever since I have known you, you have loved those

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Speaker 1: who hate you and hated those who love you. Do

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Speaker 1: we mean nothing to you? We just got home from battle,

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Speaker 1: and we have to come home to these darkened streets

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Speaker 1: filled with tears. Joab's legs began to shake. He was

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Speaker 1: tired from battle and frustrated at his king. He sighed

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Speaker 1: and said, I swear, if you do not go out

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Speaker 1: there and encourage your people, your men will lose hope

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Speaker 1: and you. They bled for you. The least you can

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Speaker 1: do is thank them instead of wallowing in self pity

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Speaker 1: over your traitor's son. David said nothing to Joab. He

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Speaker 1: was David had always spent so much time pining after

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Speaker 1: the affection of those who betrayed him. Saul and Absalom

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Speaker 1: were both examples of that. David composed himself and walked

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Speaker 1: among the streets of Israel. He encouraged those who were mourning,

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Speaker 1: and stood at the gates and resolved in God's word.

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Speaker 1: Today the stage is set for battle. Absalom's army is

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Speaker 1: preparing to attack his father, but David and his men

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Speaker 1: are ready, and they're much more seasoned warriors. David put

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Speaker 1: three of his most trusted commanders in charge of his army, Joe,

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Speaker 1: abb Abashai, and Itte. Though he did not want to

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Speaker 1: fight his son, David began to prepare for the battle

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Speaker 1: as well, but Abashi advised David to stay behind for

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Speaker 1: his safety, knowing that David's life was of great value.

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Speaker 1: David trusted his men and agreed to follow Abishai's counsel.

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Speaker 1: As his men ready themselves to go to the battle,

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Speaker 1: David had a request. We read this in Second Samuel eighteen,

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Speaker 1: verse five. And the king ordered Joe, ab Abishai and

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Speaker 1: Ittai deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.

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Speaker 1: And all the people heard when the king gave orders

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Speaker 1: to all the commanders about Absalom. After all the betrayal,

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Speaker 1: after all that Absalom had done to David and his family,

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Speaker 1: David still loved his son, his flesh and blood, and

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Speaker 1: he requested that his life be spared. It may have

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Speaker 1: seemed outrageous to those who heard it, as it made

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Speaker 1: to you today. Absalom had committed treason and was actively

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Speaker 1: trying to kill his father, and yet David asked his

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Speaker 1: men for mercy upon his son. It's possible that this

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Speaker 1: is a fault in David's life, in that he failed

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Speaker 1: to correct his children. One might even say that he

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Speaker 1: was soft on discipline. But we also see in David

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Speaker 1: a heart after God, and his heart is long suffering

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Speaker 1: and full of love and grace towards others. And despite

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Speaker 1: the failures of his son and his family, David was

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Speaker 1: a faithful father in so many ways. This would be

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Speaker 1: a good time to remind ourselves that we have a good,

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Speaker 1: good father, a gracious, heavenly father who loves us and

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Speaker 1: is merciful towards us, and is forgiving even when we

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Speaker 1: run away and betray him. Jesus is the son of

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Speaker 1: the Father who went to the cross and died and

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Speaker 1: rose again so that we could be reunited with God,

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Speaker 1: our father. God went to war for us, not against us,

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Speaker 1: and he fought for our hearts and our lives and

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Speaker 1: our souls. David's men accepted David's request and set off

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Speaker 1: for the fight, and as fights go, this one wasn't

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Speaker 1: much of a match. David's army was stronger, wiser, and

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Speaker 1: more skilled than Absalom's army, and they quickly won the fight.

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Speaker 1: Absalom was no warrior, and seeing the defeated hand, he

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Speaker 1: fled the fight on his mule, and as he rode

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Speaker 1: through the trees, his head was caught between the branches

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Speaker 1: and he hung there helpless. And unable to escape. One

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Speaker 1: of Joeab's men found him, but he remembered David's orders

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Speaker 1: and was unwilling to kill Absalom. Joe Ebb, however, acted

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Speaker 1: swiftly and with his armor barrows, killed Absalom, then took

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Speaker 1: his body down from the tree. He then buried the

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Speaker 1: body and erected stones over the grave, a monument named

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Speaker 1: after Absalom himself, to remind all of how God had

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Speaker 1: dealt swiftly with the counterfeit. King David was now free

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Speaker 1: from danger. His son, who sought to kill him, was dead,

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Speaker 1: but this was of no comfort to David. David wept

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Speaker 1: and grieved his son, and when joe Ebb saw David's response,

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Speaker 1: he could not stay silent any longer and rebuked David

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Speaker 1: for focusing on his sorrow for the loss of one

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Speaker 1: who wanted to kill him, rather than rejoicing in his

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Speaker 1: deliverance and incururaging those who remain loyal to him. The

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Speaker 1: king was convicted by the honest words of his loyal

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Speaker 1: commander and friend. He rose from his morning and sat

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Speaker 1: at the gate and received his people, who trusted in

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Speaker 1: him as the king, that he was truly God's King,

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Speaker 1: it was time to return to Jerusalem, and will hear

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Speaker 1: more about that the next time. Dear God, we thank

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Speaker 1: you for today's message of restoration and the victory for

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Speaker 1: David and his men. Thank you for the reminder that

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Speaker 1: your promises always endure, as does your patient love for us.

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Speaker 1: In Jesus name, Amen, thank you for listening to today's

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Speaker 1: Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Pastor Jack Graham, and

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Speaker 1: we appreciate so very much your interest, your prayers, and

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Speaker 1: your involvement in this wonderful effort to walk through the Bible.

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Speaker 1: I would encourage you to download the Prey dot com

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Speaker 1: app and make prayer a true priority in your life

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Speaker 1: along with the study of God's word. If you appreciate

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Speaker 1: and have enjoyed this podcast, it would be very helpful

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Speaker 1: if you would share it with someone you love, because

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Speaker 1: it will make a huge difference in their lives. And

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Speaker 1: if you want to know more about how you can

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Speaker 1: know Jesus and follow him how you can live the

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Speaker 1: Christian life, be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org.

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Speaker 1: Thank you and God bless you. This episode is sponsored

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Speaker 1: by Medicine, an innovative healthcare solution for Christians to save

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