The End of Uncorrected Rebellion

592 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 18:17,18, “And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom's Monument. (2 Sam 18:17,18) Absalom. So handsome. So powerful in his own eyes. So proud. Ends up buried in a pit with stones heaped upon him. As we shared last time, this is not an honorable burial. Here we also read that Absalom, like Saul, in his lifetime had set up a monument to himself that was meant to warn people that he was a very powerful man. (See 1 Sam 15:12) It's all he had for a legacy. His sons having preceded him in death. It is interesting to note that Absalom's monument exists to this day, although it certainly is not the original one. It is set up in the Kidron Valley near Jerusalem. Why would God even allow such a monument to continue to exist? Why keep the memory of Absalom alive? The monument is mentioned in the writings of Josephus and for centuries, it was the custom among passerby’s – (Jews, Christians, and Muslims) to throw stones at the marker. Residents of Jerusalem would bring their unruly children out to see the marker using it as an object lesson to teach their children the end of rebellious children. The Old Testament children knew that they could be stoned to death for rebelling against the authority of their parents and this visit to Absalom's Pillar was a grim reminder of the seriousness of the sin. Christian children today have a gentler reminder set before them by the Holy Spirit speaking through the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians: Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: 3 "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." Children. This is a precious promise from God! Believe it! Live it! Because uncorrected rebellion always leads to a bad ending. Just ask Absalom.