Exploring Jezebel’s Family Tree: Jezebel and Absalom

Exploring Jezebel’s Family Tree: Jezebel and Absalom

We’ve met Baal and Asherah (the Queen of Heaven), the “parents” of Jezebel. And we’ve met two of Jezebels’ personalities, Delilah and Herod. And now, we will meet this demonic prince’s third, most closely associated personality: Absalom. When blogging about how I fell prey to Jezebel and even in my last post, I shared with you that Jezebel is not born, she’s made. Looking into the story of Absalom gives us a very good idea of just that.

After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man. And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?”
Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”
So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”
But he would not listen to her. Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly. And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. 
But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar. (See II Samuel 13:1-19:8 for the full story.)
Absalom comforting his sister, Tamar, after her rape by their eldest half-brother, Amnon.

Absalom comforting his sister, Tamar, after her rape by their eldest half-brother, Amnon.

This Jezebelic prince was not always befitting the spirit bearing his name. He was a good son and an adoring brother to his wronged sister. When his father failed to act in regard to his sister’s incestuous rape, Absalom took her in, presumably hiding her shame as best he could, then after waiting two years for their father to act, he decided to take matters into his own hand and killed his half-brother, Amnon, the rightful heir to the throne of Judah.

Absalom then fled to his grandfather, the king of Geshur, for three years. David was indecisive, again, and his general, Joab, compelled him to call his son back to Jerusalem. Yet David was actionless again. For two years. So Absalom, likely a spoiled child and now thoroughly ignored by his father, throws a large, expensive tantrum, burns Joab’s fields (great thanks, indeed), and finally wins his audience with his father. Unfortunately, Absalom is now thoroughly embittered.

Absalom having the royal chariots running before him to announce his royal advent to the people.

Enter the spirit of Jezebel.

Absalom then proceeds to steal the hearts of the people and many leaders away from his father, launches a successful coup, beds his father’s concubines before all Israel, and in the end, he died a traitor’s death. Hung by his vain glory, his hair.

Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on. Now a certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!”
So Joab said to the man who told him, “You just saw him! And why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.”
But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself would have set yourself against me.”
Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. And ten young men who bore Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, and struck and killed him.
So Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. 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. (II Samuel 18:16-17)

Now that we know how Absalom was embittered and where that bitterness carried him, let us take a closer look at the way in which this spirit of the same name manifests itself in contrast to the biblical description of Jezebel.

Comparisons between Jezebel & Absalom

  1. They're both royal
  2. They both have a type of claim to the throne.
  3. They were both given their positions of authority; they did not take them.
  4. They were not content with the authority their rightful positions granted them.
  5. They both had a passive ruler who refused to confront their actions.
  6. They both created large, "fan clubs" through various means.
  7. They both diverted from the plan of God for the monarchy and nation.
  8. They both died a terrible, traitor's death.

Contrasts between Jezebel & Absalom

  1. Jezebel married into her position; Absalom was born to his.
  2. Jezebel had no official authority to rule; Absalom did (somewhat).
  3. Jezebel was content to be the power behind the throne; Absalom wanted the throne for himself.
  4. Jezebel patiently waited and worked behind the scenes to accomplish her goals; Absalom impatiently worked overtly to accomplish his.
  5. Jezebel was destroyed by the hand of her own people; Absalom was destroyed by the king's people.

As the late John Paul Jackson explained on Joni Table Talk, the spirit of Jezebel does not typically dwell long in a man (male); it does not have much longevity because it is likely to cause heart problems. (Probably the stress of all the manipulation that is not innate most men in the fallen sense; they tend to lean towards domination or other more overt forms of intimidation.) Yet Jezebel thrives in women. The (fallen) emotional composition of women is better able to accommodate the manipulative intricacies that are this spirit. Thus, the spirit is most likely to change into the more masculine form of Absalom in a man.

Jezebel is patient, Absalom is not.

Jezebel is initially subtle, Absalom is not.

If Jezebel is Catherine de Medici, the power behind the crown, then Absalom is Napoleon warring for the crown. Jezebel may be harder to detect, but both are equally dangerous if overlooked.

Now I would like to take a moment to address pastors and leaders. Some of you are personally responsible for not only tolerating, but creating a spirit of Absalom (or Jezebel) in your church, business, etc. Like Ahab and David, you have created the pedestal and then placed your co-pastor, associate pastor, youth pastor, head intercessor, house prophet, or minister of music, etc. on it through your intentional lack of confrontation.

Whenever a man (or woman) refuses to confront problems in their environment, they abdicate their God-given authority and invite this treasonous spirit into their lives whether they realise it or not. To put it bluntly, YOU are the problem.

And when you are insecure enough, like King Saul, you begin to eye that person “from that day forward.” All of their gifts and attributes that brought them to you in the first place start to become, in your insecure, skewed eyesight, a threat to your rule. Their youth, beauty, talent, ability to facilitate, anointing, etc. are no longer seen as a benefit to you, but a threat to you. And once you’ve reached this point, you begin to view this person, either privately or publicly, as an Absalom.

That person may not have actually been an Absalom/Jezebel. They may have been completely innocent of everything beside trying to help you rule effectively. But in your abdication and insecurity, you’ve made them a usurper.

If they are not truly an Absalom, then you have spoken word curses (witchcraft) against them and assassinated their character. Hopefully, Christ will resurrect it. But if your witchcraft has succeeded, you have created your own rival.

I’ve seen it before. A kind, good man, wounded and warped through his “father’s” refusal to confront. An anointed man with the call of God on his life kept under the thumb of his “father” because this father was afraid his son would leave him, split his church, and become greater than him. (Even though it is biblical and desirable in the eyes of a godly man that a son should become greater than his father by standing on his shoulders.) So, to my great sadness, the son has become like his father. Jezebel has made her home in the pulpit of the father’s church and Ahab has officially, publicly abdicated his role. And even sadder, Jezebel has rooted herself into the young church of the son. God help them all. But not all stories are so dramatic as this. Not all Ahabs are so obvious, not all so intentional. Some stories turn out differently.

I can’t for the life of me remember where I heard/read this story, but it goes something like this. A well-established, older pastor has hired a new, awesome youth pastor. The youth pastor seems to do an excellent job with the youth and young adults. So much so, that when he asks to have a special weekly Saturday night service, the head pastor happily agrees. But soon Saturday night isn’t enough. He wants Sunday morning as well. As you could probably imagine, the youth pastor took over the entire church. And to avoid a fuss or church split or any other sort of conflict, the head pastor simply turned the church over and left silently.

Both of these pastors, likely kind, gracious men, called of God, and loved by many, are still guilty of creating Absaloms. You don’t have to be the same.

God loves Ahab and Absalom alike. And He always gives space for repentance.

And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality…. And all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:21, 23)
So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.” (I Kings 21:27-29)

Yet you can never count on that grace in the future. If today is the day of salvation, then it is also the day of repentance.

Today, if you will hear His voice: “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness…” (Psalm 95:7-8)

Tomorrow is promised to no man, but judgment is.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment… (Hebrews 9:27)

Both Absalom and Ahab are responsible for their actions. Ahab nor David, neither Jezebel nor Absalom can go unchecked.

Stay tuned as we start to deal with Jezebel’s siblings, Perversion and Religion.

That person may not have actually been an Absalom/Jezebel. They may have been completely innocent of everything beside trying to help you rule effectively. But in your abdication and insecurity, you’ve made them a usurper.

If they are not truly an Absalom, then you have spoken word curses (witchcraft) against them and assassinated their character. Hopefully, Christ will resurrect it. But if your witchcraft has succeeded, you have created your own rival.

I’ve seen it before. A kind, good man, wounded and warped through his “father’s” refusal to confront. An anointed man with the call of God on his life kept under the thumb of his “father” because this father was afraid his son would leave him, split his church, and become greater than him. (Even though it is biblical and desirable in the eyes of a godly man that a son should become greater than his father by standing on his shoulders.) So, to my great sadness, the son has become like his father. Jezebel has made her home in the pulpit of the father’s church and Ahab has officially, publicly abdicated his role. And even sadder, Jezebel has rooted herself into the young church of the son. God help them all. But not all stories are so dramatic as this. Not all Ahabs are so obvious, not all so intentional. Some stories turn out differently.

I can’t for the life of me remember where I heard/read this story, but it goes something like this. A well-established, older pastor has hired a new, awesome youth pastor. The youth pastor seems to do an excellent job with the youth and young adults. So much so, that when he asks to have a special weekly Saturday night service, the head pastor happily agrees. But soon Saturday night isn’t enough. He wants Sunday morning as well. As you could probably imagine, the youth pastor took over the entire church. And to avoid a fuss or church split or any other sort of conflict, the head pastor simply turned the church over and left silently.

Both of these pastors, likely kind, gracious men, called of God, and loved by many, are still guilty of creating Absaloms. You don’t have to be the same.

God loves Ahab and Absalom alike. And He always gives space for repentance.

And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality…. And all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:21, 23)
So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, “See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.” (I Kings 21:27-29)

Yet you can never count on that grace in the future. If today is the day of salvation, then it is also the day of repentance.

Today, if you will hear His voice: “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness…” (Psalm 95:7-8)

Tomorrow is promised to no man, but judgment is.

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment… (Hebrews 9:27)

Both Absalom and Ahab are responsible for their actions. Ahab nor David, neither Jezebel nor Absalom can go unchecked.

Stay tuned as we start to deal with Jezebel’s siblings, Perversion and Religion.

The Next Great Move of God “Appeal to Heaven” by Jennifer LeClaire: Coming Soon!

The Next Great Move of God “Appeal to Heaven” by Jennifer LeClaire: Coming Soon!

Exploring Jezebel’s Family Tree: Jezebel and Herod

Exploring Jezebel’s Family Tree: Jezebel and Herod