Beware of Absalom.com
Look out for the spirit of Absalom online, fellow Christian.
A particular kind of teacher can be found all across your Instagram. Really anywhere an algorithm is curating to your tastes, there’s probably an Absalom lurking to mislead.
Be on your guard!
What do I mean by “an Absalom”? Let’s read 2 Samuel 15:1–6 to remind ourselves of the original Absalom…
2 Samuel 15:1–6
In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. 2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” 4 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”
5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
Absalom, the rebelling son of God’s Chosen King–David, provides an insightful pattern of false teachers.
1. Absalom hustled.
2. Absalom had a crowd.
3. Absalom appealed to frustrations with leadership.
4. Absalom leveraged those frustrations to platform himself.
5. Absalom manipulated emotions through faux intimacy.
Think back, have you encountered a teacher on online that fits this bill? Instagram, Facebook, and podcasts are full of well-produced teaching with a growing following who appeal to your frustration with someone else. Though they aren’t close to you and don’t know your life, they’re appealing to how you share similar frustrations.
If you follow them, you’ll be heard and loved… the way the last leaders didn’t!
Don’t be deceived, the trajectory of Absalom’s leadership is never separate from his personal ambitions to rule. Absalom is using you, not serving you as he pretends.
Absalom’s leadership began in rebellion and ended in judgement. We don’t want to end up in an Absalom movement. Why be trampled for the sake of a tragedy?
The Enemy and the algorithm funneling these people your way. To name a few…
Political junkies hungry to take back our country appeal to your pastors’ political patience or the “cowardice” of broad evangelicalism.
Deconstruction teachers eager to justify a new sexual ethic present themselves as the more compassionate, understanding, and missional approach to those shamed by purity culture and condemned for sexual sin.
Therapists probe into the legitimacy of unflinching trust in the Bible while highlighting those damaged by Christian counseling and untrained Christians.
Scripture warns us about teachers who tickle people’s ears in order to gather followers. They play on people’s frustrations with their leaders and present themselves as the new and better option.
I would guess you’ve got someone in your feeds that fits this mold right now. You like what they say. They scratch and itch your real-life leaders won’t.
That is part of their genius… and danger.