I wondered how many coup attempts have taken place in 2025. Here’s what I found on the Internet.
“The exact total global count for all of 2025 is difficult to pinpoint from available news sources. However, reports suggest that 2025 has been a turbulent year, especially in the ‘coup belt’ of West Africa.”
“Coup belt” captures the fact that there are many rebel leaders attempting to usurp control in Africa. There are common factors in most regime change attempts.
(1) A rebel gains a certain level of physical and political power.
(2) They sow discord among the public by emphasizing grievances with the current leaders.
(3) When they feel the time is right, they attempt to overthrow the existing government.
Absalom used these tools in his attempt to usurp his father’s authority.
After this Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men to run ahead of him.
Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road into the gate, and when anyone brought a suit before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out and say, “From what city are you?” When the person said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,”
Absalom would say, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no one deputed by the king to hear you.”
Absalom would also say, “If only I were judge in the land! Then all who had a suit or cause might come to me, and I would give them justice” (2 Samuel 15:1-4).
Absalom’s attempted coup seemed to be working, as he waited for the right time to try to overthrow his father.
Thus Absalom did to every Israelite who came to the king for judgment, so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel (2 Samuel 15:6).
Absalom’s Patience
Unlike many of today’s rebels, Absalom was patient in his attempt to remove his father from power.
At the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron and pay the vow that I have made to the Lord.
For your servant made a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram: If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord in Hebron” (2 Samuel 15:7-8).
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told His followers to not make oaths.
Rather than making an oath, Jesus said we should do this: “Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).
Absalom’s use of an oath was exactly what Jesus said would happen. His supposed oath was from the evil one. He went to Hebron, but not to serve the Lord.
The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron.
But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then shout: Absalom has become king at Hebron!”
Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom; they were invited guests, and they went in innocence, knowing nothing of the matter.
The conspiracy grew in strength, and the people with Absalom kept increasing (2 Samuel 15:9-12b).
David Leaves Jerusalem
When David learned of Absalom’s successful coup, he left Jerusalem. Like many deposed leaders, he knew his life was at risk.
A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the Israelites have gone after Absalom.”
Then David said to all his officials who were with him at Jerusalem, “Get up! Let us flee, or there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Hurry, or he will soon overtake us, and bring disaster down upon us, and attack the city with the edge of the sword” (2 Samuel 15:13-14).
As we read how David left the city by way of the Mount of Olives, we are struck with the similarity of Jesus’ agony the night before His crucifixion.
But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, with his head covered and walking barefoot, and all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went (2 Samuel 15:30).
David made many mistakes which may have contributed to Absalom’s behavior. He still loved the son who was intent on killing him and ruling Israel in his place. No doubt, he wept for the city and the loss of his kingship, but he also wept for the character flaws of his son.
Jesus agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, as he surrendered to the cross and God’s redemptive purposes for humanity.
At another time, Jesus wept over the city, knowing the pain that their rejection of God’s plan meant for them.
As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” (Luke 19:41-42).
I wonder what sort of pain is currently felt by God, as He sees our world continue to reject His way of life.
As partners with God, we can intercede for the world and ask God to help us recognize the things that make for peace. Let’s pray that God will call people to live a Jesus-kind-of-life and experience His peace.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 