A rebellion is planned

Absalom, one of David’s sons, did not follow God. He wanted to be king of Israel, so he gathered loyal followers around him by pretending to care about them and by helping to sort out their problems.

Absalom wanted these followers to help him take over the throne from his father, David. Eventually, the number of Absalom’s rebellious followers grew until they became strong enough to fight David’s army.

How does a rebellion start?

A person who rebels is someone who goes against the structures and authorities that keep law and order. Structures are the rules, while authorities are the people who make the rules and see that they are obeyed.

A country has laws to protect its people and make it possible for them to live in peace (1 Timothy 2:2). Your school has rules that help children and teachers stay focused. Even a home has certain rules to help keep peace and harmony.

A rebel is someone who disobeys the law and disrespects those in authority, whether it is a parent, a teacher, the leaders of a country, or even God Himself.

Before God created man, an angel in heaven decided to rebel against God. God threw him out of heaven down to earth (Isaiah 14:11-12). His name is Satan.

A rebellion starts when Satan puts bad thoughts into a person’s mind. If that person’s heart is filled with anger, jealousy, or pride, those feelings feed the rebellious thoughts. Bad thoughts lead to bad actions, and those actions influence others — and that’s how rebellion spreads.

Verse for today

Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. Romans 13:2

Back