Stealing the kingship

I spoke earlier about the beginning of the end of David's reign as King of Israel, in today's passage in 2 Samuel we see that fall really begin to come about.

David's son Absalom has returned with a plot:
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.” (2 Samuel 15:1-4 NIV)
So Absalom is attempting to undermine his father's authority. He's trying to get the people on his side so that when he launches his coup so that they'll overthrow David. Notice how he doesn't actually speak ill of David, he just tries to speak about how he'd be a much better king than David.

Just in case we missed it the writer makes it very obvious:
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. (2 Samuel 15:5-6 NIV)
It would seem like Absalom is just trying to treat people like equals, but that's not what is on Absalom's mind at all it is all simply a rouse to get the people on his side so that he can overthrow his father.

Absalom then asks to go to Hebron:
Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” 11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. (2 Samuel 15:10-11 NIV)
Hebron is a notable choice from Absalom as it's the city that David was first anointed king over, and so Absalom goes to Israel's original capital to launch his Coup, he has already arranged a signal with his supporters and at that point the Coup will be launched. Beyond that he also has invited people under the pretense of something else so that those 200 men will also be seen as Absalom's supporters.

David's fall is well and truly under way, but through it all he trusts in God. It is at this point in his life where David writes some of his most moving Psalms and where we see David's trust in God the most. For us it is a lesson, when things seem dire David still trusted that God's will was best for us, he held to the promise that Paul would later put forth in Romans 8:28, for us that is what we need to do, even when it is hard, we need to keep working on that and trusting God's will for our lives