Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark
The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him.
Then Hushai the Arkite, David's friend, went to Absalom and said to him, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"
Absalom asked Hushai, "Is this the love you show your friend? Why didn't you go with your friend?"
Hushai said to Absalom, "No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel — his I will be, and I will remain with him. Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you."
Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give us your advice. What should we do?"
Ahithophel answered, "Lie with your father's concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself a stench in your father's nostrils, and the hands of everyone with you will be strengthened." So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he lay with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.
Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel's advice.
Ahithophel said to Absalom, "I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed." This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.
But Absalom said, "Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say." When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, "Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion."
Hushai replied to Absalom, "The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.' Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.
"So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a piece of it can be found."
Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel." For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father's tomb.
2 Samuel 16:15-23, 17:1-14, 23
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Chapter 15 of 2nd Samuel closed with David’s friend, Hushai the Arkite, arriving in Jerusalem at the same time as Absalom. You’ll recall that David had sent Hushai there to offer to be Absalom’s servant and help David by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice while keeping the priests, Zadok and Abiathar, abreast of whatever was being discussed and planned in the palace. They in turn would ensure David was kept informed.
As Chapter 16 closes, we see Hushai seek to carry out David’s instruction as “Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem” with Ahithophel, David’s former counselor along.
As Absalom entered the city, Hushai went to him saying, “Long live the king! Long live the king!"
Absalom, a bit apprehensive and suspicious because he sensed Hushai was formerly a part of David’s entourage, asked him, “Is this the love you show your friend? Why didn't you go with your friend?" to which Hushai replied, “No, the one chosen by the Lord, by these people, and by all the men of Israel — his I will be, and I will remain with him. Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve the son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you."
And with that, Hushai was in…just as David had planned. He would be soon be used by the Lord to foil Absalom’s plans but there was some unfinished business…an unfinished prophecy and consequence from the Lord yet to be fulfilled.
For after David had so sinfully behaved by having an adulterous affair with Bathsheba which led to her pregnancy and David’s plot to have her husband Uriah killed in battle, you’ll remember that the Lord sent a word to David through the prophet Nathan. In that message, the Lord passed down a penalty that David would suffer for his actions telling him:
“Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel."
2 Samuel 12:11-12
And as we see in Chapter 16, this is exactly what happens as Absalom asks for advice from Ahithophel as to what he should do.
For you’ll also remember that as David fled Jerusalem, he left behind his ten concubines to take care of the palace (2 Samuel 15:16). These concubines are the ones that Ahithophel tells Absalom to sleep with so that all Israel would hear that Absalom had made himself a stench in his father's nostrils thus further strengthening his following and power.
And so this is what happened. A tent was pitched for Absalom on the roof and “he lay with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel”…just as God had promised would happen and the prophecy was fulfilled.
As Chapter 16 ends, we read that Ahithophel’s reputation grew so that his advice was considered “like that of one who inquires of God”. Breaking the bond of Ahithophel’s advice to Absalom would be difficult…difficult for everyone except God, of course.
As Chapter 17 opens, we find Absalom beginning to plan his attack on his father, the final stage in wrapping up his conquest to take away his father’s crown and power. But Absalom was forgetting one thing. God had appointed and anointed David, not him, as king. And only God would remove David from the throne.
So as the plans are being laid, we first see Ahithophel, with his impressive reputation for guidance, say to Absalom:
"I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed."
In Ahithophel’s plan, there would be minimum bloodshed. In short, his philosophy was to kill the king and his people will be without a leader. This would clear the way for Absalom to offer himself as their new ruler and scripture tells us that the “plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel”.
And yet, Absalom looks to get a second opinion on what he should do. And so he summons Hushai, unbeknownst that he is actually working on behalf of David and in doing so, being used by the Lord.
As we see, Hushai gives his own advice and it is quite different from Ahithophel’s. In fact, Hushai makes it a point to tell Absalom that Ahithophel’s advice was “not good this time”. He attempted to validate that assertion by saying:
“You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.' Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.”
"So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba—as numerous as the sand on the seashore—be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a piece of it can be found."
Hushai’s advice was simple. Shock and awe. Exert your full power and take all your people out against your father and those with him, leaving no one alive. Wipe out your opponent and you will have no opposition.
And with that, Absalom had two very different suggestions:
1. The Ahithophel plan - Just kill the king and let all his people come to you as their new leader.
or
2. The Hushai plan - Kill everyone and leave no opponent alive.
Which one would Absalom choose?
No surprisingly, Absalom goes the power route and likes Hushai’s idea to assemble a huge force and kill all of his opposition…his father and all his followers. And we get a real sense that the Lord knew exactly what Absalom wanted to hear and gave the right words to Hushai to speak. For as our passage closes, we learn that “the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom” and he used Hushai as an instrument of his plan to see that this indeed happened…and in doing so, He answered the prayer of David (2 Samuel 15:31).
In two instances, we see how God works in two very different ways in the life of David…and get a snapshot of how He will work in the lives of us as well.
For in one instance, we see God approve of an act that was very much against David…an act that was meant to bring consequence for his secret sexual tryst with Bathsheba. For as promised, God did bring calamity out of David’s household, giving his wives to his own son, the one close to him who slept with them in the constructed roof top tent “in broad daylight before all Israel”.
David’s sin was not going to go unpunished…and we see in the Lord’s actions that He will make good on correcting anyone when they go astray and disobey Him, turning to sin instead.
Conversely, we see that God is a God of mercy and grace and love as well.
For after the consequence against David has played out, fulfilling His prophecy through Nathan, God turns immediately to set things in place for David to gain victory over his enemies by frustrating the advice of David’s betraying counselor, Ahithophel, ensuring that Hushai’s advice is accepted while Ahithophel’s is rejected…an outcome that we see cannot be handled by Ahithophel who “saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown” where “he hanged himself” after putting “his house in order”. This would be he first the sign of Absalom’s pending downfall as the Lord prepared to restore David to power.
Friends, do we not see a window of understanding open up in this lesson for our own lives, especially as it applies to our relationship with God?
For He is our Father and we are His children. And just as any good parent does in raising their children, there is a mixture of discipline and favor exhibited…and both exercise the same level of love.
When a child does wrong, a good parent disciplines their child in a way that intends to teach them. And often times, the punishment is structured to match the crime.
In David’s case, he had been unfaithful by sleeping with another man’s wife in private and so his punishment ended up having to see his wives bedded by his own son in broad daylight and insight of his people.
And in our own lives, we can see where we tend to see the old expression, “What comes around, goes around” happen in our own lives. I know I can…and all I can do is look to the Lord and say, “so that’s what they felt like when I did that to them”. Lesson learned.
We also see where God looks after us and blesses us, favoring us when we do well. He doesn’t hold our wrongs against us. Instead, He corrects us and then moves on…just like any good parent would do for their children as well.
As we saw in the scriptures, God certainly didn’t sustain a grudge against David but instead immediately started to set things in motion so he would be relieved of his son’s threat and restored to the throne. In doing so, God showed His love for David and His wish for good things to happen in His life…and as we will see, this is exactly what is going to happen.
Yes…we have an awesome, good Parent in God our Father. As His children, we should be eternally thankful for Him, honoring Him in His presence and in the presence of others by seeking to obey Him and following the example of His Son who He sent to show us the life He expects us to live…a life that will always keep us in His favor and out of His disappointment.
In Christ,
Mark
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