Today’s story takes place just after Absalom has overtaken Jerusalem and David and his household have fled.
But not all of David’s household has fled. There is still one notable man: “Then someone told David, saying, ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.'” (2 Sam 15:31 NKJV)
So who is this Ahithophel?
We know from last week’s story that he is David’s counsellor, and a very good one! In fact, it is said of Ahithophel: “Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God.” (2 Sam 16:23 NKJV).
Losing his chief advisor was a hard blow to David. Especially when Ahithophel’s first piece of advice for Absalom was to sleep with his father’s wives! “And Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.'” (2 Sam 16:21)
You see, David had left 10 of his concubines at the palace to care for it while he was gone. In that day and age, royal women played a significant political role. For someone to sleep with the king’s wife or concubine constituted a claim to the throne, and when Absalom did just that, right on the rooftop of the palace where all of Jerusalem could see, he was, in essence, strengthening his kingship: “So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.” (2 Sam 16:22 NKJV)
Ahithophel went on to give more good advice: “Now let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. I will come upon him while he is weary and weak, and make him afraid. And all the people who are with him will flee, and I will strike only the king. Then I will bring back all the people to you. When all return except the man whom you seek, all the people will be at peace.” (2 Sam 17:1-4 NKJV)
The Bible says that Absalom “was pleased” by this advice.
But something happened. For once he didn’t listen to Ahithophel. Instead, he turned to another of his father’s advisors, Hushai the Archite to get a second opinion! The only problem was, Hushai wasn’t on Absalom’s side! He had left Jerusalem with King David, and he had only returned upon David’s insistence: “David said to [Husai], ‘If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me. But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, “I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,” then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.'” (2 Sam 15:32-35 NKJV)
And Absalom fell right into his father’s trap by listening to Hushai over Ahithophel: “So Hushai said to Absalom: ‘The advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time.'” (2 Sam 17:7-8 NKJV)
He went on to give his own piece of advice, and Absalom believed him. Hushai was able to send a message to David via the sons of the priests who were left behind in Jerusalem, David was able to flee with his followers, and he and his army were ready to meet Absalom and his army when the time came.
The end? Disaster for Absalom and his followers.
So what happened to Ahithophel’s good advice?
We find the answer in 2 Sam 15:31. As he was fleeing Jerusalem, David said a little prayer, “O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!” (NKJV), and God answered David’s prayer! The counsel of Ahithophel was made to sound like foolishness to the ears of Absalom and the elders of Israel!
Friends, God answers prayers! Even the prayers of one who has fallen away in sin! Even the prayers of the one who has brought his own trouble upon himself! God answers prayers. Period!
What trouble do you find yourselves in? Have you brought it on yourself? It doesn’t matter. Confess your mistakes to God! Repent! And then receive God’s forgiveness. When we return to Him He will again hear and answer our prayers, and more than this, He will find a way out of the valley of trouble we have created. Our job is simply to pray and to trust HIM to find a way out!
You never know when He’ll cause the trusted advice of a dependable counsellor to sound like foolishness to the ears! God will find a way!
Please join us next week for LESSONS FROM DAVID’S FALL, Part 7: Friend? Or Foe?
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, www.scripturalnuggets.org, with Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org.
(To access the entire “Lessons From David’s Fall” mini-series, please click here.)