September 21,
2007
Rise
up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee
before thee. (Numbers 10: 35 KJV
2 Samuel Chapter 17 Author:
Unknown KJV
Absalom’s
Decision
(2
Samuel 17:1-4 KJV) "Moreover
Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I
will arise and pursue after David this night: {2} And I will come upon
him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all
the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king
only: {3} And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom
thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in
peace. {4} And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of
Israel."
Ahithophel
gave Absalom the best of advice and that was to strike the enemy when he was
weak. Even Ahithophel felt he could
carry out this raid even though he had to be in his 70’s or so being the
grandfather of Bathsheba. Ahithophel also intended to keep casualties at a
minimum and seek only the death of David Absalom’s father. It’s pretty bad when a man would be
willing to kill his own father for the sake of power, as Absalom liked this plan
and so did the elders of Israel. It
also shows the elders of Israel were pretty despicable men as
well.
(2
Samuel 17:5-6 KJV) "Then said
Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he
saith. {6} And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him,
saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his
saying? if not; speak thou."
God is
answering David’s prayer. It was
not a common practice to get a second opinion to what Ahithophel had already
given. Ahithophel’s opinions were
considered as coming from God as we read in yesterday’s lesson. Because David had asked the Lord to
confuse Ahithophel’s advice He does just that. God has not left David in this
chastisement, but David had sinned and the Lord is correcting David. The throne belongs to God, and God will
determine who sits upon it.
(2
Samuel 17:7-10 KJV) "And Hushai
said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at
this time. {8} For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men,
that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a
bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war,
and will not lodge with the people. {9} Behold, he is hid now in some
pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them
be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a
slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. {10} And he also that
is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly
melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they
which be with him are valiant men."
Hushai in a
round about way tells Absalom your army is not good enough to go up against
David as Ahithophel has suggested.
There is no way he could get close enough to David to kill him and if he
could he cautions Absalom not to fight against a wild bear because that bear
will do anything to destroy in this case Ahithophel and any troops Absalom may
send.
(2
Samuel 17:11-13 KJV) "Therefore I
counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to
Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go
to battle in thine own person. {12} So shall we come upon him in some
place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on
the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall
not be left so much as one. {13} Moreover, if he be gotten into a city,
then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the
river, until there be not one small stone found there."
Hushai
said the only way you can beat your father is to get an even larger army than
the measly 12,000 troops Ahithophel
has suggested. And he further tells
Absalom he should lead the entire nation against his father so that Absalom can
personally command the troops. This
was telling Absalom he was a much better soldier than Ahithophel. Absalom ate this up, because Absalom
being king had to be a better soldier.
(2
Samuel 17:14 KJV) "And Absalom and
all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better
than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good
counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon
Absalom."
So Absalom and the
men listen to the advice of Hushai rather than that of Ahithophel.
What this actually did was buy some time for Hushai to get word to David
through Zadok and his sons and so that David can prepare to take on Absalom and
his army.
(2
Samuel 17:15-19 KJV) "Then said
Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel
counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I
counselled. {16} Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying,
Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over;
lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.
{17}
Now
Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into
the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.
{18} Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of
them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his
court; whither they went down. {19} And the woman took and spread a
covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing
was not known."
The entire nation of Israel did not go over to Absalom there was still a remnant that still looked to David as king. Thank goodness, because without these people it would have been very possible David would not have survived and the Lord would have had to find another for his work to be carried out. God therefore protected the remnant that looked out for the affairs of King David so he would overrule the rebellion of Absalom.
(2
Samuel 17:20-23 KJV) "And when
Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is
Ahimaaz and Jonathan?
And
the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they
had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
{21}
And
it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well,
and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over
the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.
{22}
Then
David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over
Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over
Jordan. {23} And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed,
he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his
city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was
buried in the sepulchre of his father."
Ahithophel knew that Absalom and the army would not prevail against David, and he knew he would probably face death because of his treason. He goes home to put his things in order. In a way Ahithophel was like Judas. Instead of coming to Jesus and asking forgiveness, Judas hangs himself. Ahithophel first puts his house in order instead of putting himself in order. Even if David had sought the death penalty against Ahithophel it would have been better for Ahithophel to ask forgiveness of David and of God. Ahithophel would have at least faced life rather than chickening out.
Ahithophel
committed suicide, and we know that suicide is a sin because it is self-murder
and God commands, you shall not murder (Exodus 20:13). Yet suicide should not be
regarded as an unforgivable sin. Anyone who does commit suicide has given in to
the lies and deceptions of Satan, whose purpose is to kill and destroy (John 10:10). (David
Guzik)
“Suicide
is always the ultimate action of cowardice. In the case of Saul, and in many
similar cases, it is perfectly natural; but let it never be glorified as heroic.
It is the last resort of the man who dare not stand up to life.”
(Morgan)
"I
desire to call your attention to the text on account of its very remarkable
character. 'He put his house in order, and hanged himself.' To put
his house in order, showed that he was a prudent man; to hang himself, proved
that he was a fool. Herein is a strange mixture of discretion and desperation,
mind and madness. Shall a man have wisdom enough to arrange his worldly affairs
with care, and yet shall he be so hapless as to take his own life afterwards?"
(Spurgeon)
Thousands set their houses in order, but destroy their souls; they look well to their flocks and their herds, but not to their hearts’ best interests. They gather broken shells with continuous industry, but they throw away priceless diamonds. They exercise forethought, prudence, care, everywhere but where they are most required. They save their money, but squander their happiness; they are guardians of their estates, but suicides of their souls." (Spurgeon)
Many spies, both those from this country
and foreign countries are given suicide capsules in the event they are
caught. This is done not only so
they won’t be tortured, but also to protect the secrets of their nation and the
identity of any other spies they may know.
(2
Samuel 17:24-26 KJV) "Then David
came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel
with him. {25} And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of
Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an
Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah
Joab's mother. {26} So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of
Gilead."
Joab was
with David, and Absalom needed a leader to organize the army and lead it. Truly this is a civil war with brother
against brother and son against father.
(2
Samuel 17:27-29 KJV) "And it came
to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah
of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai
the Gileadite of Rogelim, {28} Brought beds, and basins, and earthen
vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans,
and lentiles, and parched pulse, {29} And honey, and butter, and sheep,
and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to
eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the
wilderness."
God is using
men to bring David comfort at this time of great distress in David’s life. The men mainly unknown, where just as
important to David as was any brave soldier. David and his men were in a weakened
state and needed nourishment and rest so they could be victorious in
battle.
"It
was as though God stooped over that stricken soul, and as the blows of the rod
cut long furrows in the sufferer's back, the balm of Gliead was poured into the
gaping wounds. Voices spoke more gently; hands touched his more softly; pitiful
compassion rained tender assurances about his path; and, better than all, the
bright-harnessed angels of God's protection encamped about his path and his
lying down." (Meyer)
24 The LORD bless
thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his
face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up
his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
27 And they shall
put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless
them.
Numbers
6 KJV
Have
a blessed day
Lee
A
Watchman
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