Tuesday, October 27, 2015

II Samuel 17: Lion On The Lam

"It's the good advice that you just didn't take." (Alanis Morissette, Ironic)  Absalom himself could have written that line after he rejected the suggestions of Ahitophel, choosing instead to follow the secretly malicious plans of Hushai.

Yet the Bible reveals that it was God, after all, who was in charge of this sequence of events behind the scenes.  "For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahitophel, so that the Lord might bring ruin on Absalom" (vs. 14).

What happened was this: Upon arriving in Jerusalem and discovering that David had already fled the scene, Ahitophel suggests a quick strike will seal the deal and deliver the kingdom into Absalom's hands.  He advises that 12,000 men leave at once in pursuit of David (and David only) to find him and kill him.  Once the king is dead, the entire kingdom will have no choice but to rally to Absalom's side.

This plan sounds good to Absalom and his men.  However, they want a second opinion, so they decide to ask Hushai what he thinks.  Hushai spins a different tale.  He tells Absalom that David is renowned as a great warrior, and has certainly hidden himself.  Rather than finding David and striking him down, Ahitophel's plan will result in only bloodshed on Absalom's side and add to David's mythic status in the eyes of Israel.  Hushai counsels that Absalom first unite the kingdom under his banner, and only then set off in search of David and his men.

Here is where God frustrated the plan of Ahitophel and caused Absalom to look more favorably on the advice of Hushai.  After seeing that Absalom will embark on Hushai's plan rather than his own, Ahitophel goes home, sets his affairs in order, and hangs himself (vs. 23).  He chose to end his life rather than see Absalom's revolt fail and be punished for his role in it.

Meanwhile, Hushai alerts David to all the happenings in Jerusalem and advises him to cross the Jordan and continue fleeing Absalom's forces (vs. 21).  Judah's lion is on the lam!

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