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11-5-13. 2 Samuel 17:1-14. HUSHAI’S ADVICE TO ABSALOM – my devotional

11-5-13. 2 Samuel 17:1-14. HUSHAI’S ADVICE TO ABSALOM – my devotional

thwarted

 

2 Samuel 17:1-14

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Key Verse: 17:14                                                                                       Kevin E. Jesmer

“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 ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.” (ESV)

     Dear Lord, thank you for the couple days off where I could get some rest and spend some time in your word. Today I pray for good relationships between the Aboriginal people and the Canadian government. I pray that there may be a spirit of respect and co-operation. I pray that as Canada grows, there may be protection of the environment and peoples’ towns from pollution. I pray that you may protect the flora and the fauna. I pray for equitable sharing of resources. I pray that people may seek greater things than money and always seek the benefit of future generations. May Canada set the best example of Aboriginal/ government relationships for the whole world to follow. Through it all may you, Lord, be glorified and may the people be good stewards of your creation. I pray that you may help me to learn something new today from your word. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!

Part 1: “Attack him while he is weary” (1-4).

Verses 1-4, “Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 2 I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged and throw him into a panic, and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, 3 and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all the people will be at peace.” 4 And the advice seemed right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel.”

At the critical time when King David and his followers were most vulnerable, Absalom sought advice from Ahithophel on what to do. Ahithophel gave sound advice telling Absalom to strike without delay, and strike down only the king, not the people with him. This advice would surely have brought down King David. He was on the run. He was tired. His people were despaired about their plight. What better thing for Absalom to do than strike when the fire is hot. Indeed David was close to being crushed.

But isn’t that how things unfold for Christians many times. There are times when all seems lost. We are at the end of our rope. We think we can not carry on another day. We think that we are at our wits end, but our situation may be more dire than we think. Satan is prowling around like a roaring lion. (1 Peter 5:8) He is looking for someone to devour. That roaring lion may be right at our throats without us even knowing it. But God knows the situation and his arm is not too short to deliver. Remember: it is always darkest before the dawn.

I was thinking about Abraham. He was in the desert. Lot had chosen to leave him along with half the flocks and herds and the servants and go to live among the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. He was looking down on the ground. He was at the end of his rope and what did God do? God came to him to encourage him and grant him a promise. Genesis 15:1 reads, “After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” (ESV) The NIV states, “After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your very great reward.” (NIV)

God is there, when Satan is about to pounce and take hold of our jugular, God is there to intervene and plant his word and promise in our hearts. God intervened very positively when my family relationships were becoming broken. He parted the proverbial “Red Sea” and brought about deliverance.

Part 2: Hushai’s advice (5-14).

Verses 5-14, “5 Then Absalom said, “Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he has to say.” 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, “Thus has Ahithophel spoken; shall we do as he says? If not, you speak.” 7 Then Hushai said to Absalom, “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 8 Hushai said, “You know that your father and his men are mighty men, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the people. 9 Behold, even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits or in some other place. And as soon as some of the people fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, ‘There has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then even the valiant man, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and that those who are with him are valiant men. 11 But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beersheba, as the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person. 12 So we shall come upon him in some place where he is to be found, and we shall light upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and all the men with him not one will be left. 13 If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there.” 14 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 ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring harm upon Absalom.”

Absalom also sought the advice of Hushai, who had been planted there by David. Hushai risked his life and gave advice that would allow David to escape, regroup, and regain his strength. God intervened to frustrate the good advice Ahithophel had gven. Absalom and the people sided with Hushai, a decision that would bring disaster on Absalom.

Hushai served the Lord’s will and what the Lord had determined. People can have good advice or bad advice, but the Lord wills all things for his purpose. The plans of people that are opposed to his will only end in frustration.

That is why we must be in tune with what God is doing and get on board with the will of God. This is only possible through being sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We must be in the word and prayer and in godly counsel with other mature Christians. We can also pray that God may impart to us a spirit of discernment.

God is victorious in the end. He is the sovereign Lord. He is active in his creation. He is not some distant, uninvolved God. He is only a prayer, a thought an utterance away. Actually he is with us even when we are unaware of his presence. He will intervene. He will send his people at the right moment. We must have faith and ears to listen to godly advice. Maybe God has sent someone to you to give you kindly words of advice. Maybe you have been in a certain place and a certain time to tell someone to try again, or to walk away from a situation for a moment or to pray. We are not alone. God is living and he walks with us in this road of life. His people are also coming along side us.

Prayer: Lord, help me to trust your sovereign hand and know that you will come through in your own way.”

One Word: Trust the Lord in every situation.




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