Year 1, Week 39, Day 3 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 39, Day 3

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 2 Samuel 17-18.

Today’s reading continues with the record of Absalom's attempted coup against the king, his own father David. 2 Samuel 17 and 18 notes the turning point in Absalom’s efforts. 2 Samuel 17 describes Hushai’s counsel to Absalom as well as his alerts to David. The result of Hushai’s efforts were a weakening of Absalom’s strategies and a strengthening of David’s position. Ahithophel, seeing the tide turning in the outcome of the struggle between Absalom and David, takes his own life, probably to keep from having to face the consequence of turning against David. 2 Samuel 18 describes the death of Absalom. Despite the orders from David to not harm Absalom, Joab handles matters with Absalom in his own way: “Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. And ten young men, Joab’s armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him” (2 Samuel 18:14-15). The coup is over; Absalom is thrown into a pit: “Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked” (Psalm 94:12-13). David has been disciplined while Absalom has been judged.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is the certainty of God’s plans being worked out in secretive ways: “The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:10-11). Ahithophel’s counsel to Absalom was brilliant: “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight. 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, 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” (2 Samuel 17:1b-3). Ahithophel advises Absalom to strike David hard and fast. David would quickly be eliminated and the coup would succeed. Ahithophel knew how to advise: “Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom” (2 Samuel 16:23). Everyone sensed that Ahithophel’s strategy was brilliant.

But Ahithophel’s brilliant plan was not immediately acted upon. Absalom turned to Hushai for his counsel. Hushai had a different viewpoint: “This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.” 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” (2 Samuel 17:7-9). Hushai, countering Ahithophel’s plan, offered a delayed response. Hushai did not have the best plan but he know how to get to Absalom by first of all appealing to Absalom’s vanity as the leader of the armed forces: “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” (2 Samuel 17:11); but secondly, by appealing to Absalom desire for vengeance: “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. 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” (2 Samuel 17:12-13). Ahithophel knew how to develop a successful plan, but Hushai knew how to persuade Absalom: “And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel” (2 Samuel 17:14a). But there is more at work than simply Hushai’s ability to persuade.

The LORD was at work determining the outcome of which plan would be embraced: “For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom” (2 Samuel 17:14b). The LORD had already ordained the outcome to Absalom’s rebellion against his father. But nobody in this narrative actually knows what we have just been told. Absalom and his men are just aware of the need to discern which military strategy would be most effective in taking care of David. But they do not know the hidden secret that we, the readers, have been shown. Why would the plot against David about to go to pot? Because God has ordained that it would.

Hushai did not even know what we now know. The challenge of not being privy to the secret things of God is that we cannot sit passively and wait for whatever will come to pass. We must act thoughtfully and wisely and lovingly. Hushai dispatched word to David so that David could take action: “Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, “Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and so have I counseled. Now therefore send quickly and tell David, ‘Do not stay tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means pass over, lest the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up’” (2 Samuel 17:15-16). Hushai acted in a manner that would protect David; all the while, not fully knowing the plans that the LORD had for protecting David.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe