Good morning. Second Samuel,
chapter 17, verse 14. And before I start, I'm going
to go turn that air conditioner on just a little bit. It's kind
of hot in here. Do you all think so? Yeah. It's super hot out. I didn't turn it on, so somebody's
already done it. 2 Samuel 17 verse 14. Let me read another verse first.
Turn to Psalm 10. Psalm 10. Verse four. The wicked, through
the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God. God
is not in all his thoughts. Now turn back to 2 Samuel 17,
verse 14. And Absalom and all the men of
Israel said, The council of Hushai, the Archite, is better than the
council of Ahithophel, for the Lord had appointed to defeat
the good council of Ahithophel to the intent that the Lord might
bring evil upon Absalom. Let's pray together. Lord, we come into your presence
in Christ's name and Lord, we're so thankful. For who you are. For your glory, for your power,
for your love, for your justice. Lord, we love all your glorious
attributes. And how thankful we are for the
gospel of God, blessed son. That saves such centers as we
Lord, we give thanks. And Lord, may you be our teacher
by your spirit. Exalt Christ in our midst. Forgive
us of our sins for his sake. Give us grace to love you more
and love one another more. In Christ's name we pray, amen. With the wicked, the scripture
says, God is not in all of his thoughts. We just read that from
the 10th Psalm. But to a believer, God is in
all his thoughts. And does that mean that a believer
is always thinking about God? Well, if it means that, nobody
here is a believer. How many times have you gone
to bed at night and thought, I haven't thought about the Lord
all day? I haven't even thought about him. Well, that's bad, but it's the
way it is. We're flesh. But God is in all of our thoughts
in this sense. This is God's world. We live
in it, but it's God's world. And He is in control of everything
and everybody. And we acknowledge that. And
we're thankful it's that way, aren't we? God reigns. God rules. God is in control. Now, we have a beautiful illustration
of that in the story of Ahithophel and Hushai. But let me read some
scriptures from Proverbs first. Would you turn with me to Proverbs
chapter 19? Verse 21. There are many devices in a man's
heart, many plans, many plans, many purposes. Nevertheless, the counsel of
the Lord that shall stand. Look in Proverbs chapter 20,
verse 24. Man's goings, everything he does
are of the Lord. How can a man then understand
his own way? Proverbs 16. The preparations of the heart
in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Verse nine, a man's heart devises
his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Verse 33, the lot
is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of
the Lord. One other scripture turned to
Isaiah chapter 14. Isaiah chapter 14. Verse 24, the Lord of hosts hath
sworn saying, surely as I thought, so shall it come to pass as I
have purposed So shall it stand, that I break the Assyrian in
my land, and upon my mountains tread him underfoot. Then shall
the yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off
their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed
upon the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched
out upon all nations. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed,
and who shall disannoy it? And his hand is stretched out,
and who shall turn it back?" Isn't that wonderful? I mean, everything that happens,
everything that's going on in my life, in your life, in government,
in whatever it is, the Lord is in absolute control of everything. And we love it that way. You
know, if we believe this all the time, we'd never worry. We'd
never be unhappy. We just rejoice in who He is
and what He has done. Now that story is seen so clear
in the story of Hushai and Ahithophel. The end had already been determined.
Look in verse 14 once again. And Absalom and all the men of
Israel said, the counsel of Hushah, the Archite, is better than the
counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to
defeat the good counsel of Ahithohel to the intent that the Lord might
bring evil upon Absalom. The Lord had already determined
what he was going to do. So that is the end of the story.
But let's go back to chapter 15 for a moment. Verse 31, and one told David,
saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Now
let me remind you who Ahithophel was. He was Bathsheba's grandfather. He's the great type of Judas. The Lord used a scripture about
Ahithophel as speaking of Judas and Judas's appointed end. I think of him as, if I was Bathsheba's
grandfather, I'd be mad at David too. Look what David did to Bathsheba.
Look what he did to Uriah the Hittite. Look at all the sinful,
wicked things that David himself was guilty of. And you put yourself,
if David did that to your grandchild or your child, how would you
react? I hope you'd forgive. Ahithophel's son forgave because
he's listed in the mighty men of David. But Ahithophel just
remained bitter against David. He just couldn't get this out
of his mind. And he joined up with Absalom
because he was angry with David. And look what David prayed. And
one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators and
Absalom. Remember, this was David's friend. This was David's companion. This was David's counselor. But
now he's turned against David. And David said, O Lord, I pray
thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Now, once again,
here's something we can pray. You think you're in trouble?
Lord, turn their counsel into foolishness. Turn it around.
David didn't know what the Lord's will was at this time. He didn't
know that the Lord had already determined to defeat Absalom. But here he is praying, Lord,
turn his counsel around. And that is so encouraging to
me to know that I'm allowed to pray when I see a mess that I've
made. David knew this was all his fault,
ultimately. He was under the chasing hand
of the Lord. But yet he's allowed to pray, Lord, turn this around,
turn his counsel into foolishness. He didn't know what the Lord's
purpose was, but that's the way he prayed. So let's go on reading,
verse 32. And it came to pass that when
David was come to the top of Mount, where he worshipped God. Behold, Hushai, the archite,
came to meet him with his coat, rent, and earth upon his head.
And he loved David, unto whom David said, if thou pass this
on with me, then thou shall be a burden unto me. Remember, this
is at the time they're fleeing from Absalom. But if thou return
to the city and say unto Absalom, I'll be thy servant, O king,
as I've been thy father's servant hitherto. So will I now also
be thy servant. Then mayest thou for me defeat
the council of Ahithophel." Now, he's asking his friend to be
a spy. Like I said a few weeks ago, this is espionage. He's
actually asking him to come in, be a spy, and bring him back
the intelligence. Now, somebody may think, shouldn't
you just wait on the Lord to answer prayer? Yeah. Yeah. I wouldn't deny that in any way,
but this is what David did. Was David wrong in doing it?
I don't know. I don't know. I wish I could
answer that question, but he asked the Lord to turn things
around. Then it almost seems like he took things into his
own hands and sent him in there to be a spy and bring him back
the information. Now, was David wrong? I'll say
again, I don't know. I don't know. You can come up
with your own answer on that. But how many times have you prayed
about something and taken things into your own hand after that?
Quite a few, I would say. Well, David's the same. He's
like me and you. So let's go on reading. Verse 35. and hast
thou not there with the Zadok and Abiathar, the priests? Therefore
it shall be that when what thing soever thou shalt hear out of
the king's house, thou shalt tell to Zadok and Abiathar, the
priests. Behold, they have there with
them their two sons, Ahimaz, Zadok's son, and Jonathan, Abathar's
son. And by them you shall send unto
me everything that you can hear. So Hushai, David's friend, came
into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem." So now David
has a spy. in the camp. Now, look over in
chapter 16, verse 15. And Absalom and all the people,
the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem and to Hithophel with him. And
it came to pass when Hushai, the Archite, David's friend,
was coming to Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the
king! God save the king! I kind of
wonder whether he was talking about David rather than Absalom
at that time. I kind of think he was. He didn't
give the name. He just said, God save the king.
And Absalom said to Hushai, is this thy kindness to thy friend?
Why wouldst thou not with thy friend? Now, he was obviously
suspicious of Hushai. I thought you were my father's
friend. Now look at the way you're acting. He was suspicious. Is
this the way you're Treat your friends and look at Hushai's
answer, verse 18. And Hushai said in Diablosal,
Nay, but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel
choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. And again,
whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence
of his son? As I've served in thy father's presence, so will
I be in thy presence. Now, Hushai is telling a big
lie at this time. He's a spy. He's telling a big
lie. I don't know what else to say
about it in this life. I mean, it's just the way things
work. Uh, doesn't make a lie, right? I realize that, but that's
what he's doing. He's acting as a spy and he's saying, I'm
going to serve you. Verse 20, then said Absalom to
Ahithophel, give counsel among you, what we shall do. Now look
down at verse 23. And the counsel of Ahithophel,
which he counseled in those days, was as if a man had inquired
the oracle of God. So was all the counsel of Ahithophel,
both with David and with Absalom. He used to be David's counselor.
Now he's Absalom's. And this is the way men looked
at him. Whatever he said was equal with the word of God. It
was so sure he would give good counsel. They were just sure
of that. So Absalom asks Ahithophel for his counsel. Verse 21, and
Ahithophel said unto Absalom, go in unto thy father's concubines,
which he hath left to keep the house, and all Israel shall hear
that thou art abhorred of thy father. Then shall the hands
of all that are with thee be strong. Now, do you remember
2 Samuel 12? Ahithophel knew about this. Verse
11, this is what Nathan the prophet says to David. Thus saith the
Lord, Behold, I raise up evil against thee out of thine own
house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes and give them
unto thy neighbor, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight
of this sun. For thou didst it secretly, but
I will do this thing before all Israel and before the sun. Hithophel
knew this. He knew God had said this, so
he tells Absalom, this is what you need to do. He knew this
was going to happen anyway because God had said it. So as far as
that goes, he's giving good counsel because he knows that this is
what's going to take place. It's evil. It's the ultimate act of
contempt. Go into your father's wives and
rape them is what that is. And that's what he did. Look
in verse 22. So they spread Absalom, a tent, upon the top of the house.
And Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight
of all Israel, the ultimate act of contempt for his father. And
the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counseled in those days, was
as if a man had inquired of the oracle of God. So was all the
counsel of Ahithophel, both with David and with Absalom. Moreover,
chapter 17, Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out
12,000 men and I will arise and pursue after
David this night. We're going to take care of this
tonight. And I'll come upon him while he's weary and weak-handed,
and will make him afraid. And all the people that are with
him shall flee, and I'll smite the king only. I myself will
kill David, and I'll bring back all the people unto thee. The
men whom thou seekest is as if all returned, so that the people
shall be in peace. And the same pleased Absalom
well. And he said, and all the elders of Israel. He was, this
sounds like a really good plan. Take 12,000 men and go and kill
David only and bring back all the people under me. Verse five. Then said Absalom, call now Hushai
the Archite also and let us hear likewise what he saith. Now where'd
that come from? That almost doesn't seem right.
I mean, Ahithophel's the one you ask counsel for, but all
of a sudden, for some reason, Absalom wants to ask Hushai what
his thoughts are about this. Now why is that? Because the
Lord put it in his heart. The king's heart is in the hand
of the Lord. As the rivers of water, he turneth
it, whithersoever he will. God put that in his heart. I mean, it seems almost unnatural.
Why would he ask Hushai? But all of a sudden he wants
Hushai's opinion. What do you think about this?
Verse Six, 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. He told Hushai Ahithophel's plan. Verse seven, and Hushai said
unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not
good at this time. Four, saith 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."
Now he plays on Absalom's fear of David. You know your father
is a mighty man of war. God has used him miraculously.
He killed a lion and a bear with his bare hands. He's the one
who killed Goliath. He is a mighty man of war, and
those men that are with him are mighty men. Now, Absalom starts
remembering who his daddy is, and he starts getting scared.
He starts getting scared. He thinks, Let's go on reading. Verse 9, Behold, he is hid now
in some pit or in some other place, and will come to pass
when some of them be overthrown, when he destroys some of those
people. At the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is
a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. 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. Now here he is saying, Your dad is a mighty man. I don't
care if you do bring 12,000. They'll all faint in fear. They're scared to death of him.
They remember how the Lord has used him. Now he's playing on
Absalom's fear and it works. It works. Let's go on reading. Here's Hushai's counsel. Therefore
I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee,
from Dan even to Beersheba. Now he talks about numbers now. 12,000 men won't get it. We're
gonna get everybody in Israel involved in this. Every mighty
man of valor, they're all going to be working. Verse 12, so shall
we come upon him, and therefore I counsel, verse 11, therefore
I counsel thee 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 into battle in thine own person. Now,
remember, Hithophel said, I'll take care of this. And Hushai
says, now you go in your own person, you're gonna get the
glory of it. We're gonna get all Israel involved in this.
We're gonna have more numbers. Now, I think this is interesting.
He uses what always works. fear of what you might lose,
and hope for what you might gain. Now, if you only have 12,000
men, your father's a mighty man of valor. But look, if you do
it this way, you're going to have all Israel behind you, you're
going to do it in your own person, and you're going to get the glory.
Hushai knows human nature, and he knows exactly what to play
with this fellow. And it worked. Verse 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. Moreover, if he be gotten into
a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and
we'll draw it into the river until there be not one stone
found there." Now you think about that. He's talking about having
hundreds of thousands of men with ropes. If he hides in a
city, we'll put ropes around it, drag it into the water, kill
them, and drown them all. Verse 14, And Absalom and all
the men of Israel said, the council of Hushai, the archite, is better
than the council of Ahithophel. Now actually, Ahithophel's council
was much better. But the Lord moved him to ask
Hushai, and this happened for, I love this, for the Lord had
appointed to defeat the good council. See, it's called good
counsel. It would have worked if he would
have done it. The Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of
Ahithophel to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon
Absalom. Verse 15. Then said Hushai unto
Zadok and Abathaiar of the priests, remember he's a spy, thus and
thus did Hithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and
thus and thus have I counseled. Now he'd really bought David
some time, because Hithphel was going to do this that very night.
Now therefore see him quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge
not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily
pass over. Let the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are
with him. Now Jonathan and Amias stayed in Rogel, for they might
not be seen to come into the city. And a wench, a maidservant,
went and told them, and they went and told King David. Nevertheless,
this is all God's providence working everything out. Nevertheless,
Elad saw them and told Absalom that they went both of them away
quickly and came to a man's house in Behurim, which had a well
and a squirt, whither they went. And the woman took a covering
over the well's mouth and spread ground cord thereon, and the
thing was not known. She hid these two men. And when Absalom's
servants came to the woman, to the house, they said, where is
Amihaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them,
they be gone over the brook of water. And once again, she lied,
getting them out of trouble. And when they had sought and
could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. And it came to
pass. I love that phrase, it came to
pass. God purposed it, it came to pass. 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 counseled
against you. 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 gone over Jordan. And when Ahithophel saw that
his counsel was not followed, Now this man's entire well-being
was seen in, I'm the one everybody listens to. Now how did he react
when he saw he didn't have what he so greatly prized? And when
Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled
his ass, arose, and got 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." He did just what
Judas did, as the great type of Judas. But what I was thinking
about this, here's a man who his entire well-being was on
his self-image as a counselor. Everybody respected him. Everybody
loved him. Everybody had a high opinion
of his counsel. And when he saw that that wasn't
followed, he became so embittered and disillusioned with everything
that he went out and killed himself. What a blessing it is to have
all your well-being and all your self-image as what you are in
Christ Jesus. Isn't that a wonderful place
to be? In Christ. In Christ. My sense
of well-being is simply being in Christ. Being found in Him.
Having His righteousness as my personal righteousness before
God. Having all my sins blotted out and forgiven. Having God
being pleased with me for Christ's sake. Now that's where a believer's
self-image is. My self-image isn't in being
a preacher or being anything else. It's being in Christ. And
what joy there is simply to be in Christ. Then David came to Mahanim, and
Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with
him." Verse 25, "'And Absalom made Amazah captain of the host
instead of Joab, which Amazel was a man's son, whose name was
Ithraer in the Israelite, that went to Abigail, the daughter
of Nahash, sister to Zeuriah, Joab's mother. So Israel and
Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead, and it came to pass.'"
There's another, I love these, it came to pass. God purposed
this. And it came to pass when David was come to Manahem, and
Shobot the son of Naash, of Rabah, of the children of Ammon, and
Makar the son of Amelior, of Lodabar, and Barzareleg the Gilead
of Rogiem, brought here. David and his men are out in
the wilderness, and God moved these men to bring beds, and
basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour,
and parts corn, and beans, and lentils, and parts pulse, and
honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kind for David,
and for the people that were with him to eat. For they say
the people is hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness. And the Lord is taking care of
David even then. Now, God rules. And He does everything He does
for His own glory and for the good of His people. Now He's
raised up Absalom to chasten David, because whom the Lord
loveth He chasteneth. But nothing's going to prosper
against David. You know why? Because God's for
David. And God's for every believer.
And if God be for us, who can be against us? Nobody and no thing. And we see this so beautifully
in the life of David. Okay, we'll pick up in chapter
18 next week.