DAVID AND AHITHOPHEL
DAVID AND AHITHOPHEL
•
David was the king of all Israel (2 Samuel 5:3).
•
David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then had her husband murdered (2 Samuel 11:2- 17).
•
David repented of his sins (Psalm 51). David was forgiven!
•
David ruled over Israel for 40 years, rested with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David (1 Kings 2:10-11).
•
David is remembered as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).
•
Ahithophel was David’s counselor (1 Chronicles 27:33).
•
Ahithophel betrayed David and joined in rebellion with Absalom (2 Samuel 15:12).
•
Ahithophel recommended that Absalom commit adultery with David’s concubines (2 Samuel 16:21).
•
Ahithophel recommended that Absalom take 12,000 men and murder David (2 Samuel 17:1-3). •
When Ahithophel’s advice was rejected he hanged himself and died (2 Samuel 17:23).
Jesus once told a parable for the benefit of some who were confident in their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else. Jesus said: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)
Did Ahithophel consider himself righteous and look down on David? Perhaps he did! One thing for certain: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
WAS AHITHOPHEL RELATED TO BATHSHEBA?
•
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite was listed among David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:34). •
2 Samuel 11:3 states that Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.
•
Uriah the Hittite was also listed as one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:39).
•
If Eliam the son of Ahithophel was the same Eliam whose daughter was Bathsheba, then Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather.
•
If this is true it would help to explain Ahithophel’s rebellion against David.
DO NOT BE IGNORANT OF SATAN’S SCHEMES
Satan is not God! He is not all powerful! He does not know the future! He cannot be everywhere at the same time! Yet Satan is a supernatural and formidable opponent. He certainly was a powerful influence on Ahithophel. Paul warned that we should not be unaware of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11). Paul also warned the Corinthians: “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I
am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-3)
Eve was a perfect woman in a perfect environment and yet she was deceived by the serpent’s cunning. Adam was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14) and yet he also sinned. In fact, by this one man sin entered into the world and death by sin (Romans 5:12). We must never underestimate Satan!
Consider the way that Satan deceived king Solomon. God specifically forbade the king of Israel to do three things. (See Deuteronomy 17:16-17)
•
The king was not to acquire great numbers of horses.
•
The king was not to have many wives.
•
The king was not to accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.
•
Yet king Solomon had 4,000 stalls and 12,000 horses (1 Kings 4:26).
•
King Solomon also had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).
•
King Solomon also amassed silver and gold for himself and the treasure of kings and provinces (Ecclesiastes 2:8).
•
Ahithophel was apparently unaware of Satan’s schemes! •
Eve was unaware of Satan’s schemes.
•
Solomon was unaware of Satan’s schemes.
•
Certainly we should not be unaware of Satan’s schemes!
AHITHOPHEL AND JUDAS
Ahithophel hanged himself (2 Samuel 17:23). Judas also hanged himself (Matthew 27:5). Both were deceived by Satan’s schemes! We are to be careful how we walk and we are to be wise instead of foolish (Eph. 5:15). The word translated as “carefully” in this verse is “akribos”. We get our word “acrobat” from this word. An “acrobat” must be “careful” and “diligent.” So do we! Every day we must be careful to do the will of God, and not our own will. Both Ahithophel and Judas were not careful. They foolishly decided to do their own will and not the will of God. We cannot do what we want to with our body, for our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We are not our own for we have been bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20). Job’s wife told him to curse God and die (Job 2:9). Job could not do this because he correctly decided to do only what God wanted him to do. The Bible tells us that Job was “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” (Job. 1:8). Job was so committed to God, that even if God killed him, Job would still trust him (Job. 13:15). Regardless of what his wife said, Job would never take his own life for he only did what God wanted him to do! If we only do what God wants us to do we will not take our own lives either!
Remember! It is Satan himself who wants to sit upon the throne of God and make his own decisions. The Lord said about Satan: “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.” (Is. 14:12-15) Satan does not surrender to the will of God and neither did Ahithophel and neither did Judas!
Jesus, by contrast, completely submitted to God and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42)
It is significant that immediately after this prayer “An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.” (Luke 22:43)
It is also significant that an angel also stopped destroying Israel when David surrendered to the will of God (1 Chron. 21:14-30).
If Athithophel and Judas had wanted to do the will of God an angel from heaven would also have strengthened them. “Are not angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14) David inherited salvation, but apparently Ahithophel and Judas did not!
YOU CAN’T FOOL GOD
When the brothers of David were rejected as king, Samuel explained: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7). This is also why king Saul was rejected as king. Saul foolishly disobeyed the commandment of God and did what he wanted to do. “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” (1 Samuel 13:13-14)
Jesus also had the ability to look inside of a man’s heart and know exactly what he was thinking. John explained: “But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man’s testimony about man, for he knew what was in man.” (John 2:24-25)
Judas, for example, fooled the other apostles, but he did not fool Jesus. Jesus fed the 5,000 a year before Judas betrayed Jesus. At that time Jesus said: “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil? (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the twelve, was later to betray him.” (John 6:70-71) Jesus knew for many months that Judas was going to betray him.
•
When Mary anointed Jesus with perfume: “Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used it to help himself to what was put in it.” (John 12:4-6)
•
The following happened at the Last Supper. “After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.’ His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, ‘It is the one whom I will give his piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping
the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, ‘What you are about to do, do quickly.’ But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.” (John 13:21-30)
•
The Father has made Jesus the judge of everyone. “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.” (John 5:22-23)
•
Jesus is a perfect Judge. He will not make a mistake. He knows exactly what everyone is thinking! No one can fool Jesus!
THE RICH YOUNG RULER
The story of the rich young ruler is found three times in the Bible – Matt. 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 18:18-30. The story is important for it reveals how Jesus correctly diagnosed this man’s spiritual problem. Here is the story as recorded in the Gospel of Mark: “And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.” (Mark 10:17-31 KJV)
- Jesus correctly understood that this rich young ruler was trusting in his riches!
•
Riches were not his problem. His problem was trusting in his riches! There is nothing wrong with wealth for it is God who gives you the ability to produce wealth (Deut. 8:18).
- The blessings of the Lord bring wealth (Prov. 10:22).
- Riches and honor come from God (1 Chron. 29:12).
- Job was rich (Job 1:3)
- Abraham was rich (Gen. 13:2).
- Solomon was rich (Eccl. 2:8).
- Ephraim was very rich (Hosea 12:8).
- Joseph of Arimathea was rich (Matt. 27:57).
- There is nothing wrong with being rich, but there is something wrong in trusting in your riches!
THE RICH YOUNG RULER’S PROBLEM WAS TRUSTING IN RICHES
•
Paul told Timothy: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” (1 Tim. 6:17-19) Riches are uncertain, but God is not!
•
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matt. 6:24) The rich young ruler needed to worship God and not his money!
•
Jesus looked into the rich young ruler’s heart and discerned that money had become his god! Covetousness is idolatry (Col. 3:5) and Jesus told the rich man to get rid of his money because, like an idol, it had become his god! Jesus does not tell everyone to get rid of their riches for everyone does not worship riches!
•
Mary, the mother of John Mark, was rich. She owned a large house and also had a servant girl (Acts 12:12-13). Many were meeting in her home praying. Many believe that Jesus and his apostles ate the last supper in her home. It is also possible that Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection in Mary’s home (Jn. 20:19-31). It is also possible that this same upper room was where 120 disciples met waiting for the Holy Spirit to come (Acts 1:14). Others sold their possessions and goods (Acts 2:45), but Mary didn’t have to sell her house because it was already totally dedicated to God.
- It is wrong to store up riches for yourself if you are not rich toward God (Lk. 12:21).
GOOD NEWS OR BAD
The Scriptures teach: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Heb. 13:5-6) We are to worship God, and not money! Jesus promised to be with us always and never to leave us or forsake us! Do you consider the fact that Jesus is always with us to be “good news”?
Lois Blanchard Eades wrote a poem titled – If Jesus Came to Your House. In the poem she ponders the question of whether we would want Jesus to always stay in our home, or whether we would be glad to see him go. If Jesus was in your house would it change the way you talked with the members of your family? If Jesus was in your house would you listen to the same music and watch the same programs on TV? If Jesus was in your house would you want him to meet your closest friends? If Jesus was in your house would you want to take him with you everywhere you went? Would you be glad for Jesus to stay with you forever, or would you be relieved when he left?
The answer to this question depends upon what you want! If you truly want to do the will of God, you will be happy to have Jesus stay with you forever. If you want to do your own will, however, you will be glad to see him go!
David wrote: “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” (Ps. 27:4)
Ahithophel could have joined David in the house of the Lord, but he didn’t want to! He didn’t want God to interfere in his plans. If Ahithophel had repented and turned to God, he could also have been described as a man after God’s own heart. Instead, he foolishly chose to do his own will and went out and hanged himself.
Peter denied the Lord three times, but he repented. Instead of giving up and hanging himself, Peter went back to the upper room to be with the other apostles. Peter did the right thing! Every time the 12 apostles are mentioned Peter is mentioned first. Judas, by contrast, tried to handle his problems by himself. He could have stayed with the other apostles and seen the resurrected Christ like Thomas and all the others. He chose instead to do his own will and hang himself. Every time the 12 apostles are listed, Judas is mentioned last. Sadly, it would have been better for Judas if he had never been born (Matt. 26:24).
THE CHOICE IS YOURS!
YOU CAN BE LIKE DAVID, OR YOU CAN BE LIKE AHITHOPHEL!
PLEASE DON’T MAKE JESUS SUFFER ANYMORE!
HE HAS SUFFERED ENOUGH ALREADY!