Good morning everyone. This morning we are in 2 Samuel chapter 17. This is a very dramatic chapter. It could be made into a movie. It would be full of conspiracy, murder plots,
um betrayal uh you know the thing that comes to mind for me i don't know how many of you seen not that gladiator movie that just came out but the kind of historic gladiator movie where there was an old man who was a king and his young son was taking over as king and you know he was just an evil younger son and not a good man whatsoever and
Everyone was afraid of him and everyone was actually looking to betray him and he had no friends that he could trust and yet he wanted to be the hero. He wanted everyone to see him as powerful and to be respected and yet, you know, they only respected him because of his power to destroy and to kill, but they really did not respect him as a person.
And this is what I see when I look at this chapter. You know, you could see that God overarching is working behind the scenes ultimately to defeat Absalom and to restore David.
But really, in this chapter, we see a lot of humanness, as I've mentioned, betrayal. And let's take it in. I think there's really two lessons that I'm thinking of right now. If you live by the sword, you die by the sword. And wickedness is going to eventually have
wickedness return to the one who's wicked. And, you know, may that, you know, speak to us, let's not get caught up in all this hatred and betrayal. You can't, you know, always trust just because you're a good man.
that everyone around you is going to treat you rightly. But I'd much rather go down being a noble good man than being a wicked man like this. And when you're wicked, no one's going to ultimately have their loyalty to you. They may pledge it, but it's really just false because they don't trust you because your countenance is wicked.
We have a lot of wicked people in this chapter. Let's take it in. Then aethopol. Now remember, he was one that gave counsel to David, but now is betrayed David in his giving counsel to Absalom. You might remember that was a relative of Bathsheba. Perhaps he had it in for David. So now he's giving counsel to Absalom. But in the previous chapter, he counseled Absalom to
go into David's concubines somehow to look powerful amidst Israel that he violated David's concubines. That was not godly advice. That's for sure. So a lot of wickedness. Please let me choose. Aethopel said 12,000 men that I may arise and pursue David tonight.
And I will come upon him while he was weary with his hands falling limp and throw him into utter fright so that all the people who are with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone. He really wants to kill King David. And, you know, he's, he's, he's, he's also realizes, I believe, aethopo, that is, that if he doesn't kill David, if David ever comes back, he's going to get killed. So it's, he's, he's wanting to make sure David gets killed in this.
And I will cause all the people to return to you. So he's pledging this loyalty to Absalom right now. And he says then, the return of everyone, meaning all of Israel who's with David depends on the man you seek, then all the people will be at peace. He's like, if you kill David, then the kingdom will be yours and people will be at peace. That's his advice. And the word was right in the eyes of Absalom and all the elders of Israel. So they thought, yeah, this is what should be done.
interesting here that Absalom calls for other advice. And I think Absalom has a little bit of heroism in him, meaning why does he want a Hethopul to take the glory of killing David? I think he wants to get the glory for killing David. So he says now, call now Hushai, the Arkite also, and let us hear what is also in his mouth. Now recall,
Hushai is the one that's with David, but specifically went back to Jerusalem to betray Absalom on behalf of David. And he pledged his loyalty to Absalom, but it was a lie, but he's doing it. You know, he's like a spy. He's like a David spy. So now Absalom is trusting him and saying, Hey, give me advice on what you think I should do.
But he's not, he's a spy. He's not really trying to give Absalom good advice. He's trying to give Absalom advice that will help David. So we have betrayal on both sides. Then Hushai came to Absalom and Absalom spoke to him saying, Aethopl has spoken thus. So he repeated to Hushai what Athahopl said that he should get 12,000 men and go kill David. And then he said, shall we carry out this word? So this is what Absalom wants to know from Hushai.
If not, you speak. In Hushai said to Absalom, the time, this time the Council of Ahithopul has counseled is not good. Now it actually may have been good counsel for Absalom to go get David killed, but it's not the council that God wants
Absalom to act upon because God doesn't want Absalom to remain king and he won't be much longer. He's going to get his life taken. And he's going to use Hushai's advice to help ensure that Absalom gets killed. So Absalom or Hushai is going to give him different advice now. Then Hushai said, you know your father and his men that they are mighty men.
and they are bitter of soul like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field and your father is a man of war and will not spend the night with the people behold he has now hidden himself in one of the caves or in another place and it will be when he falls on them at first attack that whoever hears it will say there has been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom and he's saying listen if you if you try to go attack David he's gonna defeat some of your people we're just gonna spread and
People are going to turn on you because your army is getting defeated by Absalom. So you better be careful to go attack David right now in the way that Aethopil has said. And even the one who is a man of valor whose all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and those who are with him are men of valor.
But I counsel that all Israel be utterly gathered to you from Dan even to Beersheba as a sand that is by the sea in abundance and that you personally go into battle. So Hushai is trying to get Absalom to go so that Absalom puts himself at risk and Absalom's
baited by this because he wants to be the hero. Kind of remember, if you've seen that Gladiator movie, that Sun King ends up going to fight Gladiator and ends up getting killed in fighting Gladiator. And he even knifed Gladiator and decided to weaken him before the battle. But basically he wanted to be heroic.
And that's what I think is tempting Absalom to take Hushai's advice so that he could be the hero in killing David. So we shall come to him in one of the places where he can be found and we will set down on him as the dew falls on the ground and of him and all the men who are with him, not even one will be left. If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel shall carry ropes to that city and we will drag it into the valley until not even a small stone is found there.
Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, the council of Hushai, the archive is better than the council of Athopo for Yahweh has ordained to thwart the good council of Athopo so that Yahweh may bring calamity on Absalom. So listen to that, that's interesting.
They all agreed, Israel now said, hey, you know what, who's shy? That sounds good, what he said. But what God is saying in that last verse, last half of verse 14 is really God was working. It says, for Yahweh has ordained to thwart the good counsel of the Hathopol. So basically in order for Absalom to be king, he should have sent, he should have let Hathopol go with 12,000 men and do it on his own.
That would have been good counsel for Absalom, but Yahweh is wanting to bring calamity on Absalom. So he allowed Absalom to trust in the spy advice from Hushai, so that Absalom goes and ultimately risks his life and ultimately will be killed in the next chapter. Then Hushai said to Zadok and Abiyatar the priest. Now remember, they also went back to Israel.
as priests and our spies as well on behalf of David. Everyone's betraying everyone here, but you know, these guys are Hushai Zadak and Ebayatar being loyal to David, but they're falsely showing loyalty to Absalom.
This is what aethopal council abslam and the elders. This is what who she is telling the priests. And this is what I have counseled. So now send quickly and inform David. So now they're going to send David in form and saying do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness by but by all means crossover. Less the king and all the people who are with him be swallowed up. Now, Jonathan and ahemas were staying at and rogal in a servant woman.
would go and inform them and they would go and inform King David, for they could not be seen entering the city. So these two, Jonathan and Amaz are ones that are being sent to inform David about what's going to happen. But a boy did see them. So a young lad sees Jonathan Amaz and that they're supporting David and this boy went and informed Absalom.
So the two of them went quickly and came to the house of a man in Beherum. So now they're on the run and they know that Absalom's after them because they are going to inform David of what Absalom's up to. And there was a man in Burum
who had a well in his courtyard and they went down into it. So they're hiding in a well because now their lives are at risk. I mean, everyone, everyone in this entire situation, their life is at risk. And depending upon which way this would go, whether David would win or Absalom would limb, if your loyalty was with the wrong camp, you could easily be killed at any time for any of this. So they're all
They're all scared for their lives. It's a big conspirator kind of thing. And the woman took a covering and spread it over the well's mouth and scattered crushed grain on it so that nothing was known. Now this woman's actually taking her life in her hands because if Absalom
team finds out that she's hiding these people, she could be killed. Then Absalom servants came to the woman at the house and said, where are Imaz and Jonathan? So she's being questioned now. And the woman said to them, they have crossed over the Brook of water. And when they searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem. So now
She's lying to protect these spies, but she's doing it on behalf of David. You know, so I mean, I guess sometimes, you know, in a situation such as this, you know, maybe you got to do what you got to do in order to save David. But anyways, this is all
highly dramatic. Now, it happened after they went away that they came up out of the well and went and informed King David and they said that David arise and cross over the water quickly. For thus, Edithopel has counseled against you. Then David and all the people who are with him arose and crossed the Jordan and by dawn, not even one remain that had not crossed the Jordan. Now, Edithopel saw that his counsel was not filed. Remember, he was the one who said, let me take 12,000 men and I'll go kill David.
Absalom didn't trust his counsel anymore and took Hushai's counsel instead. So I think he thinks his life is at risk. Meaning either Absalom doesn't trust him anymore. And if David wins, then David's probably going to take Ehathopo's life.
So basically at Hethopil now is like, I'm screwed. He's in a panic. So not Hethopil saw that his counsel was not followed. So he saddled his donkey and rose and went to his home to his city. And he set his house in order and strangled himself. Thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father. Wow. So he, he, he kills himself in the angst of all of this. And
You know, sadly, I think he likely had revenge on his heart all along against David because of Bathsheba. And essentially his lack of forgiveness and wanting to take vengeance on David ends up killing him, you know, uh, he had murder on his mind. And instead he was the one that ends up being killed. Now David came to Mahanem and Absalom crossed the Jordan. He and all the men of Israel with him.
And Absalom set Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Joab was continuing at this point to be loyal to David. Now, Amasa was the son of a man whose name was Ithra, the Israelite, and who went into Abigail, the daughter of Nahash, sister of Zariah, Joab's mother, and Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. So Absalom, you might remember now, he took the advice of Hushai, and he's going out to try to kill David.
Now it happened that when David had come to Mahanaim, Shobai, the son of Nahash from Raba, and the sons of Ammon, Makr, the son of Emile, and Lo De Bar, and Brazilai, the Gileadite from Rogolim, brought beds, basins, pottery wheat, barley flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, roasted seeds, honey curd, sheep, and cheese of the herd for David, and for the people who were with him to eat, for they said,
the people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness. And you know, I think a lot of people really highly respected David. He's done a lot of good for Israel. He's not been perfect, but he has had a man after God's own heart. And this is a second time now that people have come to him with all kinds of food to supply for his needs. And
You know, this is what when you are a godly good man, you're much more likely to have people pledge their loyalty to you in a good way. And that's what's happening here with David. And he needed these supplies. And I mean, he's about to go to battle potentially with
Absalom, and if his army is not well fed and nourished, how successful are they going to be if they're famished? So people are supporting David in his journey, and I think that's quite remarkable. Well, that's how the chapter ends.
But man, it's the best way I can describe it. It just reminds me of a movie, but only this is real life, and it's filled with murder, conspiracy, revenge, betrayal. These are people, and this is what people, when they are filled with evil, do. And it's the sad state of people. Here we have, what do we have? We have a son, betraying his father,
and looking to kill him. What a sad state of affairs this is. And you know what? If you live by the sword, you're going to die by the sword and Absalom's going to get what he's got coming for his evil. David's not going to want to see him be killed, but ultimately that is what God is going to do because Absalom's up to wickedness. May we not be people like that. You know, I tell you what, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment,
pride. When those things are allowed to take root in your life, they can tear your life apart and turn your life upside down and get you to do things that you really shouldn't do. Instead, we need to deal with our issues. We need to love, forgive,
not hold on to bitterness and resentment, but look towards restoration and forgiveness and give grace. And that's healing for our soul. And unfortunately, a lot of the people involved here are so filled with bitterness, pride, ego, like Absalom, like Edith Opal, that it's not going to turn out well for them.
Yet David's been on the run and he's not been looking to take revenge and he's trusting himself to God's care and God's going to take care of him here. May we partner with God, may we trust our lives to God, may we get our thinking and our forgiveness and our grace
in alignment with God as well because bitterness, unforgiveness, betrayal, hatred, all those things will only lead to our destruction. May we learn what not to do from some of the men of this chapter. God bless you all.
