Year One, September 30

The Lord Disciplines the One He Loves1

2 Samuel 15:29-37

29So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

30But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went. (This was a sad scene. The good king was fleeing from the rage of his own son. He was old, his heart was heavy, his head was covered, his feet were bare, his eyes were weeping. This much sorrow and distress is rarely seen. It is not at all surprising to see the people so touched and joining the king in his mourning. Little did David think, when he acted so wickedly with Bathsheba, that his sin would cost him so dearly.) 31And it was told David, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

David was grieving, but not to the point where he did not pray. He knew where his strength lay and did not fail to turn to his strong helper.

32While David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with coat torn and dirt on his head. (Perhaps the king stopped at the top of the hill, looked back toward the ark, and fell to the ground in worship. Just as he rose from his knees, he found that God had sent him a valuable helper in the person of Hushai.  His tactfulness would lead to the downfall of Ahithophel. When we honor God the most, he will be ready to help the most. David was glad to see Hushai, but thought he would be the most useful to his cause by returning to Jerusalem) 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. 34But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O King; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.”

No Christian can approve of this sort of trickery, even though it was highly admired in that society. We are sorry that David should fall into it. In this case, we must look at him as a warning, rather than as an example.

35“Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, and by them you shall send to me everything you hear.” 37So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

  

2 Samuel 17:22; 24; 27-29

David’s plan succeeded because, “The LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom.”2 Hushai sent his report by the two young priests. He urged the king to get further away from Absalom by crossing the Jordan River and retreating to the far eastern part of the country.

22Then David arose, and all the people who were with him, and they crossed the Jordan. By daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan. (Here was another sad march. It was a discouraging sight to see David and the people crossing the Jordan in the dead of night.)

24Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. (This wicked young prince hotly pursued his father and could not be content unless he could shed his blood. Yet this was a son of David! What bad sons may come of holy fathers!)

27When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim, 28brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans and lentils, 29honey and curds and sheep and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat, for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.” (In that way, strangers became the good man’s friends. They were like drops of sweetness in his cup of sorrow. The Lord never leaves his people completely. He may strike them, but he is always on their side. Never stop trusting him.)

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¹ Hebrews 12:6

² 2 Samuel 17:14