II SAMUEL 15:6, 12 – “AND ON THIS MANNER DID ABSALOM TO ALL ISRAEL WHO CAME TO THE KING FOR JUDGMENT: SO ABSALOM STOLE THE HEARTS OF THE MEN OF ISRAEL.

“AND ABSALOM SENT FOR AHITHOPHEL THE GILONITE, DAVID’S COUNSELLOR, FROM HIS CITY, EVEN FROM GILOH, WHILE HE OFFERED SACRIFICES. AND THE CONSPIRACY WAS STRONG; FOR THE PEOPLE INCREASED CONTINUALLY WITH ABSALOM.”

The pattern is:

1. (Vs. 1) Concerning the chariots and horses and the fifty men running before him, this was the accompaniment of royalty. In other words, Absalom was preparing the way for his revolt.

2. (Vs. 2) Most business dealings and judicial renderings were normally done at the gate of the city, with buildings constructed there for just such a purpose.

3. (Vs. 6) Absalom easily deceived people by a profession of devotion to them, and as easily deceived his father by a profession of devotion to God (15:8-9).

Because man has fallen from God’s Moral Image he can, therefore, readily deceive and be deceived
(II Tim. 3:13). He deceived the people of Israel by flattery, which was altogether insincere! All too often, the Absalom spirit still prevails in the modern church. A deceitful heart projects such, and a deceitful mind accepts such.

4. Concerning the “forty years” of Verse 7, some have said that this is a copyist’s mistake, and it should have been rendered “four years.” However, others say that this was speaking of David, and not Absalom. David was about 16 years old when he was anointed king by Samuel (I Sam., Chpt. 16). Considering that he was now about 56 years old, this means that it was forty years since his anointing; either version could be true.

5. (Vs. 10) Absalom would now attempt to take the throne away from his father. But God had not called Absalom to the throne, but rather David.

6. (Vs. 12) Ahithophel was Bath-sheba’s grandfather. He was one of the wisest men in Israel, but evidently showed little wisdom here. He should have known that if Absalom had truly been successful in becoming king, that Bath-sheba and all her sons would be killed. However, most probably, Absalom had guaranteed their safety.

7. (Vs. 12) Israel was, at this present time, the most prosperous Nation on the face of the Earth, and that prosperity was due to David; however, Israel evidently didn’t see that, and would now seek to throw David over. How so much like the modern church! It seeks to destroy that which is its Salvation, and accepts that which is its ruin.

Why?

The reason is the same now as then. “Flesh responds to flesh,” which means that most of the church is “walking after the flesh,” which refers to walking after their own wisdom, and not that of God (Rom. 8:1, 8).

ABSALOM’S REVOLT

The revolt of Absalom, David’s son, had to be the most bitter trial of his life. To face such as David did would have been awful from any quarter; however, to have his own son to lead this rebellion, to seek to kill him, to take the throne, which if he had succeeded, would have resulted in the ruin of Israel, were beyond comprehension. And all of it was because of what David did as it regarded Bath-sheba and her husband Uriah. David awakened with this every morning, and went to sleep with it every night. A weight, despite the Forgiveness of God, that seemed to be unbearable.

David wrote several Psalms at this time, which reveal the depth and greatness of these trials (Ps. 3, 41, 43, 51, 69, 109).

Verse 1 says, “Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.”  Carnal men and even a carnal church are easily swayed with pomp, pride, and ceremony. Absalom appealed to the carnal and not the Spiritual. At this time there seemed to be such little Spiritual Strength in Israel that they readily fell for the carnal. Regrettably, the church is little different presently.

As we’ve already stated, Absalom easily deceived the people by a profession of devotion to them and as easily deceived his father by a profession of devotion to God, all which were false.

When man fell in the Garden of Eden, he fell from a position of total God-consciousness, which throbbed with life, down to the far, far lower level of total self-consciousness; consequently, he can readily deceive and be deceived (II Tim. 3:13).

We see this web of deceit as Absalom subtly weaves it among the people: “Oh that I were made judge in the land.”  And then he would appeal to the one to whom he was speaking by “taking him, and kissing him” (Vss. 4-5).

THE ABSALOM SPIRIT

The latter portion of the Sixth Verse says, “So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”  The surprise was not that Absalom would attempt this thing, but rather that Israel was so Spiritually weak that they fell for this.

The reason they were so easily swayed and deceived is because they judged David not according to the Word of God, but according to outward appearances. In fact, he had committed terrible sin with Bath-sheba and, of course, by now the knowledge that he had effected the murder of Uriah was undoubtedly known throughout the Nation. Actually, the Psalmist said that David became the song of the drunkards (Ps. 69:12). Consequently, in Israel’s eyes they were justified in their decision; however, any decision that is the opposite of the Word of God can only bring ruin and wreckage.

The “Absalom spirit” now seeks to usurp authority over God. It will fail, but the damage will be great. Unfortunately, the “Absalom spirit” is rampant in the Work of God presently.

This spirit is comprised of any effort made by anyone to anoint themselves in the place of that which God has anointed. Unfortunately, the “Absalom spirit” is replete in most religious denominations because political maneuvering is the norm; therefore, the “Absalom spirit” rules.

GO IN PEACE?

The Ninth Verse says, “And the king said unto him, go in peace.”

If David had enquired of the Lord, he would not now be in this precarious position. Actually, there will be no peace. Rather, it will be war.

The dye is now cast for the rebellion to succeed. In the eyes of most it could not fail. Absalom had stolen the hearts of the men of Israel and, as well, he had, according to Verse 12, the advice, support, and counsel of “Ahithophel the Gilonite.”  This man was one of the wisest men in the world of his day. He had been David’s counselor. The Holy Spirit says of him, that he “was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God” (16:23).

AHITHOPHEL

Why would Ahithophel do such a thing? And we speak of turning against David. His position in the kingdom was because of David. His wealth, his honor, in fact, the Touch of God regarding wisdom on his life, was all because of David’s anointing.

No doubt, it was because Bath-sheba was his granddaughter (II Sam. 11:3; 23:34).

One can well imagine the hurt, the pain, the suffering, which Ahithophel faced as it regards what David did respecting his granddaughter, Bath-sheba and her husband Uriah. But still, as someone has well said, “Two wrongs don’t make one right.”

I think it is obvious, that Ahithophel seethed with anger and even hatred toward David as it regards what had been done. Admittedly, it would have taken the Presence of the Lord for this man to have overcome this situation, as it would for any man. But the path he chose, which was rebellion against God’s anointed, would lead to his death by suicide and, thereby, the loss of his eternal soul. 

WHAT SHOULD AHITHOPHEL HAVE DONE?

As wise as he was, he knew that God had chosen David to be the king of Israel. He also knew that the prosperity of Israel was all tied to David and, in fact, his own place and position. Israel was now one of the mightiest nations in the world of that day, and Ahithophel knew the reason for all of this. But he allowed personal anger, grief, and disappointment, in fact, acute disappointment to cause him to make a decision, which would be totally and diametrically opposed to the Way of God. As stated, he would suffer the loss of his soul because of his direction.

Knowing what he knew, he should have taken the thing to the Lord, asked for Mercy and Grace, and the Leading of the Holy Spirit as to what he should do, how he should act, the position he should take. To be sure, the Lord would not have told him to come against David, but rather, that he, despite his disappointment and sorrow, give David his unqualified support. Admittedly, it would not have been easy to have been done! Admittedly, he would have to have had the help of the Lord! But to be sure, the Lord most definitely would have given him that help had he only sought the Lord about the matter.

As well, quite possibly other than the situation with Bath-sheba, there may very well have been other problems of which we are given no information. Maybe David had not given him the recognition he thought he should have had, or the place and position that he thought he should have had, with one by one these grievances piling up until now he sees his opportunity, or rather that which he thinks is an opportunity, and he strikes. The results will be that the wisest man in the world of that day will lose his soul. Listen to Paul:

“For it is written (Isa. 29:14), I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent (speaks to those who are wise in their own eyes, in effect, having forsaken the Ways of the Lord).

“Where is the wise? (This presents the first of three classes of learned people who lived in that day.) where is the Scribe? (This pertained to the Jewish Theologians of that day.) where is the disputer of this world? (This speaks of the Greeks, who were seekers of mystical and metaphysical interpretations.) has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (This pertains to what God did in sending His Son to redeem humanity, which He did by the Cross. All the wisdom of the world couldn’t do this!)

“For after that in the Wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God (man’s puny wisdom, even the best he has to offer, cannot come to know God in any manner), it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching (preaching the Cross) to save them who believe.  (Paul is not dealing with the art of preaching here, but with what is preached)” (I Cor. 1:19-21).

Ahithophel turning against David, and, considering the place and position he held in the Kingdom, and considering his wisdom which was known all over the land, this, no doubt, persuaded untold thousands of Israelites to throw in their lot with Absalom.

Despite the terrible, personal loss which Ahithophel had suffered, he should have done his very best to have helped David climb out over the situation regarding Bath-sheba and her husband, Uriah. Had Ahithophel done this, more than likely Absalom would not have been able to garner enough support to have brought forth the rebellion. This would have saved the lives of untold thousands of people, and so much heartache and grief.

As wise as he was, could not he see the duplicity, the hypocrisy, the deception nurtured and fostered by Absalom?

Undoubtedly, he did see this deception, however, he overlooked it, simply because self-will blinded his own eyes to Spiritual reality.

Concerning this deception, even though, no doubt, Absalom had given him assurance that Bath-sheba and her sons (the great-grandsons of Ahithophel), would be spared upon him taking the throne, still, he should have known that this man could not be trusted. The truth is, had Absalom, God forbid, gained the throne, he would have killed every single pretender to the throne, including Bath-sheba, and including her sons, etc.

Self-will sees what one wants to see. It seldom sees reality, and if it does, it refuses to recognize it for what it is.

Despite the odds against him, David would not be overthrown, because it was not the Will of God for David to be overthrown, despite the terrible sins he had committed. God had not called Absalom, but rather David. He had not called Ahithophel, but rather David. In fact, every single position in Israel, all the Blessings, all and in their entirety, were because of the Anointing of the Holy Spirit on David’s life. Yes, what David did was abominable, hideous, horrible, in fact, it is difficult to find words to describe it; nevertheless, when God Calls someone, if they don’t quit, irrespective as to what happens, He won’t quit. The Scripture plainly says:

“For the Gifts and Calling of God are without Repentance (the Gifts and Calling of God are not subject to a change of Mind on God’s Part, for He will never change)” (Rom. 11:29).

The Lord had also said concerning Himself, “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man that He should repent: has He said, and shall He not do it? or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Num. 23:19). Let me say it again:

The only time that a Call upon a life is laid aside, is when the person quits believing, quits serving God, or refuses to repent, etc. As long as that person, whoever he or she might be, is trying his or her best to follow the Lord, the Call remains and will go forward. And anyone who tries to stop it, as Ahithophel, will, in effect, be committing Spiritual suicide.

(The above article was derived from the Jimmy Swaggart Bible Commentary, “I Samuel and II Samuel”, II Samuel, Chapter 15.)