Courtroom drama makes good television or novels. Lawyers proposing different approaches to determining the case, the judge (or jury) determining the outcome. Who knows how the case will go? Ultimately, the true decider – the writer of the drama.
Two duelling counsel line up in this passage too, to try and convince Absalom the self-appointed king of the best approach for the way forward. Absalom to decide between them. But really, the ultimate decider is the author of the drama of Scripture – God. In this passage, we are reminded of God’s control over all things, and how the sceptre will not pass from his anointed king, even when things seem desperate.
At the end of chapter 16, David had fled Jerusalem and crossed exhausted, with his followers, the River Jordan. Absalom had entered Jerusalem and followed Ahithophel’s advice, which was considered “as if one consulted the word of God” (v.23).
The high esteem in which Ahithophel’s counsel was held sets up the drama that then played out between Ahithophel and Hushai.
In Ahithophel’s opinion, David was on the ropes and Absalom could quickly secure victory. He asked Absalom to let him pick a crack force of 12,000 men to quickly chase after David and his fleeing supporters (v.1). Ahithophel would strike while they were tired and exhausted, routing them, while Ahithophel killed only David (v.2).
With David gone, David’s supporters would no longer have a focus or a purpose in resisting Absalom’s reign, and the conflict would be over (v.3). Absalom and the elders of Israel were impressed with Ahithophel’s argument. Let’s be honest, it makes good sense, even for those of us whose military “expertise” is limited to video games.
So why did Absalom pause? Why ask for a second opinion?
Because that is what Absalom did. Hushai was brought in, and Absalom outlined Ahithophel’s counsel, and then asked Hushai’s opinion (vv.5-6).
Now Hushai knew Ahithophel’s counsel, he could cast reasonable doubt on the whole exercise. Not surprisingly, considering Hushai was actually David’s “inside man”, he took the opposing view and suggested Ahithophel had it all wrong (v.7). Then he threw arguments into Ahithophel’s counsel like chucking sand into gears, to make it all seize up.
Firstly, Hushai suggested two reasons for caution. He reminded Absalom of how David and his band were mighty and experienced warriors and “enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field” (v.8). In other words, they would fight like wounded animals.
Since David was such an expert warrior, he had probably already slipped away from his followers to hide himself from capture anyway (vv.8-9). You cannot kill who you cannot find, especially in the dark of night (without drones and night vision goggles).
So, Hushai suggested, you could only imagine what would happen next. David can’t be found, Ahithophel’s troops are ambushed as they search, and some of Ahithophel’s crack troops are killed (v.9). What a blow for morale that would be! (v.10) It might cause everything to fall apart on a gamble.
Finally, Hushai played the trump card. He played Absalom himself. Or rather, Absalom’s vanity. Hushai suggested a better approach was to call out all Israel, with Absalom himself leading them into battle (v.11). Then Absalom (and “we” following him) would fall upon David wherever he was, and put an end to David, all his supporters, and his anti-rebellion (vv.12-13).
Absalom would have his revenge! No need to placate the vanquished if there are no vanquished to placate.
Ahithophel’s arguments made good strategic sense. Hushai’s arguments played well to the audience, Absalom, a man so vain he really did think it was all about him. So Absalom decided to follow Hushai’s counsel, which he decided was better than Ahithophel’s (v.14).
Why did Absalom do so? Why go with the second opinion?
“For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring harm upon Absalom” (v.14). Ah. That is why.
Absalom may have been the decider between the two duelling counsel. But God was the real decider. God writes the story. Absalom was like the character in a court drama. He decided as he was ordained to decide by the writer.
And that is the lesson for us, too. Even when it seems like the Church is on the ropes, God is in control, writing the story. Even when it seems God’s Kingdom is in dire straits, God is in control writing the story.
The same God who decreed the “sceptre shall not depart from Judah” (Gen. 49:10), but would forever remain in the hands of God’s Anointed (lit. “Messiah”; see Psalm 2).
Just as the prequel king (David) of the True King (Jesus) looked to be in trouble but was not because God ordained it, so too the True King’s kingdom, even when it looks in trouble, is firm and secure. Because God ordains it. Not necessarily with flashy signs and wonders, but working away, behind the scenes.
God ordains. Jesus reigns. The story is written.
