2 Samuel 17:1-5: a reflection

1Moreover Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me now choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David tonight. 2I will come on him while he is weary and exhausted, and will make him afraid. All the people who are with him will flee. I will strike the king only, 3and I will bring back all the people to you. The man whom you seek is as if all returned. All the people shall be in peace.” 4The saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel. 5Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let’s hear likewise what he says.”

As Absalom's rebellion against David unfolds, his counselor Ahithophel gives shrewd advice: to strike David quickly, that very night, while he is weary and exhausted, before he can gather strength. The advice is cunning, well-reasoned, likely to succeed; and it pleases Absalom and the elders. Yet, as the story will show, God had purposed to defeat this shrewd counsel, and Absalom is moved to seek a second opinion that will, in God's hand, frustrate Ahithophel's clever plan. The shrewdest counsel, aimed against God's purposes, would not prevail.

Notice that even Ahithophel's shrewd counsel, aimed against God's anointed, would be frustrated by God. The advice was cunning and likely to succeed by any human reckoning; it pleased everyone who heard it. Yet it was aimed against God's purposes, against the king God had chosen; and God had purposed to defeat it. However shrewd the counsel, however cleverly reasoned, it could not finally prevail against God's purpose; God would frustrate it. The cleverness of the scheme did not put it beyond God's power to overrule.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can be intimidated by clever schemes and shrewd counsel aimed against what is right, as though their cleverness made them unstoppable. When we see shrewd plans, cunning schemes, well-reasoned strategies aimed against God's purposes or against what is right, we can feel they must surely prevail; but God frustrated Ahithophel's shrewd counsel, cunning as it was. However clever the scheme against God's purposes, it is not beyond his power to overrule; God can frustrate the shrewdest counsel aimed against him. Do not be intimidated by clever schemes and shrewd plans aimed against what is right, as though their cleverness made them certain to succeed; God can frustrate them, as he frustrated Ahithophel's shrewd advice. Trust that God can overrule even the most cunning schemes that oppose his purposes, and do not fear them as unstoppable, for the shrewdest counsel aimed against God does not finally prevail, as Ahithophel's clever plan was frustrated in God's hand.

Lord, as Absalom's rebellion against David unfolds, his counselor Ahithophel gives shrewd advice: to strike David quickly, that very night, while he is weary and exhausted. The advice is cunning, well-reasoned, likely to succeed; and it pleases Absalom and the elders. Yet, as the story will show, you had purposed to defeat this shrewd counsel, and Absalom is moved to seek a second opinion that will, in your hand, frustrate Ahithophel's clever plan. The shrewdest counsel, aimed against your purposes, would not prevail. Show me that even Ahithophel's shrewd counsel, aimed against your anointed, would be frustrated by you. The advice was cunning and likely to succeed by any human reckoning. Yet it was aimed against your purposes; and you had purposed to defeat it. However shrewd the counsel, it could not finally prevail against your purpose. The cleverness of the scheme did not put it beyond your power to overrule. Take that to my heart, for I can be intimidated by clever schemes and shrewd counsel aimed against what is right, as though their cleverness made them unstoppable. When I see cunning schemes aimed against your purposes or against what is right, I can feel they must surely prevail; but you frustrated Ahithophel's shrewd counsel. However clever the scheme against your purposes, it is not beyond your power to overrule. Keep me from being intimidated by clever schemes aimed against what is right, as though they were certain to succeed; you can frustrate them, Lord. Help me trust that you can overrule even the most cunning schemes that oppose your purposes.