2 Samuel 17:6-13: a reflection

6When Hushai had come to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, “Ahithophel has spoken like this. Shall we do what he says? If not, speak up.” 7Hushai said to Absalom, “The counsel that Ahithophel has given this time is not good.” 8Hushai said moreover, “You know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are fierce in their minds, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. 9Behold, he is now hidden in some pit, or in some other place. It will happen, when some of them have fallen at the first, that whoever hears it will say, ‘There is a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom!’ 10Even he who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt; for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11But I counsel that all Israel be gathered together to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person. 12So we will come on him in some place where he will be found, and we will light on him as the dew falls on the ground, then we will not leave so much as one of him and of all the men who are with him. 13Moreover, if he has gone into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there isn’t one small stone found there.”

In the midst of a rebellion against David, God works so that the sound counsel offered against him is set aside and worse counsel prevails, showing that God can overrule even the wisest human plans to accomplish his purpose. Ahithophel had given shrewd counsel that would have struck David quickly; but the counsel of Ahithophel this time is not good, Hushai says, offering a different plan, and Absalom and his men are persuaded to follow the worse advice. Ahithophel's counsel was, by human measure, the wiser and more dangerous to David; yet it was set aside, and Hushai's counsel, which gave David time to escape, was followed instead. Behind this turn of events, God was at work, overruling the wise counsel to protect David and accomplish his purpose. This shows that God can overrule even the wisest human counsel to accomplish his purpose. God can overrule even the wisest human counsel to accomplish his purpose. The outcome rests with God, not with the cleverest plan. Human wisdom and schemes do not finally determine what happens; God does. Trust that God's purpose can prevail even over the shrewdest plans against it.

Notice how the outcome turned. In the rebellion against David, Ahithophel, a counselor of great reputation for wisdom, gave shrewd advice that, if followed, would have struck David swiftly, while he was weak and vulnerable, likely bringing his downfall. By human measure, it was the wiser and more effective plan. But Hushai, loyal to David, offered a different counsel, arguing against Ahithophel's plan and proposing a slower course that would give David time. And, remarkably, the worse counsel prevailed; Absalom and his men were persuaded to follow Hushai's advice over Ahithophel's. The narrative makes clear that behind this turn, God was at work, overruling the shrewd counsel to protect David. This holds a truth about God's overruling providence. We can be tempted to think that outcomes are determined by the cleverest plan, the shrewdest counsel, the most effective scheme, whether for us or against us. But God is able to overrule even the wisest human counsel and the most effective plans to accomplish his own purpose. The shrewdest advice against God's purpose can be set aside; the best-laid plans do not finally determine the outcome; God does. This is a comfort when we or God's purposes seem threatened by clever and capable opposition: God can turn even the wisest counsel against us aside, accomplishing his purpose despite it. We do well to trust that God's purpose can prevail even over the shrewdest plans, and that the outcome rests finally with him, not with the cleverest scheme. Trust that God can overrule even the wisest counsel to accomplish his purpose. The outcome rests with God, not with the cleverest plan against you. Do not fear that shrewd opposition determines the outcome; God does. God's purpose can prevail even over the most capable schemes.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can overrule even the wisest human counsel to accomplish his purpose, and the outcome rests with him, as he set aside Ahithophel's shrewd counsel to protect David. We can think the cleverest plan determines the outcome; but God overruled the wiser counsel so that the worse prevailed, protecting David. God overrules. When you or God's purposes seem threatened by clever opposition, do not think the shrewdest plan will decide; trust that God can overrule even the wisest counsel to accomplish his purpose. Trust that God can overrule even the wisest human counsel and the most capable plans to accomplish his purpose, so that the outcome rests finally with him and not with the cleverest scheme, as in the midst of a rebellion against David God worked so that the sound counsel offered against him was set aside and worse counsel prevailed, since Ahithophel had given shrewd counsel that would have struck David quickly but Hushai said his counsel this time was not good and offered a different plan, and Absalom and his men were persuaded to follow the worse advice; for Ahithophel's counsel was by human measure the wiser and more dangerous to David, yet it was set aside and Hushai's counsel, which gave David time to escape, was followed, behind this turn of events God being at work overruling the wise counsel to protect David and accomplish his purpose, which holds a truth about God's overruling providence, that we can be tempted to think outcomes are determined by the cleverest plan and shrewdest counsel whether for us or against us, but God is able to overrule even the wisest human counsel and most effective plans to accomplish his own purpose, so that the shrewdest advice against God's purpose can be set aside and the best-laid plans do not finally determine the outcome but God does, which is a comfort when we or God's purposes seem threatened by clever and capable opposition, since God can turn even the wisest counsel against us aside and accomplish his purpose despite it, so that we do well to trust that God's purpose can prevail even over the shrewdest plans.

Lord, in the midst of a rebellion against David, you work so that the sound counsel offered against him is set aside and worse counsel prevails, showing that you can overrule even the wisest human plans to accomplish your purpose. Ahithophel had given shrewd counsel that would have struck David quickly; but the counsel of Ahithophel this time is not good, Hushai says, offering a different plan, and Absalom and his men are persuaded to follow the worse advice. Ahithophel's counsel was, by human measure, the wiser and more dangerous to David; yet it was set aside, and Hushai's counsel, which gave David time to escape, was followed instead. Behind this turn of events, you were at work, overruling the wise counsel to protect David and accomplish your purpose. Show me how the outcome turned. In the rebellion against David, Ahithophel, a counselor of great reputation for wisdom, gave shrewd advice that would have struck David swiftly, likely bringing his downfall. By human measure, it was the wiser and more effective plan. But Hushai, loyal to David, offered a different counsel, proposing a slower course that would give David time. And, remarkably, the worse counsel prevailed. The narrative makes clear that behind this turn, you were at work, overruling the shrewd counsel to protect David. This holds a truth about your overruling providence. I can be tempted to think that outcomes are determined by the cleverest plan, the shrewdest counsel, whether for me or against me. But you are able to overrule even the wisest human counsel and the most effective plans to accomplish your own purpose. The shrewdest advice against your purpose can be set aside; the best-laid plans do not finally determine the outcome; you do. This is a comfort when I or your purposes seem threatened by clever and capable opposition: you can turn even the wisest counsel against us aside. Take that to my heart. When I or your purposes seem threatened by clever opposition, keep me from thinking the shrewdest plan will decide; help me trust, Lord, that you can overrule even the wisest counsel to accomplish your purpose, and that the outcome rests finally with you, not with the cleverest scheme against me.