Pursue the Way of Life (2 Samuel 16:15-17:23)
The 2003 Super Bowl is often referred to as the “Gruden Bowl” because John Gruden was the coach of the Oakland Raiders in 2001, was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002, and both teams met in the Super Bowl in 2003, which of course, is when the Super Bowl would be played for that season. Gruden had a tremendous influence on both teams. By the way, Tampa Bay won that year.
Ahithophel, the valued advisor of David and the grandfather of Bathsheba, can be seen in a similar light because while Ahithophel was an advisor to David, when Absalom, David’s son, revolted against David, Ahithophel defected to Absalom and became his advisor. One can’t help but think that David’s sin against Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of her husband, Uriah, shaped Ahithophel’s thinking. It is said in the Bible that Ahithophel was valued as a counselor by both David and Absalom and that his words were seen as coming from the very mouth of God.
Absalom asks Ahithophel what his next military move should be, and Ahithophel say. “Strike now while the men are tired and before David gets a chance to dig in and to build his defenses. Take 12,000 men, kill David, and the rest of the men will be loyal to you.” But Absalom doesn’t listen to Ahithophel, but instead, turns to Hushai, who is also an advisor to David and sent by David to infiltrate Absalom’s leadership structure and to give counter advice to Ahithophel’s advice. Hushai instructs Absalom, “Don’t attack David and his men right now. David and his men are fierce, experienced warriors and are already dug in and David is hidden away in a cave somewhere and you’ll never find him. Instead, rally all of the tribes in Israel, amass troops and provisions and then attack David with overwhelming force.” Hushai’s advice appeals to Absalom’s vanity and his aspirations to be king, so he follows Hushai’s advice. Ahithophel knows that this is terrible advice and that the net result will be that the revolt is put down and that he will be executed as a traitor. So he puts his house in order, goes to his home and hangs himself. And of course, what Ahithophel fears, is exactly what happens.
Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it is the way of death.” Absalom chose the way of death. But in reality, any path that he would have chosen would have resulted in death because he was not the rightful king of Israel. David was the anointed one, the chosen one. Absalom had no right or authority to assume that role.
But we have a similar problem as that of Absalom. Because when we pursue the kingdom of man, we have no right to be there. This is not our kingdom. We are not chosen to be in that kingdom. We have no authority in it. But when we pursue the kingdom of God, the Bible says that we are chosen to be there, we have authority to reign with Christ forever, we have the right to be there as coheirs with Jesus, the sons and daughters of God. The kingdom of man is the way of death, but the kingdom of Jesus is the way of life. So choose the way of life. That’s the way righteousness and justice. Jesus said we are to seek his kingdom first and all of these other things will be added to us.