Day 286 – Plans

2 Samuel 15:1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

 2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?”

  He would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.”

 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.” 4 Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has a suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”

 5 So it happened, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him.

 6 In this manner Absalom acted toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for judgment. Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

 7 Now it happened after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to JEHOVAH. 8 For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If JEHOVAH indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve JEHOVAH.’”

 9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” Then he arose and went to Hebron.

 10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the trumpet, then you will say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”

 11 With Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything.

 12 Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. The conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom increased in number.

 13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

 14 David said to his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee; or we will not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

 15 The king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.”

 16 Then the king went out with his household after him. However, the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.

 17 The king went out with the people after him and stopped at the outskirts.

 18 Then his servants passed before him; and the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

 19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and an exile from your place. 20 In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go, I know not where? Return and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

 21 Ittai answered the king and said, “As JEHOVAH lives, and as my lord the king lives, in whatever place my lord the king will be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

 22 David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and his men and the little ones with him crossed over.

 23 The country wept with a loud voice, and the people crossed over. The king also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.

 24 Zadok also, and the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of Elohiym. They set down the ark of Elohiym, and Abiathar went up until the people finished crossing over from the city.

 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of Elohiym back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of JEHOVAH, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place. 26 However, if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

 29 Therefore, Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of Elohiym back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

 30 David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. The people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.

 31 Then someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.”

 David said, “O JEHOVAH, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

 32 Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped Elohiym—there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head.

 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me. 34 However, if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me. 35 Do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore, it will happen that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you will tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Indeed, they have with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you will send me everything you hear.”

 37 Then Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

God’s character:

Soveriegn

What do you do when someone brings trouble your way? Do you stand against the person or flee?

Absalom did not forgive his father for his lack of action when his brother raped his sister. It didn’t suffice to kill his brother for his actions. David allowed him to come back to Jerusalem, but did not interact with him. With his lack of communication with his father, Absalom conspired against him to sway the hearts of the people and take his father’s throne. With the pretense of fulfilling a vow, Absalom left Jerusalem for Hebron with two hundred men from Israel. When David learned what Absalom intended, he left Jerusalem with his household and his servants, leaving his concubines to care for the house and fled from Absalom. Absalom waited forty years to bring about his plans, during which time he stole the hearts of the people from David. Why wait forty years?

David was no longer a young man who could easily go to battle against his enemies. Absalom took advantage of his age when he fulfilled his plans to take the kingdom from his father.

David might not have been young, but he still relied on JEHOVAH to see him through every battle, even the battle against his son.

When you accepted Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord, Satan took every opportunity he could to conspire against you to destroy your faith. If that isn’t possible, he goes after your children and family. He will turn whoever he can against you to destroy you from within. Satan’s attack always starts on the inside.

You know Satan’s plans. Yeshuwa told you what they were and what His plan is for your life.

John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (NKJV)

When you know Satan’s plans against you, you can take the action necessary to stand against him, no matter how old you are. You also know Satan will never give up. Absalom waited forty years, until the end of David’s reign to bring about his destruction. However, David relied on JEHOVAH. You should too. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Yeshuwa’s plans for your life will not end until He brings you home.

How is Satan coming against you? Stand against him with the power and strength of Yeshuwa and He will fight for you and bring about your victory.

Let’s pray: Father, thank you for fighting for me against Satan and his plans against me. Help me stand against him in Your power and strength, knowing You will always bring victory to my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 31 October 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux