Gospel Reflections #1125: Immediate Gain Never Works

2 Samuel 16:20 ‘Absalom commanded Ahithophel, “Come up with a plan—what should we do?”’

This passage depicts a crucial moment shortly after Absalom, the son of King David, had staged a rebellion and seized the capital, Jerusalem, when he sought advice on future strategy from Ahithophel, the shrewd strategist who had once been David’s chief adviser.

At that time, Ahithophel was such an outstanding military strategist that ‘his counsel was regarded as equivalent to a divine oracle’.

The fact that Absalom relied first on human wisdom rather than seeking God’s will symbolises that this rebellion was a ‘power struggle driven by human strength’, not grounded in God’s blessing.

In response to Absalom’s question, Ahithophel devised a dreadful stratagem: ‘Lie with David’s concubines, whom he has left in Jerusalem, in full view of the people.’ This was a ruthless political manoeuvre intended to completely negate his father David’s kingship and sever any path to reconciliation.

Verse 20 captures the beginning of the dialogue that marks the turning point leading to this decisive act of wickedness.

From a human perspective, it appears to be a situation of Absalom’s overwhelming superiority and a flawless strategic meeting; however, when viewed within the context of the entire narrative, Ahithophel’s perfect scheme crumbles when Absalom accepts the ‘false counsel’ (Chapter 17) subsequently offered by David’s loyal servant Hushai.

Here, the Bible contrasts this to illustrate the divine providence that, no matter how much human wisdom is expended in devising strategies, it is God who governs history and protects David.

We, too, are prone to racking our brains for the sake of immediate gain or peace of mind, but however capable we may be, God’s plan far transcends our realm.

Knowing this, we realise that the best and most perfect course of action is to first tell God exactly as things stand, entrust ourselves to Him, trust in His guidance, and surrender the initiative to Him.

May we seek from God the grace to choose to yield our own thoughts to Him.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.