*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*
*WHAT IS YOUR NAME?*
*Scripture Treasure.*
2 Sam 15:31 *And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom....."*
*Insight and Highlight.*
What is your name, and where will it be found?
*Scripture Commentaries.*
As kings over Israel and Judah, God gave them prophets who spoke the minds of God in order to provide spiritual guidance to them.
To mention a few, in the days of Kings Ahab of Israel and Jehoshaphat of Judah, there were Elijah and Elisha, 1 and 2 Kgs. In the days Uzziah, there was Zechariah, 2 Chron 26.
In the time of King Saul, there was Samuel. Samuel continued until he died in the days of David.
Nathan emerged in the days of David, but since Nathan later became a silent-mention and though a great mentor to David, there was Zadok the priest and seer, so also Abiathar. David himself often heard from God,
a prominent mention was Ahithophel. God brought Ahithophel into the palace, and he became David's counselor.
His life teaches us how some things that we may consider immaterial or inconsequential could have a negative impact on our lives.
Ahithophel was a household name for David. He was a friend and trusted counselor.
He was a man renowned for great wisdom.
Anywhere Ahithophel was mentioned, the access to wisdom counsel was present.
His name commanded good and reliable counsel.
In 2 Sam 15:31, it was made official to David that he was a part of Absalom's conspiracy.
His defection into Absalom's camp made the conspiracy very strong.
While he was with David, his counsel *"....was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God:...."* 2 Sam 16:23.
2 Sam 16:23b tells us that as wise as Ahithophel's counsel was with David, so was it with Absalom.
However, it was recorded that Absalom called or invited him into the rebellion, 2 Sam 15:12.
No reluctance from Ahithophel to follow. Ahithophel obliged immediately.
It can be traced that Ahithophel may have joined the rebellion because Ahithophel was the father of Elam, 2 Sam 23:34, and Eliam was the father of Bathsheba, 2 Sam 11:3, so Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba.
This may help us to see why Ahithophel did not refuse Absalom because he wanted to get revenge on what happened to Bathsheba and his son-in-law, Uriah.
Besides this, we must learn to uphold our integrity in life. How would a man esteemed in high honor go down to such a level of betrayal?
We must be careful in life to prevent how some things may destroy greater things in our lives
There are potential dangers we walk with. They are seemingly small things that we often overlook or fail to work on, or we refuse to accept correction of, but are significant issues that can damage us.
In Ahithophel, may be a long time bitterness, pride in his life destroyed his great strength of wisdom or may be a feeling to show a deliberate neglect out of self-importance that David could do nothing without him. He might have seen himself as almighty.
In addition to these internal struggles, we must know that there are people who strive to destroy us more than those who want good for us.
Absalom was only for himself, and he needed to use people like Ahithophel, who could not see that he was being used as an agent of evil.
Evil people will go to any extent to destroy other people's reputation in order to satisfy their selfish ends.
When evil forces face good forces, evil tends to prevail.
In this world, there are more people known with evil than there are known with good.
You must work daily, praying to identify unknown evil that may want to destroy your reputation.
There are foxes that destroy vines, and they are not big in sizes or many, as we may suppose, ref Songs of Solomon 2:15.
James writes about the tongue as little yet causes great harm, Jam 3:5. The mouth that people see from outside is not considered harmful, but the tongue that nobody sees until the mouth is opened is considered most dangerous.
Things that cause harm may not be as big as the harm they cause.
Same thing with our attitudes. Though they are not immediately known by people but are of great danger of threatening our existence.
Identifying the little foxes and dealing with them will fix your reputation in life.
Whosoever you are or whatsoever name you are called, failing to deal with some habits or attitudes will change who you are called or who you represent.
What are those sins, attitudes, and habits that you more often over-look, excuse or defend?
Becareful they do not affect your good name!
*Remorse corner.*
What is your name?
Refuse to be called by your bad habits or attitudes.
*Call to Word action.*
Ahithophel, a friend, ended up as a foe because he could not deal with the motive that drove him against David, his master.
*The Christian clarion duty.*
Ahithophel was identified and named after the conspirators. A name that started in the palace ended under the hangman's noose!
*Prayer.*
Lord, help me to deal with habits and attitudes that could destroy my name, in Jesus name.
Good morning all, and have a blessed day.
God bless you.
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