Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20021229.htm

1 AND 2 SAMUEL: GOD'S SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN OVERSIGHT
Part LV: Working WITH God's Sovereignty To Deal With Uncontrollably Rebellious Subordinates
(2 Samuel 16:15-17:23)
  1. Introduction
    1. Those in oversight in a marriage, family, church, business or governmental position can find themselves in the incredibly difficult position of having to relate to subordinates who are uncontrollably rebellious.
    2. At such times, we overseers need to recognize our ministry is a team effort with GOD'S involvement so that we function skillfully as did David as follows:
  2. Working WITH God's Sovereignty To Deal With Humanly Uncontrollable Subordinates.
    1. David's subordinates became so humanly uncontrollably rebellious they even threatened his life:
      1. As David and his supporters left the city, Absalom and his men advanced into Jerusalem with David's brilliant former counselor, Ahithophel coming with Absalom, 2 Samuel 16:15.
      2. At that time, Ahithophel counseled Absalom to cohabit forcibly with David's concubines to signal in that Ancient Near Eastern culture Absalom's total break with David and his assumption of Israel's throne, 2 Samuel 16:20-21 with Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, footnote to 2 Samuel 16:21-22.
      3. Since Ahithophel's counsel was respected nearly on par with the counsel of God, Absalom complied with this heinous advice, thereby drawing a sharp distinction between himself and David, 16:23, 22.
      4. Then, Ahithophel suggested Absalom let him have 12,000 men to overtake David that night while he was vulnerable so he could kill David and firmly seat the nation's rule in Absalom's hands, 17:1-3.
      5. Not only was this effective advice, but Absalom's men at first were disposed to heed it, 2 Samuel 17:4.
    2. Yet, God's sovereignty over all involved utilized David's rightful ruling efforts to check the rebellious:
      1. God had previously told David that as he had unjustly taken another man's wife as his own, God would arrange for David's women to be appropriated by another man publicly, 12:11b-12. Thus, God allowed Absalom to heed Ahithophel's counsel regarding David's harem, 2 Samuel 16:21-23.
      2. However, God did not want David to be killed or have his kingdom overturned, so He arranged for Ahithophel's second suggestion to Absalom be irrevocably overturned through David's efforts:
        1. David had previously asked Hushai the Archite, apparently another counselor of his, to stay in Jerusalem in order to try to undermine the advice of Ahithophel, cf. 2 Samuel 15:32-34.
        2. Hence, God arranged for Absalom to accept Hushai was siding with him against David, 16:16-19.
        3. Then, after Ahithophel had advised Absalom to pursue David quickly, God arranged for Absalom to seek Hushai's advice just to be sure about making such a bold advance on David, 17:1-4, 5.
        4. To buy time for David, Hushai suggested Absalom wait until he could get all Israel to fight, saying David was angry and ready to beat Absalom were he to pursue him with a smaller force, 17:6-13.
        5. Absalom and all the men of Israel chose Hushai's advice over Ahithophel's, an amazing choice in view of how Ahithophel's advice had been so highly regarded, cf. 2 Samuel 17:14a with 16:23. We learn from 2 Samuel 17:14b that God had arranged for Hushai's advice to be more appealing as He sought to bring calamity on Absalom (and Ahithophel) for his evil to David and his harem.
        6. Then, the Lord arranged David's informants to have a narrow escape to get news to David about his need to cross the Jordan before Absalom's people could destroy his party, 2 Samuel 17:15-21.
        7. David took the advice, and everyone in his party crossed the Jordan that night to safety, 17:22.
        8. Being the brilliant man that he was, Ahithophel saw the cause for Absalom was lost as his advice about quickly killing David was not heeded. Probably sensing the Lord's move to turn these events this way, Ahithophel went home, put his house in order, and committed suicide, 2 Samuel 17:23.
Lesson: God displayed great SOVEREIGNTY over how FAR Ahithophel's advice would be HEEDED by Absalom so that what GOD wanted for David -- whether it was calamity or blessing -- would be achieved! In the process, God USED David's effort with Hushai's Jerusalem placement to that end!

Application: Responding toward humanly uncontrollably rebellious subordinates takes a TEAM effort between the God-ordained overseer and God: (1) the overseer must trust God's sovereignty over the problem subordinates (2) while yet doing his HUMAN best (as did David with leaving Hushai in Jerusalem) to fulfill his job of keeping order in the institution to which God assigns him!