2 Samuel 17

Bible Passage:  2 Samuel 17

Two characters’ advices
Both devised very good plans
But two very different intents…
Only one shall be heeded in the end.

The Advice of Ahithophel

We took over the city of Jerusalem,
then Absalom had a discussion with us his men.

I suggested choosing twelve thousand men,
and I would set out to pursue David that night.
I wanted to catch to David to kill him,
while the people were weary and weak.
Then I will bring back all others who fled with him,
all except David shall not return and the people shall be at peace.

Absalom was delighted upon hearing this advice,
and so were all the elders of Israel.

The Advice of Hushai

King Absalom had summoned me,
and so I gave my advice.

I thought Ahithophel’s advice was not good this time,
because I knew David and his men were mighty men.
I said to Absalom that his father was a man of war,
and his followers were valiant men.
Therefore twelve thousand men was not enough,
I say we should summon more people from the whole of Israel.

So the king and the elders decided to follow my advice,
But I warned David afterwards to escape that night.

Who’s Advice to Follow

Ahithophel gave his advice with a cruel intent,
while Hushai gave his advice with the intent of saving David,
because David had prayed about this,
and God had listened to his prayers (2 Sam 15:31).

Therefore Hushai was purposed by God to serve David,
to defeat the advice of Ahithophel for David’s sake.
Hushai was a faithful friend and good servant to David,
and because of some advice,
he saved David’s life.

Some ADVICE

Able. If we are ABLE to give advice when asked to, then do so. God may have given us the experience, knowledge or wisdom at that moment to advise someone. When we give advice, we serve another person because we are (…or should be) thinking of the person’s needs.

Duty. It may be our DUTY to advise someone. If we only give advice to someone when it’s convenient for us then we lose the opportunity to help that person when they need it. Among friends, between family members, or within church, we give advice to help that person and that is another way of serving one another.

Valid. Our advice must be VALID. Imagine a preschooler advising a teenage student on what to study in university, or how about a single person counselling a married couple, or a sermon speaker sharing a sermon about Sabbath when they do not attend all Sabbath services; it’s just not valid or credible.

Intent. Be sure our INTENT is to genuinely help that person. One reason many people fear to serve others is for fear they are not good enough. God expects us to do what we can, with what we have, wherever we are as long as we are sincere.

Choose. Now it is the advisee’s choice to CHOOSE whether to follow our advice. So give them a choice, give them some space, and also pray for them. Remember we are only human and we can’t be in control of everything but God knows what’s best for us for He purposed the things in our lives.

Enacted. Good advice is ENACTED if it is the will of God. As long as we have done our part, put God in our plans and set out to help that person, we have done our part to serve that person with some advice.

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Have I given some “good” advice to help someone lately, or what is some “good” advice I should have listened to?