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Today is Saturday April 17, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of II Samuel, chapters 17-18. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-april-17
Title: Bible Study: True Happiness
We have all been deceived by a friend, family member, and even our own flesh and blood from time to time, but for some, much too often that deceitfulness comes on a regular basis. Sadly, there are just some people in the world that have only three goals to achieve in life, that is to please me, myself, and I. They do not care who they have to deceive, destroy, or even kill, they will do everything in their power to get what they want, even if it takes years to get them there. You would think that with so much energy being put into deceiving people that they could have put it to better use and really done something good with their lives? Yet “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.” - Proverbs 18:2. A fool is in constant search of the next bigger and better thing, never really happy with what he has and never will find true happiness. After all is said and done, he is the one that will lose everything.
Absalom was David's oldest living son and if he had done everything right he probably would have rightfully been the next king by heir, but he was not willing to receive the crown by learning and growing as David did, he wanted it now and he was even willing to kill his father to obtain it. Sadly, David was not only being deceived by his son, but a trusted adviser as well. “Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.” - II Samuel 17:1-4. David thought Ahithophel to be a trusted friend and a godly man, but learned all too quickly that his only reason for being such a friend was to gain control himself. However, Ahithophel not only deceives David, he deceives Absalom as well by convincing him to go after David himself. Notice the words, “me” and “I”? When Ahithophel decided to desert David and join with Absalom, he revealed his true character, he only had three goals, to please "me", "myself", and "I".
At first, Absalom was pleased, but he probably realized that, Ahithophel would have been given all the recognition for it so he decided to get a second opinion. Absalom went to another one of David's trusted advisers, Hushai, for counsel. “And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time....Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person. So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one. Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there. And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.” - II Samuel 17:7,11-14. While Absalom was feeding his ego over the fact that he had gotten his father's two top advisers, little did he know that David sent Hushai to join him. As Absalom considered the possibility of losing his first battle, he realized that this might produce panic and the loss of his followers loyalty. So, Hushai advised that all the forces of Israel be gathered and that Absalom, the commander-in-chief himself, be at the head of his great army. Doing it this way, gave him a sense that he would gain the prestige of being a conqueror and the rightful king of all Israel while it gave David and his army time to prepare for battle and thus being able to defeat Israel.
Like Absalom and Ahithophel, the wicked are often successful for a time and it may even appear that all their plans have been fulfilled and they are prospering. However, there comes a time when God says, the fun is over, you have deceived my people enough, I served my purpose with you and now justice will be served. During the battle, Absalom got his hair tangled in a tree branch, his mule ran on leaving him to dangle helplessly from the tree, shortly after he was killed. Ahithophel, upon finding out that Absalom did not follow through with his plan, killed himself. Wickedness does not go unpunished, “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:” - II Peter 2:9.
True happiness comes from a relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ, He is the best thing going for us, without Him we can not lose, we may have been deceived, cheated on, lied to, or stepped on, but He will never leave nor forsake us and we will always see victory in Jesus. Praise God!
Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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