Knight or Pawn?

One Year Bible (June 1, 2022)

2 Samuel 18:1-19:10

“Knight or Pawn? (The Chess Game: Part B)

This Game of Chess is life and death… Ahithophel hangs himself and that leaves Absolom to follow “The Plan B Strategy”.

Interesting that Ahithophel’s name means, “Brother of Ruin or Folly”.

Are you wondering just what “folly” got into this guy that he would “ruin” himself? Well, it appears that he didn’t just die from hanging himself; he actually died from swallowing “The Bitter Pill” that he had swallowed quite some time ago.

Who was this Ahithophel, ANYWHO???

He was the GRANDFATHER of BATHSHEBA!!!!!!

Let that sink in, and digest for a bit…He lost his grandson to death because of David’s IDOLATRY of Bathsheba. Did you catch the word I just used there? It was NOT ADULTERY. It was IDOLATRY.

David summoned Bathsheba as he was the King of Israel and she came. David lusted after her while she was obeying the purification rituals required by God. David chose to try and fill his emptiness and pain with her beauty rather than the BEAUTY and comfort of God. That, my friends, is IDOLATRY, and that is why there is such severe fall-out from this action.

Not only this, but Ahithophel lost his son-in-law who David had murdered, and Ahithophel lost his grandbaby who was conceived by David and Bathsheba. Sin leaves a BITTER PILL in the broken heart and Ahithophel has had about ten years to NOT DIGEST this pill.

With that in mind, let's now look back on the wicked advice that Ahithophel gave to Absolom. He advised Absolom to defile David’s women on the rooftop…

Ahithophel wanted to expose what had been done on the rooftop ten years before and shout it to the world. He also was behind the plan to kill King David. This was the bitter pill of revenge that he had swallowed.

What a sad journey of revenge. Ahithophel entered ‘The Game’ as a ‘Bishop’, providing wise counsel to David, but 'The End of His Game' finds him as ‘A Black Pawn’ because of his smoldering bitterness towards David’s sins which had affected all of his family.

There is another player in this strategy to kill the king, and that is Absolom, David’s own son.

In following Plan B, “the Lord has determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan so that he could bring disaster on Absalom’!” (2 Samuel 17: 14)

Absolom’s fate is sealed. He gets caught by a tree and hangs by his hair which is the very symbol of his youth and strength. He is pierced through with daggers, and all that is left to be done is to tell his father, the king. His hair (His symbol of strength) has become his SNARE. Idols are like that...

The problem is that David loves his estranged son! Listen to his words, “For my sake, please spare young Absalom.” (18: 12)

Over and over David asks everyone who comes his way, “What about young Absalom?”

Can you hear the heartbreak of the father in the use of the word, “young”? This is his boy, his son.

Absolam actually was older than Solomon, and in his mind, he was rightfully next in line for the throne.

He took it upon himself to lift his ‘Black Knight’ and go for “Checkmate”. Game Over... and it was for Absolam..

David wept and mourned so much that Joab had to go and speak with him. All of the people who had stepped in harm’s way to spare David’s life now felt so bad!

Listen to Joab’s words,” You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that your commanders and troops mean nothing to you. It seems that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would have been pleased.” (19:5-7)

Can you feel the tremendous guilt and pain of a father in a dysfunctional family who had been faithful to God all of his life, but slipped into a tragic, fatal sin that could never be made right?

The conclusion of this passage ends with the people saying Absalom is now dead, ‘So why not ask David to come back and be our king again?’ (19:10)

The powerful lesson that we can learn today from David is that in all our futile strategies, sins, and schemes, God is still God! He is on the throne and we are not… He gave justice, grace, and mercy. However, the consequences were beyond devastating for the entire kingdom, not to mention David’s family.

In “The Game of Chess” one gains insight and knowledge learned along the way from the lessons that are accumulated to win.

The question for us is, “Will we be on the right side or the wrong side?” Yes, in Chess it is black or white.

There is no doubt David had sinned greatly, and these two men who were so close to David were hurt deeply. David repented and even did so publicly. He was also punished publicly. He was also being disciplined by God. All of these things are the sad truth that comes about as a consequence of IDOLATRY.

Unfortunately, A-HIT-hophel took “The HIT” in his heart and he sought to “HIT” back which caused his “Ruin”.

SNARES ENSNARE and TRAPS ENTRAP!

Today’s lesson provides each of us with a powerful lesson about how to handle “The Plan B” in our lives.

Will we swallow “The Bitter Pill” of unforgiveness, or will we choose to leave judgment and retribution to the Lord?

If Life is like a “Game of Chess” … Will we be a ‘Knight’ or a ‘Pawn’?