Useful Confusion

Useful Confusion
Words of Faith 3-12-25
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2025
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

2 Samuel 17
[1] Ahithophel said to Absalom, "I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. [2] I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king [3] and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed." [4] This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel. [5] But Absalom said, "Summon also Hushai the Arkite, so we can hear what he has to say." [6] When Hushai came to him, Absalom said, "Ahithophel has given this advice. Should we do what he says? If not, give us your opinion." [7] Hushai replied to Absalom, "The advice Ahithophel has given is not good this time. [8] You know your father and his men; they are fighters, and as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Besides, your father is an experienced fighter; he will not spend the night with the troops. [9] Even now, he is hidden in a cave or some other place. If he should attack your troops first, whoever hears about it will say, 'There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.' [10] Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave. [11] "So I advise you: Let all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba--as numerous as the sand on the seashore--be gathered to you, with you yourself leading them into battle. [12] Then we will attack him wherever he may be found, and we will fall on him as dew settles on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. [13] If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it down to the valley until not even a piece of it can be found." [14] Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Arkite is better than that of Ahithophel." For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.

Ahithophel had once been David's key advisor. He was apparently a decisive military strategist within the war room. He suggested to Absalom a bold military expedition that he was convinced would result in David's death. The truth? He was right. Ahithophel's military advice was both terse and urgent: "There is not a moment to lose; the only course is to hit David hard before he can regroup his forces, and the statement itself has no time for fancy rhetorical maneuvers."
Eager for a second opinion, Absalom called for Hushai and asked him if Ahithophel's counsel was wise. Hushai seized this opportunity to counter Ahithophel's advice and muddy the waters. He told Absalom that David and his men, far from being exhausted, would be even more courageous and fearsome than ever. Like a wild bear whose cubs have been stolen, the king would be enraged over the loss of his kingdom. To move against him now would be foolish. The apparent casualties incurred would cause Absalom's men to despair of victory, and they would be defeated.
Instead, Hushai advised Absalom to wait until he could amass a massive army and attack. David and his host could then be destroyed, even if it meant dragging their place of refuge into the valley. Of course, this was not the case.
Absalom was struck by Hushai's sharp analysis and decided to follow his instruction and reject that of Ahithophel. Obviously, this was the Lord's doing to frustrate Ahithophel's advice and bring disaster to Absalom. The text specifically says that this rejection was the work of the Lord—for the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel.
This poor decision of Absalom sealed his doom from a military perspective. When Absalom finally gathered his army to go after David, David was already in Mahanaim in Gilead, with the forest of Ephraim between him and Absalom.
It is interesting that the Lord often used confusion to defeat the enemy armies that opposed God's people. In this case, it was a civil rebellion in which the Lord needed to turn back one group of his people that was attacking another. Even in such a situation, the Lord can use confusion to counter the conflicts being waged.
Are you under attack? It is not an ungodly prayer to ask for confusion in your enemy's ranks. Such confusion can open the door to victory with less damage and even the possibility of reconciliation.

Father God, confuse the plans of my enemies. Bring voices of distraction against the plans of those who have plotted against the people of God. Help me to grow in my understanding of You and Your power as I surrender more and more to You. I love You, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2025
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SUBSCRIPTIONS - To receive the Words of Faith devotion five days a week, send an e-mail message addressed to join-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. To stop receiving Words of Faith, send an e-mail message addressed to unsubscribe-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. The daily devotion and archive are posted at https://www.faithfellowshipweb.com/blog
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2025 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.