The End Result of Ahithophel's Bitterness

A Story About A Grandfather Named Ahithophel

     Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. 2 Samuel 11:3 tells us that Eliam was Bathsheba's father. And 2 Samuel 23:34 tells us that Ahithophel was Eliam's father. Therefore, Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather. Ahithophel loved his granddaughter Bathsheba and remembered blessing her when she was a little girl. Ahithophel was a blessed man that was David and Absalom's counsellor who gave them anointed advice from God. 2 Samuel 16:23 tells us And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. 

     But 2 Samuel 11:2 tells us that one evening when King David was on the roof of the king's house, he saw beautiful Bathsheba (the wife of Uriah the Hittite) washing herself. David sent for Bathsheba, took her, lay with her committing adultery, and sent her home. After Bathsheba got pregnant with David's child, David had Bathsheba's husband Uriah killed on the front lines of battle and married Bathsheba. This angered Bathsheba's grandfather Ahithophel who became bitter and wanted to kill King David. 

Formula For Success

Don't Be Bitter

Avoid Angry People

Forgive Forever

     For nine years Ahithophel was bitter and wanted to kill David for ruining his granddaughter's life while he pretended to be David's friend. Ahithophel was waiting for the moment to rebel against David and have David killed. Friends, this is not the way to live; bitterness and unforgiveness always leads to misery and death. And Ahithophel's bitterness will eventually kill him even though Ahithophel was a good man and David was at fault. 

     After nine years the opportunity arose where Ahithophel joined a conspiracy with David's son Absalom to rebel against David and destroy King David. Ahithophel was so bitter against David that he gave the following advice to Absalom at 2 Samuel 17:1 saying 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 weakhanded, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only. Wow, Ahithophel was so bitter at David that Ahithophel wanted to personally kill David. Ahithophel was wrong to be bitter and should have forgiven and blessed David to avoid his own death.

     To seal Absalom's rift and conspiracy against David, Ahithophel told Absalom to lay with David's concubines on the roof of the king's house. Ahithophel wanted to destroy David socially and ruin David's reputation. What a price David paid for committing adultery with Bathsheba. Ahithophel was one real bitter individual. Ahithophel displayed the Hebrew meaning of his name (my brother is foolish) with folly by bitterness. If you type Ahithophel in the search box on the website blueletterbible at this link https://www.blueletterbible.org/, click the Strong's box, and click the number by Ahithophel, you will learn that Ahithophel means my brother is foolish with folly. 

     Friends bitterness is a trick of the devil. Jesus told us to always forgive forever and love our enemies, pray for them that despitefully use you, and bless people that curse us (Luke 6:27-28). Jesus said when your enemy is hungry to feed your enemy; when your enemy is thirsty to give them something to drink. Romans 12:17-21 says Recompence to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.   

     Hebrews 12:15 warns us saying Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. In other words, bitterness and unforgiveness creates problems in a person's life and harms many other people. Friends, if anyone ever slanders you or wrongs you because you serve Jesus, remember this formula for success.

Avoid Angry People; Forgive Forever

     The bible speaks about avoiding angry people at Proverbs 22:24 that says Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go. But when an angry enemy that slanders returns in peace asking for forgiveness, we must forgive forever. No matter how many times an enemy asks for forgiveness, we must forgive them and not be bitter. 

     Bitterness is a trick of the devil. Bitterness in Hebrew is called pikria or poison. In other words bitterness and unforgiveness is poison that will kill people who hold onto grudges for years and refuse to forgive their enemies. Brother Bob used to be bitter and not want to speak to my enemies when they asked for forgiveness. This led to misery and near death. Brother Bob learned to always forgive forever and bless my enemies whenever they asked for forgiveness. In fact, if someone tried to kill Brother Bob and then asked for forgiveness and help, I'd always forgive them and try to help them with their needs. After forgiveness forever with no bitterness, Brother Bob life was renewed with great joy, peace, and strength. 

     When you forgive forever, people in the world will say don't forgive; they're getting what they deserve; they made their bed let them sleep in it; once bit shame on them, twice bit shame on you; why are you letting them take advantage of you; All these sayings are not in the bible. This is all wrong and lies from the devil.

     Jesus told us to forgive seven times seventy or forgive forever. Hebrews 12:14 says Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. In other words you can't even see God until you follow peace with all men with no bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness. And the bible tells us to never rejoice when our enemy is suffering. Proverbs 24:17 says Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth. In other words, when your enemy is in trouble and suffering, help them and pray for them. Don't say like many people well they had it coming to them. Instead help save your enemies from trouble and pray for God to bless your enemy.  

     Remember every time we sin and ask Jesus to forgive our numerous sins, Jesus always forgives without any bitterness. Therefore we must be like Jesus and always forgive our enemies without any bitterness. Proverbs 18:24 says A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother (Jesus).

I went out to find a friend and could not find one anywhere

I went out to be a friend and friends were everywhere

      If someone is a crab, grumpy, and mean, people will be a crab, grumpy, and mean to them. If someone is kind, friendly, and forgiving, people will be kind, friendly, and forgiving to them. We reap what we sow. Galatians 6:7 says Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption (destruction); but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Even when we are tired, we must tell our flesh to love everyone with the love of Jesus Christ. Jesus had so much love that when he carried all the weight of billions of peoples' sins on the cross, He took time to love and save a dying thief with the comforting words To day shalt thou be with me in paradise after the thief said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom (Luke 23:42-43).  

The End Result Of Ahithophel's Bitterness Was Death

     OK, lets learn the end result of Ahithophel's bitterness that was death. After Ahithophel told Absalom that he wanted to personally kill David, David sent Hushai the Archite to give different advice to Absalom to spare David's life. Absalom accepted Hushai's advice instead of Ahithophel's advice. When Absalom ignored Ahithophel's advice, notice what the end result was of Ahithophel's bitterness. 

     2 Samuel 17:23 tells us And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. Wow, even though Ahithophel was a good man and David had done wrong, Ahithophel shouldn't have been bitter to avoid death. Many people today are like Ahithophel and refuse to forgive their enemies and experience misery and eventually die lonely and unhappy. 

     Notice that Psalm 3 speaks about Ahithophel and his conspiracy with Absalom against David because the heading of Psalm 3 says A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son. David spoke about Ahithophel when he said at Psalm 3:1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me. many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah. Ahithophel and many people said this about David because David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed her innocent husband Uriah. 

     David also spoke about Ahithophel at Psalm 41:9 saying Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. Wow, David thought Ahithophel was his trusted faithful counsellor and did not realize that Ahithophel was bitter and trying to kill him. For nine years Ahithophel was a bitter hypocrite (actor) that put on a show or charade that was fake so he could eventually kill David. But the end result was that bitter unforgiving Ahithophel died and repentant David got blessed and lived. Don't be miserable and bitter; instead be forgiving and happy, receiving life and peace.

One Final Thought

After You Forgive (Forget) Resulting In Peace And Joy

     The bible tells us not only to forgive forever but also to forget the wrongs done to us. Unfortunately most people forget what they ought to remember and remember what they ought to forget. Most people read a bible verse and forget three fourths of the bible verse in three minutes; but if you say a bad thing about a preacher after that preacher did a million good things, people will remember the bad thing for fifty years. 

     But God's Word says at Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. In other words, when your enemy returns asking for forgiveness, forget his past wrongs and become his friend like you first met with no memory of his past faults. And if you have to forgive a million times, forget the enemies faults a million times. If you do this you will have peace and joy, escaping misery and death. 

     Finally, if you can't in yourself forgive someone for a past wrong, ask Jesus to give you the grace to forgive. Thank God for grace. I've done some things in my life that people won't forgive Brother Bob for. But Hallelujah for grace where Jesus forgives and does not remember our sins. Grace can reach behind the bars of a prison jail cell and forgive a criminal for his sins and wash him white as snow. Grace can lift someone out of a pit and save their soul. Right now say Thank you Jesus because I am crucified with Jesus Christ and the blood of Jesus has cleansed me of all my sin. People might not forgive me but Jesus your blood has washed me clean and saved my soul. 

     I pray in Jesus name that this little bible study gives hope and peace to someone on this earth. Jesus bless the words of this bible study to save souls. Right now get saved; Repent, confess that Jesus is God, and believe the gospel that Jesus died for you on the cross, was buried, and rose again. Feel free to contact Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.