2 Samuel 16:15-19
Verse 16 Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s confidant, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
While David is settling into his home away from home, his son is settling into the palace in Jerusalem. David was being refreshed but the plan he had set in motion was just getting underway. His trusted confidant was stepping into his agreed upon position. He greets Absalom as if he is quite pleased to see him. He bows as pretending to give his allegiance to the younger man.
Absalom isn’t buying the act right away. He starts questioning why Hushai was suddenly leaving his father’s company and trying to make nice with the king’s son. Yes, some of the people had given up loyalty for his father and started following the prince but to hear one of his father’s most trusted men claiming to have left his father to become an aide to him? Was that too good to be true?
Absalom seems to question Hushai’s loyalty. If this man had left his father after all of these years, how could the acting king trust this servant? If he had turned after this long of being with Absalolm’s father, how long would he stay faithful to him? And yet if this man was truly proving to be disloyal to David, what information could be gleaned from this man about his father’s whereabouts and even the way his father operated.
Hushai knew he needed to convince Absalom of his loyalty if this plan was going to work so he lays on the syrup thick. He starts his work at convincing the young man by flattering him with words the young man hoped to be true, that he had been chosen by God to replace his father. There is nothing like giving a person what they want to hear to gain their trust.
Hushai finishes his smooth-talking with what he hopes is a powerfully convincing plug in the question of his being a loyal man. He says it was only natural that a right hand man of the king be passed down to the one who inherits the throne. In other words he worked at convincing Absalom he was part of what he was due as the one taking over the throne. And it appears the sweet talking worked because Absalom stopped pressing on the topic.
Making It Personal
Have you ever had to talk your way out of a tight spot? Was the tight spot because you were trying to get away with something you shouldn’t? When does a lie become a sin?
Making It Personal Kids
Have you ever tried to convince someone of something that wasn’t true so you didn’t get in trouble from them? Is it ok to lie so you won’t get in trouble? Do you think lying is ok?
Closing Prayer
Father, we know lying is a sin and yet we all deal with the desire to lie at some point or another. Please give us the desire to be truthful and loyal. You are forever faithful and we should be too. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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