patriarchs and prophets-第171节

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this　dead　dog　curse　my　lord　the　king？　let　me　go　over；　I　pray　thee；　and　take
off　his　head。〃　But　the　king　forbade　him。　〃Behold；〃　he　said；　〃my　son　。　。　。
seeketh　my　life：　how　much　more　now　may　this　Benjamite　do　it？　let　him　alone；
and　let　him　curse；　for　the　Lord　hath　bidden　him。　It　may　be　that　the　Lord
will　look　on　mine　affliction；　and　that　the　Lord　will　requite　me　good　for　his
cursing　this　day。〃

Conscience　was　uttering　bitter　and　humiliating　truths　to　David。　While　his
faithful　subjects　wondered　at　his　sudden　reverse　of　fortune；　it　was　no
mystery　to　the　king。　He　had　often　had　forebodings　of　an　hour　like　this。　He
had　wondered　that　God　had　so　long　borne　with　his　sins；　and　had　delayed　the
merited　retribution。　And　now　in　his　hurried　and　sorrowful　flight；　his　feet
bare；　his　royal　robes　changed　for　sackcloth；　the　lamentations　of　his
followers　awaking　the　echoes　of　the　hills；　he　thought　of　his　loved
capitalof　the　place　which　had　been　the　scene　of　his　sin　and　as　he
remembered　the　goodness　and　long…suffering　of　God；　he　was　not　altogether
without　hope。　He　felt　that　the　Lord　would　still　deal　with　him　in　mercy。

Many　a　wrongdoer　has　excused　his　own　sin　by　pointing　to　David's　fall；　but
how　few　there　are　who　manifest　David's　penitence　and　humility。　How　few　would
bear　reproof　and　retribution　with　the　patience　and　fortitude　that　he
manifested。　He　had　confessed　his　sin；　and　for　years　had　sought　to　do　his
duty　as　a　faithful　servant　of　God；　he　had　labored　for　the　upbuilding　of　his
kingdom；　and　under　his　rule　it　had　attained　to　strength　and　prosperity　never
reached　before。　He　had　gathered　rich　stores　of　material　for　the　building　of
the　house　of　God；　and　now　was　all　the　labor　of　his　life　to　be　swept　away？
Must　the　results　of　years　of　consecrated　toil；　the　work　of　genius　and
devotion　and　statesmanship；　pass　into　the　hands　of　his　reckless　and
traitorous　son；　who　regarded　not　the　honor　of　God　nor　the　prosperity　of

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Israel？　How　natural　it　would　have　seemed　for　David　to　murmur　against　God　in
this　great　affliction！

But　he　saw　in　his　own　sin　the　cause　of　his　trouble。　The　words　of　the　prophet
Micah　breathe　the　spirit　that　inspired　David's　heart。　〃When　I　sit　in
darkness；　the　Lord　shall　be　a　light　unto　me。　I　will　bear　the　indignation　of
the　Lord；　because　I　have　sinned　against　Him；　until　He　plead　my　cause；　and
execute　judgment　for　me。〃　Micah　7：8；　9。　And　the　Lord　did　not　forsake　David。
This　chapter　in　his　experience；　when；　under　cruelest　wrong　and　insult；　he
shows　himself　to　be　humble；　unselfish；　generous；　and　submissive；　is　one　of
the　noblest　in　his　whole　experience。　Never　was　the　ruler　of　Israel　more
truly　great　in　the　sight　of　heaven　than　at　this　hour　of　his　deepest　outward
humiliation。

Had　God　permitted　David　to　go　on　unrebuked　in　sin；　and　while　transgressing
the　divine　precepts；　to　remain　in　peace　and　prosperity　upon　his　throne；　the
skeptic　and　infidel　might　have　had　some　excuse　for　citing　the　history　of
David　as　a　reproach　to　the　religion　of　the　Bible。　But　in　the　experience
through　which　He　caused　David　to　pass；　the　Lord　shows　that　He　cannot
tolerate　or　excuse　sin。　And　David's　history　enables　us　to　see　also　the　great
ends　which　God　has　in　view　in　His　dealings　with　sin；　it　enables　us　to　trace；
even　through　darkest　judgments；　the　working　out　of　His　purposes　of　mercy　and
beneficence。　He　caused　David　to　pass　under　the　rod；　but　He　did　not　destroy
him；　the　furnace　is　to　purify；　but　not　to　consume。　The　Lord　says；　〃If　they
break　My　statutes；　and　keep　not　My　commandments；　then　will　I　visit　their
transgression　with　the　rod；　and　their　iniquity　with　stripes。　Nevertheless　My
loving…kindness　will　I　not　utterly　take　from　him；　nor　suffer　My　faithfulness
to　fail。〃　Psalm　89：31…33。

Soon　after　David　left　Jerusalem；　Absalom　and　his　army　entered；　and　without　a
struggle　took　possession　of　the　stronghold　of　Israel。　Hushai　was　among　the
first　to　greet　the　new…crowned　monarch；　and　the　prince　was　surprised　and
gratified　at　the　accession　of　his　father's　old　friend　and　counselor。　Absalom
was　confident　of　success。　Thus　far　his　schemes　had　prospered；　and　eager　to
strengthen　his　throne　and　secure　the　confidence　of　the　nation；　he　welcomed
Hushai　to　his　court。

Absalom　was　now　surrounded　by　a　large　force；　but　it　was　mostly　composed　of
men　untrained　for　war。　As　yet　they　had　not

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been　brought　into　conflict。　Ahithophel　well　knew　that　David's　situation　was
far　from　hopeless。　A　large　part　of　the　nation　were　still　true　to　him；　he　was
surrounded　by　tried　warriors；　who　were　faithful　to　their　king；　and　his　army
was　commanded　by　able　and　experienced　generals。　Ahithophel　knew　that　after
the　first　burst　of　enthusiasm　in　favor　of　the　new　king；　a　reaction　would
come。　Should　the　rebellion　fail；　Absalom　might　be　able　to　secure　a
reconciliation　with　his　father；　then　Ahithophel；　as　his　chief　counselor；
would　be　held　most　guilty　for　the　rebellion；　upon　him　the　heaviest
punishment　would　fall。　To　prevent　Absalom　from　retracing　his　steps；
Ahithophel　counseled　him　to　an　act　that　in　the　eyes　of　the　whole　nation
would　make　reconciliation　impossible。　With　hellish　cunning　this　wily　and
unprincipled　statesman　urged　Absalom　to　add　the　crime　of　incest　to　that　of
rebellion。　In　the　sight　of　all　Israel　he　was　to　take　to　himself　his　father's
concubines；　according　to　the　custom　of　oriental　nations；　thus　declaring　that
he　succeeded　to　his　father's　throne。　And　Absalom　carried　out　the　vile
suggestion。　Thus　was　fulfilled　the　word　of　God　to　David　by　the　prophet；
〃Behold；　I　will　raise　up　evil　against　thee　out　of　thine　own　house；　and　I
will　take　thy　wives　before　thine　eyes；　and　give　them　unto　thy　neighbor。　。　。
。　For　thou　didst　it　secretly：　but　I　will　do　this　thing　before　all　Israel；
and　before　the　sun。〃　2　Samuel　12：11；　12。　Not　that　God　prompted　these　acts　of
wickedness；　but　because　of　David's　sin　He　did　not　exercise　His　power　to
prevent　them。

Ahithophel　had　been　held　in　high　esteem　for　his　wisdom；　but　he　was　destitute
of　the　enlightenment　which　comes　from　God。　〃The　fear　of　the　Lord　is　the
beginning　of　wisdom〃　（Proverbs　9：10）；　and　this；　Ahithophel　did　not　possess；
or　he　could　hardly　have　based　the　success　of　treason　upon　the　crime　of
incest。　Men　of　corrupt　hearts　plot　wickedness；　as　if　there　were　no
overruling　Providence　to　cross　their　designs；　but　〃He　that　sitteth　in　the
heavens　shall　laugh：　the　Lord　shall　have　them　in　derision。〃　Psalm　2：4。　The
Lord　declares：　〃They　would　none　of　My　counsel：　they　despised　all　My　reproof。
Therefore　shall　they　eat　of　the　fruit　of　their　own　way；　and　be　filled　with
their　own　devices。　For　the　turning　away　of　the　simple　shall　slay　them；　and
the　prosperity　of　fools　shall　destroy　them。〃　Proverbs　1：30…32。

Having　succeeded　in　the　plot　for　securing　his　own　safety；

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Ahithophel　urged　upon　Absalom　the　necessity　of　immediate　action　against
David。　〃Let　me　now　choose　out　twelve　thousand　men；〃　he　said；　〃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。〃　This　plan　was　approved　by　the　king's
counselors。　Had　it　been　followed；　David　would　surely　have　been　slain；　unless
the　Lord　had　directly　interposed　to　save　him。　But　a　wisdom　higher　than　that
of　the　renowned　Ahithophel　was　directing　events。　〃The　Lord　had　appointed　to
defeat　the　good　counsel　of　Ahithophel；　to　the　intent　that　the　Lord　might
bring　evil　upon　Absalom。〃

Hushai　had　not　been　called　to　the　council；　and　he　would　not　intrude　himself
unasked；　lest　suspicion　should　be　drawn　upon　him　as　a　spy；　but　after　the
assembly　had　dispersed；　Absalom；　who　had　a　high　regard　for　the　judgment　of
his　father's　counselor；　submitted　to　him　the　plan　of　Ahithophel。　Hushai　saw
that　if　the　proposed　plan　were　followed；　David　would　be　lost。　And　he　said；
〃The　counsel　that　Ahithophel　hath　given　is　not　good　at　this　time。　For；　said
Hushai；　thou　knowest　thy　father　and　his　men；　that　they　be　mighty　men；　and
they　be　chafed　in　their　minds；　as　a　bear　robbed　of　her　whelps　in　the　field：
and　thy　father　is　a　man　of　war；　and　will　not　lodge　with　the　people。　Behold；
he　is　hid　now　in　some　pit；　or　in　some　other　place；〃　he　argued　that；　if
Absalom's　forces　should　pursue　David；　they　would　not　capture　the　king；　and
should　they　suffer　a　reverse；　it　would　tend　to　dishearten　them　and　work
great　harm　to　Absalom's　cause。　〃For；〃　he　said；　〃all　Israel　knoweth　that　thy
father　is　a　mighty　man；　and　they　which　be　with　him　are　valiant　men。〃　And　he
suggested　a　plan　attractive　to　a　vain　and　selfish　nature；　fond　of　the　show
of　power：　〃I　counsel　that　all　Israel　be　generally　gathered　unto　thee；　from
Dan　even　to　Beer…sheba；　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　t