2Sa 16:23 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.

Absalom revolted against his father, David. Ahithophel was before this, David’s counsellor. Ahithophel probably played a big part in Absalom’s rebellion. Who was Ahithophel?

It may come as a surprise to you, but Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather. In 2Samuel 11:3, David learned that Bathsheba was the daughter of Eliam. We learn from 2Samuel 23:34 that Eliam was one of David’s mighty men and his father was Ahithophel. Now that David married Bathsheba, it means Ahithophel was David’s grandfather-in-law. How is it that this grandfather-in-law did not side with his grandson-in-law but with the wicked Absalom?

One possible reason I can think of is revenge – David violated his granddaughter, Bathsheba, and killed his grandson-in-law, Uriah. He even had the audacity of taking his granddaughter to wife after that. Ahithophel felt he needed to redeem his family’s honour.

Ahithophel’s name means “foolishness” but he was not foolish. He was David’s counselor. David treated him like a dear friend. When David learned that Ahithophel had defected to Absalom’s camp, it broke his heart and he wrote in his psalm: “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). And also in Psalm 55:12-13: “For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.”

Sad, isn’t it - to be betrayed by a trusted friend? But it is a case of reaping one has sown. Recall that David betrayed his loyal soldier, Uriah, too. Uriah trusted and was loyal to David, but his trusted king signed his death sentence.

Ahithophel was a clever person. He knew how to suit his counsels with their tempers and interests: to David he gave good counsel, what was acceptable with him, and to Absalom evil counsel, which was pleasing to him. And, the Scripture has this to say about him: “And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God” (v.23).

Ahithophel was the “Socrates” of his days. Obviously, his counsels weren’t from God because they were evil. But many thought his wisdom was divine, like from heaven.

Ahithophel’s wisdom was earthly, sensual, and devilish (James 3:15). James says the wisdom that is from God is pure, peaceable, reasonable, merciful, benevolent, truthful, and its result is peace (James 3:17, 18). Clearly, Ahithophel’s counsels were none of those things.

Ahithophel speaks for the devil, and he has many disciples. There are many so called Christian preachers, who speak like Ahithophel, whose followers think they speak from God, but, are in actual fact, delivering devilish messages of damnation. Paul says their end is damnation (Galatians 1:6-9). And those who follow them join them in the same path of eternal damnation (2John 1:11).

The only way we can know whether one speaks from God or from the devil is to know the message of God ourselves. Christ says we can know the truth (John 8:32). It requires a diligent study (2 Timothy 2:15). It requires diligent investigation (Acts 17:11).

Ahithophel’s evil counsels exist even today. The evil prosperity gospel and the false doctrine of faith alone save are just two examples. Let us be aware of the devilish doctrines that are propagating in this world by knowing the truth for ourselves: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). Do you know the truth?