What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 15:12? While Absalom was offering the sacrifices • Absalom cloaks rebellion in religion. His trip to Hebron appears pious, yet underneath lies calculated treachery (2 Samuel 15:7–10). • Scripture warns of people who “have a form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). Absalom’s sacrifices mirror Saul’s earlier misuse of sacrifice for self-promotion (1 Samuel 13:11–12). • Genuine worship springs from obedience (1 Samuel 15:22). Absalom’s outward ritual cannot hide the inward sin of pride and ambition. He sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from his hometown of Giloh • Recruiting Ahithophel gives Absalom instant credibility; Ahithophel’s counsel “was regarded as if one inquired of the word of God” (2 Samuel 16:23). • This betrayal fulfills David’s own lament: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted… has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9; cf. John 13:18). • Ahithophel is likely Bathsheba’s grandfather (compare 2 Samuel 11:3 with 23:34), hinting at lingering bitterness after David’s sin with Bathsheba. • Proverbs 13:20 notes, “He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Aligning with Absalom attaches Ahithophel to folly. So the conspiracy gained strength • With sacrificial smoke rising and a renowned advisor on board, Absalom’s plot moves from talk to traction (2 Samuel 15:11–12). • Psalm 2:2 pictures “the kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against His Anointed.” Absalom’s uprising fits this pattern of opposition to God’s chosen king. • Yet God remains sovereign; He will “frustrate the plans of the crafty” (Job 5:12). Ahithophel’s later counsel will be divinely undermined through Hushai (2 Samuel 17:14). And Absalom’s following kept increasing • Absalom had already “stolen the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6). Charisma and grievance draw a crowd, but numbers do not equal righteousness (Exodus 23:2). • Jesus cautions that the broad road is popular yet destructive (Matthew 7:13). Absalom’s swelling ranks foreshadow coming sorrow for the nation. • Many today are swayed by surface appeal; believers are urged to “test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). summary 2 Samuel 15:12 exposes how rebellion often masquerades as religion, gains momentum through influential allies, and attracts impressive numbers. Absalom leverages sacrifice, Ahithophel’s reputation, and swelling support to challenge God’s anointed king. Yet beneath the pageantry lies pride, betrayal, and inevitable judgment. The verse calls readers to discern genuine devotion, choose godly counsel, and remember that success measured by human acclaim can quickly unravel when it opposes the Lord’s sovereign plan. |
    |