Do Not Confuse Man's Advice with God's Will

Note from today’s Bible reading: 2 Samuel 16-17

When David’s son Absalom conspired against him to take the throne, David was forced to flee Jerusalem. One of the conspirators who allied with Absalom was a man named Ahithophel. He was so trusted by both David and Absalom that “the advice…which he gave in those days, was as if one inquired of the word of God” (2 Samuel 16:23).

However, just because they believed Ahithophel’s words were from God does not mean they actually were. In fact, when Absalom got to Jerusalem, Ahithophel advised him to “go in to [his] father’s concubines,” which he did “in the sight of all Israel” (2 Samuel 16:21-22). Clearly, this counsel was not from God.

This should serve as a reminder that not everyone who claims to speak for God or is believed to be giving godly counsel is giving advice that is in harmony with the will of God. In fact, it is good to question what we hear and, like the Bereans, search the Scriptures to see what is true (Acts 17:11).

So do not confuse man’s advice with God’s will. If we blindly follow what others tell us to do, we could easily be led into doing what is completely contrary to the will of God. Instead, let us look to His word as the final authority for our decisions.