frustrated tyrants

The Old Testament often comforts me with stories of wicked rulers who can’t stand up to God. Today, in reading of Absalom’s coup against David, Absalom was induced to ignore the good counsel of his wisest advisor, Ahithophel. But it wasn’t a random choice. 2 Samuel 27:14 says,  “For the Lord had determined to frustrate the good advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.”

As happens so often in Old Testament history, a man who thought he was winning was in fact being manipulated by God. God raised up Absalom to discipline David, but David was still God’s man. Absalom could only act inside the boundaries of God’s intent. And in the end, Absalom took advice that got him defeated and killed.

This world is full of tyrants and despots and arrogant, self-serving people.  Some are in places like Russia and North Korea, and some closer to home. Some even run for president. And often it seems likely these worldly people are winning. Their violence of speech and action intimidates the rest of us, or at least renders our gentle good manners ineffective.

But God will not be defied, and God has a plan for me. He won’t be deterred by ISIS attacks or a bad president or a back-stabbing co-worker. In fact, sometimes those people are going to do exactly the best thing for me. They might do it for their own reasons, or they might not really understand why. But they will follow God’s plan. They don’t have a choice.

There’s a lot of comfort in that, especially now when this country’s leadership seems either nuts or missing in action. Every man and woman on earth bows to God’s will.