Ahijah looked at the letter in his hand. He was sweating profusely, his hands trembling… His eyes darted from left to right as he read through the umpteenth time. Slowly, his eyes move away from the letter to Joab.
And he screamed…
Ahijah was a happy-go-lucky young man, a trainee in the army of Israel hoping to go to war at some point in his military career.
His life ambition was to fight for his Country and his King, side by side with his older brother, Uriah. He wanted to be counted as one of the Mighty Men of King David…
When his brother, Uriah got married 2 years ago, he was the best man. The bride, Bathsheba was a beautiful, submissive, humble, industrious and hardworking woman. “My brother couldn’t have picked a better wife”, he thought…
When Uriah and the other soldiers go to war, Ahijah would remain in the camp training to fight with the other young men. When wounded soldiers were brought back from the battlefield, they would take care of them- dress their wounds, feed them and nurture them back to full strength.
One day King David visited the camp to talk to the soldiers….
And boy, was he an ORATOR!
Ahijah stood, listening to king David dressed in his royal robes. He was in awe of David. “One day I will fight and even lay down my life for this man!” he vowed.
A few days later, he heard the news: His brother, Uriah was dead: he died in the battlefield.
He was stunned.
His Mentor.
His Benefactor.
His Inspiration.
His Brother.
Dead!
He was hurt.
He was pained.
He wept.
And wept.
And wept….
His friends tried to comfort him to no avail. What was he going to do now? He had no idea.
Now, according to the Law, he had to marry Bathsheba and produce children for his late brother. He couldn’t even take care of himself, talk less of a wife!
After the mourning period was over, he heard the news: King David had married Batsheba! He was happy for her. And relieved…
He resumed his military training. Then the rumor started flying round: King David had a hand in his brother’s death. He had Uriah killed so he could take his wife.
At first, he brushed it aside as idle talk. But the rumors grew louder and louder. He wondered, could it be true? King David? A man after God’s own heart?
No!
It’s not possible!
Or, is it?
Ahijah decided to find out the truth. If anybody knew the truth, it must be the Chief of Army Staff, General Joab…
He went to see the Army Chief. “Morning, Sir!” Joab looked at the young soldier before him, standing at attention. He had a premonition of what he came for.
“At ease, soldier! What brought you to my office?”
Ahijah told him why he came, the rumors flying round the barracks and his concerns.
Joab looked at Ahijah, wondering if he should tell him what he knew. Then he got up and went to a safe in the corner of the office. He punched in the codes and the safe opened. He brought out a letter and without a word, he gave it to Ahijah…
Ahijah opened the letter. It was a memo from King David to the Army Chief. He read it. “Put Uriah in the hottest battle and withdraw from him: I want him dead.”
He screamed.
So, it is true! The king killed my brother! And that bitch, Bathsheba was an accomplice to this plot all along! She sacrificed Loyalty on the Altar of Royalty…
A deep feeling of anger, hatred and resentment came over him.
He swore to himself he would make the king pay for what he did…
Ironically in that same moment, David was penning Psalm 51: “Have mercy on me, o God, according to your unfailing love, according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions…”
David was crying out for forgiveness.
God heard him.
And forgave him.
Ahijah didn’t
Ahijah was beefing a man God had forgiven.
Ironic, isn’t it?
Beefing a man God has forgiven…
Ahijah started looking for an opportunity to revenge. He was possessed by bitterness. Some years later, Absalom revolted against his father, the king. He planned a palace coup. When Ahijah heard of the plan, he joined in.
He couldn’t care less if Absalom became king. His motivation was different- he just wanted to kill the king and revenge his brother’s death…
The unfortunate thing is, GOD HAD FORGIVEN DAVID!!!
So the palace coup failed. Absalom was killed and his fellow coup plotters were rounded up, but Ahijah managed to escape, waiting for another chance for vengeance.
Many years later, another son rebelled against king David: Adonijah.
As soon as Ahijah heard, he went to meet him to join his rebel group. Adonijah looked at him. “How old are you sir? Sorry, you’re too old to be in my army…”
Ahijah was shocked! Old- me? Then it dawned on him. He had been too blinded by bitterness and hatred that he didn’t see his life pass him by.
He never married.
He never had children.
He never even joined the army.
He never fought any war…
His heart failed him. He collapsed. And was rushed to the hospital…
Ahijah had a massive stroke. He was put on bed rest for some days. He woke up one day to a loud noise of celebration in the city…
He tapped his nurse, “what is going on?”, he whispered. “Sir, Solomon has just been crowned king in place of his father!”
Solomon? Is that not Bathsheba’s son?
How can?
God, why him, of all the Princes?
Don’t you know what his mother and father did???
There were other sons born RIGHT. Why the son that was born WRONG????
The shock was too much for Ahijah to bear. He suffered a heart attack. As he slipped off into death, he heard God whisper to him in a still small voice; “Son, I had forgiven him long ago. If only you did too…”
The moral of the story: DO NOT BEEF A MAN GOD HAS FORGIVEN.
“Blessed is the Man whose sin the Lord will not count against him”-Psalm 32:2
Shalom,
Haruna Daniels