In this sermon we explore how to overcome betrayal. Betrayal is typically a wound intentionally inflicted by a friend. That is what makes it especially painful. We will consider two of the worst examples of betrayal in the Bible, the betrayal of David by his most trusted advisor Athithophel and the betrayal of Zechariah by King Joash. We will also consider parallels to Jesus' betrayal by Judas. Finally, we will look at four ways to handle betrayal and overcome the pain that results.
2. Storm Proof Lives
Theme Verse – John 16:33
I have said these things to you,
that in me you may have
peace. In the world you will
have tribulation. But take heart; I
have overcome the world.
3. Storm Proof Lives
Series Outline – Handling…
• Disappointments
• Temptations
• Betrayal
• Financial Storms
• Extreme
Pressure
• Health Crises
• Family
Storms
5. Storm Proof Lives
First Point
Betrayal is especially
painful because it
typically comes from a
friend, not an enemy.
6. 1 Chronicles 27:33
Ahithophel was the king’s
counselor, and Hushai the
Archite was the king’s friend.
David and Ahithophel
7. How did David meet
Ahithophel?
לֶפ ֹ֫ית ִחֲא
My brother is a fool
8. 2 Samuel 16:23
Now in those days the counsel
that Ahithophel gave was as if
one consulted the word of God;
so was all the counsel of
Ahithophel esteemed, both by
David and by Absalom.
9. 2 Samuel 15
31 And it was told David,
“Ahithophel is among the
conspirators with Absalom.” And
David said, “O LORD, please turn
the counsel of Ahithophel into
foolishness.”
10. 2 Samuel 16
20 Then Absalom said to
Ahithophel, “Give your counsel.
What shall we do?”
11. 21 Ahithophel said to Absalom,
“Go in to your father's
concubines, whom he has left to
keep the house, and all Israel will
hear that you have made yourself
a stench to your father, and the
hands of all who are with you will
be strengthened.”
12. 2 Samuel 16
22 So they pitched a tent for
Absalom on the roof. And
Absalom went in to his father's
concubines in the sight of all
Israel.
13. Ahithophel of Gilo
Advisor to King
David
Eliam
One of David’s
Mighty Men
Bathsheba
Ahithophel’s
Granddaughter!
Ahithophel’s
Family Tree
14. Psalm 41:9
Even my close friend in whom
I trusted, who ate my bread,
has lifted his heel against me.
15. John 13:18
18 I am not speaking of all of you;
I know whom I have chosen.
But the Scripture will be fulfilled,
‘He who ate my bread has lifted
his heel against me.’
18. 2 Chronicles 22
10 Now when Athaliah the mother
of Ahaziah saw that her son was
dead, she arose and destroyed
all the royal family of the house of
Judah.
Joash and Zechariah
19. 11a But Jehoshabeath, the
daughter of the king, took Joash
the son of Ahaziah and stole him
away from among the king's sons
who were about to be put to
death, and she put him and his
nurse in a bedroom.
20. 11b Thus Jehoshabeath, the
daughter of King Jehoram and
wife of Jehoiada the priest,
because she was a sister of
Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah,
so that she did not put him to
death.
21. 12 And he remained
with them six years,
hidden in the house
of God, while
Athaliah reigned
over the land.
2 Chronicles 22
22. 2 Chronicles 23
8 The Levites and all Judah did
according to all that Jehoiada the
priest commanded, and they each
brought his men, who were to go off
duty on the Sabbath, with those
who were to come on duty on the
Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did
not dismiss the divisions.
23. 9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the
captains the spears and the large
and small shields that had been King
David's, which were in the house of
God. 10 And he set all the people as
a guard for the king, every man with
his weapon in his hand, from the
south side of the house to the north
side of the house, around the altar
and the house.
24. 11 Then they brought out the king's
son and put the crown on him and
gave him the testimony. And they
proclaimed him king, and
Jehoiada and his sons anointed
him, and they said, “Long live the
king.”
2 Chronicles 23
25. 2 Chronicles 24
1 Joash was seven years old when
he began to reign, and he reigned
forty years in Jerusalem. His
mother's name was Zibiah of
Beersheba. 2 And Joash did what
was right in the eyes of
the LORD all the days of Jehoiada
the priest.
26. 2 Chronicles 24
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada
the princes of Judah came and paid
homage to the king. Then the king
listened to them. 18 And they
abandoned the house of the LORD,
the God of their fathers, and
served the Asherim and the idols.
And wrath came upon Judah and
Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
27. 2 Chronicles 24
19 Yet he sent prophets among
them to bring them back to
the LORD. These testified against
them, but they would not pay
attention.
28. 20 Then the Spirit of God clothed
Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the
priest, and he stood above the
people, and said to them, “Thus
says God, ‘Why do you break the
commandments of the LORD, so that
you cannot prosper? Because you
have forsaken the LORD, he has
forsaken you.’”
29. 21 But they conspired against
him, and by command of the
king they stoned him with
stones in the court of the house of
the LORD.
30. 22 Thus Joash the king did not
remember the kindness that
Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had
shown him, but killed his son. And
when he was dying, he said, “May
the LORD see and avenge!”
2 Chronicles 24
31. Luke 11
47 Woe to you! For you build the
tombs of the prophets whom your
fathers killed…51 from the blood
of Abel to the blood of Zechariah,
who perished between the altar
and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it
will be required of this generation.
32. Some really bad advice on
overcoming betrayal
“We have to
distrust each
other. It is our
only defense
against betrayal.”Tennessee Williams
36. 1 Peter 2:23
When he was reviled, he did not
revile in return; when he suffered,
he did not threaten, but continued
entrusting himself to him who
judges justly.
39. 4. Accept that some folks CAN’T be trusted.
Overcoming
Betrayal
40. Romans 12:18-19
If possible, so far as it depends
on you, live peaceably with all.
Beloved, never avenge
yourselves, but leave it to the
wrath of God, for it is written,
“Vengeance is mine, I will repay,
says the Lord.”
Theme Verse – John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.
Series Outline – Handling…
Disappointments
Temptations
Betrayal
Financial Storms
Extreme Pressure
Health Crises
Family Storms
Definition of betrayal: “an act of deliberate disloyalty”.
First Point
Betrayal is especially painful because it typically comes from a friend, not an enemy.
1 Chronicles 27:33
Ahithophel was the king’s counselor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend.
How did David meet Ahithophel? At first, that might seem like an unanswerable question in that there is no clear statement as to how they met. However, we often see that names have considerable meaning in the Bible. Ahithophel has a most unfortunate name. In fact, he is the only person in the Bible with this name which means, “My brother is a fool” Ahithophel was a descendant of Caleb. He lived in Giloh, a town very near Carmel which was also part of the inheritance of Caleb. This was the region where loyalists to King Saul kept providing Saul with information about David’s whereabouts. In Carmel there lived a man named Nabal. His name meant fool. You may remember that God struck Nabal dead after he spurned David’s help securing his flocks. After the death of the man named fool, his wife, Abigail married King David. It is highly likely that Ahithophel was the brother of Nabal the Fool, and thus, after the marriage to Abigail, King David’s brother-in-law. This would explain how Ahithophel became David’s friend and advisor.
Ahithophel comes to be highly esteemed as the wisest of counselors. Both David and his son Absalom speak of Ahithophel in words that border on blasphemous praise.
In 2 Samuel 16:23 we read:
Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.
These words suggest that Ahithophel was an amazing man. And like amazing people, he has been put on a high pedestal… perhaps a bit too high. Both David and his son had nothing but respect for Ahithophel… and absolute trust. It is that trust that David has for his friend that sets up the shocking events of the next two chapters.
In 2 Samuel 16:23 we read:
Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.
These words suggest that Ahithophel was an amazing man. And like amazing people, he has been put on a high pedestal… perhaps a bit too high. Both David and his son had nothing but respect for Ahithophel… and absolute trust. It is that trust that David has for his friend that sets up the shocking events of the next two chapters.
Psalm 41:9
Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
Do those words sound familiar? They should. Jesus quoted this verse of scripture and applied it to Judas.
Psalms 55
12 For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it;it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him.13 But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend.14 We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng.
“Each betrayal begins with trust” – Martin Luther
Tell Theresa Story
Second Point
Joash and Zechariah
2 Chronicles 22
10 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal family of the house of Judah.
11a But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were about to be put to death, and she put him and his nurse in a bedroom.
11b Thus Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of Jehoiada the priest, because she was a sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not put him to death.
12 And he remained with them six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
2 Chronicles 23
8 The Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded, and they each brought his men, who were to go off duty on the Sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the Sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss the divisions.
9 And Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David's, which were in the house of God. 10 And he set all the people as a guard for the king, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house.
11 Then they brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony. And they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and they said, “Long live the king.”
2 Chronicles 24
1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.
17 Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. 18 And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.
19 Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention.
20 Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’”
21 But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord.
22 Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!”
Luke 11
47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed…51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation.
Some really bad advice on overcoming betrayal
“We have to distrust each other. It is our only defense against betrayal.”
Tennessee Williams
Overcoming Betrayal
1. Call out to God.
Psalm 55
16 But I call to God, and the Lord will save me. 17 Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.
Overcoming Betrayal
2. Do not repay evil for evil.
1 Peter 2:23
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
Overcoming Betrayal
3. Forgive quickly and rebuild trust over time.
Overcoming Betrayal
4. Accept that some folks CAN’T be trusted.
Romans 12
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”