“Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and arose and went to his home, to his city, and set his house in order, and strangled himself; thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father” (2 Sam 17:23).
In many of my devotionals, I seek to point out narrative analogies within the biblical stories. In a narrative analogy, the author intentionally crafts (not fabricates) “Story B” as a parallel to “Story A.” By noticing the unique vocabulary and sequence of events shared between both stories, we begin to map out all the similarities and strategic differences to figure out the meaning of “Story B” in light of its analogy to “Story A.” The biblical authors use narrative analogies to interpret Israel’s history for us. To miss the parallels, therefore, is to miss the inspired meaning of our history.
It is crucial to realize the authors of the New Testament were not only aware of this pervasive literary feature in the Hebrew Bible but also wrote their own stories about Yeshua and his apostles using narrative analogies. After all, the NT authors were Jewish, and they made sense of the dramatic events in their day by analogy to their cherished biblical past. It is not a coincidence that the only person in the New Testament who hung himself was Judas. “And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed, and he went away and hanged himself” (Matt 27:5). And just like Ahithophel, Judas hung himself immediately after realizing he really messed up by conspiring with Israel’s leaders against the LORD’s anointed king!
By this analogy, we live with prophetic certainty that, though Yeshua has been banished from Jerusalem and his name has become a curse (2 Sam 16:5-14), divine providence demands this narrative analogy to the betrayal of David by a close friend must be completed. Like David, Yeshua will return to Jerusalem and sit upon the royal throne (see 2 Sam 20:3; Matt 26:64)!
Narrative analogy in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament is a guiding light that helps us make sense of our history and assures us time and again that everything will turn out alright! For biblical history is neither a secular chronicle nor a fictitious story, but the providential unfolding of God’s divine plan for Israel and the nations!
“Behold, the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things; before they spring forth I proclaim them to you” (Isa 42:9).
