THE DANGER OF UNGODLY COUNSEL
SEPTEMBER 24, 2025
TEXT: But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. (2 Samuel 13:3)
Today’s topic borders on the importance of being very careful in taking counsel from people. The counsel we listen to can either make or mar us. We must ensure that the counsel being offered to us is tested spiritually before we commit to it.
David was a very excellent man. As a matter of fact, he was described as a man after God’s own heart. However, despite this, he was a complete failure as a father, as he watched his children (Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah, and Solomon) commit abominable offences such as rape, murder, and treasonable felony right under his watch.
In this text, Amnon, the eldest son of the house and automatic heir to the throne, suddenly developed a demonic spirit of lust for his own half-sister, Tamar. Oblivious of how to get her, he informed his friend Jonadab, who was the son of Shimeah (David’s brother) and therefore Amnon’s cousin. Jonadab was described as a very dangerous and cunning man who was, by every means, a scoundrel. He was the kind of friend that parents would always chase away from their children because of bad influence. In his characteristic manner, he urged Amnon to devise a means of raping his sister. Amnon did that, and that was the beginning of trouble for the family. It gave birth to other terrible domestic experiences that transpired in David’s household. Some years later, Absalom facilitated the “clean” murder of his elder brother. Absalom was the direct biological brother of Tamar, i.e., same mother, same father. He was aggrieved because of what his half-brother did to his sister, and he felt that the best way to revenge was to murder his brother.
KEY FACTS
- Any counsel not rooted in Christ and godliness will surely fail. Jonadab was a wise man, but his wisdom was not calculated to serve godly purposes. Wisdom that is not backed up by godliness or righteousness is dangerous. (James 3:15)
- The kind of friends you have around you determines how you handle periods of distress. If you walk with a godly friend, even if you are going astray, he will be able to counsel you in a godly manner and direct you to the right path. However, when you walk with a satanic friend, he will simply fuel your ungodly desires and lead you deeper into perdition and spiritual ruin. (Proverbs 13:20)
- Believers must be very careful. Inordinate desires may lead a person to his Waterloo and damnation. After having his way with Tamar, Amnon never lived to tell the story.
- Do not look for friends who look for Bible verses to cover up your excesses. Look for friends who will be blunt enough to tell you the truth, even if it hurts. Some friends are specialists in helping you “sin smarter,” but the ultimate end is ruin.
SEARCHLIGHT: Examine the people in your life regularly. Do you have more of Jonadabs or more of Jonathans in your life? Do you have more pillars or more caterpillars in your life?
PRAYER: My Father, deliver me from the counsel of the ungodly, in the name of Jesus.
BIBLE READING: Jeremiah 46–48, Mark 13
PASTOR MICHAEL OMOLE
