Hebrews 12:15 Watch over each other to make sure that no one misses the revelation of God’s grace. And make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many.

Bitterness is a destroyer, the reason we were warn of it. It is considered a poison, it leads to many evil. I discovered that in the Hebrew culture, any poisonous plant is called a “bitter” plant. Someone has also said, bitterness is like drinking poison expecting someone else to die. 

One the greatest lesson about bitterness and it's consequences is seen through the life of Ahithophel, special adviser to king David. He was wronged greatly by David, while David publicly accepted his wrong and asked for God's forgiveness, Ahithophel nursed the bitterness till he had opportunity to revenge on him. 

Look at this: 2 Samuel 23:34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite... Did you see that Eliam is a son to Ahithophel? This Eliam is the father to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. In order words, Ahithophel felt betrayed by David's action and never forgive him. 

2 Samuel 11:3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

At the end, conniving with Absalom, plot against David, he ended badly with suicide. 

Olanrewaju Niyi