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JOAB DIFFERED WITH DAVID IN GIVING ORDERS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
2 Samuel 18

Proverbs 3:1-5

 

“My son, forget not my law;
but let thine heart

keep my commandments.”

 

JOAB DIFFERED WITH DAVID IN GIVING ORDERS
 
David was a man of prayer and had committed the matter before the Lord. However, Joab took it upon himself to make the last decision that was contrary to the will of the king. David had commanded the three captains (Joab, Abishai and Ittai) at the hearing of all the people that they should be lenient with Absalom. David’s parental bowels propelled him to spare Absalom’s life. Matthew Henry has this to say on that dilemma: “How does David render good for evil! Absalom would have only David smitten; David would have only Absalom spared. This seems to be a resemblance of man’s wickedness towards God, and God’s mercy to man, of which it is hard to say which is most amazing. Now the Israelites see what it is to take counsel against the Lord and his anointed.”
 
The captains understood the dilemma of the king. War began as the army marched. The battle was in the forest of Ephraim. In the initial encounter, the people that supported Absalom were slain before the servants of David, with twenty thousand killed.
 
The battlefield was also against the men of Absalom. Scripture records that the wood killed more people than those that died by the sword. The men of David had experienced different terrains when David was running away from Saul. Fighting in a wooded field was not easy, thus the men of Absalom perished. Joab had a better organised army with experienced captains. The Lord used these factors to give victory to Joab.
 
THOUGHT: Whether we achieve victory or failure, it is according to God’s will, not our wish or effort.

PRAYER: Father, I am Thine. Enable me to stand for Thee.

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