Mims Chapel Church 

Week 8, January 18

LESSON 8

Working Another Agenda

Lesson Text:

2 Samuel 3:12-30; Isaiah 5:18-21

Memory Verse
"Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, anal prudent in their own sight!"
Isaiah 5:21
 

Key Terms
Imprecatory • That which invokes evil upon or curses.
Self-dealing • When individuals in positions of trust engage in activities that benefit themselves at the expense of those they are supposed to serve.

Surreptitious • Obtained, done, or made secretly or by stealth.

Suggested Emphasis

The lessons for the next few weeks will deal with an important figure in King Da­vid's retinue: Joab, the son of Zeruiah. Joab was one of David's mighty men, a general in the army. He generally ap­peared to be a trusted servant of the king and was integral to helping David estab­lish and safeguard his reign. But at times, Joab demonstrated some serious flaws as a follower. His life is illustrative of some of the pitfalls we should avoid in a life of service.

Emphasis 1:

Plotting Against the Treaty with Abner

After the death of King Saul, David en­quired of the Lord, and was instructed to go to Hebron, in Judah (2 Samuel 2:1). He presented himself to the Judean elders and they consented to make him king. He had a rival for the throne, though: Saul's lieutenant Abner took a surviving son of Saul named Ishbosheth to Mahanaim to be declared king by the Gileadites (2 Sam­uel 2:8,9). During the next two years there was a divided kingdom, and the two sides fought repeatedly. Infamously, one casu­alty of this civil war was Asahel, a mighty man of David's, who was struck down by Abner (2 Samuel 2:23).
It turns out that Asahel was one of Joab's brothers, and he therefore bore a grudge against Abner. An opportunity for revenge came after Abner and Ishbosheth had a falling-out. The servant of Saul secretly approached David to negotiate a cove­nant with him (2 Samuel 3:12); after prov­ing himself with a special assignment to bring David his wife Michal, their league was cemented. Joab, who had been out on a mission, returned to hear of his king's reconciliation with his hated enemy, and he was angry enough to criticize David and argue that Abner may be a dou­ble-agent. He did not convince the king, so Joab put a plot of his own into motion: he surreptitiously sent messengers to Ab­ner asking him to return to Hebron, so that he could assassinate the great warrior (2 Samuel 3:26-27).

Emphasis 2:

Weakened by Joab's Actions

This was an abhorrent deed. The betray­al of Abner after he pledged his fealty to David could have been a political disaster. The people of Israel, many who would have still recognized Abner as a hero of Saul's realm, could have attributed this treachery to David. For that reason, the king proclaimed, " I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD forever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner: Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread" (2 Samuel 3:28,29). This was more than open rebuke: David was making a legal argument before the Lord to attest that this was not a state crime, but instead the personal grievance of his lieutenant. Any divine retribution, he argued, should be restricted to Joab and his family line.

David followed up his imprecatory pro­nouncement with a unabashed display of grief for Abner (2 Samuel 3:31). He even demanded that Joab and his clan partake of the public mourning. David cried over the funeral bier: he fasted and refused to relent even at the repast (2 Samuel 3:35). This conduct won the hearts of the Israel­ites, and convinced them the king had not consented to Abner's murder. Yet David, ever the thoughtful strategist, recognized what a sorry mishap this incident proved to be. "I am this day weak, although anointed king," he told his confidants (2 Samuel 3:39). The alliance with Abner would have consolidated his power and effectively ended the civil war. Instead he would still have to compete with Ish-bosheth for the heart of the nation, thanks to the machinations of Joab and his fam­ily. "These men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me," he lamented. David did not feel he could rule without Joab's clan, but he recognized that their lack of scruples posed a real danger.

Emphasis 3:

No One Trusts a Self-Dealing Servant

Joab mixed his duty to David with his own desires, and engineered a corrupted form of service. In key moments of statecraft, he promoted his personal agenda over the will of the king or the welfare of the nation. Ultimately this was ruinous behav­ior, in that he never again had David's complete trust. On his death bed, the king actually advised Solomon to have Joab killed: he didn't think it wise for his son to retain so mercenary and self-dealing a servant.

Why did Joab fall short? It was the decep­tion in his heart... particularly the self-de­ception. He could engage in sins of wrath and disobedience while feeling justified doing so. He called "evil good and good evil" if it advanced his own goals and strat­agems. He did what he thought best, rath­er than submit to leadership or the coun­sel of God's word. As we will see in further lessons, that made for strife throughout his life, and for an inglorious end.

Missions Application Questions

Why did Joab and his family hate Ab­ner?
What did King David do to remove any association with the crime of Joab?
Was it appropriate for David to retain Joab as a general in his army? Why or why not?

World Missions Prayer Points

Let us pray that we maintain our integ­rity while ministering to others.
Let us pray for God's protection against individuals who would please them­selves at our expense.
Let us pray that people with private agendas in ministry are weeded out.

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