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Ärende: LESSON 8 - Joab: David's Weak Strongman
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LESSON 8
November 13 - 19
Joab: David's Weak Strongman

SABBATH AFTERNOON

Read for This Week's Study:

2 Sam. 2:17-23, 3:23-27, 11:15-25, 20:7-1l, 1 Kings 1.

Memory Text:

"All a man's ways seem right to him, but the Lord weighs the heart" (Proverbs
21:2, NIV).
 Joab's story is a story of power politics, intrigue, misguided loyalties,
jealousy, and stubbornness; Joab's time is a time where survival is not
guaranteed by a strong central administration and a comprehensive retirement
plan. Strong people survive; weak people quickly seem to fade away. It is
during Joab's tenure as David's strongman and caretaker that Israel truly
becomes a nation. After the clan feuds and tribal rivalry that characterized
the period of the judges, it is the figure of the king (beginning with Saul and
later on, to a much stronger degree, with David and Solomon) that unites
Israel, even though the Bible makes it clear that centuries of clan thinking
will not be done away with in a matter of thirty or forty years. Joab's life,
as depicted in the Bible, is marred by wars, feuds, and even genocide.

Though we might not be involved in the kind of things that Joab was, we may
come to face some uglier sides of our own character when we look at his story.
It is here that, through the negative example of Joab--the weak strongman of
David--we may be able to identify some of our own character faults and seek the
only answer to them: Jesus.

*Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 20.
SUNDAY
November 14

A Family Affair

Even though Joab, linked to David's family (see 1 Chron. 2:13-17) had the
responsibility of being in charge of David's troops, we get a glimpse of his
true character for the first time in 2 Samuel 2. Saul and Jonathan had been
killed in battle. Judah readily appointed David as king. Joab's counterpart in
King Saul's army was Abner, who somehow survived the battle in which Saul and
his sons had fallen.

Abner and David had a history. It was Abner who had led Saul's troops on
numerous manhunts for David. Abner was not about to accept as king the man he
had been hunting. Accordingly, Abner puts Ishbosheth (vss. 8,9), the fourth son
of Saul, who was not in the battle, on the throne of Israel and starts a war
against Judah and David. Although Israel was numerically stronger, David's
kingdom went on from strength to strength.

Read 2 Samuel 2:17-23 and summarize what takes place.

During the skirmish, Joab's younger brother unwisely chases Abner. Abner warns
him off repeatedly, but the rash young man won't hear of it, and Abner kills
him in self- defense. Joab never forgets this event.

After a while, Abner realizes that things are going nowhere under Ishbosheth,
who is a very weak king. And so he defects to David and offers to bring over
the other tribes (2 Sam. 3:1-22). Meanwhile, Joab has been away. On returning
home he learns of these new developments, which greatly unsettle him.

How does Joab cope with this change that he did not initiate? 2 Sam. 3:23-27.
Contrast what Joab says to David and the reason why Joab ultimately kills
Abner. See also 2 Sam. 3:30. How does Joab attempt to portray Abner's motives?
What does this reveal about him?

Perhaps Joab truly believed he was acting in David's best interest when he
killed Abner. This brings out an important point: think about your actions.
What are the real reasons for some of the things you do, as opposed to reasons
you use to justify them in your own mind? How can you learn to know the
difference between the two when they are, indeed, different?


MONDAY
November 15

The Cost of Sin

It seems that David is not in a position to do anything about the murder of
Abner at the time, even though he publicly mourns for Abner and rebukes Joab's
actions (see 2 Sam. 3:28-35). To avoid future reprisals, Joab tries to
ingratiate himself as closely as possible with David. He sets about to make
himself indispensable. He is ready to do the dirty work for David. But striving
to make oneself indispensable rather than focusing on doing the right thing
often involves violating one's conscience. If that happens again and again, the
voice of our conscience becomes duller and duller, until we are unable to stand
up when it really counts.

Sin also breaks credibility. We see this principle repeated several times in
the life of David. Because of his sin with Bathsheba and against Uriah, David,
even though he has been forgiven, is unable to discipline his sons. When his
oldest son rapes his half-sister (2 Samuel 13), and his second son becomes a
murderer (2 Sam. 13:23-39), David stands helplessly by, knowing that he is
guilty of similar sins.

Read 2 Samuel 11:15-25. What does this passage tell us about Joab?

Joab has the same problem. Having the blood of Abner on his hands makes him
unable to react appropriately and help save a good man's life. And so Joab adds
to his list of crimes by becoming, in effect, Uriah's assassin. Notice in 2
Samuel 11:17 that Uriah is not the only vic tim. Joab sends some other men
along on this foolhardy expedition in order to make the whole thing look more
authentic. Although we know from the life of David that God is merciful and
forgives us when we repent, the consequence of a ruined credibility and a lack
of integrity is still something that we will have to carry with us.

In the previous example, Joab obeyed David's orders. Now read 2 Samuel 18:5-15.
What does his action here tell us about him? How might he have rationalized
this deed, as well?

It is interesting to note that Joab follows David's orders even when they
violate God's commands, but he has no trouble disobeying the king's express
orders when he stands to gain personally. After all, had Absalom succeeded in
his revolt, Joab probably would have been killed himself (2 Sam. 19:5, 6). Joab
seems to be looking out for no one but himself.

How easy to fall into the same trap, isn't it?


TUESDAY
November 16

Joab the Politician

Second Samuel 13 tells the story of Absalom's premeditated murder of his
half-brother Amnon. Absalom flees the country and bides his time. David is once
again in a difficult situation. Amnon was guilty of the rape of his half-sister
Tamar, Absalom's sister. It seems that David--paralyzed by the memory of his
own sin--is unable to administer justice. By taking things into his own hands,
Absalom avenges the rape of his sister and restores the family honor. (Honor
and shame were two very important elements of the value system during the time
of David.) Second, and as a nice benefit, once Amnon, David's oldest son, is
dead, Absalom is now in line to inherit the throne. David's heart is torn
between his grief for his dead son, his love for Absalom, and the keen
knowledge that all of this mess is somehow rooted in his own sin.

Amid all this, Joab decides to become involved. However, since he does not see
a direct way to put this item on the agenda of King David, he resorts to
cunning and uses a wise woman of Tekoah.

Read 2 Samuel 14. What does the woman of Tekoah's story communicate about God's
love and forgiveness? At the same time, what does this passage also tell us
about Joab? 
The story that Joab put into the mouth of the woman suggests that Joab knew
about God's great love toward the sinner. His theology was correct.
Unfortunately, for Joab this remained head knowledge only. His own life
continued to be characterized by revenge and a lack of forgiveness. Joab had
become immune to God's love in his own life. For him, everything, even
religion, had a political end and could be used for self-promotion. Joab
recognized Absalom's potential and wanted to begin to ingratiate himself with
the future king. It seems, however, that Joab met his match in Absalom. Joab
receives no thank-you notes for his initiative in bringing Absalom home.
Absalom simply wants to use him and quickly shows Joab that he can be every bit
as cunning and dangerous as Joab can be. He did this by burning Joab's fields
in order to force him to arrange a meeting with David (2 Sam. 14:28-33). The
point is that thanks to Joab's interference, the stage was now being set for an
awful rebellion that would lead to civil war.
How easy is it to let personal ambition, pride, and desire for self-supremacy
motivate your actions? How can you learn to recognize these things in yourself?
How can you through God's grace defeat them before they lead to your ruin? 
WEDNESDAY
November 17

Living by the Sword

Read 2 Samuel 20. What role do we find Joab in again? How was Joab's treachery
justified?


Amasa and Joab were cousins (2 Sam. 17:25). Amasa was commander of Absalom's
forces. After Joab disobeys David's orders in the case of Absalom (2 Sam. 18:5,
14), David wishes to rid himself of Joab and promises Amasa the high command of
his army (2 Sam. 19:13). After all, it was Joab's scheming and planning that
set the stage for the rebellion. Obviously, David's design is not motivated
only by anger toward Joab (who had consciously disobeyed the king's order and
killed his son). Amasa's appointment was also a political move that would
signal reconciliation to the rest of the pro-Absalom forces.

What does 2 Samuel 20:1, 2 tell us about the political situation in Israel?


David ignores Joab, for he has promised the command to Amasa, and now he sends
Amasa to round up the troops in order to deal with new revolt. Amasa is not
able to do this in time. David then sends for Abishai, the brother of Joab, and
turns to him rather than to Joab in this time of crisis. Joab and Amasa finally
meet and, borrowing a leaf from Abner's assassination, Joab murders Amasa. The
biblical writer emphasizes the total unexpectedness of the attack (2 Sam.
20:8-10). Joab cooly murders his cousin, simply because he has been passed over
and is no longer number one.

One of Joab's men tries to legitimize Joab's actions by linking Joab to King
David. The people are being led to believe that loyalty to David means loyalty
to Joab (even though the king has explicitly distanced himself from Joab), and
being loyal to Joab means that Joab's right to be judge, jury, and executioner
in the case of Amasa cannot be questioned.
Look at Joab's duplicity in how he betrayed Amasa. How careful we need to be
that we don't betray someone who trusts us, using that trust to do them dirty.
How easily Matthew 7:12 should apply here. 
THURSDAY
November 18

Joab's Last Stand

The timing seems to be perfect. David is a very old man now, who cannot keep
warm at night. A beautiful young woman is found who becomes King David's
personal attendant. The biblical author specifically emphasizes the fact that
David has no sexual relations with her (1 Kings 1:1-4), which further
underlines the feeble state of the king. David does not "know"--not only young
Abischag but also what's happening in his kingdom. Adonijah, as the oldest
remaining son, now decides that it is time to arrange his coronation.

Read 1 Kings 1. What is Joab up to now? What more does this tell us about him?

1 Kings 1:7 makes it clear that Joab is one of the key players in this coup
attempt. Joab, as he has done several times before, simply goes ahead and acts,
thinking that old King David will be powerless to do anything about it.
However, this time David, with the help of Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan,
does act. He foils Joab's and Adonijah's plans by publicly declaring Solomon as
his co-regent.

Joab seems to take God completely out of the equation. While he may have all of
the theological knowledge about God, God doesn't seem to have relevance in his
life. Joab thinks that he always can live as he pleases and escape the
consequences. He forgets that God is not David. God cannot be fooled; even
though retribution may not come immediately, it will one day come, if not in
this life then in the final judgment. However, often at the end of the day in
this life, even a very long day, "a man reaps what he sows" (Gal. 6:7, NIV).

Before final judgment, there always is mercy. Joab gets a last chance, in that
Solomon does not punish him for his scheming with Adonijah and allows him to
retain his position. However, Joab shows no remorse and makes no apology, and
he is involved in a second coup attempt. When this does not work, Joab finally
realizes the gravity of his situation. He flees to the sanctuary and takes hold
of the horns of the altar. Joab forgets, however, that the altar provides
asylum only for those who have killed unwittingly (Exod. 21:14). Joab's
unconfessed past has finally caught up with him. The man who lived by the sword
now dies by the sword (1 Kings 2:28-35).

However scheming, ambitious, and deceitful Joab was, everything he did could
have been forgiven by the Lord had Joab come to God in faith, humility, and
repentance. What about you and your defects? Forgiveness is there, if you are
willing to claim it for yourself. 
FRIDAY
November 19

Further Study:


"We should not only take hold of the truth, but let it take hold of us; and
thus have the truth in us and we in the truth. And if this is the case, our
lives and characters will reveal the fact that the truth is accomplishing
something for us; that it is sanctifying us, and is giving us a moral fitness
for the society of heavenly angels in the kingdom of glory. The truth we hold
is from heaven; and when that religion finds a lodgement in the heart, it
commences its work of refining and purifying; for the religion of Jesus Christ
never makes a man rough or rude; it never makes him careless, or hard-hearted;
but the truth of heavenly origin, that which comes from God, elevates and
sanctifies a man; it makes courteous, kind, affectionate, and pure; it takes
away his hard heart, his selfishness and love of the world, and it purifies him
from pride and ungodly ambition."--Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, vol. 1,
p. 66. 
Discussion Questions:


  How far should we go in our expression of loyalty to our families, employers,
and country? What are the limits to these important relationships? 
 Reread the Ellen White quote in Friday's lesson study. What evidence can you
see in your own life that the truth has taken hold of you? While it's important
to focus on Christ and not on ourselves, we also need to be honest with
ourselves about where we stand in regard to the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). 
  Many evil acts have been done throughout history by those who said, "I was
only following orders." How are we as Christians to deal with situations when
we are ordered to do things that we know are wrong? More important, how can we
develop the kind of faith we need to stand firm, even when it means defying
orders, when it could be very costly to ourselves and to our loved ones? 
 Is it practical or even possible to forgive and forget when we have been hurt?
What principles can we learn from this week's study about forgiveness, lack of
forgiveness, and the consequences of not forgiving? 
 Oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller used unscrupulous business practices in order
to buy out competitors. He would justify his actions by telling competitors
that they needed to sell their companies to him and let him take on the risks
of the oil business for them. "Get into the ark," he would tell them, making it
sound like he was doing something charitable for them when, in fact, he was
swallowing them up. What lessons can we learn from this about how easy it is to
justify immoral deeds? 

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