Do Not Avenge Yourselves

652 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:18 Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant. 19 Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver's beam. 20 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David's brother, killed him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants. 2 Sam 21:18-22. David's military exploits began with the slaying of Goliath and they end with this account of the slaying of Goliath's kinfolk. (three sons and a brother.) It was perfectly normal in these times for next of kin to seek revenge for the killing of a family member. The law of the land considered blood vengeance a legitimate act. And so we read here of the attempts of Goliath's family to exact this vengeance upon David. (Some have gone so far as to say that the reason David picked five stones in his initial battle with Goliath was to have enough ammunition for the rest of Goliath's family.) At any rate with the slaying of the rest of the giants family the blood vengeance is settled, and David can put this chapter of his life to rest. So sad to see that the idea of blood vengeance is with us to this day. It's one of the main reasons that the conflict in the Middle East continues. Both sides seeking to avenge the latest killing and it goes on and on like a large scale international Hatfield/Mccoy family feud. But Jesus has shown us a better way. He tells us to love our enemies and bless those who persecute us. (Mt 5:44) and in Rom 12:19 we are reminded to leave all vengeance up to the Lord! “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Got a grudge? Pray that God will grant you the power of true forgiveness. And if there is to be any revenge, let it be exacted by God. I assure you He knows what He is doing. Don't believe me? Just read the Book of Esther sometime.

There Are Giants In the Land

651 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:15-17, “When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. 16 Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel." (2 Sam 21:15-17) The Philistines decide to stir up a little trouble with David. Emboldened by the son of Goliath, Ishbi-Benob, who has grown up to be like his daddy, they engage the Israelites in battle. Ishbi-Benob, though not as cocky as his daddy, feels very confident in his ability to take David down. David's age is catching up with him, and he is wearied easily from all the fighting and Ishbi-Benob seizes the opportunity to engage David in battle. It doesn't look good for David. Nonetheless, he holds his ground, prepared to fight, and then Abishai comes alongside and fights for David, finishing off the giant. Friends, there are giants in the land, spiritual demonic forces that come at us, confident in their ability to snuff out the lamp of our faith. Don't think for a moment that you have fought your last spiritual battle. The key to victory is to stand your ground! This is the meaning of 1Co 10:13 No temptation (trial) has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted (trialed) beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (trial) will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” You bear it when you stand your ground. Robert Frost once wrote: “The best way out is always through.” That's a great paraphrase of 1 Cor 10:13! And remember, these spiritual battles can't be won in our own strength. We need to lean on our brother Jesus, and on our brothers in sisters in Christ, as they bring our struggles to the throne through prayer!

Let Grace and Mercy Rule Again

650 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:11-14, “And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12 Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa. 13 So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father. So they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God heeded the prayer for the land. (2 Sam 21:11-14) How many years had the bones of Saul and Jonathan lay in a non-descript place seemingly forgotten by all. But this one act of Rizpah's which bestowed honor upon her dead sons prompted David to do the same for Saul and Jonathan. A quick lesson for all of us from Rizpah: You never know what your sacrificial acts of love will prompt in others. This small deed of a single mom, moved a king to noble action! By giving a proper burial to Rizpah's sons and including them in the royal family's gravesite. David bestowed the honor upon Rizpah's sons that she desired. All of these actions culminated in God removing the curse from the land. Justice for the evil of Saul's house was satisfied and grace was flowing once again in the land as exhibited by the actions of David. And the story ends with God heeding the prayer of the land and bringing the much needed rain. I hope we can all learn a very important lesson from this incident: God judges national sin. When and how He does it is up to Him. America will pay for it's sin against the innocent blood of the unborn, and in fact may already be paying for it with increased acts of senseless violence making the news. When, and if, America wakes up and once again protects life from conception to grave, we, like David must also be willing to offer grace to those who have offended. Father, forgive our national sin of legalized abortion. Open our eyes to the wrong we have done, and let grace toward all living beings rule in our nation again.

A Word For Single Moms

649 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:10 Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night. (2 Sam 21:10) Rizpah was a concubine of Saul's and her two sons (Armoni and Mephibosheth) were selected by David to be turned over to the Gibeonites to be hanged. This woman had been tragically used by Saul and Abner (who were now both dead) as a concubine, and all she had left were her children. Now, two of them were dead and their bodies left hanging in the hot mid eastern sun. It became her mission to seek to protect her boys bodies from being plundered by the birds, and thereby spare their reputation. Pr 30:17 says, “The eye that mocks his father, And scorns obedience to his mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.” So she camps out on a rock near the bodies to keep the birds away. This was no overnight camping trip. She stayed there from the spring harvest all the way to the fall rains. Her actions would tell the world that her sons were good sons, not rebellious, and even though they were dead and gone, she was going to protect their reputation. This single mom was not to be messed with when it came to the reputation of her kids! It is unfortunate that we live in a world where the use of concubines (illicit lovers) still exists. Men and women are taken in by the world's view of sexuality and relationships, and as a result, many women find themselves in the role of Rizpah, a single mom, trying to raise children of good reputation. God bless all single moms who find themselves in these situations. May God give you the strength and the stamina of Rizpah as you seek to raise your children, and may the Lord wake us up as a nation, and restore a right view of marriage and family in all of our young men and women.

Another Reason To Pray For Those Who Are In Authority

648 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:7 But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the LORD'S oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9 and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest. (2 Sam 21:7-9) Again, it's important to remember this is a civil matter, (albeit, not being handled in a very civil way) nonetheless the government has not been given the sword by God in vain and it is used to punish evil. First of all, put yourself in David's shoes here. He has to decide which 7 of Saul's descendants must die at the hands of the Gibeonites. He spares Mephibosheth, the crippled son of his beloved and dearly departed friend Jonathan, but another young man named Mephibosheth and his brother, who were sons of one of Saul's concubines, (Rizpah) were handed over to the Gibeonites. along with five other young men who were the sons of Merab, whom Michal had raised for her sister. So two of Saul's sons and 5 of his grandsons would die for the evil that had been done to the Gibeonites by Saul. We are not told of the angst that David must've felt as he had to decide who would live and who would die. These boys all had a mother. These boys were members of families that cared about them, and now they must be marched off to the gallows. These kinds of life and death decisions are made by heads of state all the time. Whether it's a declaration of war, in which many sons and grandsons will be lost, or a raid to release hostages, or even the matter of granting clemency to someone who is on death row. All the more reason for us to pray for our leaders as the Bible directs us to do in 1Ti 2:1,2 “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”

A Matter of Civil Justice

647 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:3 Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?" 4 And the Gibeonites said to him, "We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us." So he said, "Whatever you say, I will do for you." 5 Then they answered the king, "As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, 6 "let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose." And the king said, "I will give them." This whole incident seems so very strange and almost indefensible to us. But let me assure you, God needs no one to defend His actions. He had clearly told David that the three year drought was the direct result of Saul's murderous rampage against the Gibeonites, and the drought would remain in place until the Israelites had made proper atonement. That God viewed the request of the Gibeonites for the execution of the seven descendants of Saul as proper atonement is evident because after the sentence was carried out, the drought ended. A key point to remember here is that this was a civil matter, a matter of the national government of Israel. And if you don't know by now, the government has been given the power of the sword in order to see that justice is served. Ro 13:4 says, “For he (the government) is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Saul and his house had practiced evil against the Gibeonites (misused this God-given governing authority) and the sin of his house had never been fully dealt with until now, and rather than cast aspersion onto God for this incident, maybe we would do well to understand that God does not take the national shedding of innocent blood lightly, maybe we ought to rethink this idea of legalized abortion, for we too have misused our God-given trust and authority against the unborn.

The Simmering Justice of God

645 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah. (2 Sam 21:2) Famine and drought have come upon the land as a judgment from God against the Israelites for the sin of Saul against the Gibeonites. These Gibeonites are interesting people. It was by their sheer guile (and the grace of God) that they were able to survive the conquest of Joshua. If you recall the story, they had seen what Joshua did to Jericho and so they devised an elaborate scheme in which they put on ragged clothing and carried old bread with them to give Joshua the impression that they had traveled a long distance and had come to him seeking peace. They convinced Joshua that they were not Canaanites and therefore were spared annihilation. In Jos 9:19,20 we read: “Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, "We have sworn to them by the LORD God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them. 20 "This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them." Saul completely disregarded this oath of Joshua's and in his zealousness sought to eliminate the Gibeonites during his reign. This drought then was the wrath of God falling upon the nation because of Saul's disregard for this oath. It seems strange to us that this drought occurs long after Saul is gone, but it makes a strong case for God's penchant for justice. He doesn't forget His promises concerning justice. We may think that we are getting away with something, but God knows and God sees. Judgment WILL come, it is always stirring beneath the surface, but He also doesn't forget His promises of mercy. Mercy that is granted when by repentance and faith we turn to Jesus Christ for pardon. God's judgment against the national sins of America is stirring, but it is on hold due to His merciful desire to bring us to repentance. 2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. When will we heed and turn from our sinful ways?

I Shudder To Think What Is Next

644 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites." Our nation has been extremely blessed. We have never really experienced famines of biblical proportions. Oh, there was a time in the 1930's when our grandparents and great grandparents had to scrape by due to the great depression, and at the same time there was a great drought going on, known as the dust bowl. But for the most part, we have been able to withstand the occasional droughts. The drought of David's day was brought on by God because Saul had killed some Gibeonites. We have no record of this event in the Bible, but God kept a record of it, and as we said last time, “innocent blood” has a language of it's own that God's ears are specifically tuned to hear. There were some monumental changes in our nation and in the world in the “roaring 20's” and I believe these changes prompted God to act via the depression and the dust bowl in order to get our attention........but we missed it. It was in the 20's that the theory of evolution took root in our nation, most notably at the Scopes trial of 1925. No longer a theory, the nation bought it as the gospel truth and it is still taught that way in our nations schools and universities. And here is the bottom line problem with the theory of evolution. It removes God as the Creator of life, and when God is thus removed, life is no longer sacred. And when life is no longer viewed as sacred, an awful lot of innocent blood is spilled. Just follow the trail folks. Evolution spawned the eugenics movement which spawned the philosophy of Hitler's holocaust and we still didn't get it! We continue to leave God out of the equation of life in the United States as we have aborted over 55 million unborn babies created in His image since 1973. The depression, the dust bowl, Hitler, and we still don't get it. I shudder to think of what is next for us and our children if we don't wise up and repent of our ways in the matter of spilling innocent blood.

Maybe it's Time To Make the Connection

644 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites." Famine and drought. Can we just explain these periods away and just cope with them with all of our modern technology, or should we pay attention to them as God's tools to call us to repentance? I think the answer is found in Am 4:6-10, "Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities. And lack of bread in all your places; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD. 7 "I also withheld rain from you, When there were still three months to the harvest. I made it rain on one city, I withheld rain from another city. One part was rained upon, And where it did not rain the part withered. 8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water, But they were not satisfied; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD. 9 "I blasted you with blight and mildew. When your gardens increased, Your vineyards, Your fig trees, And your olive trees, The locust devoured them; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD. 10 "I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt; Your young men I killed with a sword, Along with your captive horses; I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils; Yet you have not returned to Me," Says the LORD. All these things came upon God's people for the sole purpose of bringing them to repentance. Turning away from their present course and RETURNING to God. (Which is the essence of repentance.) In Israel's case in the days of David, the drought occurred specifically because of the bloodthirstiness of the house of Saul when he slew the Gibeonites. You see, the innocent blood of Abel and others has always called out to God from the ground, and He doesn't ignore it. It matters to Him because it was the innocent blood of Jesus His Son, that had to be shed to pay for our sins. (including abortion) Maybe it's time for us to connect the current drought that is affecting 60% of our land with the innocent blood involved in legalized abortion.

Drought: An Instrument of Repentance?

643 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 21:1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, "It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites." Well, what do we have hear? A famine in the land? No rain for three years? That's called a drought. After three years, David finally decides, “OK Lord, what's going on here?” And the Lord answered him, “it's because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.” Let's talk today about droughts. Droughts happen, but it takes people of faith to make the connection to droughts and God's attempt to get our attention. Perhaps the worst drought the U. S. experienced occurred during the years that are now called the “dust bowl” which occurred in three waves in the 1930's. But other droughts have occurred since then. There was the drought of 1949-1951, affecting the Southwestern portion of the U.S. Then there was the drought in the northeastern portion of the states from 1962-1966. The costliest drought in U.S. History occurred from 1987-1989. Right now, as I write this, 60% of the United States has been experiencing drought conditions for three years. This drought is the worst in our nation since the 1950's. Did you notice that these droughts either come in threes or are at or about three years in duration? Hmmmmm. Is God trying to get our attention? In David's day, people didn't look to blame the drought on things like land mismanagement, and global warming, and they didn't have the technology to cope with the drought like we do today. So they looked to God! What a pity we don't do the same. Because as we rely on the self-sufficiency of man, we forget God. Even in the church we overlook the fact that a drought could be a tool of God to call us to repentance. We forget scripture like De 11:13,14 which says, “'And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 'then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. Some droughts may be explained away by science, but I think it's time for believers to consider the possibility that they are attention-getters sent to us by God.

Churches Need Meticulous Financial Record Keepers

642 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:23-26, “And Joab was over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 Adoram was in charge of revenue; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 25 Sheva was scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite was a chief minister under David. (2 Sam 20:23-26) Another chapter in the life of David draws to a close. Rebellion has been quashed, and he can get on with the business of ruling Israel. The last time we saw a listing of what we can call David's cabinet was back in chapter 8. Many of the faces are the same, but there is one new position that has been added. With peace secured around the borders and within the borders, David creates a department of revenue. The main function of this department would be to secure and keep track of the revenue that David was saving up to turn over to Solomon so he could build the magnificent temple. Adoram assumed the role of the head of the department of revenue. This was a tremendous responsibility as the amount of revenue was mind-boggling. David, speaking in 1Ch 22:14 says, "Indeed I have taken much trouble to prepare for the house of the LORD one hundred thousand talents of gold and one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond measure, for it is so abundant. I have prepared timber and stone also, and you may add to them.” Someone had to keep track of all this revenue, and that someone was Adoram. The church must always have someone trustworthy to overlook revenue. Given it's role of distributing the collection to meet the needs of the widows, the poor, and yes, providing the income for those who serve as spiritual leaders. The church of all places must have people of impeccable integrity serving in this capacity, and they need to keep meticulous records, giving an accurate account of every cent. This applies to the smallest congregation all the way up to the largest mega church. It's not our money, it's God's and we need to treat it accordingly. Father, thank You for supplying revenue for the needs of Your church. Help us to be good stewards of the gifts that You have given for building and serving Your kingdom!

Bummer of a Birthmark

641 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:20-22, “And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 "That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." So the woman said to Joab, "Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall." 22 Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem. (2 Sam 20:20-22) Joab defends his actions against the city of Abel. He has no interest in obliterating the city and its' citizens. His only interest is in capturing the leader of the rebellion. This of course is an age old tactic of neutralizing any kind of political or religious movement. Remove the leader...win the war. It was the tactic that the Sanhedrin used to try and squelch Jesus and His followers. In Joh 11:47-50 we read, “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation." 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, 50 "nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." Yes, it is an age old tactic, that backfired on the Sanhedrin because they were not dealing with an ordinary man. They were dealing with the Son of God! There was a “Far Side” cartoon many years ago that depicted two deer chatting with one another. One of the deer had the outline of a shooting target on his chest. The other deer says to him, “Bummer of a birthmark Hal.” Well that's the way it is with your spiritual leaders. They are marked men and women. Targeted by the devil because he too knows that causing a spiritual leader to fall, morally, physically, or mentally, through burnout, depression, etc, can make a huge impact in his war against the kingdom of God. Pray for your spiritual leaders.

The Wise Woman of Abel

640 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:14 -19, “And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maachah and all the Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after Sheba. 15 Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down. 16 Then a wise woman cried out from the city, "Hear, Hear! Please say to Joab, 'Come nearby, that I may speak with you.'" 17 When he had come near to her, the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your maidservant." And he answered, "I am listening." 18 So she spoke, saying, "They used to talk in former times, saying, 'They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,' and so they would end disputes. 19 "I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?" (2 Sam 20: 14-19) Sheba has gone through the land seeking recruits for his rebellion against David and at last finds himself and the other rebels holed up in the city of Abel. Joab pursues him to the city and then following the military procedures of the day, he builds a rampart of dirt and brings in a battering ram intent on breaching the walls of the city and then likely razing it and plundering it and killing most of it's citizens. War is never pretty and things are about to get very ugly for the innocent citizens of Abel. I find it interesting that this city bears the name of the first innocent victim of bloodshed in the Bible....Abel. And just as in the case of Cain a voice of wisdom (the wise woman) speaks against the plan of shedding innocent blood. Ge 4:6 says, “So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it." As I write this devo, I just received a text message informing me that abortions are taking place at the local abortion clinic today. That means sidewalk counselors will be there, (like the wise woman of Abel) with the voice of wisdom imploring those bent on shedding innocent blood to find an alternate solution. They will be echoing the words of the wise woman who asked, “Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?" Because the Bible tells us that children are a heritage from the Lord ( Ps 127:3) Considering an abortion? May your heart be open today to the message of the wise woman of Abel, that you may be spared the pain of a siege of guilt against your soul.

Innocent Blood Does Not Go Unnoticed

640 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:11-13, “Meanwhile one of Joab's men stood near Amasa, and said, "Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David-follow Joab!" 12 But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted. 13 When he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. When I think of Joab, I cannot help but think of the Muslim extremist group known as ISIS. The brutality of Joab and ISIS and their utter disregard for human life is all too evident. They use cold-blooded murder as a way to stir up fear and win converts to their cause. Get the picture here. There is a large army of men who had been raised up by both Joab and Amasa. These men would all have to file by this gruesome scene and receive the fearful message that it portrays. Joab leaves a man behind to make sure everyone gets the picture. “Don't mess with Joab!” “Who do you men want to follow? Amasa or Joab” To follow Joab is to follow David” The only problem with that statement is David did not operate this way. (Oh he did at one time, with the death of Uriah the Hittite, but he had repented of that sin) David was appalled by the shedding of innocent blood and he was appalled by the actions of Joab and saw to it that Solomon would (later on) carry out justice against Joab. ISIS seeks to align themselves with the God of the Bible, but they, like Joab, are not of the same spirit. The God of the Bible hates the shedding of innocent blood (Prov 6:16,17) and the shedding of innocent blood does not go unnoticed by God. After Cain slew Abel, God approached him and said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. (Gen 4:10) When David was confronted with his sin of the murder of Uriah, he confessed it and received God's forgiveness, but Joab, Cain, and others refuse to see the wrong and faced God's judgment. Pray that all who have shed innocent blood will come to repentance, confess their sin, and receive the forgiveness offered through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Message That Could Have Saved Joab

639 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:10, “ But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. (2 Sam 20:10 This is the second time Joab has assassinated a rival. He also killed Abner, who had slain Joab's brother in self-defense. These slayings did not go unnoticed by David. On his deathbed he gave Solomon these instructions: 1Ki 2:5 "Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. 6 "Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace. And Solomon didn't. When the time was right he came after Joab, who fled to the temple and grabbed on to the horns of the altar, thinking that the blood that was ceremoniously placed on the horns would spare him from judgment. This was true for sins committed in ignorance, but this was not the case for Joab. Both of his assassinations were per-meditated and he never expressed sorrow for them. And Ex 21:14 says, "But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.” And that's exactly what Solomon did. While Joab may have been claiming ignorance, it simply wasn't the case. His acts were pre-meditated and never repented of. He never expressed godly sorrow for his sins. This is very important for us to remember. We all have sinned in the pursuit of ambition. We all have sinned in holding grudges against others. We all have sinned ignorantly and with pre-meditation. Don't go to your grave claiming ignorance, rather, admit it! You crucified Christ! God raised Him from the dead! Say your sorry! And follow Jesus! It seems rather simplistic, but that is the heart of the Gospel and the message of the church. It's the message that saves souls, and it's the message that could have saved Joab, had he believed it!

Joab's Deadly Trail of Ambition and Unforgiveness

I'm back, after a week's vacation, and I'm going to pick up my verse by verse exposition of 2 Samuel in chapter 20 beginning at verse 6. “And David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord's servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us." 7 So Joab's men, with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out. 9 Then Joab said to Amasa, "Are you in health, my brother?" And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. (2 Sam 20:6-10) After a little sidetrack we are back to David and the rebellion of Sheba. Just a little refresher on the main characters here. Amasa was Absalom's commander in chief in his failed rebellion against David, and David had put him in charge of his fighting men, replacing Joab. David wanted to quash the rebellion of Sheba before it grew and ordered immediate pursuit. Amasa however had difficulty raising an army, so David ordered another of his generals, (Abisha) to go after the rebel. He was joined by his brother Joab (who had been deposed by Amasa as the leader of David's army) and his men. Amasa then joins up with them at the large stone by Gibeon. Joab, (accidently on purpose,) drops his short blade knife, picks it up as a quite natural thing to do, grabs the beard of Amasa, again a customary greeting, salutes him as a brother, and then runs him through with the knife! Joab wanted to be the commander in chief and would do anything to keep his job. Woe to the rivals of Joab, for he showed no mercy toward them, and woe to those who hurt him, because he never forgave, he just got even. A lesson for all of us here is don't let ambition and unforgiveness run your life. As we shall see next time, you won't get away with it.