Book 2 of Musings Joab

God is a unique Person and has a will, a way, and an eternal purpose in Jesus Christ. It is the responsibility of every creature to do God's will as diligently as possible. But if the service is not rendered in God's way, there is no lasting reward for the servant. Joab, King David's army commander, is an example of this.

Joab was commander in chief of David's army. It was Joab who captured Jerusalem from the Jebusites.

Joab was an important figure during the reign of David. His name is mentioned 142 times in the New International Version of the Bible.

Joab was a courageous man, and he believed in the Lord.

Joab said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. Be strong and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The LORD will do what is good in his sight." (2 Samuel 2:11-12)

Joab was loyal to David and did not seek personal advancement, as did Absalom, for example.

Now muster the rest of the troops and besiege the city and capture it. Otherwise I will take the city, and it will be named after me. (2 Samuel 12:28)

Joab gave David good advice when David was mourning over Absalom.

Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now. (2 Samuel 19:7)

When David commanded Joab to count the men of war, Joab knew it was not a godly thing to do and spoke against it.

But Joab replied to the king, "May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?" The king's word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel. ( 2 Samuel 24:3-4)

We understand, therefore, that Joab was an important man in the kingdom of David. He was a brave, skilled warrior and enabled David to win many victories.

However, Joab had a failing. He was ready to commit murder to maintain his position as commander in chief of the army

Because Joab had been the one who killed Absalom, David appointed Amasa as commander in chief of David's army. When Joab heard this, he murdered Amasa.

Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab's hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri. (2 Samuel 20:9-10)

Joab, after such splendid service to David, even in the killing of Absalom, was willing to murder an innocent man in order to retain his position as commander in chief.

Also, Joab murdered Abner because Abner had killed Asahel, Joab's brother. Yet Abner had done everything he could to spare Asahel and really was innocent of his death. Asahel had brought his own death on himself.

Joab is an example of a person who is active in God's service but who is not determined to do God's will in God's way. God was with Joab when he was fighting David's battle. But it was not of God that Joab murder Abner and Asahel.

There are several instances in the Old Testament of men, such as Gideon and Jehu, who did God's will at a particular time and who then were not careful to follow the Lord.

God advised Solomon to walk in God's ways, promising Solomon a long life.

And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life. (1 Kings 3:14)

Solomon pleased the Lord at first, and then grew careless. The result was the division of the Israelites into the nations of Israel and Judah.

I wonder today if we lay enough emphasis on doing things God's way, particularly in the ministry. Does the end justify the means? I don't think so. It is possible, as Paul said, to do the work of the ministry and then be disqualified.

The American people are accustomed to the television evangelist who pulls huge offerings. Perhaps the evangelist uses the money in a right way, or perhaps he doesn't. But unsaved people know instinctively that this is not God's way.

Most of us have read of the way the leaders of the Catholic Church in time past have tortured and murdered those who were in disagreement with the doctrines or policies of the organization. Maybe they thought they were doing God's will, but they certainly did not go about it in God's way.

I wonder if students in Bible schools and seminaries are taught that God's will must be done in God's way. We might build a big church, but did we hurt other people on our way up? If so, our success doesn't count in the Kingdom of God.

God has complained that we do not know His way.

That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, "Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways. So I declared on oath in my anger, "They shall never enter my rest." (Hebrews 3:10-11)

The rest of God is that place of abiding in Christ where we are always doing God's will from the heart. If we do not learn God's ways, we cannot enter the rest that is His perfect will.

Many of the outstanding personages of the Old Testament did God's will, but some did not understand God's ways. Joab was an example of such. God could never find rest in Joab, or Gideon, or Jehu.

I would like to do God's will in God's way. I would like God to be able to find rest in me. How about you?

If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, How quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! (Psalms 81:13-14)