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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.
| THURSDAY | November 18 |
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.
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