2 Samuel 22-1 Kings 1
A Good Person
How do we see ourselves? How do we want to be remembered?
As we come to the end of 2 Samuel we are also coming to the end of David’s life. Recorded in these chapters are David's last words, the record of his mighty men, and his last blunder, the counting of the men of Israel who could serve in the army.
When the mighty men are counted Joab is only mentioned in passing as the brother of two of the mighty men. Joab, the commander of the army, accomplished much and was loyal to David. Joab served David well but he did not seem to serve David’s God. Instead he served himself.
Joab would be what is commonly called a good person. Sure he killed Abner, the commander of Saul’s army, but after all, Abner had killed his brother. The fact that he got Abner to come outside the gate of the City of Refuge was just craftiness on his part. Technically he followed the law even though his brother was killed in battle and his deed threatened to bring instability to the new fragile alliance between Israel and Judah. The underlying distrust of Israel would lead to Israel supporting Absalom in his rebellion against David. Joab showed his loyalty to David by killing Absalom even though David told his army, about to go into battle, to spare his son. This action resulted in Joab being replaced as commander but no problem, Joab kills his replacement and takes his place back as commander which David allows.
So, why did David allow him to continue as commander? The answer is obvious. Joab was good at what he did. His only problem was that he killed anyone who got in the way of his agenda. David was well aware of this. Joab also killed Uriah the Hittite, husband of Bathsheba, another sign that Joab served David but not God. Uriah is the last one listed in the mighty men. Uriah tried to honor God by serving the king. Joab sought to honor himself. Uriah made the list. Joab did not.
When people say they are a good person, sooner or later, they do admit that they are not perfect. Sure, they have made a few mistakes along the way but basically the good outweighs the bad. This is putting faith in works, not God. The attitude is that God owes me but the reality is we all come up short when it comes to being saved by our works.
Jesus said, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20 NASB
The Scribes and Pharisees evolved from a group of priests who sought to preserve the law of God while the people of Israel were in exile after the temple was destroyed. Over the years they kept adding to the law their traditions and commentaries, making salvation through works by keeping the law. They tried hard to keep the law but no one is perfect, so when they failed they sought to redefine the law and salvation.
Trying to keep the law perfectly is a recipe for guilt and shame. One of the ways to alleviate the guilt and shame is to redefine salvation in an attempt to deny that we are a sinner. Putting faith in the good outweighing the bad is one way of doing this, but it is really putting one’s faith in oneself. Worse than that, it is saying, “I am god and I make the rules.” “After all I am wiser, smarter, more clever, or_____,” you get the point. As the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Timothy 3:5 there is a form of godliness but the power of God to change a life has been denied.
Joab was a sinner, David was a sinner, and so are we. Being a good person may get us somewhere in the world but it won’t get us to the kingdom of Heaven.
Only faith in Christ Jesus can save us for there is no one righteous before God in their own strengths, talents, abilities, or how they see themselves. What matters is when God sees us does He see our sins covered by the blood of His Son who gave His life that we might live? The names of those who put their faith in Jesus are added to the Lamb's book of Life kept in Heaven.
Be a good person but put your faith in Jesus!
Make the list in the Lamb's Book of Life!
Pastor Dave