Bad to the Bone

2 Samuel 18:9-23

Folks, it’s just plain stupid or as one of my friends would say, it’s just bad to the bone to rebel against God’s anointed.  Be very careful in your attacks on men God has put over you, and that includes, bosses, pastors, and even Presidents.  The young son of King David believed he would be a better king than his dad, so he has deceived the people and some of David’s closest advisors to follow him into battle.

His army is slaughtered and he is in that forest that has taken more of his men than David’s army.  He encounters David’s men, and he is riding on a mule, and this is the written account of what took place.  “Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head the mule that was under him went on. And a certain man saw it and told Joab, “Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.” Joab said to the man who told him, “What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.” But the man said to Joab, “Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake protect the young man Absalom.’ On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.” Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him.”

Joab is a great general and very loyal to the King, but he has a history of not obeying orders and taking matters into his own hands.  Now if you are the soldier that found Absalom you are a man who fears both the king and God.  Joab knew that the end of Absalom was the end of the battle, so he called off his troops and picked a runner to send the news to King David.  Ahimaaz always was the one to run with the news, and it seems that if one runner came with the news it was thought of as good news, and if two came it was considered to be bad. 

We all like to get good news, but today with the fake news often we only hear the bad about all who are in authority, it’s time to look to the Father, not to CNN, CBS, NBC, or even Fox.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice