Give Honor to the Leader - 2 Samuel 10-14

Give Honor to the Leader

2 Samuel 12:26-31 (ESV)
Rabbah Is Captured
26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28 Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. 30 And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David's head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

When we read the above story, we might find Joab’s idea strange.   To put it in context we have to recall what has been going on.   Israel was in a fight with the Ammonites.   This is the fight that David sent Uriah into and that took Uriah’s life.  Remember, David had slept with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba.   To cover it up, David sent Uriah, through the hands of Joab, into the battle against this city.  This is important to know since Joab is now giving David all the credit for the fight.   What a remarkable act of follower-ship on the part of Joab.   His comment to David is probably made with full knowledge, by this time, of what David did to Uriah.  Joab had to be steaming with frustration and maybe anger.   David had used Joab’s command to kill one of Joab’s honorable soldiers.   Imagine the character and fortitude this must have taken for Joab to put David into a position of victory, when, in reality, he was such a little man.  Joab knew, however, he was not the king.  He did not seek self promotion.  He sought to honor those who have rule over him (Romans 13).  He did not look to find his own honor, he sought the honor of another.   We don’t live this way in our world today.   In our world today, this would have been the perfect time for Joab to usurp David’s authority and, more importantly, his popularity.   God put Joab in the perfect spot to test his obedience and faithfulness and he passed the test.  Would we? 

When leaders go through bad experiences they still have to lead and still have to do their job.