February 13, 2025

Passage Read: 2 Samuel 18-21
Meditation Verses: 18:14-15

Thought

Joab is a hard man, and he is wise in his own eyes. For the most part, he is loyal to David, but when he thinks his idea is better than David's, he will follow his own thoughts. Over the course of David's reign, you can see him drifting further and further from David, until in the end, he backs one of David's other sons for the throne, instead of Solomon. He killed two men to whom David promised his position. He refused to be demoted and he refused to leave Absalom alive. In all these ways, he shows disloyalty, thinking he knows best.

Application

David rightly says that he is powerless against Joab. If Joab was not as loyal as he was, he would have caused much trouble to David. But true loyalty is not 90% but 100%. Joab was helpful to David, following most of his orders, but he wasn't completely loyal, and that caused problems for David. I'm not loyal if I obey most of the instructions of my superiors, but rather I'm on a course that will deviate further and further from them. I'm not loyal to God if I obey most of His commands, but am drifting further and further from Him. I don't want to become His enemy at the last, so I need to submit fully to His leadership and all His instructions now.