2 Samuel 10:8-12
Verse 12 “Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in His sight.”
Hanun set up his personal troops at the entrance to his city and sent the other 35,000 men out in the surrounding fields and waited. Pretty soon here came Joab and the men of Israel. It wouldn’t be easy to hide 35,000 men in a field or even many fields for that matter. There was no way Joab would have missed the set up which Hunan had arranged.
Joab had a strategy he thought would work and was going to need the help of his brother, Abishai, to make it work. Joab knew that the best thing to do was divide and conquer. He also knew if one opponent was mightier than anticipated the brother and troops facing that enemy would need the help of the other part of the Israelite army. Teamwork was the only viable solution in this situation. So Joab chose the best from among the troops of Israel and headed towards the men in the fields and sent Abishai to the city fortress of the Ammonites with the pact that if one needed help they would send word to the other and together they would defeat the Ammonites and their hired allies.
Now we need to take a moment and remember that this wasn’t the first time the Army of Israel had encountered Arameans. Hanun had hired a portion of the Aramean people whom David had not conquered and made his subjects (2 Samuel 8:6). These people may have been eager to help Hanun and why they hired themselves out. Why not get paid to war against those who had killed so many of their countrymen?
As prepared as Joab seemed for the battle he didn’t take it as an ordinary battle between nations. He saw something more going on and though he was setting things in place for a successful fight, seemed to know that no amount of planning on his part could actually win the battle for the Israelites. Yes, he wanted to win the fight for David, all of the Israelite people and especially those men who had been humiliated but none of that really mattered if the battle wasn’t being fought for the Lord. At the end of his instructions to his brother Joab reminds Abishai to remain strong and to fight bravely for God’s people and the final outcome was up to God. He didn’t say he knew they would win because God was on their side, he admitted that God would be the one to decide what the best outcome was.
Making It Personal
How hard is it for you to accept your way isn’t always the best? Do you seek God’s will and way for every decision? In what area is it hardest to accept His choice over your own?
Making It Personal Kids
Do you get upset when you don’t get your own way? Why is it important to want what Jesus wants for you? What can you do to make accepting Jesus’ way easier?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for the wisdom of Joab which reminds us that we can do our best but Your desired outcome will always happen and it will bring You glory and be for our good. Help us surrender to Your way of doing things. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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