Okay, you can turn in your Bibles to 2 Samuel chapter 10. 2 Samuel chapter 10. I mentioned earlier that Proverbs 28.13 sort of preached itself. The text, He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will find mercy. That's a sermon that does preach itself. 2 Samuel 10 is not like that.
It's a bit of a difficult chapter in terms of trying to draw out some practical lessons for us. It's pretty much a chapter dealing with Israel's war with the Ammonites and the Syrians. But I do lean on Calvin and Ralph Davis, so I hope that we'll get something practical out of this chapter tonight. I'll begin reading in chapter 10, verse one.
It happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun, his son, reigned in his place. Then David said, I will show kindness to Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me. So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the people of Ammon.
And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it? Therefore Hanun took David's servants, shaved off half of their beards, cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. When they told David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed.
And the king said, Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return. When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, the people of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and from the king of Maacah, 1,000 men, and from Ishtab, 12,000 men. Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array at the entrance of the gate.
And the Syrians of Zobah, Beth-rehob, Ishtab, and Maacah were by themselves in the field. When Joab saw that the battle line was against him, before and behind, he chose some of Israel's best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai, his brother, that he might set them in battle array against the people of Ammon. Then he said, If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me.
But if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight. So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him.
When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai and entered the city. So Joab returned from the people of Ammon and went to Jerusalem. When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered together. Then Hadadezar sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the river, and they came to Helam.
And Shobak, the commander of Hadadezar's army, went before them. When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in battle array against David and fought with him. Then the Syrians fled before Israel, and David killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 horsemen of the Syrians, and struck Shobak, the commander of their army, who died there.
And when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore. Amen.
Introduction and Context
Well, as we look at this particular chapter, there's a couple of things that we ought to notice before we jump in. The first is that in chapter eight, we have basically a description of all of David's battles, or most likely all of the battles that occurred during David's lifetime. Now chapter 10 focuses upon the Ammonites and the Syrians and most likely amplifies or explains further what's going on or what's already been stated in a summary fashion in chapter 8. And the story of the Ammonite war serves as the backdrop to the story concerning David and Bathsheba and Uriah.
In fact, Ralph Davis says that chapter 10 certainly sets the stage for chapters 11 and 12. The Ammonite War serves as the historical background for the David-Bathsheba-Uriah fiasco. And the end of chapter 12 brings closure to the Ammonite problem left hanging in chapter 10 at verse 14. So you see that this serves as the foil for what goes on in chapters 11 and 12 in terms of David's sin with Bathsheba.
Because it was when the kings went out to battle, David stayed back and he sent Joab out into the battlefield. That's when he committed the sin he committed with Bathsheba and then with Uriah. So, what we have specifically in chapter 10 with the Ammonites and the Syrians, I think breaks down into three sections. First, the rejection of David's kindness in verses 1 to 5.
Secondly, the battle with David's enemies in verses 6 to 14. And then thirdly, the subjugation of David's enemies in verses 15 to 19. Again, probably a further description of what was given to us in summary form in chapter 8. This is an amplified version, most likely, of that situation.
Now,
Rejection of David's Kindness
note first the rejection of David's kindness. There's a strong link between chapters 9 and 10, and I would argue that it's strongly linked with chapter 11. Notice in chapter 9. Now David said, is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?
Remember last week we saw that, it's that hesed, that's that covenantal term, that steadfast love, that love that endures and that goes deep. David wanted to express such kindness to the household of Jonathan, specifically to this young man Mephibosheth. Well, in chapter 10, we have the same emphasis from David. He has shown this hesed with reference to Jonathan's family or Saul's family.
Now he turns his attention to his foreign policy and he says the same thing. Notice in 10.1, it happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died and Hanun, his son, reigned in his place. Then David said, I will show kindness to Hanun, the son of Nahash. as his father showed kindness to me." That kindness is the same hesed. It is the same thing.
So we see it in chapter 9 with reference to Saul's family. We see it in chapter 10 with reference to David's foreign policy. When we get to chapter 11, there's an absence, a conspicuous absence of this hesed, but what we see is David's ruthlessness in laying with Bathsheba and then committing murder to cover this particular sin. But in chapter 10, David is functioning in an exemplary manner.
It is good for us to show kindness, not just to those whom we really like, but to show kindness to those who are not in our sphere of influence, those who are outside of our particular orbit. Now, whether they had an actual covenant in place or not, I certainly do not know. And we also don't have any record of Nahash's kindness to David. You remember that Nahash was the Ammonite that faced Saul at Jabesh Gilead and Nahash was the fellow that wanted to scoop out the eyes of the Israelites in order to subjugate them.
Of course Saul and the persons of Israel didn't quite like that idea and so they went to battle and Saul was victorious. So Saul and Nahash were enemies. So, perhaps it was the case when David was on the Lamb, when he was fleeing from Saul, it could be the case that Nahash gave him safe haven or that Nahash did something to him. We see specifically that David says, I will show kindness to Hanun, the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So something was done positively for David, and so now David wants to return the favor, and he does so specifically to Nahash's son, who is called Hanan.
And this is also a good It's a good token to do, you know, among kings and among those who are leaders. It is good to make these overtures and to reach out and to engage in this sort of thing. So David then sends a delegation. Notice in verse 2b.
So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the people of Ammon. Now this is an official delegation. These are ambassadors from David.
This is a goodwill venture. This is a reflection of David's heart. This is kindness in action. And so what Hanun does throughout the course of the events is absolutely reprehensible.
It is a disgusting thing that Hanun does in terms of listening to his counselors and turning his attention or his wrath against these ambassadors. Notice the rejection of David's kindness in verse 3. And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search out the city, to spy it out and overthrow it?
You see what the advisors are saying? Can't trust David. You can't trust David's men. They didn't think for a moment that this was legitimate hesed.
They didn't think for a moment that this was legitimate kindness. They thought this was David's attempt to get into the city, to overtake the city, and to bring these Ammonites into subjection. And this is what they fill Hanan's ears with. And of course, Hanan hears them, and he listens.
And note what he does in verse 4. He took David's servants, shaved off half of their beards. Now, this probably doesn't mean this way, okay? If they had a beard down to here, he didn't just, you know, give them a little bit of a trim.
Probably did it that way. So they've got half beard and half smooth face. And then he cuts their garments, cuts off their garments in the middle at their buttocks. So their private parts are showing.
Now, this was a great insult, not only to these delegates, but to the king that sent them. Listen to Vanoy. He said, the beard was a sign of manhood. Now, don't go home tonight if you don't have a beard and say, I'm resolved to grow a beard.
There's a movement among the young restless and reformed today that, you know, there's manliness associated with beards and, you know, they may not be too far off afoot because there was a story in ancient history, there was a drunkard that was lying about and some men from another clan or another tribe came and they shaved off his beard while he was in this drunken stupor and it caused a war between these two clans or tribes. So it wasn't something that men took lightly. So Vanhoy says, the beard was a sign of manhood and a source of pride to men in the ancient Near East. And it was therefore a serious insult to degrade someone's beard.
This nefarious insult extended to David and the entire nation he and his envoys represented. So it was a diss upon them, but as well upon the entirety of the nation, including its king. Davis says that Hannon could hardly have inflicted a more shameful insult. The men's manliness was both marred via the beard and exposed via the buttocks and the private parts.
So this was a great embarrassment, a very shameful thing, a very terrible way to treat these official delegates or envoys who have come from Israel to minister David's kindness to this new found king. This was a terrible decision on their behalf. So David then tells the man, according to verse 5, to go chill in Jericho until their beards grow back. Of course, they could fix their garments so that they were no longer exposed.
But basically, in verse 5, when they told David, he sent to meet them because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, wait at Jericho until your beards have grown. and then return. Now we as the reader have to imagine that things aren't going to go well for the Ammonites. We as the reader know that David does express hesed, he does have a kind and gentle and messianic spirit, but we also know that David is a military leader and as a commander of armies and as the king of Israel, he's no pushover.
When men insult his troops and when men ultimately insult the nation, men are ultimately insulting the living and the true God. So David is going to respond in kind and
Battle with David's Enemies
that brings us to the battle with David's enemies in verses 6 to 14.
Troops Gathered
In the first place, the troops are gathered in verses 6 to 8. We see the troops, the Ammonites. Notice in verse 6, they made a stink of themselves. It's literally what it says.
When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, or that they stank before David. I mean, this was a situation or an incident where they did cause a sting. And they had made themselves repulsive to David. The people of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth Rehob and the Syrians of Zobah, 20,000 foot soldiers, and from the king of Maacah, 1,000 men, and from Ishtab, 12,000 men.
So you see what the Ammonites do. The Ammonites know they're going to go throw down with Israel. And the Ammonites realized that Israel is a formidable foe. And in order for the Ammonites to successfully meet Israel on the field of battle, they've got to spend some money.
If you read the parallel, in 1 Chronicles 19, they paid a great deal of money to get these Syrians. Essentially, they're mercenaries who have come now to battle alongside the Ammonites. The Syrians were no friends to Israel either, so they were probably chomping at the bit to form this coalition so that together, Ammonite and Syria can go in and destroy David and all Israel. So the troops of this coalition is gathered together.
Notice the army of Israel gathers together in verse 7. Now, when David heard of it, he sent out Joab, or he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. Now, there could be a bit of foreshadowing right here in chapter 10 that links us to what's going on in chapter 11. Remember, this is a literary work.
Remember that it's a written piece of information and data. And remember that the Bible is written in a very genius manner, and there are literary conventions that are used, and foreshadowing is certainly a convention. Well, here David sends Joab. If we are thinking in terms of 2 Samuel 11, we know that David sends Joab when the kings go out to battle.
This is already a foretaste that David has sort of, not reneged, but has pulled back on being that marshal or that military leader and commander of his troops. In this instance, he sends Joab to take care of business. Now, Joab functions very competently in this particular chapter. In fact, the only hint or the only whiff of theology comes from Joab.
You realize that on this Wednesday night Bible study, we're going to learn theology at the feet of Joab. Now we have seen Joab up to this point and he's sort of a fickle man. He stands behind David and he's a good soldier for David but not consistently. There are instances and seasons and times where Joab does not carry through and Joab does some things that are absolutely contrary to what David wants.
It was Joab who killed Abner. It was Joab who engaged in that particular act of assassination. Joab will ultimately be put to death because he sides with Adonijah rather than Solomon when it comes time for David to die and when Solomon ascends the throne. But in this chapter, Joab is a competent leader and he's also a good theologian.
But at this particular point, in verse 7, we ought to notice that David sends this particular servant, rather than engaging in it himself. Now note, the strategy is formed, I'm sorry, in verse 8, then basically the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array. Now, the parallel in 1 Chronicles 19 tells us this is the city of Medeba. Other scholars say that it was Rabbah.
Now, they're not contradicting what it says clearly in 1 Chronicles, but if you compare 1 Chronicles 19 and 2 Samuel 10, you've got your work cut out for you in terms of some numbers, in terms of some figures, in terms of some place names. That's just not in my wheelhouse to try and deal with this evening. But just suffice it to say, either Medabah or Rabbah is the place where they are assembled. Now
Joab's Military Strategy
note the specific strategy formulated in verses 9 to 12. In the first place, it's a difficult battle for Joab. This is a difficult battle for Joab. David sends Joab out with all the army of the mighty men.
But this is not an easy thing. Note verse 9, when Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind. He's sandwiched in by enemy invaders. He is sandwiched in by those who are against him.
This is not a happy place for Joab to find himself. Note Joab's response in verse 9b and 10. What Joab does in order to deal with these two contingencies is he splits his forces. Says, he chose some of Israel's best and put them in battle array against the Syrians.
So he takes a contingency of troops to face the Syrians. And then he takes the rest of the troops and sends them with Abishai so that they can face the Ammonites. And then very specifically, his strategy is easy. Notice in verse 11, he says to Abishai, if the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me.
But if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. Makes good sense, doesn't it? Instead of a man being placed between a rock and a hard place, he divides the troops, he faces Syria, he sends Ammon, he faces the Syrians, and then Abishai and his troops face the Ammonites. If it gets too much for me, you come and help me.
If it gets too much for you, I will come and help you. And then that brings us specifically to his exhortation. And
Joab's Theology of Courage
this is the theology in the chapter. Notice in verse 12. In the first place, he encourages Abishai and arguably all of the troops of Israel, he encourages them to be of good courage. Notice, be of good courage and let us be strong.
It's a good thing to say. This is what we are told by God. to Joshua when he assumes control, or reign, or rule, rather, over the nation of Israel. He has to be of courage. He has to be strong.
This is the way you rally troops. This is the way you exhort people as they go into battle. You don't tell them, you know, we're really in a bad straight here, and we're probably going to lose. No, no.
You tell them, be strong. Be of good courage. You need to realize that the fight that is before us is a good fight. We need to wage the good warfare.
This is the same sort of thing that Paul does with Timothy in 1 and 2 Timothy. He tells Timothy to be of good courage. He tells him to be strong. He tells him to be faithful.
Paul as well, to all Christians everywhere in Ephesians chapter 6, tells us to be strong, to stand in the Lord's might, to put on the full armor of God. The people of God ought to live in light of verse 12 in 2 Samuel 10. We ought to be of good courage and we ought to be strong. That should move the people of God in our generation.
That should cause us to do good things for the glory of God, for the well-being of His church, for the good of individuals in His church. Note, secondly,
Just War and Its Justification
He then gives something of an explanation of a just war. In fact, Calvin calls this sermon on this section what a just war actually is. You hear that today. Is it a just war to just go and invade foreign peoples?
Is it a just war to go take somebody's oil or to go take somebody's loot or to go take somebody's gold? Well, Calvin makes the argument that 2 Samuel 10, 12 is the justification for a just war. Notice, be of good courage and let us be strong, notice, for our people and for the cities of our God. So the good and the welfare, the well-being of the people in a civil polity and the glory of God.
That is the cause or that is the justification for a legitimate war. The welfare, the well-being, the safety, obviously, of a people in a civil polity and the glory of God. Listen to what Gil says. He says that the people of Israel might not be carried captive.
In other words, we are to be of good courage and we are to be strong for our people so that they're not carried away captive, so they're not enslaved. We just read from Mrs. Hamilton that in China there's thousands of ladies and children that are sold into prostitution or slavery. Well, one of the reasons that men fight wars is so that such things don't happen.
Gil says that the people of Israel might not be carried captive and their cities spoiled and plundered. Well, certainly we defend the property of persons in a civil polity because the persons depend upon that property in order to give them life. If persons come to take away our livelihood, to take away our stuff that sustains our very existence, well, that's an opportunity, or a time rather, for us to engage in just defense. He says, and instead of being cities where the people of God dwelt, and he was worshipped, would have taken become the habitations of idolatrous heathens, and where temples would be erected to idols, and the worship of them.
These were the arguments he used to engage them to fight manfully for their country, the liberties and the religion of it. That's a good observation. That's what's happening here in 2 Samuel 10-12. Now, I don't think Joab is stating it as if to convince a people or a Congress to go ahead and authorize the use of force in this wartime setting, but what he does say ought to be the motivating factor for men fighting war.
You ought to be of good courage. You ought to be strong. Why? For our people, for their well-being, for their welfare, so our children and so our wives do not end up as prostitutes or slaves.
And four, I love the language, the cities of our God. Remember at this particular juncture, what we have is that the visible expression of the kingdom of God is old covenant Israel. David is the anointed one. David sits upon the throne. but the kingdom is God most high.
It belongs to him. And the fact that he says, and for the cities of our God indicates or highlights to us something of the Abrahamic promise. It was the promise made to Abraham by God that he would give him a land. And that land would have cities.
That land would be the land that Yahweh your God is giving you. And so what Joab says to the people of God in this instance is to be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And then
Sovereignty of God and Prayer
notice the expression of confidence in the sovereignty of God. Look at what Joab says at the end of verse 12. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight. Now there's a world full of theology in that statement.
Again, Joab is an interesting fellow. Joab has done things thus far and will do things later that should cause us to scratch our heads and say, man, with a commander like that supporting me, who would need an enemy? I mean, there's some things that Joab does that really isn't good. But in this instance, what Joab says is absolutely right.
He casts himself in dependence upon the sovereignty of Almighty God. Now, we need to remember that though the Word of God comes from Balaam's ass, or it comes from Joab in this particular instance, we need to remember that we take heed to the Word of God. The Second Helvetic Confession says this, the preaching of the Word of God is the Word of God. Wherefore, when the Word of God is now preached in the church by preachers lawfully called, we believe that the very Word of God is proclaimed and received by the faithful, that neither any other Word of God is to be invented nor is it to be expected from heaven.
And that now the word itself, which is preached, is to be regarded. And this is the point I want to draw from this quote. I realize that Joab is not a preacher lawfully called. I realize that Joab is not functioning as an apostle or an evangelist or a prophet or as a minister of the gospel.
But look at what the Helvetic Confession goes on to say. It says, And that now, the word itself which is preached, is to be regarded, not the minister that preaches. For even if he be evil and a sinner, nevertheless, the word of God remains still true and good." Jesus says the same thing in Matthew 23. We'll see that when we get there. tell you, but don't do what they do.
Well, how could Jesus say that? These were immoral men. He says, don't follow their pattern. But insofar as they accurately preach the law of Moses, of course you do what they say.
Of course you're supposed to imbibe what they say. So back to 2 Samuel 10, we ought to learn at the feet of Joab. He says, and may the Lord do what is good in his sight. This is a trust. dependence upon the very sovereignty of God.
Joab doesn't know what the outcome's going to be. You know, Joab didn't have the rest of 2 Samuel 10. Joab didn't have 2 Samuel 11. Joab didn't have 2 Samuel.
Joab at this particular juncture has Ammonites, you know, on the one side, and he's got Syrians on the other side. As far as Joab knows, he's going to be gunned down in a bloody massacre. He has no understanding whatsoever that he is going to be victorious at this particular juncture. But he casts himself into the lap of divine sovereignty and may the Lord do what is right, do what is good in his sight.
Calvin says, Joab understood that no matter how bravely he behaved, all his forces could still do nothing unless God gave the victory. Praise God that Joab knew that, and praise God that Joab expressed it this way. He doesn't say, be of good cheer, let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God, because when we're strong for our people and for the cities of our God, we always win battles. That's not what Joab's argument is.
He says, be strong, use the means, the Cromwellian piece of advice, you know, pray and keep your powder dry. Definitely, Joab wants us to be strong, Joab wants us to be of good courage, Joab wants us to know what we're fighting for, but Joab trusts ultimately in the sovereignty of God. And may the Lord do what is good in his sight. Now, Calvin goes on, and I'm going to quote Calvin at length because I think he teases out a very important principle in verse 12 here.
He addresses the idea that some may see a lack of trust in the statement of Joab. I mean, if you get it for a moment, you think about it, this, and may the Lord do what is good in his sight. I've already said, Joab doesn't know what's going to happen. He says, may the Lord do what is good in his sight.
Some might interpret that as Joab's not real confident that he's going to be delivered on that day. He doesn't say, and may the Lord deliver us from these Ammonites and Syrians. He doesn't say, and may the Lord open up heaven and pour down hailstones upon the enemies of Israel and rout them so that they will no longer be a problem. He doesn't ask, or he doesn't prescribe, or he doesn't give the method that Yahweh ought to employ.
He simply throws himself, as I said, in the lap of divine sovereignty. So Calvin deals with this. He says that God promises His intervention, but He doesn't tell us how He will intervene. And so what may appear on the part of Joab as a bit of unbelief is actually a strong expression of faith in the sovereignty of God.
Calvin now, he says, well, if someone still claims that Joab did not show that he trusted in God, that he was not thoroughly assured of the promises of the law, the reply to that is that God does not give particular promises about this or that to his children. Now, I'm drawing this out because I think we falter here. There's an element of faith in the Christian life. If God spelled everything out for us, every jot and tittle, every particular, every how, every when, every where, every why, we would forget all about Him.
We are constantly cast in the same lap of divine sovereignty that Joab found himself in. Calvin says, We certainly have this point, which should firmly persuade us that God will never abandon us, and that in the end He will show that our hope in Him was not in vain, so that our faith will not be frustrated when it rests upon His mercy and His truth. Nevertheless, we must remain in suspense about many things. For instance, when we ask God for our daily bread, it is not that we are assured that He will send us a good harvest or a great vintage.
We should leave that in His hands and patiently await what pleases Him. You see, that's what Joab is doing, and I think that's what's important. How many times do we pray to God and just leave it with Him? And may the Lord do what is good in His sight, or do we give Him 15 things that we'd really appreciate it if He did it just like that?
Now, I don't think there's anything wrong with specificity in prayer. I don't think there's anything wrong with going through the front door of heaven and letting our petitions be made known to God. But there has to be a balance in there somewhere. We have to recognize that God is a sovereign being and that he doesn't work according to our whims every step of the way.
There needs to be this reality, may the Lord do what is good in his sight. Calvin goes on to say, we should leave that in His hands and patiently await what pleases Him. He says, when we have any illness, we must rest well assured that He has not forgotten us and that we have such access to Him that in the end we will feel that He has looked on us in pity. The promise of God should be fully sufficient in regards to that.
However, when we would like to have the word that today or tomorrow He will restore our health, we do not know. We are even in doubt of living and dying. Calvin then goes on to point out that Joab had no certainty of victory here because he had no specific promise. There's a specific promise, brethren, take that specific promise right back to God.
But if there's not a specific promise, we need to say with Joab, and we need to mean it, and may the Lord do what is good in his sight. We need to trust Romans 8.28, God does cause all things to work for good. Now brethren, I have long been convinced that Paul there is not speaking about good things. None of us would need any convincing that God causes good things to work for our good.
You would not need Romans 8.28 tonight to tell you that finding a bag of money on the side of the road is a good thing. You would affirm that wholeheartedly. Cancer, however, you'd need some convincing. And Paul does that with Romans 8.28.
All things God causes to work for good. You see, this is where the rubber meets the road in our appreciation of the sovereignty of God. Are we really trusting in Him and acknowledging His sovereign will? So Calvin then concludes, we see, therefore, that Joab's uncertainty was not a lack of faith, for we can certainly doubt.
I don't think he's saying he's giving us license to doubt. I think he's saying we certainly do doubt. He says, although we embrace the promises of God and hold them as absolutely certain and infallible, what we doubt are the things which are not clear to us. That is how he wants us to remain in suspense about many things and to leave it all to his secret counsel and his providence.
In other words, if you're a control freak like me, I mean, Rebecca just mentioned, I think I've had this pencil as long as I've been here. Why? Because I don't like change. That's tough when you've got this kind of a God, because He doesn't promise that every single day, every single issue is going to function in the same exact way.
You have to trust. You have to cast yourself into the lap of divine sovereignty. You've got to reckon with Romans 8.28 and internalize it and hold on to it, even when things may argue contra or converse to what you're seeing. I know the Scripture says that all these things are working for good, but God, I don't see it.
Help me to see it. Help me to appreciate that the Lord's will is supreme and that's what's happening and that's what's good. Let me embrace it and kiss it and enjoy it, you see. I think Joab has a lot better theology in terms of practical Calvinism than I do in many respects.
And then notice, as we ought to expect from our God, the way that he answers is truly amazing.
Victory Achieved
Notice the victory achieved in verses 13 and 14. So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians and they fled before him. That's great, isn't it? How do you deal with Syrians?
Well, they run from you. Joab probably had a newfound confidence in 12B, and may the Lord do what is good in his sight. He could, you know, cradle one of his grandchildren on his knees or put one of his grandchildren on his knees years later and say, you know, I cast myself into the lap of divine sovereignty. I prayed to the Lord God and the Syrians that I was facing turned around and ran.
And then when the Ammonites saw the Syrians turn around and run, the Ammonites turned around and ran. Our God is good, isn't he? Now, that doesn't mean every time we pray this prayer, cast ourselves upon the sovereignty of God, all of our enemies or our Ammonites or our Syrians are gonna run away. Name your Ammonites, name your Syrians, pray this prayer and off they'll go.
I mean, that's the way we formulize Christianity. We take the prayer of Jabez and we become, you know, these formulaic prayers that God enlarges our territory. That's not what we're supposed to do. We're supposed to reckon with the divine sovereignty and the will of God and realize that He's got us where He wants us and He will see us through all our challenges and difficulties, perhaps not in the way that we would specify or even in the way that we would like, but He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.
It's truly an amazing section of scripture. So the victory is achieved. Syrians flee, Ammonites flee.
Subjugation of David's Enemies
That brings us to the final consideration, the subjugation of David's enemies. They flee, but the Syrians regather. Notice the regathering of the Syrians in verses 15 and 16. When the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered together.
Then Hadadezer sent and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the river, and they came to Helam. And Shobak, the commander of Hadadezer's army, went before them. So they gather together. Now note what David does.
This time he doesn't send Joab. This time David goes, verse 17, when it was told David he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in battle array against David and fought with him. Do you ever wonder when these You know, armies around Israel will get the message that their God fights for them and their God wins.
I mean, how many Ammonites and Syrians have to die before they realize that there is a God in Israel? I mean, the foolishness of sin is obviously on display in the enemies of Israel. They fight, notice in verse 18, and the Syrians fled before Israel. David killed 700 charioteers and 40,000 horsemen of the Syrians and struck Shobak, the commander of their army, who died there.
And when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, They made peace with Israel and served them. So you see, this is another sense. When they become vassal to the king, they pay tribute and they are now subject to David. He is extending the kingdom of God on earth.
So the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon. So, thus concludes the Ammonite and Syrian War, but we will return to the Ammonite War at the end of chapter 12. So, what we find in verse 14 in terms of the final disposition of the Ammonites, that will be suspended until the end of chapter 12. What the author does here is finish the Syrians for our consideration.
But
Typological Significance of David
just a couple of thoughts before we close. In the first place, we ought to appreciate, as we always ought in our study of David, the typical significance of David. The typical significance. In other words, how he functions as a type of our Lord Jesus Christ.
David's Kindness as Type of Christ
In the first place, the kindness of David is expressed to a pagan king. Now, the kindness, the hesed of David is expressed to a pagan king. Our Lord Jesus Christ, as the second person of the triune God, as God himself, expresses kindness to those who aren't believers, doesn't he? In fact, Calvin develops a pretty long section on how we ought to be like David when it comes to this sort of charity and this sort of kindness even to pagan enemies.
We ought to truly display what Christ is all about. Christ certainly will deal with his enemies, to be sure, but until such time as he cuts them off and sends them to hell, the sun rises on them, the rain falls upon them, they're unable to eat, they're unable to drink, he expresses that kindness to his creatures, the way that David expressed kindness to a pagan king.
Nations Rebel Against the Anointed
In the second place, and we made this observation in chapter 8, the nations rebel against God's anointed one. The nations rebel, in this case, Ammonites and Syrians, they rebel against God's anointed one. Just like David says they will against Jesus Christ, he says that in Psalm 2, David does, and we see it played out in his earthly ministry. We see Psalm 2 applied when it comes to Herod and to Pilate.
These men were formerly enemies, but when it came to go against Jesus Christ, they become friends. We see in Acts 4, the apostles are praying and applying Psalm 2 to their situation, to that reality that Herod and Pilate had conspired together against Yahweh and against his Christ. And we see a foretaste of that here in this Ammonite Syrian coalition against the Lord's anointed. And then
Life-and-Death Nature of the Battle
a third observation we ought to appreciate with reference to the typical significance of David is the life and death nature of the battle or of the war, just like Jesus faced when his opposers conspired against him. Now, as we read through this chapter, there's not a lot of details, isn't there? This isn't, you know, the sort of battle story, if you were a history buff, you would, you know, probably buy at the local bookstore. You want, you know, big books with detailed accounts and eyewitness accounts and, you know, body counts.
We have a bit of that in there. But, you know, some of the more bloody and epic scenes and some of the more heroic and valiant acts, this is not reported that way. It's pretty cut and dry. So it's easy for us to be detached and not appreciate what's happening here.
In the same way, we often, you know, go through the realities of Isaiah 53, you know, reminding ourselves that Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we read through those passion narratives without fully appreciating the weight and the death and the horrors and the grief that Christ entered into, or the fact that Jesus said, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? I mean, he's cut off by the Father when he's on the cross. Now, Blakey, a commentator, makes this observation concerning David in 2 Samuel 10. He says it requires But a very little consideration to see that the wars which are so briefly recorded in this chapter must have been most serious and perilous undertakings.
The record of them is so short, so unimpassioned, so simple that many readers are disposed to think very little of them. But when we pause to think what it was for the king of Israel to meet on foreign soil, confederates so numerous, so powerful, and so familiar with warfare, we cannot but see that these were tremendous wars. They were fitted to try the faith as well as the courage of David and his people to the very utmost." And not only David, but Joab. I mean, he's facing down Syrians and Ammonites and he says to the people, be of good courage and let us be strong.
They needed that pep talk. They needed that exhortation because they were standing before a formidable foe, a formidable enemy. So with reference to the typical significance, never let us forget what our Lord Christ went through in terms of the opposition that was poured out upon Him, not only from men, but from suffering the wrath of God on our behalf. As well, we ought to appreciate the theology of Joab.
Remember what Calvin said concerning that whole idea of casting ourselves upon God's sovereignty. Davis says this with reference to Joab. He says, there is a strange chemistry here. Taking Joab's words into our dilemmas may make us both more confident and less certain.
Confident in the sovereignty of God, but less certain in terms of how it's all going to flesh itself out for us. We like the more certain, don't we? We like to know exactly where the daily bread is coming from. We like to know exactly how the Syrians and the Ammonites are going to be routed.
We like to know exactly what the Lord has in purpose for us, but that's not how it is. We don't know what's going to happen in a day. We don't know what a day will bring. This is why Jesus says, you know, worry about today, don't worry about tomorrow, sufficient is the troubles for today.
What Davis goes on to say, at some point we will not see, or will we not see, that if Yahweh will do what He thinks, that will also be what is good for His people? If Joab stirs up our faith, we owe him our thanks. I think that's a good observation there on verse 12b. And then finally, I think
Faithfulness of God
we ought to always appreciate when we leave a chapter like this, the faithfulness of God. I mean, if Joab casts himself upon divine sovereignty and God delivers him, what does that tell us? We ought to cast ourselves upon divine sovereignty, trusting that God will deliver us. He may not rout our Syrians and our Ammonites in precisely the same way, but He has promised to us to never leave us, to never forsake us, and that He will always be our God.
Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for Your Word, and we thank You for these chapters concerning David. We thank You for the theology of Joab, even in this chapter tonight. And I pray that You'd help us to get our minds and our hearts wrapped around these things, help us to realize there's no better place than to be dependent upon a sovereign God, a God who is caring and gracious and good, and who has promised already in Romans 8 to work all things for our good. We ask God that you'd help us to walk by faith, to trust these promises, and to realize that you will do good for your people.
We ask that you would go with us now and watch over us in the remainder of this week. Bring us together on the Lord's day that we may worship and serve you. And do bless the Santiago's, give them a safe trip and a blessed time with us on this Sunday. And we pray in Jesus' name, amen.