Pursuing Rebellion

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

PURSUING REBELLION 

2 Sam 20:1-13

20:1 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bicri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted, "We have no share in David, no part in Jesse's son! Every man to his tent, O Israel!" 2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem. 3 When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but did not lie with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows. 4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself." 5 But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him. 6 David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba son of Bicri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your master's men and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and escape from us." 7 So Joab's men and the Kerethites and Pelethites and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri. 8 While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military tunic, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, it dropped out of its sheath. 9 Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab's hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri. 11 One of Joab's men stood beside Amasa and said, "Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab!" 12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the road, and the man saw that all the troops came to a halt there. When he realized that everyone who came up to Amasa stopped, he dragged him from the road into a field and threw a garment over him. 13 After Amasa had been removed from the road, all the men went on with Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.

NIV

Why must there always be a troublemaker, someone who thinks more highly of themselves and wants to be honored and have people follow them? For Sheba, son of Bicri, I declare that he had no share in David, no part in Jesse’s son, which shows how he wanted to be the leader of the pack, the big cheese, almost a mini-king of the people. We think that kind of mentality is not that uncommon within our culture, but we wonder if it exists within the church. Are there troublemakers within the church? What would that look like if troublemakers showed up among the congregation? Sheba did not want any part of David’s leadership; he wanted to establish his own form of leadership. Is that what happens in the church? Someone instigates a rebellion of sorts against the current beliefs and splits the church in half, becoming their new pastor, having the people support them now. David wanted this troublemaker hunted down and told Amasa to get it done, but he failed to comply with David’s command. We see what happened to him at the hands of Joab. This may be another truth we need to consider. Of course, we have a great King, who is compassionate and graciously displays his love for us, allowing us to come to him, bowing before him, accepting his free gift of salvation. But we wonder if we are given to taking too long to do that which he commands when it comes to hunting down any rebellion within ourselves, as Amasa did regarding hunting down Sheba. Although he ended up with his guts spilled out on the road, we know our Lord will not kiss us with one hand and destroy us with the other hand, as Joab did to Amasa. But the question is whether we might act in the same way Joab did. Do we shake with one hand, appearing we are friends or brothers and sisters in Christ, but with the other hand, we backstab them with gossip? Then we wonder if we ever just throw someone aside, not physically as Joab did with Amasa, but emotionally, casting them to the side, extracting ourselves from them, covering them up, so we cannot see them anymore. Just thoughts. However, we are assured our Lord and King will not cast us aside of the road, for He lights the way for us to travel on the right road, yet he does cover us, but it is with his blood, so we can walk as free men, and follow him, yet we still must pursue any rebellion within us, hunt it down and allow God to destroy it.