Psalms 8:1 and 16:2.

My Shepherd met me at Becky’s table while she was reading in 2 Samuel 20. She asked a question about Joab killing his nephew, Amasa.*

In the discussion that followed, the Mind of the Spirit engaged the spirit of my mind with an insight I pondered, where the Shepherd laid me down to feed in His green pastures. And the passage that intrigued me was 2 Samuel 20:8-10:

2Samuel 20:8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

2Samuel 20:9 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

2Samuel 20:10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

Following up on our discussion, I thought about Becky’s observation that the Scripture does not say whether Joab deliberately manipulated the sword to fall from its sheath as he approached Amasa. Interestingly, the Spirit elaborates on the placement of the sword and how it was secured to his loins under his garment.

Joab was preparing for war against Sheba, a Benjamite who had followed Absalom in his rebellion and had rallied the eleven tribes to align with him against David and Judah, when Absalom was killed and his coup defeated.

Amasa had served as a general in Absalom’s rebellion, but turned to follow his uncle, David, when the rebellion failed. Amasa, David’s nephew, was forgiven and made a general in David’s army. Sheba’s revolt had to be put down quickly, so David sent Amasa to gather the army of Judah to quell Absalom’s rebellion taken up by Sheba. He gave Amasa three days to get this done, but Amasa took too long, and the king’s matter required haste (1 Samuel 21:8). So David sent another nephew, Abishai, the brother of Joab, to destroy the remnant of Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 20:1-7). Why did the king not send Joab, the captain of the host?

Perhaps it is because he considered Joab’s rebuke against him for what Joab considered excessive grief over the death of his son, Absalom (2 Samuel 18:32-19:7). Perhaps David heard something in Joab’s voice that reminded him of the reason he specifically forbade anyone to lay their hand on Absalom (“And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom” (2 Samuel 18:5)). Or did David hear a report that Joab drove three darts through Absalom’s heart (2 Samuel 18:14).

Absalom elevated Amasa to be captain in the place of Joab (2 Samuel 17:25). But what likely hurt Joab more was that David elevated Amasa over him (2 Samuel 19:13). So, again, I wonder, did David hear or suspect that Joab had a hand in the murder of his son, Absalom?

There are plenty of reasons for us to think Joab had no love for his cousin, Amasa.  Nevertheless, it is a natural thing for a soldier to strap a sword to his thigh as a backup weapon when girding himself for war.

Furthermore, nothing is said that requires us to conclude Joab did this planning for the sword to fall out of its sheath at the precise moment he was approaching his cousin, Amasa. The Spirit only tells us that “As he went forth it fell out” (2 Samuel 20:8).

Along the still waters, I pondered the implications of this story. Joab hated Amasa and had good reason to regard him as an enemy. Did he consider Amasa’s failure to muster the army in the three days required by the King as a conspiracy to continue Absalom’s insurrection? We don’t know what was in his thoughts, but we know Joab’s general character. Remember when Joab killed Abner,** and David said, “These men, the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness” (2 Samuel 3:39). We are told why he killed Abner, it is because Abner had killed his brother, Asahel, in battle.**

We don’t know what was on Joab’s mind while he strapped the sword to his thigh, but it’s easy to believe Joab had murder in his heart. The Spirit does not say Joab had a conspiracy in his heart against Amasa when he strapped the sword to his thigh; that was a normal practice for any soldier going into battle. The Spirit does not say Joab manipulated the sword to fall, but only that it fell from its holster. Was the decision to murder Amasa triggered by the happenstance that his sword fell from its sheath at the moment he was meeting Amasa? Did Joab see the sword lying on the ground and so reached down to pick it up with his left hand, in order not to appear to be a threat? When Joab reached for Amasa’s beard to greet him with a brother’s kiss and pulled him near, is that the moment the decision to murder Amasa captured Joab’s heart?

The point is, I wonder if Joab’s decision to murder Amasa was triggered by the happenstance that his sword fell from its sheath? If that had not happened, would Amasa have been only shamed for his lack of diligence and perhaps demoted? We don’t know! But I do know that many times an act of evil is triggered into action by something as harmless as an accidental dropping of a sword. However, the action comes from the heart.

Let’s be very careful what we entertain in our hearts. It might be something we don’t want to do or don’t have an active plan to do. But the evil is in our hearts, and Satan knows it, so he orchestrates the circumstances that provide the trigger.

On a lighter note, during my conversation with Becky about this, she said, “Yeah, like when I come down and find someone has left a cookie on the counter, and I eat it.” I smiled and replied, “Yeah, babe, like that!”

Whether it’s eating a fattening cookie or murdering a personal enemy, nothing can trigger into action what is not already in the heart. Solomon ironically said, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Govern what the heart desires. Govern the thoughts that arise from them.

The Bible uses trees as a symbol for men (Daniel 4:23-26).

A tree always falls in the direction of its incline. So do men.

Hear the Spirit: “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness” (Psalm 119:36). He does, but if we keep pulling against Him, He might let us loose, and then! Well, when it’s cookies we are talking about, that’s one thing. But when it’s murder!

In the valley, the Spirit spoke to me about how we can monitor the incline of our hearts. Having crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts (Galatians 5:24), let us mortify the deeds of this body of flesh (Romans 8:13; see Galatians 5:19-21). Let us bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). And all of that is what it means to “deny self.” Jesus spoke: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:223).

At the table, my Shepherd took a little extra time to anoint my eyes with His eyesalve and give me counsel regarding true riches and proper garments (Revelation 3:18). He anointed my head with His oil and filled my cup with His grace. Goodness and mercy attended me as we walked together into the harvest.

Praying for revival! 🙏

Going live asap:

https://rumble.com/v7329yg-shepherds-pasture.html

[*Amasa was the son of Abigail, who is identified as David’s sister in 1 Chronicles 2:16-17.]

[**Abner served Saul as captain of the host. When Saul died, Abner attempted to place Saul’s son, Ishbosheth, on the throne and warred against David. David did not raise his hand against Saul’s son, but Abner agitated for war with David and succeeded. Ishbosheth insulted Abner, and the captain turned his allegiance to David (2 Samuel 2-3). Abner offered his alliance, and David accepted it. He let Abner go in peace to carry out the turning of Israel over to King David. Joab heard about Abner’s visit and that David had entered into an alliance and let Abner go free. He was angry at this decision. Behind David’s back, Joab and Abishai, his brother, sent messengers to call Abner back to Hebron. When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab met him at the gate and invited him to come aside for a private conversation. He drew his sword and “smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother” (2 Samuel 3:27). This happened during the wars between David and Abner after Saul was no longer king (See 2 Samuel 2:18-32).]