3. How to deal with treacherous strategists like Joab
The other plotter was Joab. In verses 28-35 we see how Solomon dealt with him. Joab was different again. No young pretender, he had served David for many years. However, Joab really only ever served himself. He was loyal to David because it suited him. When he no longer felt it appropriate he simply switched allegiance.
There are people like that today. How dangerous they are. They appear to serve the Lord but, in truth, it is only ever as far as it suits them.
Hearing about Adonijah, Joab (28) ‘fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar’. Solomon is told about it but is not fazed. He tells ‘Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Go, strike him down!’ (29). Benaiah is not sure about killing Joab at the altar itself but Solomon sees the issue clearly. This act will not pollute the altar. The pollution is coming from Joab. It is his actions that have stained the House of David and so to deal with it at the altar is quite appropriate. Surely the lesson for us is that such ruthlessness is a sacred responsibility. We need not be squeamish. Benaiah, we are told (35) then replaced Joab as head of the army. Zadok replaced Abiathar.
4. How to deal with volatile supporters like Shimei
The final case is that of Shimei, the man who had cursed David when Absalom rebelled but who had shown loyalty since David’s return. Solomon calls him in and says (36, 37)
Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.
Shimei saw that Solomon was being merciful and so he went for it. All was going well until (39) ‘three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath’. When Shimei heard (40) ‘he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slave’s and brought them back.’
What was he thinking? He surely had not forgotten. Perhaps he felt he was untouchable. Perhaps he was testing Solomon. Will the man of peace do anything? Solomon says (44, 45)
You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing. But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure before the LORD for ever.
He then had Shimei killed. Again, it may seem severe but to have been weak at this point would have been highly detrimental. It is this ruthless streak that meant the final sentence of the chapter could be written – ‘The kingdom was now firmly established in Solomon’s hands.’
From time to time we have had mice in our house – field mice not rats, thankfully. They are lovely creatures but a hazard– to our health for example - and a nuisance. One even inserted itself into the back of our electric cooker and short-circuited it. We take the opinion then that we do not want them living with us and so (forgive me if it horrifies you) we kill them. We use traps. I once caught a mouse in a trap but it was not dead and I had to take a hammer to the poor creature. I put it in a plastic bag so I would not have to look. Horrible! Perhaps I should have just set it free. I had to do something. So it is with God’s kingdom. As distasteful as it may sometimes be, we must act.
This is, in part, the character of this book. It sometimes has to be negative. We need to be warned against certain things and certain people. Think of Tit 1:13, 14 where Paul says to Timothy 'Rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.'
This is why church discipline is important. We welcome in members but we also believe that at times it is necessary to exclude some too. See 1 Co 5:5 'Hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.' Sometimes that is needed.
What about Jesus’s words in Mt 5:29, 30? 'If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.'
Similarly, we all need to mortify sin. Romans 8:12-14 'Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.'
It is difficult, messy, painful work but it must be done.
The final case is that of Shimei, the man who had cursed David when Absalom rebelled but who had shown loyalty since David’s return. Solomon calls him in and says (36, 37)
Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.
Shimei saw that Solomon was being merciful and so he went for it. All was going well until (39) ‘three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath’. When Shimei heard (40) ‘he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slave’s and brought them back.’
What was he thinking? He surely had not forgotten. Perhaps he felt he was untouchable. Perhaps he was testing Solomon. Will the man of peace do anything? Solomon says (44, 45)
You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing. But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure before the LORD for ever.
He then had Shimei killed. Again, it may seem severe but to have been weak at this point would have been highly detrimental. It is this ruthless streak that meant the final sentence of the chapter could be written – ‘The kingdom was now firmly established in Solomon’s hands.’
From time to time we have had mice in our house – field mice not rats, thankfully. They are lovely creatures but a hazard– to our health for example - and a nuisance. One even inserted itself into the back of our electric cooker and short-circuited it. We take the opinion then that we do not want them living with us and so (forgive me if it horrifies you) we kill them. We use traps. I once caught a mouse in a trap but it was not dead and I had to take a hammer to the poor creature. I put it in a plastic bag so I would not have to look. Horrible! Perhaps I should have just set it free. I had to do something. So it is with God’s kingdom. As distasteful as it may sometimes be, we must act.This is, in part, the character of this book. It sometimes has to be negative. We need to be warned against certain things and certain people. Think of Tit 1:13, 14 where Paul says to Timothy 'Rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.'
This is why church discipline is important. We welcome in members but we also believe that at times it is necessary to exclude some too. See 1 Co 5:5 'Hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.' Sometimes that is needed.
What about Jesus’s words in Mt 5:29, 30? 'If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.'
Similarly, we all need to mortify sin. Romans 8:12-14 'Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.'
It is difficult, messy, painful work but it must be done.
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