Good morning everyone. This morning we are in 2 Samuel chapter 20 and you may recall that David has just overcome Absalom, his son, who was taking over the kingdom and David had to run out of town. Now Absalom has been killed and the kingdoms being restored back into David's hands. However,
Joe Ab took the life of David's son Absalom and David was not real happy about that.
because he didn't want Absalom killed, although maybe God did because he was really not a good fellow. But Joab took Absalom's life even though David said, please protect the young man when you get him. So now David is taking over being king of all Israel. They already have a tendency to be divided. That is Israel with the 10 northern tribes wanting to be Israel and have their own king and then Judah and Benjamin
under David's rule, but David is now beginning to restore the kingdom again, but it's divided in nature. Even though right now they don't have two kings and two countries, it is one, but it's divided within the country.
Isn't that something? I want you to think about being divided in the country for a moment. I want you to think about that whatever country you're in. Of course, in America, don't we have that? We have a divided country.
We are about to switch presidents. We had an election, but we have a divided country. I mean, there's a lot of people that will only speak ill of the current president and the new one coming in. There's another whole group of people that will speak ill of them.
And it can be sometimes even within your own government. I mean, you know, there were people probably in Biden's government or in Trump's government in the past that are secretly really don't like them and are against either one of them, even in their own party or maybe they're not fit, think they not fit to lead, but they're still in a position of leadership within that government. You have people that you work with.
uh, in your workplace that probably don't like you very much and yet it might be secret and yet you have to work alongside of them. You have people in your, your, the owner of your workplace or the, you know, the person who's in charge if it's not the owner. Uh, there are people that work for that individual in your workplace, but secretly are against them, don't like them.
But just don't want to switch jobs, at least at this time, and are working for a company and for a boss that they really don't like, that they speak ill of. The point is, what am I trying to say? You'll have this in your own family. We've already seen this with Absalom and David. You'll have people in your own family that are against you.
What I'm trying to say is it's a reality of life and it's very much present in this chapter and really under David's leadership and really just in the Bible. It's a reality in life that you'll have people in your midst that are secretly against you. And I wish I had a crystal ball and I wish I had a one size fits all advice for how you deal with that. But the reality is you just need God's help and it's not easy.
And it's a case-by-case basis. I mean, there's times when people need to be fired. People need to be let go because they really aren't even for the person they're working for. There are other times that you want to try to win them over. There are other times when
For whatever reason they stay, but they really don't like their leadership, but they may have a certain set of popularity within the organization, could be even in the church. So therefore, the leadership doesn't want to get rid of them or fire them, even though they're creating some problems, they're doing some good as well. And by firing them or getting rid of them, now you might have a problem with the people, because the people might like that individual.
So you have to sometimes bear with this person who's being sometimes disgruntled or secretly working behind your back because you, it's really the best option is to just deal with it and hopefully try to win them over.
Sometimes, that's not going to be the option. And look, listen, you may think I'm talking about me. Well, of course, in my life, absolutely I'm talking about me, but I'm talking about in any form of leadership, this is just the reality. And look what happens here in 2 Samuel 20. After David is beginning to take over after Absalom's death, now a vile fellow happened to be there.
whose name was Sheba, the son of Bikri, a Benjamin, and he blew the trumpet and said, we have no portion in David, nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse, every man to his tensile Israel. So he's choosing to rise up against David. And even though they're beginning to restore the kingdom, he's saying, no, we, we have no portion of this. We need to continue to rebel and fight against David.
So all the men of Israel went up from following David and followed Shiba. And because they're already prone to divisiveness, they're ready to go ahead. And I mean, didn't work out so well with Absalom, but they're ready to follow this Shiba now. And the men of Judah, though, clung to their king from the Jordan, even to Jerusalem. It's interesting that this time this guy's a Benjamin because the Benjomites end up being one of the more loyal tribes to Judah, but not this fellow.
Then David came to his house at Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, the concubines, whom he had left to keep the house. Now you might remember that Absalom violated them as a way of showing, you know, I don't know, just to be an evil fellow and show he was in charge of the kingdom. And he placed them under guard, David did now, and provided them with sustenance. So he took care of these women.
but did not go into them. They were shut up until the day of their death living as widows. Sad state of affairs for them, but David after Absalom, his son violated them, did not feel like that was something that he should be involved in with them. So he did provide for them. You know, David in his old age, as he's grown, he
He really has been a lot more about vengeance is mine. And you know, that comes up as well in dealing as a leader or in an organization and you're, you're dealing with dysfunctional people, you're dealing with problems in, in your organization with people who may be against you. And sometimes you maybe want to like take matters into your own hands, but a lot of times David
just vengeance his mind. He just allowed God to do with it and he sometimes put up with it. And that's, you know, that sometimes is a solution. The problem is, is if you put up too much with disgruntledness within an organization, then you can have a disgruntled organization.
So there are times too when you need to nip it in the butt and deal with it so that it doesn't create havoc within whatever organization, country, church or whatever you're dealing with. And again, this is why it takes prayer and discernment because not every person that you're dealing with or every situation is going to need to be dealt with in the same way. This is going to come up a lot in this chapter. Then the king said to Amasa, now,
This is interesting because amasa was Absalom's general military general and David already is upset with Joab because Joab took the life of Absalom and David already said in the future. I'm gonna have amasa the general of
Absalom be David's general. So David is already calling out to Amasa in this situation, which is kind of interesting because he had loyalty to Absalom. But David is already calling out to Amasa to deal with this problem with Sheba.
Well, he's not calling Joab. Joab was his commander, but he's beginning to usurp Joab with a massive because Joab, although he was a great leader, he didn't always obey David and he challenged David a lot and
David didn't know if he could trust him anymore, but he was also a super good military leader who had a lot of success. So David was careful to not just outright get rid of him because maybe he would be a conspirator and then go against David.
David had a challenge with Joab as well. So now he calls out to Amasa, but how do you think Joab is going to feel about this that he's not calling Joab? Call out the men of Judah for me within three days and you yourself stand here. So Amasa went to call out the men of Judah.
But he delayed longer than the set time, which he was appointed to him. Now, I don't know why he did that. He was supposed to get Judah together to fight against the Sheba. And David said to Abishai, Now, Sheba, the son of Bikri, will do us harm more harm than Absalom.
take your Lord's servants and pursue him lest he find for himself fortified cities and deliver himself from our sight." So in this particular case, David feels like Sheba's in life needs to be taken. You know, he didn't want to do that with his son because it was his son, but this is not his son. So he's, he's ready to go get him. So now look what it says. Joab is involved. So Joab's men pursued him.
Amasa didn't really, you know, come right away and do what he was told to do right away. So Joab's man pursued him along with the Chirathites and the Pelothites and all the mighty men and they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, the son of Bikri. They were at the large stone which is in Gibeon and Amasa came to meet them. So now Amasa shows up but he shows up late
and Joab's kind of taking the lead. Now Joab was dressed in his military attire and over it was a belt with a sword and its sheath fastened to his waist. And as he came out, it fell out. Then Joab said to Omasa, is it well with you, my brother? Joab's doing this in false pretense, by the way, because he knows that David's showing favor to him. And Joab took Omasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him.
But a Massa was not on guard against the sword, which was in Joab's hand. So he struck him in the belly with it and poured out his inward parts on the ground and did not strike him again. And he died. So Joab plays a trick on a Massa and kills him because he's like, listen, no one's coming into leadership to be the general over, you know, the kingdom I'm going to be. And he again takes matters into his own hands.
He he many times did this now. He was a valiant warrior and he protected David But at times he would do what not what David asked him to do and in this case he kills You know a competing military commander amasa, you know, so
What is, what is David supposed to do with all this mess by the way in the future? You know, he's not sure he trusts Joab anymore and yet Joab's powerful. So how does he deal with that? You know, well, we'll see in the chapters to come right now. David has to put up with it because Joab's really just too powerful for him just to, to take Joab's life as an example, then who's going to lead and what are the people going to say if, if David does that? So,
He he just kind of puts up with Joab. Um So amasa is is on the ground dead then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of bickory Now they're stood by him one of Joab's young men and said whoever delights in Joab and whoever is for David let him follow Joab. So Joab's getting
people to rally around him, but a masa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway. And the man saw that the people stood still, they're just seeing this a masa, you know, sitting there or laying there dead. So he removed a masa from the highway into the field and threw a garment over him when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still.
I mean, probably wasn't going to be good to show what Joab did to Amasa. So he's kind of, let's cover him up. As soon as he removed him from the highway, all the men passed on after Joab to pursue Shiba, the son of Bikri.
But you know, a lot of people probably didn't want to mess with Joab because look how he takes vengeance on people who compete with him. So they're rallying around Joab and they're going after the Shiba. Now he went through all the tribes of Israel to able even Beth Makah and all the Barites and they were assembled.
and also came after him. So they came and besieged him and Abel Beth Makah and they cast up a siege ramp against the city. Now think about that. There's people in this city who are holding up Shiba. It's very hard to get in, usually walled cities and they're setting up a ramp to try to get into this city.
And it stood by the rampart and all the people who were with Joab were wreaking destruction in order to cause the wall to fall. They want the wall to fall so they can get into the city. But listen to this, very interesting. Then a wise woman called from the city, here, here, please tell Joab, draw near that I may speak with you.
So he drew near to her and the woman said, are you Joab? And he answered, I am. Then she said to him, listen to the words of your maidservant. And he said, I am listening. Really interesting how a woman with wisdom here took leadership. And it's going to, a lot of goods going to happen from her leadership. Then she spoke saying, formerly they used to speak in this way, saying they will surely ask advice at able.
And thus they ended the dispute. I am of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You are seeking to put the death a city, even a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh? And what she's saying is, listen, let's not, this is, these are God's people. David wants to ruin rain over all these people. Let's not, uh, let's not destroy the city or the people of Israel because we're trying to be one here.
And Joab answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy. Such is not the case, but a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bikri by name, has lifted up his hand against King David, give him over alone, and I will go from the city. And the woman said to Joab, Behold, the head will be thrown over to you over the wall.
Apparently this woman was highly respected and someone people trusted and And she knew what to do and you know, the people in the city don't really want war So if they can deliver deliver up the shiba and not have to fight and not have to have their city to be destroyed and all these lives be taken They see that as a better option and by the way, this guy's kind of a thug anyways the shiba
Then the woman came to all the people in her wisdom and they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the trumpet and they were scattered from the city each to his tent. Joab also returned to the king at Jerusalem. So this threat of Sheba has been dealt with and now we're going to see some restoration of the kingdom under David.
Now, Joab was over the whole army of Israel. So, you know, again, I don't think David's real thrilled about it, but there's not much he can do. And now Joab's taking control. And Ben and I, the son of Johoda, was over the charathites and the pelathites. And a dorm was over the forced labor. And Jehosephat, the son of Allahood, was the recorder. And Shiva was scribe. And Zaddak and Abiyatar were priests.
And Ira the Jirai was also a priest to David, just listing kind of who's in charge of what now in the kingdom. And that's how the chapter ends. You know, I would say that evaluate in your leadership position, if you have some dysfunction in your team and in your leadership,
pray about it, ask God for help. I think if you can deal with things directly, if you can have a conversation where you're like, hey, listen, I want to be united. I want to be on the same team. I want to work well together. What can we do to do that? Are there problems that I'm not aware of that we could fix in order to have us work to better?
better as a team. I think that is a great way to handle it in leadership. But sometimes you go on that path and you think through all the, like, what could happen as a result.
And sometimes that may not be the best case. I think a lot of times that is the best case, but there can be times when, you know, the person doesn't want to be unified. They don't, they, they, or they're just going to, uh,
kind of deceive you and just be like pretend like everything's worked out when it's not worked out and maybe maybe they they are not ready to take a new job yet or they don't have a new job they might be looking or whatever and sometimes then you just have to let things play out just try to do the best you can
And sometimes these things, you know, again, vengeance is mine declares the Lord and doesn't always have to be vengeance. But what I mean by that is sometimes God just takes care of it. You know, I remember at one time I had someone working in the church that was not unified with the vision and mission of the church. They, you know, we are a very word of God church. We
are not trying to be seeker sensitive. We're just trying to win the largest crowd. We're trying to honor God in his word. And we're really serious about that. And I, you know, I remember having a conversation where like, well, listen, if we're not on the same page, we just have to acknowledge that. And, you know, the individual heard that, which was good. It was good to have a frank conversation.
And, you know, I didn't know, but behind the scenes that individual then basically, you know, sought to get a new job. And eventually then within months of that conversation informed us that they took a new job at like a seeker sensitive church, which wasn't wrong. I, you know, I think I didn't want to deal with it though, meaning like fire somebody, make things kind of ugly.
You know, as a pastor, if you fire people, then you're dealing with the whole congregation, then you're dealing with everything else. So by just waiting patiently, even though that person, I think, rightly
agreed that they were not on the same page with the vision and mission of the church. And as a result, then looked for a new position. But instead of me firing them and then having people feel like maybe I was treating someone unfairly or pastor J's being mean or whatever. And then you're dealing with all of that.
I just waited patiently and they found a new job and they left on their own and it really wasn't a big deal. So in that case, there was an open conversation, but I didn't just walk around, you know, firing people. I very rarely ever do that. I have been very rare, maybe too rare for me to let anyone go because of the repercussions that can happen because
If people like a certain individual and you as the pastor let them go or fire them, now everyone's mad because they like that person. So it's a really, really challenging situation, but it's not unique to church. It's not unique to government. And you can see it's not unique to David and you really need a lot of prayer and discernment and just, you know, really try to do your best with the Lord's help to handle each situation in the best way you can to honor the Lord.
And even to care about the people that you're leading, you know, thinking about how they're going to respond. I mean, ultimately you got to do what God wants you to do.
But I think if you can try to lead in such a way that helps foster unity with whatever organization you're dealing with, I think that's the best way to deal with it. But there are times when things go too far and you do need to take matters into your own hands and probably, you know, deal with things a little bit more directly. So may the Lord give anyone who's in the lead wisdom on, you know, what to do and what not to do. We definitely need God's help. God bless you all.
