Facing Two Armies With God

Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him in front and in the rear, he selected from all the choice men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Arameans.  But the remainder of the people he placed in the hand of Abishai his brother, and he arrayed them against the sons of Ammon.  He said, "If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the sons of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will come to help you.  Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight." (2 Samuel 10:9-12 NASB)

The character of Joab in Scripture is not one of those I would point out as one of great theological insight, not one of upstanding moral character, or one as a good example of anything but killing people.  He was really good at that.  His references to God aren't often and they aren't typically deep, but sometimes it's the practical piece that turns out to be so great.  That's the case here.

So, here Joab has brought part of the army; the good part, but only part (1 Chronicles 19 says all the fighting men).  We're not told how many enemies were here, and 1 Chronicles 19 only tells us part of the numbers involved.  It was still fighting front and back.  It wasn't a good tactical situation to address, but Joab was not in his first rodeo either.  He put the best against the 'attackers', and the rest against the 'defenders'.  That kept the defenders from becoming the attackers.  But then he rally's the troops.

Joab's words are actually very insightful, but only along practical lines.  They don't form a pattern I would necessarily follow every time I go to God or address Him.  Remember this isn't David and His insight into God, it's his 'pet assassin' he's not even that fond of.  So, consider the source as you consider the statement.

"Be strong and let us show ourselves courageous for our people and the cities of our God; and may God do what is good in His eyes."  The statement has three elements: 1) Be strong/courageous in action as we engage this bad situation.  2) Be inspired by our concern for our people and their daily life including worship. 3) Let God do His part, whatever He decides.

The lesson I learn is also made up of three parts: 1) My Master can work with courage because it demonstrates faith in Him. 2) My Master does not put in situations for myself alone, but to use me as a blessings in the lives of others. 3) My Master will do what He sees fit to do, BUT it would also be good to know what He would have me do as His designed role for me.

The third lesson may have been assumed for Joab because he already was the leader of the fighting forces, and he had a fight before him.  He just did his job the best he knew how.  But David would ask before battles, and sometimes do the battle differently at different times.  I think Joab's statement assumes that he can't know what God will do, nor what God would have him do.  I doubt that Joab thinks God doesn't have those insights, but I think Joab thought that they are inaccessible to him.  Keep in mind, David's not there.  Ordinarily, it would be David providing that insight.

So, I am to be courageous because I am convinced my Master loves me, has my back, and is using me for His service.  The work of my Master done through me isn't just for me, but for those I love around me.  The work of my Master done without me is even more important for His glory. 

Yeah, okay, I totally twisted that one around, but it's still true.  True, I need to do the work, be faithful in it, and know God will do as He sees best.  But really, isn't His part more likely to gain Him glory than my part?  I bring 'five loaves and two fish' worth of my own ability, and yet He feeds 5,000 hungry males worth of effective work.  Isn't His part more important than my loaves and fish?  Doesn't what He does bring Him more glory than what I do?  I believe it does.

What's A Good Son To Do?

"For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die."  But Jonathan answered Saul his father and said to him, "Why should he be put to death? What has he done?"  Then Saul hurled his spear at him to strike him down; so Jonathan knew that his father had decided to put David to death.  Then Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did not eat food on the second day of the new moon, for he was grieved over David because his father had dishonored him. (1 Samuel 20:31-34 NASB)

Between a rock and a hard place really doesn't adequately describe the position of Jonathan, the eldest son of King Saul.  From reading 1 Samuel, Jonathan knows who is right in the conflict.  His loyalty is to his father, but also to his friend (if that word is strong enough), David.  Yet, he stays with his father.  It's a decision that eventually costs him his life, but it is a cost he is willing, and probably knows he will have to pay. 

The reality is that there is more to Jonathan's life in Gilead than we see initially in 1 Samuel.  He has a family of his own, wife, kids, and so on.  We know this from the actions of David later on when he shows favor to Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, crippled when the Philistines overran Gilead and he was being carried in the escape.  So there was much in Jonathan's life that complicated his loyalties besides who was right and who was wrong.

In a sense, this is a position we all face.  The choice of loyalty is often too easily criticized by those on the 'outside looking in' based on their perception of moral right, and moral wrong.  Often there are issues of responsibility to family, responsibility to community, and so on that override the other 'moral' issues. 

So the tension between right, wrong, and responsibility is what can put me between a rock and hard place.  What character do I need to live in this space?  Right now, based on some things I've experienced just recently, I need courage and determination to act.  And I need to implement those qualities faster into situations.

I believe that it's one thing to be courageous, but it's not enough.  I think the willingness to act, and the determination to act are necessary to translate courage into action.  Sometimes the competing loyalties cause a delay in action.  That's where I think I need to improve.  I can't even say that I'm delayed by 'thinking about what I'm dong'.  It actually has more to do with motivating myself to do what I already know I need to do.  Pushing myself should never be the factor that delays my actions of courage.  At some point it becomes a lack of courage.

So, as I encounter rocks and hard places, I pray that my Master will bring out in me not just the courage He calls forth in His knight, but also the willingness and determination to act required of those called to serve such a Master.  I want to be a good servant, but I also want to be a good warrior; and that requires fast action.  I want to be like Jonathan and choose those responsibilities I have been given by my Master over the other good I find attractive. 

Faith Versus Courage: What Wins the Battles

Then Jonathan said to the young man who was carrying his armor, "Come and let us cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; perhaps the LORD will work for us, for the LORD is not restrained to save by many or by few." His armor bearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart; turn yourself, and here I am with you according to your desire." (1 Samuel 14:6-7 NASB)

Then Saul said to Ahijah, "Bring the ark of God here." For the ark of God was at that time with the sons of Israel.  While Saul talked to the priest, the commotion in the camp of the Philistines continued and increased; so Saul said to the priest, "Withdraw your hand."  Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and came to the battle; and behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion. (1 Samuel 14:18-20 NASB)

As I read 1 Samuel 14, the whole of it turns on this concept of courage and faith.  In combat, courage is not a luxury, it's a necessity.  But courage is not as simple as just being able to charge the machine gun nest and be shot.  Courage means doing what you fear to do, not what your brain tells you is ridiculous to do.  Sometimes it's faith that inspires the ridiculous.

I pulled the two passages above because both introduce engaging the enemy, and both demonstrate courage (even the second one).  But one demonstrates faith where the other does not.  The success of the battle was determined by faith, not courage.

The setting is that 600 Israelites are in Geba and Gibeah, facing 30,000 Philistines; so the odds are lopsided in the extreme.  Raiding parties have gone out looking for the Israelites (like recon-by-fire) because they've hidden in crags, holes and so on.  The Philistines know the people are out there, just no idea where.  So, it's not really a stalemate, it's more like a lull before the Philistine "boot" crushes Israel.

So, in the midst of this "lull", Jonathan and his "armor bearer" decide to engage the Philistine garrison on their own.  The reason is Jonathan figures numbers aren't really a problem for God.  That's his reasoning, even though it's ridiculous, from a military standpoint, for two people to take on an entire garrison.  But his reasoning derives from his faith, so, from a military standpoint, two people walk with the army of the Maker of the heavens and the earth.  Now the odds are still lopsided, but the other way. 

That's faith: to see the "unseen" and be sure of it in the face of what is seen.  Again courage faces fear, real or imagined.  Faith discerns what is unseen and walks in confidence.  Sometimes faith looks like wisdom, sometimes it looks like extreme foolishness.  Sometimes it takes courage to move belief to faith (belief in action). 

Saul realizes the Philistines have been engaged, but not how.  He musters the troops (600-2) and discovers his son and his armor bearer are gone, so now he knows how.  Then he calls for the Ark to inquire of God (possibly he calls for the priest with the Ephod...long story).  But when the battle grows he decides he has enough to go on, and calls the 598 to follow him in joining the battle against the 30,000.

This still takes courage.  It's still extremely lopsided odds on the surface.  I'm pretty sure Saul wanted to know if he should engage the enemy.  But then he figured that the momentum of battle was already there, so he needed to act quick to keep it in his favor.  It makes sense from a military standpoint.  In fact it made sense to those who had run away, and those who had joined their enemies as well.  The people came from their hidy-holes, and even those in the Philistine camp rejoined Israel in the battle switching sides...again, as it were. 

Joining the battle as it had clearly turned against the Philistines at that point was a no-brainer.  Everyone got in on it, but they knew Jonathan had started it.  It was clear that the faith of one brought the victory, not the 600 in Gibeah, not the return of those in hiding, and not the return of the unfaithful among Philistines.  Courage was displayed on the part of many, but faith was displayed by one.  Courage didn't bring victory, it was faith.  Okay, it's possible to see it as courageous faith, but it is still faith in its essence, not courage.

So what do I learn?  I learn that reasoning, sound foundational principles of leadership, finance, and planning are not the keys to success.  They are important, and I don't discount them; I have skills in all of them.  But the key to success is reckless abandon to my Master in faith; belief in action.  So when I'm faced with extremely lopsided odds to accomplish the work of my Master, I don't need to "figure it out" using foundational principles.  I need to act on my belief that the Master of the universe leads me into the fray.