Month: September 2025

Links for today’s readings:

Read: 2  Samuel 19 Listen: (7:31) Read: Psalms 9 Listen: (2:21)

Scripture Focus: 2 Samuel 19.6-7

6 You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. 7 Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.”

Reflection: Weeping For Rebels

By John Tillman

Joab was right about one thing—the troops needed David’s encouragement. He was wrong about everything else.

More than a general, Joab was family. A son of David’s sister, Zeruiah, Joab came to power with David, leading David’s “mighty men.” Joab helped win David’s greatest victories and enabled and defended David’s worst sins.

Joab had advocated for Absalom, convincing David to have mercy on him in the past. Perhaps this is why Joab mercilessly killed him, hanging in the tree. To Joab, Absalom was only a threat. To David, Absalom was his beloved son. When Joab comes upon David, weeping over Absalom, he rebukes him, saying, “You love those who hate you and hate those who love you.” (2 Samuel 19.6)

There are some today, like Joab, who would misinterpret compassion, empathy, and weeping with those who weep as weakness and as endangering God’s kingdom. This could not be further from the truth.

We’ve often emphasized David’s sins because, historically, his flaws tend to be smoothed over. However, David is also called a “man after God’s own heart,” and weeping over Absalom, he shows part of it. At David’s worst, we see just how deeply sin grips his soul, but at his best, he looks a lot like Jesus. You can’t get much more like Jesus than loving those who hate you.

Absalom, by law, deserved nothing but the death that he received. David, by his love, wished he had died in Absalom’s place. David was never more like Jesus than when he wished he had died on a tree rather than his beloved son.

We can do better than David today. We do not need to beg for rebels to be treated gently. We simply point to Jesus, who has been treated harshly on the rebels’ behalf.

We can carry better news than Joab’s messengers. They brought news of victory by the death of a rebel on a tree. We bear news that Jesus has died on a tree on behalf of rebels.

Jesus hung on a tree in the place of rebels like us.
We have all been Absalom, rebels trapped by our sinful pride.
We have all been Joab, refusing mercy to those who slighted us.
May we be more like David, like Jesus, weeping for the lost and willing to die in their place.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Love the Lord, all you who worship him; the Lord protects the faithful, but repays to the full those who act haughtily. — Psalm 31.23

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Absalom’s Guide to Stealing Hearts

Absalom stole the people’s hearts. Then he stole the kingdom.

Absalom’s Guide to Stealing Hearts

Read more: Joab’s Play

God’s plot goes beyond the shortcomings of Joab’s play. God, the King of Kings, doesn’t have to be shamed into forgiving us.

Joab’s Play

Links for today’s readings:

Read: 2  Samuel 18 Listen: (6:16)  Read: Psalms 7-8 Listen: (2:58)

Scripture Focus: 2 Samuel 18.14

14 Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this for you.” So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree.

Reflection: Dealing With Joab

By John Tillman

Joab stuck out his neck for Absalom. But when he betrayed David, Joab, the man who showed Absalom mercy, mercilessly slaughtered him as he hung helplessly in the tree.

Joab then berated David as he wept, “O my son Absalom!…If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son!” Joab got David up from his grief and out to do the necessary hand shaking to keep his army together.

When I was a younger man, I admired Joab because I thought he saved David. I was wrong.

I saw Joab as a realist—a practical, get-stuff-done kind of guy. He did hard things that David “wimped out” on. I used to think that every moral leader needed a slightly-less-moral “helper” such as Joab. How wrong-headed this thinking is! Joab’s kind of loyalty is a twisted form of “honor” that cripples accountability, truth, and justice.

After seeing Joab-like men destroying the reputation of Christ on behalf of institutions and individuals, I recognize him for the danger that he is. As I look more clearly at Joab I realized that he didn’t revere God. He revered David.

Many leaders employ (or attract) worshipful hatchet-men like Joab. Joab enforces loyalty. Joab deletes evidence. Joab fires troublemakers. Joab threatens witnesses. Ministries have been ruined from behind the scenes because of the machinations of a “Joab.”

If you are a leader, you may attract a Joab. Beware. One of David’s greatest failings as a leader might be failing to deal with Joab. Be ready to deal with yours.

A Joab will seem loyal and talk about honor. Be careful. Joab’s loyalty is only to earthly power structures that he is part of and his honor is only for those enabling him.

It is important that we do not admire Joab.

It is important that we disarm and disavow him.

But it is more important that we do not become him.

Learn to spot Joab in others or yourself. Joab is loyal to a “king” rather than God. Usually this is a leader, like a pastor, but sometimes an institution, like a ministry or church. Joab is more concerned about protecting the king than about truth or justice. Joab is more concerned about the king’s reputation than righteousness. Joab is concerned about vengeance on enemies rather than justice for victims. Joab is marked by practical, not spiritual thinking.

Don’t become or empower Joab.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; I have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, my good above all other.” — Psalm 16.1

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Listen to: Dealing with Joab

Listen to an earlier version of this post on our podcast, “Pause to Read.” When I was a younger man, I admired Joab…I was wrong.

Read more: The Moon and the Cross

At the center of this psalm, we see the power that defeats evil. It is not the command of a king or the sword of a warrior but the praise of infants.

The Moon and the Cross

Links for today’s readings:

Read: 2  Samuel 15 Listen: (6:06)  Read: Psalms 1-2 Listen: (2:05)

Links for this weekend’s readings:

Read: 2  Samuel 16 Listen: (4:03)  Read: Psalms 3-4 Listen: (1:57)
Read: 2  Samuel 17 Listen: (5:00)  Read: Psalms 5-6 Listen: (2:45)

Scripture Focus: 2 Samuel 15.2-6

2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” 4 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.” 5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6 Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

Reflection: Absalom’s Guide to Stealing Hearts

By John Tillman

Absalom stole the people’s hearts. Then he stole the kingdom. How did a vigilante, fratricidal assassin go from outcast to hero to insurrectionist?

Absalom set out to rebuild his reputation, destroy David’s reputation, and overthrow the kingdom. There are, have been, and will be, many leaders of Absalom’s type. Absalom was an anti-David. We need to detect and avoid anti-Christs.

Of course, we should avoid being duped by them, if possible. (Matthew 24.24) But we also must not become like them. Let us reflect on Absalom’s methods, so we can resist employing them ourselves and resist losing our hearts to Absalom-like leaders.

First, Absalom portrayed himself like a king. His extravagant entourage of chariot, horses, and attendants was flashy and projected power. His glamorous appearance, including an impressive head of hair that would figure in his later downfall, wowed everyone.

Second, Absalom feigned humility. Absalom didn’t introduce himself with, “I’m Prince Absalom, newly reconciled to my father, King David.” Instead, he said, “Your servant is from one of the tribes in Israel.” This was disingenuous condescension for a man with a royal chariot. Absalom also dramatically refused to allow people to bow to him. Instead, he grabbed them by the hand pulling them in for an embrace and kiss.

Third, Absalom magnified people’s frustrations and fears. Absalom undermined confidence by highlighting the shortcomings and inefficiencies of David’s rule. He implied that David was not providing justice.

Fourth, Absalom implied only he could fix it. Monarchy was relatively new in Israel. Absalom harkened back to former times when judges administered justice and implied only he was fit to fill that role.

We might rarely meet a full, four-point Absalom, but any one of these qualities is a warning sign—a red flag. The more flags, the more danger.

Reflecting on Absalom’s guide to stealing hearts, it’s tempting to point outward. Like all biblical lessons, we must remove the logs from our own eyes first. Once we can see clearly, we can turn to help others.

Let us look inward. Watch carefully for these Absalom-like indicators in yourself. Firstly, do you use them? Secondly, are you susceptible to others using them?

We can’t be people of hope and faith while simultaneously being people of suspicion who never trust anything or anyone. We have to be wise as serpents without being snake-like and innocent as doves without being gullible. (Matthew 10.16)

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting

Our sins are stronger than we are, but you will blot them out. — Psalm 65.3

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Beware Opportunistic Power Brokers

Many, like Abner, attempt to align themselves with God’s kingdom for the sake of their own grievances, whether personal or political.

Beware Opportunistic Power Brokers

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Links for today’s readings:

Read: 2  Samuel 13 Listen: (6:39)  Read: Revelation 21 Listen: (4:34)

Scripture Focus: 2 Samuel 13:14–16

14 But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.
15 Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!”
16 “No!” she said to him. “Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.”
But he refused to listen to her.

Reflection: Hatred, the Underside of Lust

By Erin  Newton

“Having gratified itself, lust deepens into hatred” (Phyllis Trible, Texts of Terror).

The story of Tamar does not soften its edges. There is no ambiguity of her innocence like some might foolishly try to argue in the case of Bathsheba. The power dynamic is clearly stated: Amnon is a prince and physically more powerful.

But he is ruled by his passions. His sexual desire makes him “sick” with lust. He is obsessed—no longer operating by rationality or morals. His flesh controls his narrative. He is, in fact, powerless to his most base instincts.

Tamar, the weaker person, is the pillar of strength. Unaware of the trap, she shows compassion and empathy for her “sick” brother. When the wicked plot is unmasked, she clearly refuses. “No!” She reminds him of morality. “Don’t do this wicked thing!” She offers an honorable solution of marriage.

But Amnon does not love her. Long-term commitment isn’t his goal. It is not kindness that is making his decisions. He is filled with lust, and by his strength he reacts in violence.

Phyllis Trible notes the change that occurs after the rape: “Violence in turn discloses hatred, the underside of lust.” The reaction is not uncommon. Jo Ann Hackett (Women’s Bible Commentary) says, “There is good evidence that people who force their dominance on others (rapists and sadists, for example) are fighting what they perceive as weakness in themselves and that their victims’ defeat only reminds them of their own weakness and consequently enrages them.” His weakness drove him to violence, and in the end, he still hates himself.

Tamar again is a pillar of strength and truth. She is not ruled by her emotions. When she should be angry and ashamed, she defiantly refuses his dismissal. “No!” She reminds him of what is right. He doesn’t care.

This weak man has no intention of listening to truth, especially truth embodied in Tamar.

Nothing about this story is foreign to our present circumstances. Men and women who feel inferior can be ruled by their own self-hatred and react violently. But the act of violence never solves their weakness. It merely begets more violence.

In the direct context of sexual abuse, we should be mindful of Amnon’s response. We must recognize that venom spewed against survivors is more of a reflection of a perpetrator’s heart. We must be like Tamar—bold, outspoken, and grounded in God’s truth.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Do you not realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you and whom you received from God? You are not your own property, then; you have been bought at a price. So use your body for the glory of God. — 1 Corinthians 6.19-20

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Not a Temptress but an Abuser

Equating sexual abuse victims to “Potiphar’s wife” is reading the passage backwards. Potiphar’s wife is the abuser.

Not a Temptress but an Abuser

Read more: No DARVO

How can we live in a world dominated by Sauls and Ahabs, the disciples of DARVO? How can we know what the truth is and who is telling it?

No DARVO — Readers’ Choice