2 Samuel 14

We are knit together in families, churches, and nations. Until we can cry for each other in our miseries and rejoice with one another in our accomplishments something is missing. We are not whole when we are alone.

David's heart longed for his exiled son, Absalom, and Joab knew it. Joab had his own idea of what would be the appropriate solution to the sadness that had led to the separation of father and son. He had his own wisdom on this matter, but was his plan in accord with the wisdom of God? Would David receive Joab's plan as good advice, or would he reject it if it had been plainly stated for his consideration?

Joab chose to do something more than a forthright presentation to the king of his opinion. He chose a planned deception, with a woman chosen by Joab playing a role before the king. He chose to get his point across to the king by hiring someone to tell a story that might move the heart of David knowing that a direct defense using the name of Absalom might have proven unsuccessful.

The point of Joab's drama was to appeal to David's sense of mercy so that it might triumph over his sense of justice. There had been a dispute between Amnon and Absalom that had resulted in the murder of one brother and the exile of the other. Justice demanded Absalom's death. But was it really necessary that the murderer die? Did David have to lose both his sons over this conflict? Both Amnon and Absalom had deceived David in their sinful plots. Now Joab attempted to deceive David one more time in order to save the surviving son's life. But was this effort really the wisdom of God?

As Joab's contrived story was played out before the king, David invoked the name of the Lord to settle the matter in favor of mercy for the murderer. But would he now be so moved by the story and his oath that he would actually spare the life of Absalom? What would be the consequence of that kind of mercy for David and the kingdom?

David was able to see that the coaching of Joab was behind the speech of the woman who asked David for mercy upon Absalom. She then flattered the king for his wisdom in detecting Joab's hand in this plot. Yet would David know the true wisdom of God concerning the son of his flesh that was so knit to his own soul? Would he see the necessity of true justice in his own family, or would he let himself be manipulated by Joab's play in accord with the strong yearnings of his own heart?

The full restoration of the murderer of Amnon would take place in two stages. The first stage was his return to Jerusalem, though he would not be permitted into the king's presence. Absalom was not content with this arrangement. Through another strange series of events involving the intentional burning of Joab's field, Absalom was brought before the king to receive his full pardon.

This decision would cost David dearly. Again we wonder, was the restoration of Absalom truly the wisdom of God? Amnon did deserve punishment from the king because of the rape of his half sister Tamar, but could her brother Absalom take the law into his own hands in his successful scheme to murder Amnon? Was this not a son of the king taking on the prerogatives of the kingship in order to bring vengeance upon the man who had destroyed his sister's life?

We are called to be people of mercy. There can be no doubt about that. In the good news of Christ, by which we are saved, mercy triumphs over judgment. But this does not come to pass through the minimization of the claims of righteousness. In the cross, our guilt as sinners is publicly acknowledged and paid for through the death of our holy Substitute. Jesus died to vindicate the justice of God as much as to win the mercy of God for us.

We do not win mercy by usurping the position of God and then claiming that we have no guilt. Mercy comes to those who admit their guilt and then admit a second truth concerning the righteousness of God in Jesus the Lamb. Our sins have been atoned for. We have been joined together with Christ in the family of God, not through a manipulative drama, but with the true story that was written in the blood of Christ. Our king died for our sins. This is the way that mercy has triumphed over judgment in our lives. There was guilt in us. But someone else has been put to death in order to cancel that guilt. Now His goodness has been credited to our account and our debt to God has been fully paid.