QT 3/16/2023 2 Sam 12:26-31, Work versus laziness

2 Samuel 12:26–31 (ESV) —

26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the city of waters. 28 Now then gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called by my name.” 29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. 30 And he took the crown of their king from his head. The weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. And he brought out the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31 And he brought out the people who were in it and set them to labor with saws and iron picks and iron axes and made them toil at the brick kilns. And thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

 

NOTE: Although it is not a given, there appears to be a relationship between the story of Bathsheba and the siege of Rabbah. The obvious one is chronological, not thematic in this case. While David was struggling with sins, Joab was in the process of defeating the Ammonites and taking the capital city. Work continued even as David dallied. Now, for any variety of reasons, David resumes his roles on the battlefield, not only finishing the siege, but capturing all the cities of the Ammonites. The result is a number of forced labor, "slaves," for work projects (defenses) in Israeli cities. The stories, Bathsheba and the Ammonite war, contrast each other. One caused great pain in David's life (and ultimately Israel), and the other resulted in material blessings in David's life and all of Israel's. While we may disagree with "slaves," the concept of cheap labor has been practiced around the world. The biblical issue is more the treatment rather than the issue of freedom. Israel even used slaves of their own people, although the contracts were limited to no more than seven years. But the point here, is that there are blessings in work and danger in laziness.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I work at my job with all my heart?
2. Am I a quiet quitter? This is a new term for remote workers who put little work into their job.

 

PRAYER: Father, help me to put the extra effort into my job in terms of planning, organizing, and executing our mission. Help me to deliberately train my people. Help me to be a good employee and a good employer.