“Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done.” (2 Samuel 10:12)
In today’s reading of 2 Samuel, the Israelites are facing an insurmountable battle. The Syrians and the Ammonites are surrounding Joab and his troops. What was at stake for Joab and his army? If the enemies got past Joab’s troops, they would have direct access to Israel, and many would be killed or taken captive. Their cities would probably be plundered and destroyed, and even worse, these cities that were meant to be places of worship for God would become places for pagan worship. Imagine if Harbor Church became a place for pagan worship. None of us would want this, so we would put up a fight, and fight as best as we could to make sure this wouldn’t happen.
With so much at stake, you can understand Joab’s rallying cry and speech to his troops in verse 12. Joab makes 3 points in motivating the troops and it gives us encouragement today when we need to be strong in the Lord, especially amidst a world that seems full of hatred, selfishness, and chaos. The first point is to be strong (some versions also include courage). Courage and strength are not just matters of feeling and circumstance. Rather, they are matters of choice, especially when God makes His strength available to us (Ephesians 6:10). The second point is to be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. Joab reminded his troops what was at stake. They had a lot to lose. They were in a battle that was bigger than themselves and it was good to motivate them. The third point is that God is in control. Joab wisely prepared for the battle to the best of his ability and worked hard for the victory. He didn’t slouch or give up. Yet, at the same time, Joab knew that the outcome was ultimately in God’s hand.
When we engage in battle for the Lord, His namesake, and glory, let’s remind ourselves that God is in control and that a lot is at stake, so let’s do our best, lean close to our King, and leave the results up to God.