The Sin of Loyalty to Man. Part [8] 01/27/2025 (Morning thought)

2nd Samuel 11:16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were. 17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

That last statement: “There fell some of the people of the servants of David” tells us that wherever man worship is practiced, where one’s loyalty rests with man, instead of God, there would also be collateral damage taking place, even with persons who might have had absolutely nothing to do with the man worship in question.

1st Chronicles 21:3 And Joab answered, The Lord make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel? 4 Nevertheless the king's word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem. 6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's word was abominable to Joab.

The same thing occurred in the days of Rameses 2, as he brought his country to ruins, because those who were under his jurisdiction adopted the maxim Pharaoh first” and everyone else after. They would be loyal to him, even though a national funeral is scheduled to take place, after the angel of death passes through. Again, just as it was with Joab and Adam, major national, collateral damage would ensue and young babies would perish in the process but the principle of loyalty to man still holds sway.

Exodus 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!

The Sin of Loyalty to Man. Part [7] 01/27/2025 (Evening thought)

1st Samuel 15: 22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

At times Joab would get really vexed with David, for requiring something that he knew would end in a national tragedy, but because Joab’s loyalty was to David, and not to God, he gave David his worship, for worship at its very core is not merely praise and thanksgiving, it essentially, and always boils down to who you obey.

Thus, persons who had nothing whatsoever to do with Bathsheba, ended up taking a fatal hit in the process, for as was stated before, if loyalty to man becomes the working principle you will have trouble coming down the pipe. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Hence the reason why the warning is given, that if any loyalty to man takes place in the near future the people of God may not be entirely immune from the collateral damage and fall out that may take place. It isn’t the best of news, but it is the truth.

The law of God clearly states: “Thou shall not kill” and therefore, when Joab obeyed David instead of God, David became to him, one greater than God, and thus, his obedience to David, contrary to what God says, is classified as worship. Here it is again, the same modus operandi in action as Joab is called upon by David to do that which he knows is wrong. Like Adam, he is consciously aware that it is a sin.

1st Chronicles 21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. 2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.

May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!