The Joab Christian

1 Chron 11:4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (or Jebus, as it used to be called), where the Jebusites, original inhabitants of the land, lived.

5 The people of Jebus said to David, "You will never get in here!" But David captured the fortress of Zion, now called the City of David.

6 David had said to his troops, "Whoever leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!" And Joab, the son of David's sister Zeruiah, led the attack, so he became the commander of David's armies.

7 David made the fortress his home, and that is why it is called the City of David.

8 He extended the city from the Millo to the surrounding area, while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem. (NLT)

I find it interesting to see the origin of Jerusalem. It was first called Jebu and inhabited by the Jebusites. They were a fortified city and it was there that Joab distinguished himself as a battle commander: "Whoever leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!" And Joab, the son of David's sister Zeruiah, led the attack, so he became the commander of David's armies. Jerusalem became known as the city of David.

Joab was David's sister's son, his nephew. He was a mighty warrior showing no mercy to his enemies. When David's son Absalom rebelled against his father and took the kingdom from him, it was Joab who killed Absalom as he was hanging from a tree by his hair. This upset David who did not want his son killed. David was after God's own heart, but Joab had not the spirit of God. Joab would lead Israel's armies and be victorious in many battles. I see Joab as a type of a Christian that is zealous for fighting against the enemies of Christ, but doing it in the flesh and not the spirit. There was little grace or mercy in Joab. He even turned against some of the warriors who fought for David. General Abner was a great general, sort of like Robert E Lee was as he led the South in the civil war. When Abner joined with David to serve him it was Joab who found an occasion to kill him. The Joab Christian does not have forgiveness. Those who have been received by Christ and forgiven, sometimes are attacked by the Joab Christian and virtually destroyed because Joab would not forgive them. Abner had killed Joab's brother in battle. We must put away past hurts because eventually they may cause us to fall away. Joab fell away from serving David and when David asked his son Solomon who became king after David, to kill him. Joab then grabbed ahold of the horns of the altar, but it was too late as it was there that he was killed.

Sometimes the unforgiving and unloving battling Christian will fall away, perhaps because they never had the evidence of God in their life. They will like Joab seek to call on God for mercy, but not be able to find it. Hopefully none of us are like this, a Christian in name only, vengeful, unforgiving, for we may not be able to find God because of our sin hardened heart. If you think that you may be a Joab Christian pray with me David's words and .If you were truly saved, God will receive you back.

Psa 51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Psa 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Join ranks with the army of God; love one another, encourage and forgive your brother's and sister's in the Lord as Christ Jesus has forgiven you.