Identity Issues and the Kingdom of the I-AM

Sisters in the Promised Land

(1 Chronicles 2:16-17, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, April 23, 2017)

[16] And their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three. [17] Abigail bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite.

David's sisters

As we continue the story told by the Chronicler through selective genealogy, we come to the names of two sisters who were very important to the history of Israel. We are not surprised to find names of people included on these list who are entirely unknown to us. Zeruiah and Abigail do not belong to that group. They are also not in the group of people about whom we have a great many personal or life details in other places in the Bible. They fit into a third very large category, the people who are only known to us because of their family connections who are nonetheless very important in the plan of God.

Another example of someone who is in this third category is David's father Jesse. His name appears in 44 Bible verses, but what do we actually know about him? An even better illustration is David's grandfather, Obed. Who was he really? All we know from the six verses in the Bible that contain his name is that Boaz was his father, Jesse was his son, and David his grandson.

Zeruiah's name appears in 25 verses in the Bible and this particular Abigail—David's sister and not his wife by the same name—somewhat less. They are especially known by their sons and by the way that their sons' life stories are important in telling the history of David. We need to always remember that 1 Chronicles is all about David, and beyond David—the promise of God to give Israel an eternal king from David's descendants. The Chronicler hoped to see that line of David continued through the dark period in Israel's history in which he lived.

The sons of Zeruiah and Abigail

We are taking time with Zeruiah and her sons Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, David's other sister Abigail, and her son Amasa because the four nephews of David mentioned here grew up to be military men who were significantly associated with the story of David's kingdom. With our goal of providing an accurate exposition of the writings of the Chronicler we should be factual, brief, and essentially positive regarding these mighty figures, inspiring readers to live for Jehovah. The Bible elsewhere makes it very clear that their lives were not only heroic, but also tragic.

The most famous of the four men listed is Joab. Just considering what we know from him only from the Chronicler, the portrait is quite inspiring. In 1 Chronicles 11 we learn that Joab became “chief and commander” of David's army because of his willingness to take on the Jebusites in the stronghold of what would be God's chosen city, Jerusalem. He also is said to have “repaired the rest of the city” together with David. Joab and the “army of mighty men” were sent by the king to face the Ammonites after they had displayed great disrespect to David's ambassadors. Joab and his men were all walking into a trap, since the Ammonites had hired Syrian soldiers vastly outnumbering Joab's forces. He showed amazing faith and bravery in the face of that opposition as recorded in these words to his brother Abishai, “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to him.” (1 Chronicles 19:13) Joab returned to Jerusalem victorious after the enemy fled.

One additional episode that is recorded in 1 Chronicles 21. When David made the grave mistake of presumptuously ordering a military census of his fighting men without the Lord's command, it was Joab who first tried to persuade his the king in another direction. When David did not relent, Joab dutifully obeyed his commander, but we are told that “the king's command was abhorrent to Joab.”

Finally, the Chronicler gives us a subtle account of Joab's generous giving to the mission of the Almighty. His contributions to the treasury must have been substantial since his “dedicated gifts” and those of a few other worthies are listed as being under the care of a particular official. The very last thing that he says about this important son of Zeruiah was a perfect summary of at least the positive part of his life story: “Joab was commander of the king's army.”

The other men in our passage can be mentioned even more briefly. Abishai, who was known as “the brother of Joab” was a very brave warrior in his own right, and was “chief of the thirty” mighty men who were so dedicated to David. We are told that “he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them.” Abishai was with Joab in their desperate and victorious battles against the Ammonites. It was also recorded that “Abishai killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt” meaning that he was the general in charge of that campaign under the authority of the king. Asahel, also known as “the brother of Joab,” was a leader of a military division numbering 24,000 fighting men. Finally, the son of Abigail, Amasa is listed here with no other details supplied in 1 Chronicles. This is the glorious story. There is also a tragic side to the story that you can read about in 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 Kings, but that is not our purpose today. Suffice it to say that the larger history includes murder, insurrection against the king, and lots of jealousy. When these men were following the king as David followed the Lord they were worthy of imitation. When they were not, they still acted with passion but without wisdom, and the consequences were just about as bad as it gets.

Our identity in the covenant community

David's sisters were known for their sons who were amazing military men that played a prominent role in David's story. The church needs to affirm the variety of ways that the Son of David, Jesus, is pleased to use men and women as the bride of our Lord within His covenant kingdom as He crushes Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20 and Ephesians 5:22-24). Our rock-bottom identity is not in our gender, our giftedness, our marital status, or in our children. Our identity is in Jesus Christ, the Son of David who is our resurrection King.

A thought: We are not great at immediately understanding the meaning of the details of God's providence. We know that there is meaning in our battles and in our successes, but what is it. A modest piece of advice: Write down what is happening. Don't be wordy. Don't be unnecessarily negative. Be a chronicler. Then periodically read your chronicle as you read the chronicle of our David, Jesus. Perhaps things will start to fall into place over time. You probably won't understand everything, but you may see the biggest truths better. Like this: Jesus is a King who is using you with others to build His kingdom. He is always right. You are at your heroic best when you are in line with His Word. He wins, and you win with Him as His men and women.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 11 – What can the righteous do?

Gospel Reading—Matthew 7:1-5 – [1] Judge not, that you be not judged. [2] For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. [3] Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? [4] Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? [5] You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.