Peacemaker or Peacefaker?

Peacemaker or Peacefaker?
Words of Faith 1-9-25
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

2 Samuel 3:20-27
[20] When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. [21] Then Abner said to David, "Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a compact with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. [22] Just then David's men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. [23] When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace. [24] So Joab went to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! [25] You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing." [26] Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. [27] Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway, as though to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.

Abner was the military leader of the northern tribes. He was the one person in the kingdom Saul had ruled who was starting to think clearly. A false accusation from the one remaining son of Saul gave Abner the "wake-up call" that he needed to help reunite the whole kingdom of Israel under David's leadership. Abner conferred with the elders in the north and came to David to make the offer of bringing all of Israel under the anointed king.
After their discussion, Abner left Hebron in peace. Everything was looking good! David had been a peacemaker. But when Joab, the commander of David's army, came back into town, he was furious. Joab had been so bent on hating the house of Saul that he did not trust the possibility of peace. A root of bitterness had set in. After years of conflict, the possibility of peace was just within reach, but Joab would have nothing to do with it.
So Joab set a trap. He sent a messenger to Abner to call him back. Joab called Abner aside, his long-time nemesis and enemy. He acted as though he needed a private conversation with him. But he was a peacefaker not a peacemaker. In a hidden gateway, Joab plunged a dagger into Abner's belly. Abner's blood was spilled despite his sincere effort to make peace.
We will see David's response in the verses ahead. But the important point in this moment is to pause and see how bitterness can lead to tragic injustice. These were not pagan enemies. This was not some judgment sanctioned by the Lord. This was the fruit of the root of bitterness that often forms in men's hearts when they choose not to forgive.
The writer of Hebrews would later warn-- Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many (12:14-15). Paul instructed the Ephesians to get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (4:31). Bitterness is a luxury we cannot afford. In the end, it will cost us everything.
Are you holding a grudge? Have you allowed unforgiveness to take root against someone so that a bitter root has taken hold? Have you allowed a root of bitterness to flare up into the fruit of rage or anger? Have you gotten into fights or slandered a person with gossip? Have you been malicious in your talk or actions?
Jesus was very clear that if we have a conflict, we are called to go to that person and make peace with them. We are called to forgive even our enemies. When that possibility came for Joab, the bitterness was too deep. He had nursed it too long. David was able to make peace; Joab was not. The question is whether we will be of the house of David-- the line of Jesus-- or the house of Joab?

Father God, I want to be of the house of David. I want to be a peacemaker. I want to get rid of any bitter root that I may have allowed to sink in. I want to get rid of every bitter fruit that I have allowed to manifest itself. By Your Spirit and grace, show me the way of peace that I may walk in it. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< ><> <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2025
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
SUBSCRIPTIONS - To receive the Words of Faith devotion five days a week, send an e-mail message addressed to join-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. To stop receiving Words of Faith, send an e-mail message addressed to unsubscribe-words-of-faith@hub.xc.org. The daily devotion and archive are posted at https://www.faithfellowshipweb.com/blog
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2025 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.