1 Kings 2:26-35
26 The king spoke to Abiathar the priest. He said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You should really be put to death. But I won’t have it done now. That’s because you carried the ark of the Lord and King. You did it for my father David. You shared all of his hard times.”
27 So Solomon wouldn’t let Abiathar serve as a priest of the Lord anymore. That’s how the message the Lord had spoken at Shiloh came true. He had spoken it about the family of Eli.
28 News of what Solomon had done reached Joab. Joab had never made evil plans along with Absalom. But he had joined Adonijah. So he ran to the tent of the Lord. He grabbed the horns that stuck out from the upper corners of the altar for burnt offerings.
29 King Solomon was told that Joab had run to the tent. He was also told that Joab was by the altar. Then Solomon gave the order to Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. He told him, “Go! Strike him down!”
30 So Benaiah entered the tent of the Lord. He said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come on out!’ ” But Joab answered, “No. I’d rather die here.” Benaiah told the king what Joab had said to him.
31 Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do what he says. Strike him down and bury him. Then I and my family line won’t be held accountable for the blood Joab spilled. He killed people who weren’t guilty of doing anything wrong.
32 The Lord will pay him back for the blood he spilled. Joab attacked two men. He killed them with his sword. And my father David didn’t even know anything about it. Joab killed Abner, the son of Ner. Abner was the commander of Israel’s army. Joab also killed Amasa, the son of Jether. Amasa was the commander of Judah’s army. Abner and Amasa were better men than Joab is. They were more honest than he is.
33 May Joab and his children after him be held forever accountable for spilling the blood of Abner and Amasa. But may David and his children after him enjoy the Lord’s peace and rest forever. May the Lord also give his peace to David’s royal house and kingdom forever.”
34 So Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, went up to the Lord’s tent. There he struck down Joab. And he killed him. Joab was buried at his home out in the country.
35 The king put Benaiah in charge of the army. Benaiah took Joab’s place. The king also put Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.
****************************
오늘 본문에 앞서 다윗은 솔로몬에게 "스루야의 아들 요압이 내게 행한 일을 알거니와 평안히 음부에 내려가지 못하게 하라"고 유언을 남겼습니다. 그 당시에는 오늘날과 같은 통신 수단이 없었기 때문에 사람과 사람이 서로 만나서 말을 하는 것이 서로 소통하는 유일한 방법이었습니다. 자신의 왕위를 이어 받을 솔로몬이 왕권을 강화하기 위해 자기가 경험한 것을 바탕으로 어느 사람은 용서를 하고, 어떤 사람은 용서하지 않아야 할지를 알려줍니다. 요압은 다윗이 압살롬에게 쫒길 당시 다윗의 뜻과는 다르게 아브넬과 아마사를 죽였고, 심지어 압살롬을 죽이지 말라는 명령을 거스리고 죽였습니다. 이 뿐 아니라 아도니아를 왕으로 삼은 무리에 있었습니다. 솔로몬은 아버지의 말씀을 기억하고 브니아를 시켜 요압을 죽입니다.
하나님은 사랑이신 동시에 공의로운 분입니다. 오늘의 말씀에서 하나님의 공의로우심을 배웁니다. 요압은 다윗에게 도움도 많이 주었던 군대장이었지만 다윗의 뜻을 거스르는 행동을 했습니다. 하나님의 사역은 하나님의 뜻대로 이루시며, 어떤 사람을 통해 일을 하실지는 하나님이 결정하십니다. 결국 브니아는 요압의 자리에 갔고, 사독은 아비아달의 자리에 임명됩니다. 하나님의 말씀을 꾸준히 묵상하면서 하나님의 뜻을 발견하고, 하나님이 계획하시는 사역에 우리가 쓰임 받을 수 있기를 기도하고 축복합니다.
Before today's passage, David left a testament to Solomon, saying, "Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace" (1 Kings 2:5-6).
At that time, with no means of communication as we have today, people had to meet face to face to communicate with each other, making it the only way to communicate. Solomon, who was to inherit the throne, strengthens his kingship based on his own experiences to advise who should be forgiven and who should not be forgiven. Joab, at the time when David was being pursued by Absalom, acted against David's will by killing Abner and Amasa, and even disobeyed the command not to kill Absalom. Additionally, he was involved in making Adonijah king. Solomon, remembering his father's words, orders Benaiah to kill Joab.
God is both loving and just. In today's message, we learn about God's righteousness. Joab, though he had been a great help to David as a military commander, acted against David's will. God's work is done according to His will, and He decides through whom His work will be accomplished. Eventually, Benaiah took Joab's place, and Zadok was appointed in place of Abiathar. As we continuously meditate on God's Word, may we discover His will and pray to be used in the ministry that God plans.
