1 Chronicles 21:1-6: a reflection

1Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to take a census of Israel. 2David said to Joab and to the princes of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring me word, that I may know how many there are.” 3Joab said, “May the LORD make his people a hundred times as many as they are. But, my lord the king, aren’t they all my lord’s servants? Why does my lord require this thing? Why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel?” 4Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, then came to Jerusalem. 5Joab gave the sum of the census of the people to David. All those of Israel were one million one hundred thousand men who drew a sword; and in Judah were four hundred seventy thousand men who drew a sword. 6But he didn’t count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.

When David orders a census of Israel, a course that would bring guilt on the nation, his commander Joab does something notable: he objects. Why does my lord require this thing? Joab asks. Why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel? Though David was his king, Joab voiced his objection to the wrong course, questioning the command and resisting it, even calling the king's word abominable. He did not simply carry it out in silence; he spoke up against what he saw as wrong. In the end the king's word prevailed, and Joab had to comply; but he had voiced his objection, refusing to stay silent about a wrong course even when it came from his king.

Notice Joab's willingness to voice objection to a wrong course, even from his king. He did not simply obey in silence; he questioned the command, argued against it, told the king plainly why it was wrong. It took courage to object to a king's command, and Joab did it, refusing to stay silent about a course he saw as wrong. He could not finally prevent it, but he had spoken up, registered his objection, not let the wrong pass without a word. There is a place, Joab shows, for voicing objection to a wrong course even when it comes from those over us, for not simply going along in silence with what we see to be wrong.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too may be called to voice objection to a wrong course, even when it comes from those in authority over us. When those over us, our leaders, our superiors, press a course we see to be wrong, we can simply go along in silence, unwilling to object; but Joab voiced his objection to the king, refusing to stay silent about a wrong course. There is a place for the courage to speak up against wrong, even from authority, rather than simply complying in silence. Do not simply go along in silence with a wrong course pressed by those over you; voice your objection, as Joab objected to David's census. Have the courage to voice your objection to a wrong course, even when it comes from those in authority, rather than going along in silence, as Joab objected to David's census though the king's word finally prevailed; for there is a place for speaking up against what we see to be wrong, even from those over us, and it is better to voice a faithful objection than to comply silently with wrong.

Lord, when David orders a census of Israel, a course that would bring guilt on the nation, his commander Joab does something notable: he objects. Why does my lord require this thing? Joab asks. Why will he be a cause of guilt to Israel? Though David was his king, Joab voiced his objection to the wrong course, questioning the command and resisting it, even calling the king's word abominable. He did not simply carry it out in silence; he spoke up against what he saw as wrong. In the end the king's word prevailed, and Joab had to comply; but he had voiced his objection. Show me Joab's willingness to voice objection to a wrong course, even from his king. He did not simply obey in silence; he questioned the command, told the king plainly why it was wrong. It took courage to object to a king's command, and Joab did it, refusing to stay silent about a course he saw as wrong. He could not finally prevent it, but he had spoken up. There is a place for voicing objection to a wrong course even when it comes from those over us. Take that to my heart, for I too may be called to voice objection to a wrong course, even when it comes from those in authority over me. When those over me press a course I see to be wrong, I can simply go along in silence; but Joab voiced his objection to the king. There is a place for the courage to speak up against wrong. Keep me from simply going along in silence with a wrong course pressed by those over me; give me courage to voice my objection, Lord, as Joab objected to David's census, for it is better to voice a faithful objection than to comply silently with wrong.