Those Who Missed Their Chance

After Adonijah is put to death and Abiathar is driven out at David’s command, Joab takes hold of the horns of the altar in Yahweh’s Tent. But unlike Adonijah, he is put to death at once. Shimei had cursed David but survived, and instead of putting him to death, Solomon commands him to live only within Jerusalem.

Joab served David loyally for more than forty years, but to keep his own position he deliberately killed Abner, Absalom, and Amasa, who had no strength to resist. Because deliberate murder cannot be escaped even at the altar, his death was the response to that sin. Shimei was given the chance to keep his life twice, first because of David and then because of Solomon, but he took grace lightly and treated his oath carelessly, and in the end he left Jerusalem and was put to death.

When the wicked are not punished as soon as they sin, it means they are being given a chance to turn back as they go on living. Joab and Shimei failed to take hold of that chance and fell back into their own greed and complacency. This is also why we have nothing to boast of in what we have done well. It is nothing more than one more chance at a good choice, received by the grace of God.