May 29, 2021 CAC Living Water Devotional : Topic – BLOW THE TRUMPET AND LET THE WAR CEASE!

May 29, 2021 CAC Living Water Devotional : Topic – BLOW THE TRUMPET AND LET THE WAR CEASE!

Read previous CAC Living Water Devotionals here

LIVING WATER CAC DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE

Saturday, May 29, 2021. – International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.

BLOW THE TRUMPET AND LET THE WAR CEASE!

Read:   2 Samuel 2:24-29.

2 Samuel 2:24-29  Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren?

And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

MEMORISE:

So Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue Israel anymore, nor did they fight any more (2 Samuel 2:28).

EXPOSITION

God commanded the Isrealites to have different kinds of trumpets: for call to battle; fo calling off battle; for feasts (Num. 10:7-10). Joab’s character was a strange mixture. He was a ruthless man, and an opportunist. He whose name implies that Yahweh is his father was on many occasions a man of blood! Yet, he was magnanimous, sometimes. He was as a peacemaker, reconciling David and Absalom on one occasion, and in our text, responded positively to Abner’s  offer (2 Sam. 2:27-28).

Are you a Joab? Don’t delay, lest thousands of men and women may die. Lots of thought of progress, peace, prosperity could become casualties. A pastor said that Jesus once gave him an appointment in a vision. But on getting to the place on the day of appointment, he was refused; Jesus said he was not ready to see people like him. ‘Why?’ He queried. The gate keeper told him, “The Lord is not ready to attend to anyone who holds grudge against his brother, not forgiving him”. Suddenly, the man who had offended him but he had refused to forgive, despite that the man had severally apologized to him, every sending an elderly person to him, appeared beside him, and a very heavy burden came on him. Immediately, he woke up, he searched for the man to reconcile with him.

The God was serve is called ‘Jehovah Shalom,’ ‘the Lord our peace.’ Jesus is called ‘Tje Prince of Peace.’ Nothing delights our God like when we serve as ‘peacemakers’ (Matt. 5:9). It is not a sign of weakness when you blow the trumpet, but a sign of maturity. Is there anyone who is mature enough to blow this trumpet today and let war cease in our homes, churches workplaces, marketplaces, etc.?

PRAYER POINTS:

1. Lord, create in me a  clean heart and renew the right spirit within me.

2. Lord, forgive me for harbouring malice/bitterness in my heart against others.

3. Pray that God should raise peacemakers and make us parts of these who would blow the trumpet of peace to cease hostilities in homes, churches, workplaces, etc.

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: I Kings 21:21 – 22:53; 2 Kings 1:1 – 1:2; John 8:20 – 8:41

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