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The Death of Sheba - The Book of 2 Samuel · Bible in a Year with Jack Graham

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  Speaker 1: Let us pray. The matter is not so. But a
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  Speaker 1: man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba, son of Bitri by name,
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  Speaker 1: hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David.
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  Speaker 1: Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.
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  Speaker 1: And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall
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  Speaker 1: be thrown to thee over the wall. 2 Samuel 20.21
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  Speaker 1: Dear God, when the enemy comes in like an agent
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  Speaker 1: of chaos, I thank you, God, that you will raise
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  Speaker 1: up support systems to help me accomplish and fulfill the
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  Speaker 1: mission you've placed on my life. I will use your
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  Speaker 1: word like a battering ram to break down the walls
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  Speaker 1: of chaos surrounding my future. I thank you that even
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  Speaker 1: in the midst of my fight for truth and freedom,
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  Speaker 1: you will bring people into my life that will fight
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  Speaker 1: alongside me and will help deliver me from the hands
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  Speaker 1: of my enemies, like you did for David and Absalom.
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  Speaker 1: I declare that because I am in step with you, God,
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  Speaker 1: time is for me and not against me. I declare
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  Speaker 1: that it is only a matter of time before the
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  Speaker 1: head of division and tension is severed from the body
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  Speaker 1: of strife in my life. The victory is mine, and
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  Speaker 1: only in your power, God, is true peace restored. Thank
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  Speaker 1: you that today is the day that I receive rest
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  Speaker 1: and freedom. In Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you for praying
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  Speaker 1: with me today. Continue listening for an incredible Bible story
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  Speaker 1: brought to you by BibleInAYear.com.
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  Speaker 2: The Death of Sheba In our last story, Sheba began
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  Speaker 2: a revolt against David, and many people gathered to defy
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  Speaker 2: David in the streets of Israel. David, knowing that Sheba's
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  Speaker 2: rebellion could topple Israel, sent his strongest men in pursuit
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  Speaker 2: of him. In this story, Joab and Abishai prepare their
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  Speaker 2: attack against Sheba. However, their preparation turns out to be
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  Speaker 2: in vain, as the people of Israel come to their senses.
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  Speaker 2: Inspired by the book of 2.
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  Speaker 3: Samuel Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of
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  Speaker 3: the Bible in a Year podcast. In our last episode,
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  Speaker 3: we saw that David returned to Jerusalem seeking peace, not war,
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  Speaker 3: with those who had opposed him. He forgave those who
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  Speaker 3: repented for having followed Absalom, even when his advisors pushed
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  Speaker 3: for harsh judgment. The people began to see that David
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  Speaker 3: wanted what was best for them and could be trusted
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  Speaker 3: to lead with integrity and kindness. But as we also learn,
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  Speaker 3: not all were quick to follow, and Sheba, in Benjamin,
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  Speaker 3: started to mount an insurrection that was a true threat
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  Speaker 3: to the nation. David knew that this called for decisive action,
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  Speaker 3: so he sent his men to deal with Sheba and
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  Speaker 3: his army. Today, we'll hear how the conflict comes to
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  Speaker 3: a head and how Sheba's efforts prove fruitless as the
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  Speaker 3: people open their eyes and see Sheba for the liar
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  Speaker 3: that he is. So, let's listen now to today's readings.
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  Speaker 2: Sheba's rebellion spread like a plague through the tribes of Israel.
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  Speaker 2: Sheba would blow trumpets and stir up the people into
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  Speaker 2: a frenzy of fear and doubt. Sheba was an agent
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  Speaker 2: of chaos, a true antagonist whose only agenda was to
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  Speaker 2: watch David's kingdom crumble. He paced the countryside, sowing whispers
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  Speaker 2: of dissension and seeds of corruption. Eventually, he made his
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  Speaker 2: way to the city of Abel. All the members of
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  Speaker 2: his clan and all the rebels he could assemble prepared
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  Speaker 2: for the inevitable battle that awaited them. Sheba prepared the
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  Speaker 2: walls for impact and braced the city gates so an
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  Speaker 2: army could not penetrate it. The people of Abel watched
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  Speaker 2: as Sheba and his men sharpened their swords and fortified
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  Speaker 2: the barricades. The people grew concerned, so Sheba once again
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  Speaker 2: told lies, saying, David and Joab desire to destroy your city.
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  Speaker 2: They want to burn it to the ground. We are
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  Speaker 2: here to protect you. So the people allowed Sheba to
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  Speaker 2: make their city his own personal fortress, in hopes he
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  Speaker 2: would protect him. A few miles away, Joab and Abishai
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  Speaker 2: were strategizing. They camped near a small town on the
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  Speaker 2: outskirts of Abel with their army. Joab and Abishai planned
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  Speaker 2: all night. They knew that they outnumbered Sheba. However, he
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  Speaker 2: and his men had fortified themselves among innocent people. They
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  Speaker 2: needed to be tactful and cautious. In the morning, they
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  Speaker 2: had their men build a battering ram to demolish the
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  Speaker 2: city gates. The only way they could find Sheba without
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  Speaker 2: setting fire to the city was through the gate. It
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  Speaker 2: was their only chance, and they had to topple the
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  Speaker 2: gate flawlessly. The men marched forward towards Abel. Sheba watched
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  Speaker 2: them through cracks in the walls. He chuckled to himself,
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  Speaker 2: for he knew that if they made it through the gate,
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  Speaker 2: his men would have the advantage. It was a thin entrance,
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  Speaker 2: and they would be easy kills. It took dozens of
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  Speaker 2: men to carry the battering ram. They charged the gate
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  Speaker 2: and delivered the first blow.
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  Speaker 1: Thud!
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  Speaker 2: The gate did not budge. They drew back again and charged.
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  Speaker 1: Thud!
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  Speaker 2: The gate rattled slightly, but did not crack. Joab had
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  Speaker 2: them step back even further, and the men ran with
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  Speaker 2: the battering ram as fast as they could.
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  Speaker 3: Thud!
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  Speaker 1: Thud!
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  Speaker 2: Small cracks could be seen through the beams holding up
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  Speaker 2: the gate. Just a few more and they would be in.
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  Speaker 2: Joab told his men to draw back again, when he
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  Speaker 2: was interrupted by a scream. Are you Joab? he heard
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  Speaker 2: calling from nearby. Joab looked to his left and saw
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  Speaker 2: a woman running towards him. She was a beautiful woman,
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  Speaker 2: touched slightly with age and experience. A few gray streaks
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  Speaker 2: fell down her long hair. Joab told his men to
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  Speaker 2: stop and met her a few yards away. The woman
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  Speaker 2: had an intense gaze as she met Joab. Her voice
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  Speaker 2: was bold and she spoke with the authority of her people, saying,
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  Speaker 2: There used to be a saying here. If arguments need
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  Speaker 2: to be settled, ask for the wisdom of the city
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  Speaker 2: of Abel. We love peace here in the city and
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  Speaker 2: will not have you destroy it. Joab looked at her confused.
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  Speaker 2: She spoke to him as if they were trying to
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  Speaker 2: burn the city down. The woman continued, saying, This is
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  Speaker 2: an important city to the Lord. Why would the king
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  Speaker 2: want to devour it? Joab raised his hands to his
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  Speaker 2: chest and said, Believe me, I do not want to
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  Speaker 2: destroy Abel. We are not here for that. In your
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  Speaker 2: city is a man named Sheba. He is a rebel
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  Speaker 2: and has started a revolt against King David. He is
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  Speaker 2: dangerous to anyone who is near him. We are simply
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  Speaker 2: here for him. The woman looked into Joab's eyes in
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  Speaker 2: order to judge his sincerity. The two spoke for a
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  Speaker 2: while longer. Joab explained all of Sheba's lies and the
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  Speaker 2: chaos he had caused in the country. After a few minutes,
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  Speaker 2: Joab felt comfortable enough to say, If you bring him
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  Speaker 2: to us, there will be no need to destroy anything.
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  Speaker 2: We do not want anybody to be harmed. The woman
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  Speaker 2: looked back to the city, thinking for a long moment.
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  Speaker 2: She turned to Joab and said, We will do it.
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  Speaker 2: With that, The woman snuck back into the city and
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  Speaker 2: spoke to all her people. They argued for a few hours,
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  Speaker 2: but ultimately agreed that Sheba was deceiving them. Sheba was
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  Speaker 2: still chuckling through the cracks of the wall, thinking it
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  Speaker 2: was only a matter of time before they bowed at
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  Speaker 2: his feet begging for mercy. As he was crouching, a
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  Speaker 2: shadow blocked the sunlight behind him. Sheba looked up to
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  Speaker 2: a few of the people standing over him with their swords.
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  Speaker 2: Before he could say a word, the woman swooped her
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  Speaker 2: sword through his neck. and his head fell to the floor.
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  Speaker 2: Joab and Abishai were standing still with their men. They
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  Speaker 2: hoped the people would follow through, but were still prepared
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  Speaker 2: to take the city by force if it was needed.
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  Speaker 2: Joab looked towards the sun, trying to determine the time
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  Speaker 2: of day. Then, in an instant, he saw Sheba's head
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  Speaker 2: flying towards him. Joab stepped back as Sheba's head landed
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  Speaker 2: at his feet. The men cheered and put down the
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  Speaker 2: battering ram. Joab looked to the top of the gate
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  Speaker 2: to see the woman looking down at him. They exchanged
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  Speaker 2: smiles and Joab took his army and returned to Jerusalem.
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  Speaker 3: As we begin today, Sheba is continuing to spread lies
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  Speaker 3: and confusion throughout the kingdom. Like Absalom before him, his
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  Speaker 3: primary tactic was one of disinformation and sowing distrust. Satan
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  Speaker 3: is the father of lies and the author of chaos
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  Speaker 3: and confusion, and like Absalom, this man Sheba was acting
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  Speaker 3: as an agent of the enemy, the devil, reflecting Satan's nature,
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  Speaker 3: not God's. Sheba and his supporters made their way to
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  Speaker 3: a city named Abel and began fortifying its walls in
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  Speaker 3: preparation for battle. He knew he would need the support
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  Speaker 3: of the people of Abel, and what better way to
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  Speaker 3: win them over than to convince them that David intended
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  Speaker 3: to destroy their city. So that's what he told the
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  Speaker 3: residents of Abel, saying that David and his commander Joab
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  Speaker 3: would stop at nothing to destroy them, even burning the
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  Speaker 3: city to the ground. Sheba told them not to worry, though.
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  Speaker 3: He was there to help. Crafty lies meant to undermine
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  Speaker 3: the king and lead the people astray. As David's men
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  Speaker 3: drew up plans for attack not far away, their intentions
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  Speaker 3: were clearly not for destruction and devastation. They could have
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  Speaker 3: easily destroyed the whole city, but it was only Sheba
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  Speaker 3: they needed. And if they could only tear down the gate,
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  Speaker 3: the collateral damage would be minimal. So they approached Abel
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  Speaker 3: and began ramming the gate with a battering ram as
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  Speaker 3: Sheba hid inside, certain that the people would rally to
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  Speaker 3: help him fight off Joab's men. But the people of
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  Speaker 3: Abel were truly peaceful, and as Joab's men struck the
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  Speaker 3: gate over and over again, a wise woman approached them
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  Speaker 3: and asked why they would want to destroy a city
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  Speaker 3: like Abel, whose people were faithful to Israel. Joab responds
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  Speaker 3: in 2 Samuel 20, verses 20 and 21. Joab answered,
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  Speaker 3: Far be it from me, far be it that I
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  Speaker 3: should swallow up or destroy. That is not true. But
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  Speaker 3: a man of the hill country of Ephraim called Sheba
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  Speaker 3: the son of Bishri has lifted up his hand against
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  Speaker 3: King David. Give up him alone and I will withdraw
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  Speaker 3: from the city. The woman could tell Joab was being
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  Speaker 3: truthful and she returned to the city and convinced the
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  Speaker 3: people that it was Sheba who had evil intentions. So
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  Speaker 3: they struck him down. cutting off his head and threw
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  Speaker 3: it over the wall to Joab. In the end, lies
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  Speaker 3: will never defeat God's truth. And Sheba's campaign to overthrow
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  Speaker 3: David ended without a war as the people's eyes were
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  Speaker 3: opened to see the deception of this one man. Joab
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  Speaker 3: and his men returned to Jerusalem and now David could
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  Speaker 3: continue the task of putting things right again. We'll hear
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  Speaker 3: about this the next time. Dear God, we thank you
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  Speaker 3: for this message, even though it is hard to hear
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  Speaker 3: and contains violence. And yet we know that evil will
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  Speaker 3: not prevail against you, that you overcome evil with good
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  Speaker 3: and darkness with light. We thank you that in Jesus Christ,
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  Speaker 3: we have victory over all the works of the enemy.
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  Speaker 3: May we always be truthful in our words and live
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  Speaker 3: with integrity so that when people refer to us, they
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  Speaker 3: know that we are speaking truth. In Jesus' name, amen.
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  Speaker 3: Thank you so very much for listening to today's Bible
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  Speaker 3: in a Year podcast. We are so very grateful for
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  Speaker 3: the millions of people who have downloaded this podcast. I'm
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  Speaker 3: Pastor Jack Graham. And when you download the Pray.com app
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  Speaker 3: to connect with you and for you to connect with us. Again,
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  Speaker 3: that's jackgram.org. God bless you.