My Encounter with Two Worthless Men (a Quick Bible Study in Choices)

Two worthless men. 

That’s an abrasive phrase, right there. Surely, not a Christian way of thinking or speaking.

Those were exactly my thoughts when I encountered the first man in 2 Samuel 20 so, of course, I dug into the Hebrew through a concordance.

I learned a new Hebrew word: bᵊlîyaʿal (bel-e-yah’-al). It means the quality of worthlessness. Good for nothing. Unprofitable. Wicked.

Okay, wow. God’s Word describing this man, not mine. Sure made me sit up and pay attention.

My initial focus in coming to this passage was a woman, the wise woman of Abel, who through decisive wisdom and persuasive words (and a little decapitation) saved her city from certain destruction at the hands of King David’s army.

This worthless man, Sheba, (the eventual victim of said decapitation), was the cause of the threat. He led an open revolt against King David, trying to usurp the throne. David sent Joab and his armies after Sheba but he holed up in the city of Abel, essentially using innocent citizens as a shield (there is nothing new under the sun).

This is a reprehensible choice. Sheba was known to God, having been conceived in our Creator’s mind.  Like each of us, he was known by God in his mother’s womb (Psalm 139). His life had worth, potential, and value at the start but now, Sheba had made enough wicked choices that he has become worthless.

We see it here. The city is besieged by the army and there will surely be loss of life and great suffering for many because of Sheba but he doesn’t surrender. He hides behind women and children.

God is a God of mercy. If Sheba were going to repent, God would have provided him time and space to do that. But we see from his actions that his bent is toward trouble, cowardice, rebellion, and self-indulgence.

Sheba was born with worth but his choices have taken him down a path to a destination called Worthless. He has pursued worthlessness rather than to find his worth in the love of and obedience to God. That path lies open to us all. To call him worthless is simply to acknowledge the place his actions have led him to dwell.

The wise woman of Abel confronts the general of David’s army, Joab, and asks why they would come to destroy one of Israel’s own cities. Joab explains that all they need is Sheba. It doesn’t take the wise woman long to promise that Sheba’s head will be sent out to Joab. She’s also able to persuade her fellow citizens of that course and Sheba comes to an end.

Wisdom triumphs over wickedness. A woman of worth prevails against a man who has chosen worthlessness. It’s not a judgement. It’s an observation.

In following another woman, Abigail, I encountered another worthless man, her husband Nabal.

1 Samuel 25:3 NASB says, “(now the man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. And the woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was a Calebite).”

Nabal puts his entire household at risk of death when he denies an invitation to the shearing of the sheep feast to David’s men who have protected them for an entire season. This is a stingy, evil insult to David and his men. When a servant of the house lets Abigail know of the danger they now face, she acts quickly and decisively. She gathers many provisions and heads out to meet David on the way. When she meets him, she says, “Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.” (1 Samuel 25:17)

Understand, Abigail is attempting to honor her household, take responsibility for the mess Nabal has made, and save his life along with everyone else’s. Furthermore, she’s seeking to deter David from making a terrible mistake of using his great power and prowess to avenge himself rather than to serve the Lord alone.

Nabal has, like Sheba, made choices leading down a path that leads to worthlessness. He could have chosen the ways of the Living God but he did not. Abigail is describing him, not judging him. Her wisdom saves their household and David’s honor.

When Nabal sobers up and learns the result of his choices, his heart dies within him. Ten days later, the Lord takes his life. David invites Abigail to marry him.

God is the author of life. He created each of us and then He presents us with choices. There are choices that lead to life–life in Christ and other choices that lead to death, worthlessness, wickedness, and destruction.

Paul warned Timothy about the times in which we live saying, “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,  unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NASB

We live in the time of grace (so, “heads will roll” is only a saying, not a course of action), but we cannot hide our heads and imagine that evil is not truly evil or that wicked men (and women) do not exist and pose a threat to others. 

Our times call for wisdom. And wisdom is found in “the fear of the Lord,” in knowing and applying God’s Word, in hearing sound teaching (even when it makes us uncomfortable), and in making choices that lead to Jesus.

Wisdom cries out in the same streets that are plagued by violence. Our voices, too, must cry out so that others can hear the wisdom available in Christ and turn off the path that leads to worthless ways.

Truth isn’t always pleasant but every utterance of truth is a match struck against the darkness. Learn from Sheba and Nabal to not accumulate choices heading down the path of destruction. Make the choice of Jesus and find your worth in Him. That worth will lead to life.

Thoughts?

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Want to hear more about the wise woman of Abel and Abigail? Graceful Influence is available and covers these and over 120 women of the Bible, exploring their choices and celebrating God’s relationship with them all!

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