Rejection and Consequences

1 Chronicles 19:1-19

    1 It happened after this that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.
    3 And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, "Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?"  4 Therefore Hanun took David's servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away. 5 Then some went and told David about the men; and he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, "Wait at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."
    6 When the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the people of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Syrian Maacah, and from Zobah. 7 So they hired for themselves thirty-two thousand chariots, with the king of Maacah and his people, who came and encamped before Medeba. Also the people of Ammon gathered together from their cities, and came to battle.
    8 Now when David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the mighty men. 9 Then the people of Ammon came out and put themselves in battle array before the gate of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.  10 When Joab saw that the battle line was against him before and behind, he chose some of Israel's best and put them in battle array against the Syrians. 11 And the rest of the people he put under the command of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in battle array against the people of Ammon. 12 Then he said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the people of Ammon are too strong for you, then I will help you. 13 Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight."  14 So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him. 15 When the people of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fleeing, they also fled before Abishai his brother, and entered the city. So Joab went to Jerusalem.
    16 Now when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought the Syrians who were beyond the River, and Shophach the commander of Hadadezer's army went before them. 17 When it was told David, he gathered all Israel, crossed over the Jordan and came upon them, and set up in battle array against them. So when David had set up in battle array against the Syrians, they fought with him. 18 Then the Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians, and killed Shophach the commander of the army. 19 And when the servants of Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his servants. So the Syrians were not willing to help the people of Ammon anymore.

As recounted also in 2 Samuel 10:1–19, the Ammonites and Syrians found defeat in rejecting the goodwill of God’s people by His anointed servant David.  The king sent a delegation to express condolences to the son of Nahash of Ammon in return for the kindness shown him in the past (the details of which is not recorded in scripture).  Bad counsel given to the son of the deceased Ammonite king caused him to reject the goodwill of God’s people and caused him to humiliate those sent by king David and incur the wrath of that rejection of God’s grace and goodness.  Then the realization of the consequences of that rejection caused them to hire a mercenary army to attack Israel.  Joan, the commander of Israel’s forces, used God-given wisdom and strategy to divide their forces and ultimately defeat the enemy.  The hireling Syrians fled and were cut down by the people of the LORD, and then surrendered to become servants to Israel.  Syria did not side with Ammon again after that defeat.  Likewise, the enemies of God’s people in Christ today who reject Him and war against us will ultimately face defeat for their humiliation of His name and people.  All will stand before the Book to face judgment (Revelation 20:12, 15) as accountability for rejecting His Son (Luke 10:16, John 12:48) and our witness of Him to them.  People still have the choice of ungodly counsel to deny His authority and our gospel message, but refusing to accept terms of real peace (Romans 5:1) will end in never ending suffering as the ultimate consequence.  Who, knowing this, would choose to reject the grace of such infinite terms of peace?  Those not called and who refuse Him (3:18-20, John 6:44, 65).  He who has ears to hear, let that one listen and take it to heart while it is still today (Hebrews 4:7).  Rejection has consequences, and acceptance in taking God at His word brings the reward of life and peace.  This eternal choice we all face as enemies of God.