2 Kingdoms (2 Samuel) 10:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Whether He ordains our defeat on the battlefield, or chooses to strike down our foes and bestow upon us the gift of victory: let His heavenly will be done!” (1 Mac. 3:58-60). Similarly, Joab encouraged his brother Absa with these words before a daunting confrontation: “Take heart, and let us stand firm for our people and for the cities of our God, and the Lord will act according to His will” (2 Kings 10:12). It is indeed commendable and glorious to consistently possess a courageous spirit, relying in every circumstance upon the divine will and Providence of God. This principle holds true for wise individuals, skilled commanders, and righteous souls, who, despite their prudent and valiant actions, may sometimes fail to achieve a favorable outcome. Such individuals often attribute their setbacks to God’s displeasure regarding their unfinished endeavors. They perceive their misfortunes as beneficial, as these failures prevent them from pursuing actions contrary to God’s desires. Ecclesiastes affirms this sentiment, stating, “I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong, neither does food come to the wise nor wealth to the intelligent nor favor to the skilled, but time and chance happen to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). Ecclesiastes refers to what we perceive as fortuitous outcomes, while in reality, it is not God who enables such occurrences. Therefore, it is no surprise that even a prudent person may occasionally misjudge their aspirations, viewing failure as a calamity, attributing it to an ill-fated chance or an evil spirit. Yet, Thomas Aquinas rightly emphasizes that nothing transpires without the will and foreknowledge of the ultimate cause—namely, the will of the Eternal God. Indeed, circumstances may arise beyond human understanding, whether beneficial or harmful. Nevertheless, divine Providence has knowledge of these from eternity and foresees every situation that unfolds. God designates specific places, times, individuals, and generations, orchestrating events according to His wise design and purpose, seeking to achieve divine governance, the means of which often remain hidden from us until His objectives are fulfilled. It is only upon the realization of the divine plan that we come to recognize God’s continuous care and Providence for humanity.

God often permits unforeseen incidents, whether favorable or fearful, contingent upon our conduct, whether upright or corrupt, to remind us not to attribute our achievements solely to our efforts, intellect, or attention to worldly matters, but rather to focus on our spiritual growth. We must acknowledge that all occurrences within the universe unfold solely by the will of God, shaped by our virtuous or sinful actions, which ultimately determine our joy or suffering. In ancient pagan cultures, fortune was revered highly, leading to idolatrous practices. However, in the light of the Gospel, we recognize it as a futile illusion, a deceit of hell! The illumination of evangelical grace reveals the true foundation of our successes and our legitimate woes, which often stem from our transgressions—violations of God’s commandments and societal laws. Sin, by its very essence, represents falsehood and emptiness; it emerges from the father of lies—the deceiver, leading astray those who succumb to him (John 8:44). All other experiences, whether pleasing or adverse, prosperity or adversity, occur through the divine Providence of God, leading us toward eternal salvation. The all-holy will of God governs all human affairs like a wheel, turning unevenly—sometimes hastening and at other times delaying. In this manner, seemingly random and inexplicable events are directed purposefully towards the best outcomes. “I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things” (Isa. 45:6-7). In ancient cultures, the duality of fortune was depicted with two contrasting faces—one white and radiant, the other black and somber. The white face symbolized prosperity, while the black represented misfortune, illustrating the unpredictable nature of fortune towards its devotees. Such beliefs are mere fancies and trivialities; both prosperity and calamity originate from God’s hand. Seneca aptly highlights this sentiment while reflecting upon the perceived injustices faced by virtuous individuals and the fortunes of the unjust: “Some justly indignant and silent when they remember the evil end of men virtuous. Thus Socrates was forced by his enemies to die in confinement, Rutilius to live in exile, Pompey and Cicero bowed their heads under the sword of their pupils. What must each one expect to see, considering the virtuous men rewarded with the greatest adversities?” Seneca prompts this inquiry and responds: “Consider well how each suffered evil—did they endure for the sake of truth? Seek to emulate their courage. If they faltered due to complacency and negligence, they were of no benefit to anyone. Some deserved better fates; they should receive divine rewards and human respect, while others engendered contempt and separation from God through their actions.” This principle resonates in the lamentations of Job, David, Jeremiah, and other prophets, who express sorrow over the suffering and untimely demises of the righteous, juxtaposed against the undeserved prosperity of the wicked, the lazy, and the heedless. Nevertheless, the influence of blind chance or fortune is nonexistent here. All is orchestrated according to divine foresight and Providence for corrective purposes, aiming to illustrate through the lives of historical individuals the consequences of our moral failures due to negligence and carelessness, and to highlight the effects of widespread moral decay in family, society, and within the world at large, urging the populace to seek God and strive for moral restoration.