How often do you feel yourself becoming filled with anger, fear, pride, hate, or discontent? What is the motivation behind your actions when you are like this? Do you label your feelings as righteous to justify your actions? Can we label any action by man as righteous? During the time of conflict between Israel and Judah in 2 Samuel 3 and 4 men make accusations, decisions, and assumptions that illustrate the need for true forgiveness and humility.
Abner is accused by Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul and king of Israel, of sleeping with a concubine of Saul’s in 2 Samuel 3. Did Abner truly sleep with the concubine? Was Ish-bosheth afraid of losing his authority as king making him not trust Abner? Was it so easy for Ish-bosheth to forget that it was Abner who established him as king over Israel after Saul’s death? Why did Abner seek to establish Ish-bosheth as king? What motivated thes men? Why do people so quickly turn upon the ones who truly care for them when their personal security feels threatened? After these accusations were made Abner chooses to no longer support the lineage of Saul as king and he seeks out David to make a covenant to serve him and help establish his rule as king. What motivated Abner to make peace with David? Was it spite of Ish-bosheth or a desire for renown that prompted Abner t?
In 2 Samuel 2 Abner killed Asahel, the brother of Joab and Abishai. When Joab hears that Abner has come and made peace with David he has a choice to make. Will he forgive the man who killed his brother or will he seek revenge. Joab speaks out against Abner to David in his distress attempting obtain the justice he feels he deserves. When David doesn’t give Joab the answer he wanted Joab seeks out Abner and kills him. Does any man have the right to seek resolution for a wrong on his own terms? Did the bitterness and hate Joab had for Abner overwhelm him to the point where the thought of revenge consumed him? How is it possible to express love to someone when they have hurt me? I believe that there is no conditions place on the command to love God and love our neighbors so there has to be a way to love a person who has hurt you.
After the death of Abner becomes known to Ish-bosheth he and all of Israel become discouraged and afraid. In 2 Samuel 4 Rechab and Baanah, two commanders in Israel, decide to seek renown and praise by killing Ish-bosheth. These two men choose to act on what they thought would be best for everyone by killing Ish-bosheth in his home. When these men filled with pride over what they had done reach David with the head of Ish-bosheth they were looking for a reward for their actions. It can be easy to justify our actions by thinking that they are the easiest solution at the moment but the overall outcome may not be for the best. David continually put his pride aside when he had opportunities to kill Saul because he knew that it was God alone who orchestrated the lives of men. When these men arrive seeking profit for killing Ish-bosheth David has them killed because of their evil intent.
Why are Rechab and Baanah both immediately killed for their deed but Joab is not? David leaves the fate of Joab in God’s hand saying, “May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil.” 2 Samuel 3:39b I have no idea why there is this difference in how David reacted but I wonder if it has to do with the overall intentions of the men. In times of war how did men handle the deaths of loved ones? Would a City of Refuge have been any help to Abner? It is easy to think that the motivations of men have become tainted in greater ways since the time of David but anger, fear, pride, hate, and discontent were as active then as they are today.
What recourse is there for us today to avoid falling? When we seek humility and forgiveness before God and extend the grace we receive from God to those around us we can find the daily strength we need. If all the men of Israel and Judah were following Moses’ and Joshua’s exhortations to love God and love people would there have been these conflicts? If we are able to put aside our differences and love God more than ourselves what kind of change would happen? Change will only occur one person at a time as they seek to put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone and begin the journey of faith the God has laid before them.
