The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Samuel 3:6,
"During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul."
Following King Saul's death, his military leader, Abner, consolidated a political advantage for himself by placing Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth on Saul's throne. David was to be Saul's replacement, but he already had a military leader, Joab, and so Abner made his move as the commander of Saul's army to arrange things that suited his interests. "Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel."
This arrangement by Abner would not last long. We are told Ish-Bosheth only ruled the northern tribes of Israel for two years. During that time Ish-Bosheth accused Abner of sleeping with his deceased father's concubine, Rizpah. We don't know for sure if Abner was guilty of it as he reacts (but without clear denial) to Ish-Bosheth in hostility. Were the accusation to have been true, sleeping with the previous king's concubine was tantamount to challenging the current king's throne.
In any event, Abner responded in outrage and told Ish-Bosheth he would deliver his kingdom over to David, his rival in Judah. "'May God deal with Abner [himself speaking here], be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David's throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.' Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him." 3:9-11.
"During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had been strengthening his own position in the house of Saul."
Following King Saul's death, his military leader, Abner, consolidated a political advantage for himself by placing Saul's son, Ish-Bosheth on Saul's throne. David was to be Saul's replacement, but he already had a military leader, Joab, and so Abner made his move as the commander of Saul's army to arrange things that suited his interests. "Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim. He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel."
This arrangement by Abner would not last long. We are told Ish-Bosheth only ruled the northern tribes of Israel for two years. During that time Ish-Bosheth accused Abner of sleeping with his deceased father's concubine, Rizpah. We don't know for sure if Abner was guilty of it as he reacts (but without clear denial) to Ish-Bosheth in hostility. Were the accusation to have been true, sleeping with the previous king's concubine was tantamount to challenging the current king's throne.
In any event, Abner responded in outrage and told Ish-Bosheth he would deliver his kingdom over to David, his rival in Judah. "'May God deal with Abner [himself speaking here], be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath and transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish David's throne over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beersheba.' Ish-Bosheth did not dare to say another word to Abner, because he was afraid of him." 3:9-11.
In making good on his threat, following a meeting with David and having been dismissed by him, on the way home, Abner was murdered by Joab, David's military commander. In killing Abner, Joab avenged his brother's (Asahel) death at the hand of Abner earlier.
Politics, corruption and scandal. Sounds like the kind of thing we see all around us today. Yet, in the midst of all this is God... working to bring about the fulfillment of his agenda. We see that agenda played out all the way to the time when Jesus Christ would step into the world through the people of Israel.
Politics, corruption and scandal. Sounds like the kind of thing we see all around us today. Yet, in the midst of all this is God... working to bring about the fulfillment of his agenda. We see that agenda played out all the way to the time when Jesus Christ would step into the world through the people of Israel.
The encouragement to me here is that despite how corrupt this world is, and the players that make it so corrupt, none of it is a match for our God. He has his own agenda, his own plans, and does all he decides to do to bring about his program of redemption.
Nothing can stop what God decides to do, despite the politics, the corruption and the scandal in this lost and fallen world.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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