2 Samuel 2:18-23 Commanders

 ”Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle. So Asahel pursued Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner. Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Are you Asahel?” He answered, “I am.” And Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. So Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?” However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.“ ‭‭

II Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The three sons of Zeruiah: Zeruiah was David’s sister (1 Chronicles 2:16). Joab and Abishai and Asahel were the nephews of David, but since David was the youngest of eight sons, they may have been about the same age or older than David.

b. Asahel pursued Abner: In the pressure and confusion of battle, Asahel got close to Abner, the commander of Ishbosheth’s armies. It came down to a simple chase, and if Asahel caught up to Abner, he would surely kill him.

c. Lay hold of one of the young men and take his armor for yourself: It seems that Asahel pursued Abner in part for the glory of killing the commander of Ishbosheth’s army and taking his armor as a trophy.

d. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab? Abner first asked Asahel to turn back out of concern for his own safety. This didn’t make much sense to Asahel because it seemed that Abner was at the disadvantage. Abner also appealed to Asahel on the ground of military honor – that officers should not strike down officers, especially when it might lead to ugly retribution and the danger of leaderless armies.

i. Yet, Asahel refused to turn aside. Abner’s plea didn’t work – though perhaps it should have. Asahel was too single-minded in his determination to kill Abner and crush the armies opposing David.

e. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach…he fell down there and died on the spot: Clearly, Abner killed Asahel in self-defense – it was the only thing he could do. Yet his concern (How then could I face your brother Joab?) was entirely justified, and Joab will make it his passion to avenge his brother’s death. (Guzik)

Commanders

Abner was the commander of Saul’s army. 

Joab was the commander of David’s army.

“Joab will make it his passion to avenge his brother’s death.” Even though “Abner killed Asahel in self-defense” (Guzik)

David respected Abner but now there will be a biblical version of the Hatfield and McCoys!

It takes a special kind of person who won’t avenge themselves. 

I’ve been guilty of thinking about it. Have you?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 2:12-17 Fierce Battle

 ”Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. Then Abner said to Joab, “Let the young men now arise and compete before us.” And Joab said, “Let them arise.” So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. And each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. So there was a very fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Joab the son of Zeruiah: Joab was apparently one of the 400 men who joined David at Adullam Cave (1 Samuel 22:1-2), or he joined with David during this general period.

· Joab had two notable brothers: Abishai and Asahel.

· Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were David’s nephews, the sons of David’s sister Zeruiah (1 Chronicles 2:16).

· Joab had a long and checkered career as David’s chief general.

b. Abner said to Joab: This was a fascinating confrontation between two similar men. Abner and Joab were each tough, mean, military men who were completely devoted to their cause.

c. Let the young men now arise and compete before us: Abner suggested some kind of contest or duel between a select group of his men and Joab’s men. When the two groups of 12 met, it quickly degenerated into a mutual bloodbath (each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together). Yet David’s men under the command of Joab prevailed in the very fierce battle that followed this bloodbath at the Field of Sharp Swords.

(Guzik)

i. “This was diabolical play, where each man thrust his sword into the body of the other, so that the twenty-four (twelve on each side) fell down dead together!” (Clarke)

Fierce Battle 

Since the beginning with Cain and the murder of Able there have wars, because someone wanted something that wasn’t theirs. But there is a war that will end it all when God says enough!

Christ on a White Horse!

”And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.“ ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭19‬:‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

 

”And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.“ ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭19‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“This is just the logical extension of man’s constant war against God since the fall. It is no more unbelievable than the idea that God came to earth and men murdered Him. John wrote no description about a battle. This is an entirely one-sided affair, more of a simple act of judgment than a prolonged battle or war.” (Guzik)

“The battle of Armageddon is the laughter of God against the climax of man’s arrogance.” (Barnhouse)

Will you belong to His army or their army?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 2:8-11 Patience, Longsuffering and Trust!

 ”But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim; and he made him king over Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and over all Israel. Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.“ II Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Abner the son of Ner: Abner was Saul’s cousin (1 Samuel 14:50) and the commander of Saul’s armies for many years. He first met David when David was a young man (1 Samuel 17:55-57). David once challenged Abner when David had the opportunity to kill Saul but did not. David pointed out that Abner failed to protect his king.

b. Ishbosheth the son of Saul: Saul had three sons who died with him in battle (1 Samuel 31:6). There is no previous mention of Ishbosheth among the sons of Saul, so it is possible that he was an illegitimate son or the son of a concubine.

i. We shouldn’t forget that David was also a son of Saul by marriage. David married Michal, the daughter of Saul (1 Samuel 18:17-30).

c. He made him king: Abner made Ishbosheth king, probably so that he could be the real power behind the throne of a weak king.

d. He reigned two years: For two years David allowed Ishbosheth to reign over most of Israel. These two years showed remarkable patience, longsuffering, and trust in God on David’s part. Ishbosheth was not the LORD’s anointed like Saul – David seemed to have every right to crush this man who stood in the way of his calling. Yet out of trust in the LORD and respect for Saul’s memory, David waited.

i. It seems strange that many of the tribes preferred Ishbosheth to David. Yet since the Philistines had overrun many of the other tribes of Israel, they were even more hesitant to come out-and-out for David. “We’ll just make the Philistines mad,” they thought. In the same way, if you will come out-and-out for the Son of David, you will have to be ready for the disapproval of the Philistines.

e. Seven years and six months: This describes the period of time David had his headquarters in Hebron. For the first two years of this time, he ruled over Judah alone and Ishbosheth (propped up by Abner) ruled the rest of Israel.

i. David refused to force his reign on his subjects – and neither will the Son of David. Like David, Jesus will battle against pretenders to the throne, but He will not force His reign on mankind – yet. (Guzik)

Patience, Longsuffering and Trust!

As we study through the Old Testament it amazes me of the patience, longsuffering and trust everyone went through! 

Moses waited forty years!

Joseph was sold into slavery and imprisoned for years!

David lived in caves and waited on the Lord to become the king of all of Israel!

God molds and strengthens us through adversity. 

We may not like it but He has a purpose through it all.

It would be well for us to trust in God, to have patience with longsuffering the next time we are going through a trial and to ask, Lord what are You trying to teach me?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 2:4b-7 Blessed of the Lord!

 And they told David, saying, “The men of Jabesh Gilead were the ones who buried Saul.” So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh Gilead, and said to them, “You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown this kindness to your Lord, to Saul, and have buried him. And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing. Now therefore, let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭4‬b-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. You have shown this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him: David showed appropriate gratitude to the men who risked their lives to honor the memory of Saul and Jonathan (1 Samuel 31:11-13).

b. Let your hands be strengthened, and be valiant: David knew that he needed brave men like these to secure and advance his kingdom, especially in the turmoil sure to surround his ascension to the throne.

Blessed of the Lord!

You have been blessed too!

”Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,“ Ephesians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

1st blessing is the He has chosen us before the foundation of the world!

2nd blessing is our adoption as His children!

3rd blessing is where we are made “accepted in the beloved.”!

4th blessing is Redemption, speaks of buying one’s freedom, paying our ransom!

5th blessing is the forgiveness of sins!

6th blessing is is knowing the mystery of His will, we become part of His perfect plan and purpose.

7th blessing is the inheritance that is given to us through Christ.

8th blessing is the sealing of the Holy Spirit. When we become God’s children, He places His mark of ownership on us, guaranteeing our eternal security.

The list goes on and on because He loves you and you are blessed of the Lord!

Blessings 

2 Samuel 2:1-4a Anointing

 ”It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.” So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. And David brought up the men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities of Hebron. Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.”

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ a NKJV‬‬

a. David inquired of the LORD: Certainly, this was a key to success in David’s life. With rare exceptions, he constantly inquired of the LORD. David wanted more than God’s blessing on hisplans; he wanted to be right in the middle of God’s plan.

b. Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah? At this time David was still in Ziklag, in the territory of the Philistines. Out of great discouragement and despair, he left the land of Israel and lived almost as a Philistine among the Philistines. Now that David was restored to the LORD, he wondered if it was time for him to go back to his homeland.

i. It isn’t as simple a question as we might think. David didn’t want to appear opportunistic, as if he only came back to Israel because Saul was dead. While not being overly concerned with appearances before man, he was not unconcerned with appearances either.

c. And the LORD said to him: God was faithful to answer when David inquired. Since David had just come out of a period of spiritual decline, God could have put him on “probation” and refused to speak to him for a while. Instead, the LORD spoke to David and gave him guidance.

i. Some 15 to 20 years before this, David was anointed king over Israel (1 Samuel 16:12-13). As the promise seemed almost fulfilled, David didn’t rush in blindly and seize it. Instead, he carefully sought the LORD. David knew the promise was from God, so he knew God could fulfill it without any manipulation from him.

d. There they anointed David king: This shows that David did not seize the throne. The elders of Judah approached him. David knew that it was better to let God lift him up through others than it was to strive to advance himself. We should strive to advance God’s Kingdom and leave the advancement of self in His hands.

i. This also shows that there is a sense in which the first anointing wasn’t enough. We need a fresh anointing from God and an ongoing experience of the Holy Spirit.

ii. This anointing couldn’t come when David still lived among the Philistines virtually as a Philistine. He had to get things right in his own walk before this fresh anointing. (Guzik)

Anointing 

David was anointed with oil and spirituality from the Lord.

Through Jesus Christ, believers receive “an anointing from the Holy One”

“But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.” 1 John 2:20 (ESV)

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.Romans 8:11 (ESV)

What have you been doing with your anointing, are you sharing your testimony?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 1:19-27 The Song of the Bow

 The Song of the Bow

”“The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! 

How the mighty have fallen! 

Tell it not in Gath, 

Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon— 

Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, 

Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 

“O mountains of Gilboa, 

Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, 

Nor fields of offerings. 

For the shield of the mighty is cast away there! 

The shield of Saul, 

not anointed with oil. 

From the blood of the slain, 

From the fat of the mighty, 

The bow of Jonathan did not turn back, 

And the sword of Saul did not return empty. 

“Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, 

And in their death they were not divided; 

They were swifter than eagles, 

They were stronger than lions. 

“O daughters of Israel, 

weep over Saul, 

Who clothed you in scarlet, 

with luxury; 

Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. 

“How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! 

Jonathan was slain in your high places. 

I am distressed for you, 

my brother Jonathan; 

You have been very pleasant to me; 

Your love to me was wonderful, 

Surpassing the love of women. 

“How the mighty have fallen, 

And the weapons of war perished!”“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The beauty of Israel is slain: In this song, David showed the great love and generosity in his heart towards Saul. It showed that David didn’t kill Saul with a sword or in his heart.

· He saw beauty in Saul.

· He wanted no one to rejoice over the death of Saul.

· He wanted everyone to mourn, even the mountains and fields.

· He praised Saul as a mighty warrior.

· He complimented the personality and loyalty of Saul (beloved and pleasant…not divided).

· He called the daughters Israel to mourning and praised the good Saul did for Israel.

i. All this is a powerful testimony of how David kept his heart free from bitterness, even when he was greatly wronged and sinned against. David fulfilled 1 Corinthians 13:5: love thinks no evil. David knew the principle of 1 Peter 4:8: And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

ii. David could do this because of his great trust in God and God’s power. He knew that God was in charge of his life, and that even if Saul meant it for evil, God could use it for good.

iii. “Such a magnanimous attitude on the part of one who had suffered so much at Saul’s hand is incomprehensible apart from a deep commitment to the Lord.” (Baldwin)

b. How the mighty have fallen: David doesn’t say it, but we understand that Saul fell long before this. He fell when he hardened his heart against God, against the word of God through the prophet, and against the man after God’s own heart. Saul’s death on Gilboa was the sad conclusion to his prior fall.

c. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan: David’s mourning for Jonathan makes more sense to us. Jonathan was David’s deep friend and partner in serving God.

i. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women: Had David followed God’s plan for marriage – to one woman, faithful for a lifetime – he might have found more fulfillment in his marriage relationship. We remember that David’s own experience of love with women was not according to God’s will. His multiple marriages kept him from God’s ideal: one man and one woman in a one-flesh relationship.

ii. There is not the slightest hint that David and Jonathan expressed their love in a sexual way. They had a deep, godly love for each other – but not a sexual love. Our modern age often finds it difficult to believe that love can be deep and real without it having a sexual aspect. (Guzik)

The Greek Word For Love 

In the New Testament, the concept of love is primarily expressed through four Greek words. You can study them here.

Blessings 

https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_greek_word_for_love.htm