2 Samuel 4:5-7 Murder Death Kill!

 ”So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, left and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest. They came into the interior of the house as if to get wheat [for the soldiers], and they struck him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped [unnoticed]. Now when they entered the house he was lying on his bed in his bedroom. They [not only] struck and killed him, [but] they also beheaded him. Then they took his head and traveled all night by way of the Arabah.“

‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭AMP‬‬

a. They stabbed him in the stomach: Ishbosheth didn’t gain any real loyalty among his troops; they were only loyal to him when they thought he was strong and had a chance to keep the throne of Saul. When the weakness of Ishbosheth was exposed, Rechab and Baanah murdered him.

i. 2 Samuel 4:2 reminds us that Rechab and Baanah were of the children of Benjamin. This was the tribe that Saul’s family came from. This means that it was fellow Benjaminites who murdered Ishbosheth.

ii. Who was lying on his bed at noon: The mid-day siesta wasn’t unusual in that part of the world, but the absence of guards points to carelessness on the part of Ishbosheth. “To sleep at noon, and without a guard, speaketh him both sluggish and secure. He dieth therefore in his sloth, who had lived slothfully all his days.” (Trapp)

b. Beheaded him and took his head: This was an important part of their plan because they wanted to prove to David that they murdered his rival to the throne.

Murder Death Kill!

My wife enjoys watching television series about solving murders. Like a detective, she tries solving who, what, when and where committed the deadly crime. 

I believe she missed her calling and she claims she’s still looking for the perfect crime! 😳

”Cain talked with Abel his brother [about what God had said]. And when they were [alone, working] in the field, Cain attacked Abel his brother and killed him. [1 John 3:12]“ ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Unfortunately since the fall and sin entered the world some people are just evil like Cain, Rechab and Baanah!

The Lord gave Cain a warning but he murdered his brother anyway!

”If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.”“ ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Good advice for all of us, when sin crouches at our door we must master it! 

What will king David do to Rechab and Baanah?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 4:1-4 Trusted in man!

 ”When Saul’s son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost heart, and all Israel was troubled. Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of troops. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin. (For Beeroth also was part of Benjamin, because the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there until this day.) Jonathan, Saul’s son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. He lost heart: When Ishbosheth heard that the man who put and propped him on the throne was dead, he knew that his day was almost over. He trusted in man to gain his position, so when the man was gone, he knew his position would be soon gone. Ishbosheth was weak because he trusted in man.

b. His name was Mephibosheth: This was the son of Jonathan, David’s good friend who died with his father on the field of battle. Mephibosheth was the last male descendant of Saul with a strong legal claim to the throne of Saul. At this time he was only 12 years old – and he was lame.

i. As she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame: Mephibosheth was weak because of circumstances beyond his control. He was weak because of his age and because of an injury that came from the hand of another. (Guzik)

Trusted in man!

I believe this is the condition of anyone that doesn’t put their trust in the Lord Jesus! 

For the Bible says:

”It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

And,

”Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭146‬:‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So what are we supposed to do?

”Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;“

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Where do you put your trust in?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 3:31-39 A Mess!

 ”Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner.” And King David followed the coffin. So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. And the king sang a lament over Abner and said: “Should Abner die as a fool dies? Your hands were not bound Nor your feet put into fetters; As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell.” Then all the people wept over him again. And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” Now all the people took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased all the people. For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness.”“ II Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭31‬-‭39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. The king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner: David did not want his kingdom established by violence. He wanted God to establish his kingdom and to punish his enemies. David still believed that vengeance belongs to the Lord.

b. For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner: This whole affair was a mess, but it would not be the first or the last mess of David’s kingdom.

i. In some regard, “messes” like this are inevitable. Proverbs 14:4 states an important principle: Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but much increase comes by the strength of an ox.

A Mess!

Since the fall of Adam and Eve life became hard because of sin and a fallen world. Life in general is a mess but it’s how we deal with the messes in our lives that makes a difference! 

”And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.“

‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I am no biblical scholar but it’s writing the daily devotional that helps me put on the full armor of God which in turn helps me get through the day with the messes of life!

I thank you for allowing me to share them with you.

Who carries you through the messes of life?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 3:28-30 Guiltless Before the Lord!

 ”Afterward, when David heard it, he said, “My kingdom and I are guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner. Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there never fail to be in the house of Joab one who has a discharge or is a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread.” So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.“

‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. My kingdom and I are guiltless before the LORD: David knew that he had nothing to do with this murder. Among other evils, this murder perpetrated by Joab set a bad precedent. It gave David’s administration a reputation for brutality and made it harder for David to win the rest of Israel over to his side.

b. Let it rest on the head of Joab: David pronounced a severe curse against Joab, but he did nothing to correct Joab. Perhaps David was afraid to lose Joab as a general. His ability to kill without remorse showed he was not a nice man, but not necessarily a bad general. (Guzik)

Guiltless Before the Lord!

There is only one way that we can be guiltless before the Lord, for it is written:

”For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.“

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭13‬-‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Are you guiltless before the Lord and coveting the promise of the eternal inheritance?

I am and I can’t wait to go home!

Blessings 

2 Samuel 3:26-27 Murder

 ”And when Joab had gone from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.“ ‭‭II Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭26‬-‭27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Joab took him aside in the gate: Joab carefully engineered this murder so that the killing was done outside the gate of Hebron. This was because Hebron was a city of refuge (Joshua 20:7), and it was against the law for Joab, as Asahel’s blood avenger, to kill Abner inside the city.

b. He died for the blood of Asahel his brother: The careful plot to murder Abner outside the city of refuge made the murder all the darker. It showed Joab knew that Abner had a rightful claim of self-defense and was protected inside the city of Hebron, yet he killed him anyway.

i. Joab may have justified this by the thought, “I’m doing this to defend and honor my king.” But our sin and treachery never honor our King. We must avoid the trap Spurgeon spoke of: “We may even deceive ourselves into the belief that we are honoring our Lord and Master when we are, all the while, bringing disgrace upon his name.” (Guzik)

Murder

Jesus took murder to a different level when He said, 

”“You’re familiar with the command to the ancients, ‘Do not murder.’ I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother ‘idiot!’ and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell ‘stupid!’ at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.“ Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Have you ever murdered someone with your thoughts or words?

I’m guilty!

Blessings 

2 Samuel 3:22-25 A Deceiver, A Double Agent!

 ”At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and brought much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. When Joab and all the troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, “Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace.” Then Joab came to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing.”“ II Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you: Joab accused Abner of being a double agent for Ishbosheth. He was angry that David let Abner go without arresting or killing him.

b. Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you: This was one of at least three reasons why Joab was not pleased that Abner had defected and joined David’s side.

i. Joab feared Abner was a deceiver, a double agent working on behalf of Ishbosheth, the pretender king.

ii. Abner killed Joab’s brother, and Joab was the avenger of blood for Asahel (as described in Numbers 35:9-28).

iii. As the chief general of the former King Saul, Abner had a lot of top-level military experience. Abner might take Joab’s place as David’s chief military assistant. (Guzik)

A Deceiver, A Double Agent!

We are warned about the deceiver and his minions who come and preach anything but Jesus Christ!

”For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.“

‭‭II John‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

There are many cults that go door to door that don’t confess Jesus as the Son of God. That’s why it’s important to understand the scriptures and to use the Bible to discern their statements so you won’t be led astray.

Have you ever used the scriptures to refute a deceiver’s false claims?

Blessings 

2 Samuel 3:20-21 Feast!

 ”So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. Then Abner said to David, “I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my Lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.“ II Samuel‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. David made a feast for Abner: This was David showing himself wise and generous towards a former adversary. A lesser man would never forgive Abner for leading an army against God’s king, but David was a great, wise, and generous man.

b. That you may reign over all that your heart desires: Abner wanted David’s reign to be fully realized over the people of God. (Guzik)

Feast!

I’m reminded of the banquet-feast in the kingdom of God!

”Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!”“

‭‭Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Jesus told the parable of the Great Supper and the invited guests didn’t show up so He invited the poor, the lame and the blind. This parable represents the Jews rejecting Jesus as their Messiah so He gave the invitation of salvation to the gentiles.

I look forward to the banquet-feast in the kingdom of heaven!

Have you accepted His invitation?

Blessings