May 05, 2014 - Monday

Start Time: 6:27 A:.M.

End Time: 7:00 A.M.

Title: Abner Goes over to David

Scripture: 2 Samuel 3:1 – 39

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time. David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.  Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon the son of Ahinoam of Jezreel; his second, Kileab the son of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom the son of Maakah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital; and the sixth, Ithream the son of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

NOTES:

Ø When you fight your battles with God, no matter how long it lasted, you just become stronger and stronger while your enemy becomes weaker and weaker by the day!  Hallelujah!  Winning the battle is not a matter of how fast you captured your enemy.  Timing is in the perfect hand of God.  David and Saul’s fight lasted a long time yet, God was with David the whole time and made him stronger every day.  It is possible that during these times, God strengthened His relationship with David all the more and even taught him how to be a proper king in preparation for his win.  So if you have troubles or battles in your life that you have been struggling for a long long time, fear not!  For God is just making you stronger and ready to take that wonderful victory when the time is right!  Praise Jesus!

→ 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. Now Saul had had a concubine named Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ish-Bosheth said to Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”  Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman! May God deal with Abner, 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. Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make an agreement with me, and I will help you bring all Israel over to you.”  “Good,” said David. “I will make an agreement with you. But I demand one thing of you: Do not come into my presence unless you bring Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see me.” Then David sent messengers to Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, demanding, “Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.” So Ish-Bosheth gave orders and had her taken away from her husband Paltiel son of Laish. Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back home!” So he went back.  Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “For some time you have wanted to make David your king. Now do it! For the Lord promised David, ‘By my servant David I will rescue my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and from the hand of all their enemies.’”  Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do. When Abner, who had twenty men with him, came to David at Hebron, David prepared a feast for him and his men. Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once and assemble all Israel for my lord the king, so that they may make a covenantwith you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

NOTES:

Ø No matter how bad the conflict men have with each other, God can turn it around and make it favorable for His will!  So do not be afraid or worry for God is in control at all times, even in situations we feel like we are out of control.  God is still in control!  Amen!  Abner and Ish-Bosheth had a fight and the fight may come out of nowhere and even if it blew out of proportion, God can settle things and allow all things to work according to His plan.  They had a misunderstanding, which led Abner to switch side and went over to David, leaving Ish-Bosheth afraid.

Ø Whatever was taken away from us, God will take back and return to us!  Praise the Lord!  Michal was David’s wife, yet Saul gave Michal away to someone else when David was on the run, away from him.  In God’s perfect timing, He restores everything back to David.  He not only made him king of His people but also brought Michal back to his arms.  This is how great our God is!  It may took some time but it will happen for God’s word and promises are never broken!  Thank You Lord!

Ø God uses anyone He chooses for His will!  Amazingly, He uses even our enemy to switch side and proclaim His promises to us!  Amen!  God is so amazing and there’s really no reason for us to doubt Him because He even makes our enemies switch sides and confirms His promises to us!  What proof can we ask for then?  Nothing!  God is the truth and the proof we need! 

→ Just then David’s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.  When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace. So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.”  Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.  Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before theLord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy^[a] or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.” (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.) Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.  The king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner have died as the lawless die? Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. You fell as one falls before the wicked.” And all the people wept over him again. Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”  All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them.  So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.  Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiahare too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”

NOTES:

Ø God spares our hands from innocent blood when we follow and obey His will only!  Abner was a loyal soldier of Saul and he killed Joab’s brother but when God moved upon the lives of His people, even the loyal soldiers or friends of our enemies turn against them and switch sides to God (not to us but to God).  However when there are others who seek revenge for the newly redeemed, God will ensure that our hands are kept pure and clean from the shedding of innocent blood, just like what he did to David.  Once again, God made sure that David’s life or testimony is kept untouched and blameless because He is David’s testimony! 

Ø God mourns the death of the newly redeemed people because of the impulse desire of men!  Abner used to be loyal to Saul but God’s hand changed him yet his character traits of being loyal and good soldier remains.  God, thru David, saw Abner’s potential yet because of the hatred that Joab and his brother felt against Abner, they lost a good man and when that happens, God mourns for that man! 

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, amazing Father, Prince of Peace and Lord of lords.  Thank You because every day You make us stronger and stronger while our enemy grow weaker and weaker as we spend time in Your presence and being in the center of Your will.  Thank You because we can be assured that victory will come no matter how long it is.  You know the perfect time to win and we can trust You to give us a sweet and awesome victory against our enemies.  Thank You Lord because You are not limited and You can use anyone You chooses, even our enemies for our own good and the fulfillment of Your will.  Thank You because no matter how bad the situation is, You can always turn it around to serve a bigger purpose for Your plan.  So we can just put our trust in You because You are in full control of everything.  Thank You because You restores everything in us and whatever is taken away by our enemies, You return back to us.  Also, I want to say that I am touched and moved by how You protect us and deliver us from anything that will tarnish our life’s testimony.  Because You are our life’s testimony Lord so You keep our hands pure and clean from anything unclean.  You spare us from being associated with the shedding of innocent blood.  Thank You Lord, help me to completely obey and follow You alone that I may experience this full proof life!  Lord I am again touched to know that You mourn the lost of a good man.  You see our potentials and You try everything to keep us but when death has consumed us, Your heart also aches for losing great men on earth.  Thank You Jesus.  Continue to open my eyes Lord to see Your words coming to life in my life.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!