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16 June 2007
2 Samuel 3 v 26-30
After Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know this. When Abner arrived at Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway. He acted as though he wanted to talk with Abner in private, but Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and Abner died. Abner had killed Joab's brother Asahel, so Joab killed Abner to pay him back.
Later when David heard the news, he said, "My kingdom and I are innocent forever of the death of Abner son of Ner. The Lord knows this. Joab and his family are responsible for this. May his family always have someone with sores or with a skin disease. May they always have someone who must lean on a crutch. May some of his family be killed in war. May they always have someone without food to eat."
(Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
Now the plot thickens and Joab deception is nearly complete. I wonder if Abner was wary when he saw Joab. I think I would have been, especially since he had killed Joab's brother. So Joab cowardly murdered Abner and now his revenge was complete.
David was horrified at the news especially when suspicion would fall on him from the Israelites who would probably think David was trying to kill off all supporters of Saul's family under Ish-Bosheth. So that was why David made such a public announcement of his innocence in the murder of Abner. This whole situation could derail the possibility of David becoming king of Israel and Judah. I do actually find the curses that David pronounced on Joab family puzzling although ultimately David would know that God would have the last say in the matter regarding judgement. I suppose also that it was the cultural norm of these times to pronounce curses on others.
I don't know about you but I find watching the news very depressing lately. When you look on the surface of things it seems that only bad things happen in this world. News can be seen 24 hours a day; events are brought to our comfortable living rooms in all their gory details. It seems that every day someone somewhere in the world is killed, murdered, through whatever circumstances they were in. It seems also that we can become desensitised to the horrors we see, or hear about.
I suppose we hope for justice to be done, but it seems that Joab has got away with it for now. Yet I ultimately believe that God is in control no matter how desperate things may seem and He will have the last say in all things.
Heavenly Father, We pray for all people who have been affected by acts of violence, war and cruelty. We pray that Your peace, understanding and love may surround them in their time of grief. Help us to know how to respond to the tragedies that happen around us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Written by Stephen Fox
2 Samuel 3 v 26-30
After Joab left David, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know this. When Abner arrived at Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway. He acted as though he wanted to talk with Abner in private, but Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and Abner died. Abner had killed Joab's brother Asahel, so Joab killed Abner to pay him back.
Later when David heard the news, he said, "My kingdom and I are innocent forever of the death of Abner son of Ner. The Lord knows this. Joab and his family are responsible for this. May his family always have someone with sores or with a skin disease. May they always have someone who must lean on a crutch. May some of his family be killed in war. May they always have someone without food to eat."
(Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
Now the plot thickens and Joab deception is nearly complete. I wonder if Abner was wary when he saw Joab. I think I would have been, especially since he had killed Joab's brother. So Joab cowardly murdered Abner and now his revenge was complete.
David was horrified at the news especially when suspicion would fall on him from the Israelites who would probably think David was trying to kill off all supporters of Saul's family under Ish-Bosheth. So that was why David made such a public announcement of his innocence in the murder of Abner. This whole situation could derail the possibility of David becoming king of Israel and Judah. I do actually find the curses that David pronounced on Joab family puzzling although ultimately David would know that God would have the last say in the matter regarding judgement. I suppose also that it was the cultural norm of these times to pronounce curses on others.
I don't know about you but I find watching the news very depressing lately. When you look on the surface of things it seems that only bad things happen in this world. News can be seen 24 hours a day; events are brought to our comfortable living rooms in all their gory details. It seems that every day someone somewhere in the world is killed, murdered, through whatever circumstances they were in. It seems also that we can become desensitised to the horrors we see, or hear about.
I suppose we hope for justice to be done, but it seems that Joab has got away with it for now. Yet I ultimately believe that God is in control no matter how desperate things may seem and He will have the last say in all things.
Heavenly Father, We pray for all people who have been affected by acts of violence, war and cruelty. We pray that Your peace, understanding and love may surround them in their time of grief. Help us to know how to respond to the tragedies that happen around us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Written by Stephen Fox
