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14 June 2007
2 Samuel 3 v 17-21
Abner sent this message to the older leaders of Israel: "You have been wanting to make David your king. Now do it! The Lord said of David, 'Through my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies."
Abner also said these things to the people of Benjamin. He then went to Hebron to tell David what the Benjaminites and Israel wanted to do. Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron. There David prepared a feast for them. Abner said to David, "My master and king, I will go and bring all the Israelites to you. Then they will make an agreement with you so you will rule over all Israel as you wanted." So David let Abner go, and he left in peace.
Abner had to convince the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin that David should be made king over all Israel and Judea. The Benjaminites would be the hardest nut to crack because the previous king of Israel, Saul, was from the Benjamin tribe. It seems all parties agreed and Abner travelled to see David to tell him the news.
With King David sitting on the throne, Israel and Judah would be united in their fight with the Philistines and the inter-family struggles should cease. From reading this passage it seems to me that God's hand was in all these agreements. God wanted to have a united nation as God had picked them to be His chosen people.
David received Abner well; this was the second time they had met. David had a feast prepared for him but surely he would have known that Abner had killed Asahel. After all Joab was the chief commander of his army and these types of events would have been discussed. Abner had once been the enemy but now he was a friend. Was David showing mercy towards Abner? Or had the events become unimportant due to the nature regarding the kingship of Israel?
How easy do you think it would be to forget or even forgive someone who had wronged someone who you were close to? I think humanly speaking it would be very difficult. With God I don't think it would feel any easier but I do think it would be a possibility. When Peter asked Jesus how many times should he forgive someone who had sinned against him Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18: 21-22). I realise how many times I have asked for forgiveness and the figure then is put more into perspective.
Lord Jesus, Please give me a forgiving heart and attitude to all people. Help me to realise that nothing is impossible with you and for that I am truly thankful. Amen.
Written by Stephen Fox
2 Samuel 3 v 17-21
Abner sent this message to the older leaders of Israel: "You have been wanting to make David your king. Now do it! The Lord said of David, 'Through my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the Philistines and all their enemies."
Abner also said these things to the people of Benjamin. He then went to Hebron to tell David what the Benjaminites and Israel wanted to do. Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron. There David prepared a feast for them. Abner said to David, "My master and king, I will go and bring all the Israelites to you. Then they will make an agreement with you so you will rule over all Israel as you wanted." So David let Abner go, and he left in peace.
Abner had to convince the leaders of the tribe of Benjamin that David should be made king over all Israel and Judea. The Benjaminites would be the hardest nut to crack because the previous king of Israel, Saul, was from the Benjamin tribe. It seems all parties agreed and Abner travelled to see David to tell him the news.
With King David sitting on the throne, Israel and Judah would be united in their fight with the Philistines and the inter-family struggles should cease. From reading this passage it seems to me that God's hand was in all these agreements. God wanted to have a united nation as God had picked them to be His chosen people.
David received Abner well; this was the second time they had met. David had a feast prepared for him but surely he would have known that Abner had killed Asahel. After all Joab was the chief commander of his army and these types of events would have been discussed. Abner had once been the enemy but now he was a friend. Was David showing mercy towards Abner? Or had the events become unimportant due to the nature regarding the kingship of Israel?
How easy do you think it would be to forget or even forgive someone who had wronged someone who you were close to? I think humanly speaking it would be very difficult. With God I don't think it would feel any easier but I do think it would be a possibility. When Peter asked Jesus how many times should he forgive someone who had sinned against him Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times" (Matthew 18: 21-22). I realise how many times I have asked for forgiveness and the figure then is put more into perspective.
Lord Jesus, Please give me a forgiving heart and attitude to all people. Help me to realise that nothing is impossible with you and for that I am truly thankful. Amen.
Written by Stephen Fox
