Category: 2 Samuel

2 Samuel 4:2 When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed.
Ish-Bosheth put his faith in Abner, so when Abner was killed, Ish-Bosheth lost hope in his ability to remain king. Then he got complacent and took a siesta without guards to protect him. Rekab and Baanah saw an opportunity to ingratiate themselves to David and killed Ish-Bosheth. David was not pleased nor impressed because he trusted God—God’s anointing, God’s protection, God’s timing.
2 Samuel 4:5 Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.
As a teacher, summers are hard for me because there is often so much change—retirements and folks taking positions in other districts or in different fields. I don’t love change. But like David, I am very sure that God has called me to the role of teacher. I do what I do because of Him. So even though all the change over the summer is incredibly painful and uncomfortable, like David, I am going to trust God—His calling to me to teach, His protection of me where He’s planted me, His timing for any next steps (or for staying put and keeping on—His will, not mine).
2 Samuel 4:6 They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for using Your word to draw me closer. Thank You for those things I count on as assurances from You and for the ability to trust You for all those things I am unsure of or don’t understand. Lead me, guard me, guide me, Lord. Help me to shine Your light. Amen.
2 Samuel 4:9 David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah…, “As surely as the LORD loves, who has delivered me out of every trouble…”
Have a blessed day.

2 Samuel 3:1 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.
There is a lot of bad behavior in this chapter. We find out that David now has six wives, and he demands that Saul’s one living son—Ish-Bosheth—give Michal, daughter of Saul, back to him, even though it means taking her away from her husband Paltiel. Abner, who has known that David was the God-anointed king, vows to help him achieve the throne—not out of loyalty to God or David, but in a spirit of revenge against Ish-Bosheth.
2 Samuel 3:9 May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD promised him on oath….
Additionally, Joab waylays Abner and kills him just outside of the gates of the city of refuge so that he can avenge his brother’s death, even though Abner had a right to safely seek refuge there. And David, while he does verbally censure Joab, does nothing to correct Joab, his chief military officer, for the underhanded way he murdered Abner. 
2 Samuel 3:27 …And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed [Abner] in the stomach and he died.
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the realization that we are all human, fallible, flawed, but that You can, will, and do use us in Your service if we will only give ourselves to You. Forgive me for the many, many times that I, too, have behaved badly in Your sight. Help me to focus my eyes on You only and to seek always to do Your will. Draw me closer. Amen.
2 Samuel 3:28 Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner….”
Have a blessed day.