II Samuel 3. The people of Israel were divided into two peoples, but
this is not the
will of God. Saul was slain by the hand of an Amelikite,
the ones he spared when God sent him out to slay them. It means this, that if
we spare the enemy's power, it will destroy us. Abner made himself strong for
the house of Saul, but he found that that which he was making himself strong
for was disappointing. Our own
experience teaches us better than anyone else that everything is
disappointing. Some people are better than the thing they are in. Abner came to
a climax, saw that that which he was upholding was not worth it, so there came
a turning point in his life, and he turned towards David, God's anointed one. Michal was returned to David, for she was his, the husband followed weeping,
grief at having to give up his wife whom he really had no claim to. God asks
people to hand over to Him that which really was never theirs. Abner acted on
his convictions and entered into the covenant with David and brought twenty
other men to David. David saw in Abner a man of sterling worth. Paul was won
through the trueness and the dying testimony of Stephen. Abner said when he
tasted of the fellowship of God and His people. "I will arise and go and
gather all Israel unto my Lord the King." Joab looked upon Abner as a deceiver and he called him back, and thrust him through, and he was hurled into eternity, but how nice to read God's report of him. How he went out with a true heart purpose to bring others to God's anointed one. |