2 Samuel 2:12-3:39
2 Samuel 2:12-32
We have no real description of the fighting that went on between David's forces and Abner's forces. It went on for over seven years. What we have here is a small battle that might have happened fairly early in the civil war, after David had established himself in Hebron and organized his army; but it is huge in understanding some of the events that followed. Also, it gives us tiny character sketches of the two main players, Joab and Abner.
Joab is never mentioned as one of David's mighty men, but he does become the captain of his army later. Joab apparently was a leader of a group and was a commanding leader.
Abner would have been the older man and it is possible that Joab had been in the army under Abner just as David had been. They knew each other.
The most important part of this story is Abner killing Joab's brother.
2 Samuel 3:1-39
During this story, years are passing. What we actually read about here will happen fairly close to the end of the civil war.
According to the Law, the king was not supposed to have a lot of wives. This would be a good place to look at what God said.
Deuteronomy 17:14 "When you come to the land which the LORD your God gives you, and you possess it and dwell in it, and then say, `I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are round about me'; 15 you may indeed set as king over you him whom the LORD your God will choose. One from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 Only he must not multiply horses for himself, or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to multiply horses, since the LORD has said to you, `You shall never return that way again.' 17 And he shall not multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply for himself silver and gold. 18 "And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, from that which is in the charge of the Levitical priests; 19 and it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them; 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his brethren, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left; so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.
Now, how many wives are too many. We guys ask ourselves that all the time and some days some guys (not me) would say "one" is too many, but usually we would all say, "who'd want more than one?" By verse five, David has 6 wives and he'll acquire some others along the way.
Vs. 7-8 This was a very serious thing that Abner did. To claim one of Saul's wives as his own, even having sex with her, would have been a step to the throne. When Solomon's brother tried to marry David's last concubine (which would have been illegal under the law) Solomon had him killed, knowing it was a ploy (instigated by Joab and Abiathar) so he could claim right to the throne over Solomon. It was a murky business and what Abner did here was possibly preparation for becoming king. In Abner's defense, although he never denies the charge, he seems offended by the insinuation. He still did what he did and shouldn't have.
Vs. 9-12 Abner, as a political animal, would have to find a way to come into David's favor.
Vs. 13-15 This is all very interesting. David wanted Michal back. I mean, she had been his wife, but also, she was the daughter of Saul and he was Saul's son-in-law. It was justice and it could heal some things.
Notice that Ish-bosheth had her taken and separated from her husband. Ish-bosheth doesn't seem like a bad guy, and the fact that David didn't kill him during these seven years shows some respect. Before this whole fiasco, they had probably been friends.
Vs. 17-21 Abner, a natural leader and very influential person, was laying the framework for bringing all the tribes to David.
Vs. 22-39 This story eventually brings the civil war to an end and it seems tragic to me for more than one reason.
V. 26 Joab acted without any obedience to David.
V. 27 is God's view of why Joab did this.
Although David rightfully said he didn't know about this and curses Joab's family, and cries and makes a poem, the just thing would have been to put Joab to death. David saves this job for Solomon. David has Solomon kill Joab for this act.
I can only think that David was so fixed on getting things secure and stable that he didn't want to lose a man like Joab, who was important to the forming of Israel. You will get your own ideas as you read this, but year after year I'm saddened by these stories.
I know we are all riddled by sin and weak, and none of us are any better than David; but these stories are here for us to learn. I guess I would say this, if we begin with faith and dependence on God, we have to end that way. There have been ministries that have protected key players when they have sinned, because if those sins were exposed or that person treated justly in accordance with their failure, it would have "hurt" the ministry. No one is so important that their sin can be "overlooked" if it disqualifies them from leadership. No "ministry" is so important that it can tolerate sin for the greater good. All of us are prone to this, but in different areas and different ways.
Here, at the beginning of David's reign, he is allowing poison to enter the stream, and it will get worse. It might be that David's own tolerance for his own lying, also made him weak to dealing justly with those who were like him. Again, we'll see the tragic result of that too.
John 13:1-30
The Gospel of John is very unique, and particularly after reading the first three Gospels, there is a different kind of richness in the stories John includes. If the other portions of John shine, this part is absolutely brilliant. This upper room discourse, beginning in chapter 13 and ending in chapter 17, is amazing. It is uncut discipleship teaching. Jesus is preparing them to hold on to their faith, which will be severely tested at His death. He is also preparing them for the ministry they will have after His resurrection as they are guided by the Spirit. Understanding this portion of Jesus' teaching is dependent on understanding the stress they all felt and the fact that they were entering a very dark tunnel. This teaching would stay with them the rest of their lives and mark their ministries, but here, it was meant to give them hope following Him as His disciples on this mission.
We actually get the setting for chapter 13 from the other Gospels, where they tell us that a fight broke out among the disciples as to who was the greatest. They all knew that something was going to happen during this visit to Jerusalem. Thomas had already said those sage words, "Let's go with Him and die." They all knew there were threats against Jesus. And Jesus kept talking about His death and resurrection. There was some expectation that something would happen, and they must have been hopeful that Jesus would win and there would be a kingdom.
Since this section is so rich, I'll only make a few comments that are important to me.
V. 3 Notice that Jesus served from a position of strength and He had a goal and a message. We tend to think that those who can, do, and those who can't, serve. Not so. Servant leadership always has deep strength, a goal and a message. Notice too, that this was outside of Jesus' "job description" as a rabbi, but not outside His job as a savior and maker of disciples.
V. 8 Jesus seeks to wash. How sad to resist.
V. 21 Jesus is troubled in spirit again, but this time, because one of His own will betray Him.
V. 23 The disciple Jesus loved is the writer of this Gospel, John the son of Zebedee, Jesus' cousin.
V. 27 This was Satan himself taking possession of Judas. Satan saved the big job for himself.
Again, although Jesus knew what Judas would do, His love and actions toward Judas never wavered. The disciples had no clue by Jesus' actions or moods or words to Judas that Judas was a traitor. Judas always had the option of saying, "No." Jesus never treated Judas unfairly. Judas' problem was within himself.
V. 30 is very poetic and ominous in its ending, "And it was night."
Psalm 119:1-16
I believe that David wrote this during his seven years in Hebron. I think the view you have here of David's heart describes him as a man after God's own heart in a way the stories about him do not. As much as I understand that David was a contradiction in his life and actions, this was his heart. I know I'm a contradiction. All of us are. So what do we do? We follow David's/the Spirit's advice in this psalm, if possible, and do it better than David did. This psalm ought to be the cry of every disciple's heart.
Notice how often words like "law," and "testimonies," and "commandments," and "word," and other variants are used. Verse 11 is one of the famous verses out of this section. How can we as disciples afford to live one day without reading His word and allowing it to flow through our hearts? Reading the Word daily is a must. Memorizing is what truly leads to meditation. On this earth, I think that is vital for us too.
Proverbs 15:29-30
If our hope is set on the Lord, our good news each day comes from His Word.
If you’re reading along and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link Every Day in the Word. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples, meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples, disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is, the commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never hurts.
I am not endorsing any particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has written to us, as I understand it.
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