2 Samuel 3 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+3

There’s a lot of bad stuff that happens in this chapter, a lot of really awful consequences for sin, tragic scenes. First, there is Mical. You might remember that Mical had been David’s wife but when Saul was trying to kill David, he took Mical away and gave her to someone else. Now David wants her back and you can’t really blame him (though you can blame him for having 2 other wives at least already). But man, her other husband follows after her weeping – breaks your heart! A direct result of Saul’s sin and a reminder of the pain that can be caused when people break God’s designs for marriage. Then there’s Abner. Abner took way too long to follow the Lord’s command that David should be king but he did come around and David (wisely) welcomed and forgave him. Joab, no so much. Joab is a pest and a thorn in David’s side. He kills Abner in revenge for him killing his brother (even though, oh yeah that was in battle and Abner warned Asahel to stop trying to kill him so he wouldn’t have to return the favor). What anger, what foolishness, what brazen treachery and sin! And it could have had terrible consequences. The civil war was finally over but such an act easily could have reignited the fight. But David, like his Son Jesus brought peace. He humbled himself and wept for Abner (who had disobeyed God and opposed David). David fasted for him and wept for him and everyone saw it. David brought peace by forgiveness and cursed Joab’s house though frankly, he probably should have executed Joab (if he wasn’t David’s cousin, he probably would have). Jesus too brought peace, Jesus too humbled himself and forgave those who had disobeyed and opposed Him. He laid out his life on the cross not only fasting and weeping but suffering and dying for the sins of all. Let that be our comfort and our example when others sin against us, forgiveness brings peace.

Prayer – Lord forgive me for I have sinned and so let me also forgive others. Let your peace settle upon us like peaceful showers to bring forth fruits of love and joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

2 Samuel 2 – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+2

There’s a poem about war by Thomas Hardy called “The man he killed.” Here’s a link to it – http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173594
The point of the poem is how strange and sad war is. You kill a man on the other side because he’s on the other side. If you knew him elsewhere, you might be friends, you might share a drink or sing a song. You might even share a pew with him at church. How much weirder when there is civil war. That is what is happening in Israel in our text. Men killing their relatives and friends. Men being forced to fight against their fellow Israelites. And why? Because they didn’t listen to God. They thought they knew better and they didn’t trust His plan. God had anointed David to be king. He had made it clear that Saul’s descendants would not have the throne. Everyone knew this. Yet Abner makes Ish-Bosheth king. Why? He thought he knew better and perhaps was distrustful of a king from the tribe of Judah since they were the largest tribe. What it really comes down to is a failure to trust God and His Word. Such an attitude often has terrible consequences. It’s a reminder to us, God does know best! When we don’t like what He has said, when we think it doesn’t make sense, when we fail to trust let us remember Christ because He’s at the center of all this. He gives us the reason of all reasons to trust God. He died for us. He’s proved His love beyond any doubt. By His work to make us right with God, we can know that God is working things as He knows best and that’s good news! So don’t go to war because you don’t trust God. Trust Him, trust His forgiveness. There’s peace there.

Prayer – Lord, let us not in pride and unbelief question your holy Word and will. Give us faith to trust and love you above all things for You have made us Your own. Amen.

In Christ
Pastor Ude