David: A Man after God’s Own Heart Series [18] Abner and Joab David: A Man after God’s Own Heart Series [18] 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39 © July 30, 2017 Pastor Paul K. Kim 2

UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL NARRATIVES Biblical narratives depict the realities of life events as they are—often without any remarks of approval or disapproval of what happened. Biblical narratives do not teach a doctrine explicitly; rather, they illustrate a doctrine implicitly. Characters of biblical narratives are not always good nor always bad, unlike cartoon characters or fairy tales. In all biblical narratives, God is the true main character and hero.

THREE LINKED STORIES: THE WAR, THE BETRAYAL, & THE MURDER The War: between the house of Saul and the house of David (2:12-3:1)   . . . 18 And the three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 And Asahel pursued Abner, and as he went, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. 20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, “Is it you, Asahel?” And he answered, “It is I.” 21 Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right hand or to your left, and seize one of the young men and take his spoil.” But Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 And Abner said again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I lift up my face to your brother Joab?” 

THREE LINKED STORIES: THE WAR, THE BETRAYAL, & THE MURDER The War: between the house of Saul and the house of David (2:12-3:1) 23 But he refused to turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. And he fell there and died where he was. And all who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still . . .   29 And Abner and his men went all that night through  the Arabah. They crossed the Jordan, and marching the whole morning, they came to Mahanaim. 30 Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner. And when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing from David's servants nineteen men besides Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down of Benjamin 360 of Abner's men.

THREE LINKED STORIES: THE WAR, THE BETRAYAL, & THE MURDER The War: between the house of Saul and the house of David (2:12-3:1)  32 And they took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. And Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron. 1 There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. (2:12-3:1) Abner as Israel’s commander and Joab as Judah’s commander went head-to-head in this long, brutal civil war. Zeruiah was David’s sister and Joab, Abishai, and Asahel were his nephews. The already “personal” civil war became even more personal because of the death of Asahel, Joab’s brother (although it was not a murder).

THREE LINKED STORIES: THE WAR, THE BETRAYAL, & THE MURDER The Betrayal: of Abner to Ish-bosheth (3:6-21)     . . . 12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and behold, my hand shall be with you to bring over all Israel to you.” 13 And he said, “Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you; that is, you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face.” 14 Then David sent messengers to Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, saying, “Give me my wife Michal, for whom I paid the bridal price of a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.” 15 And Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. 16 But her husband went with her, weeping after her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go, return.” And he returned . . .

THREE LINKED STORIES: THE WAR, THE BETRAYAL, & THE MURDER The Betrayal: of Abner to Ish-bosheth (3:6-21)   20 When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 And Abner said to David, “I will arise and go and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.” So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. (3:6-21) Ish-bosheth was a puppet king because Abner had the military & political power among the eleven tribes of Israel. Abner was an opportunist who wasn’t really concerned for God’s kingdom; his front was “spiritual/religious” but his true concern was for himself. Even though Abner was driven by his self-centered ambition, not all things about him was bad; he has been also a longtime loyal commander of Israel. David’s reason in asking for Michal was to unify the divided tribes into one.

THREE LINKED STORIES: THE WAR, THE BETRAYAL, & THE MURDER The Murder: of Abner by Joab for revenge (3:22-39) . . .  26 When Joab came out from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah. But David did not know about it. 27 And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach, so that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. 28 Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD for the blood of Abner the son of Ner. 29 May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!” 30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because  he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.

THREE LINKED STORIES: THE WAR, THE BETRAYAL, & THE MURDER The Murder: of Abner by Joab for revenge (3:22-39) 31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn before Abner.” And King David followed the bier. 32 They buried Abner at Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.  33 And the king lamented for Abner, saying, “Should Abner die as a fool dies? 34 Your hands were not bound; your feet were not fettered; as one falls before the wicked you have fallen.” And all the people wept again over him. 35 Then all the people came to persuade David to eat bread while it was yet day. But David swore, saying, “God do so to me and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” 

THREE LINKED STORIES: THE WAR, THE BETRAYAL, & THE MURDER The Murder: of Abner by Joab for revenge (3:22-39) 36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them, as everything that the king did pleased all the people. 37 So all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king's will to put to death Abner the son of Ner.  38 And the king said to his servants, “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I was gentle today, though anointed king. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I. The LORD repay the evildoer according to his wickedness!” (3:22-39) Joab’s front was “for David and the nation of Judah” (perhaps, believing it himself), but he was driven by his “self-rule” for acting on what’s right. Abner’s death was an injustice by an unrighteous act that benefited David. However, David refused to be part of it and genuinely grieved for Abner. Why? David’s life-center was righteous God and David feared the LORD.

THREE LESSONS FROM THE STORIES OF ABNER, JOAB, & DAVID Lesson #1: Unlike Abner, we are to be vigilant against second things becoming first thing in life—i.e., our ambition, success, & recognition. 25 A greedy man stirs up strife,     but the one who trusts in the LORD will be enriched. 26 Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool,     but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered. Proverbs 28:25-26 Notice that Abner had mixed motives—to be loyal to the house of Saul (for God) and to follow his ambition and success (for himself). Remember: it doesn’t take an evil person to be an opportunist; any one of us with mixed priorities and motives could be like Abner. Therefore, the key is to make a pre-decided/wholehearted commitment to following Jesus and Jesus’ way as our ULTIMATE priority.

THREE LESSONS FROM THE STORIES OF ABNER, JOAB, & DAVID Lesson #2: Unlike Joab, we are to humbly do things God’s way rather than stubbornly doing things “my way”—even in doing good things. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil Proverbs 3:7 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:7-8 Joab was very loyal and a huge asset to David’s leadership when his “self-rule” was right and congruent with God’s way. But, when his ways were against God’s way, he was harmful to David. Therefore, we ought to be loyal to God FIRST and always follow God’s way.

THREE LESSONS FROM THE STORIES OF ABNER, JOAB, & DAVID Lesson #3: Like David, we are to uphold righteousness & justice in all our ways even when it benefits us to overlook injustice & unrighteousness.  4 For the word of the LORD is upright,     and all his work is done in faithfulness. 5 He loves righteousness and justice;     the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD. Psalm 33:4-5 David’s secret to becoming a man after God’s own heart was this: David cared about God’s heart and feared the LORD more than anything in life. Even when well-meaning people did injustice and unrighteousness that brought a benefit to him, David upheld God’s righteous and just way. While David was not far from perfect, his secret kept him close to God’s heart and God’s way at all times.

Doing God’s Work in God’s Way Why does the Bible have this stuff in it? If God is working here, speaking here, why don’t things work out better? Why don’t people behave better? Why are boneheads like Joab and Abner allowed to take up so much space? If God is at the center of things, why does history get so messed up? The answer is quite obvious, even if uncongenial. This is the context and company in which God chooses to work out our salvation. Abner and Joab are also in this story, and the sooner we get used to it the better. We found wonderful companions in this way of faith and discipleship, men and women of grace and beauty, loyalty and prayer: Jonathans and Abigails, Samuels and Ahimelechs. But we also find ourselves joined by Abners and Joabs under many and various aliases . . . Because they think they’re on our side, we also assume that they are. But that assumption gets no biblical confirmation. Abner and Joab bear watching. Means are important. God’s work can’t be done other than in God’s way. Exploitation (Abner) and violence (Joab) aren’t God’s way. ― Eugene H. Peterson

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE In what ways will you be vigilant against “second things” becoming first thing in your everyday life? What would it mean for you to submit humbly to doing things “God’s way” rather stubbornly doing things “your way” even in good things? What is your first step toward to uphold righteousness & justice in all your ways without rationalization or compromise?