Friday's Devo -Is Revenge Found "Under the 5th Rib?"

Read 2 Sam. 3
The house of Saul and the house of David are continuing to fight. David has 6 sons by 6 different wives and Saul has a concubine.... who has become Abners' concubine. This is a very disrespectful move on Abners' part and King Ishbosheth, Saul's son, rebukes him. Abner gets very offended and decides to change his allegiance to David. Ishbosheth is afraid of Abner, so he decides he will also be a follower of David. David needs to be told so they can start being one instead of divided. Messengers are sent to David to ask him for a league of peace. David won't meet till he gets his wife, Michal back. She was promised to him for 100 Philistine foreskins and David had done his part, but they hadn't done theirs. They seized Michal from her poor husband and took her to David.
(You would think David had enough wives.) Abner and his 20 men were met by David with a feast. They talked and Abner went away in peace. Abner was going to go back to rally Israel under David. After Abner left, Joab, David's commander-in-chief came back from a battle. When Joab found out Abner had come and gone in peace he was furious. He accused Abner of deceiving David and being a traitor. Then Joab secretly went after Abner and killed him with a spear "under the 5th rib." (there it is again) Joab killed Abner out of revenge for killing his brother Asahel. (remember Abner killed Asahel by back-stabbing him "under the 5th rib".)
Abner was going to bring peace to the nation and was killed on his mission. It reminds me of Abraham Lincoln. We'll never know how the story would have gone if they had lived longer. Revenge is an ugly monster that has no rationale or reason. It is totally out of control.
David is full of sorrow for Abner and curses Joab and his family. He gives Abner an honored burial and leads all Israel in a fast. He turns Joab over to the Lord for him to punish. That's what Joab should have done to Abner. That' what we need to do, too. Lord, forgive us for taking matters into our own hand. You are so able and deserving to take everything that concerns me.