Read: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39; John 13:1-30; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 15:29-30
Abner, Israel’s army commander, met Joab, Judah’s army commander and their troops at Gibeon. They matched man to man in a battle hoping not to have to fight a huge battle. That didn’t work because they killed each other and their was no survivor. This led to a battle where 360 Israelites died and only 19 from Judah. In this battle, Joab’s younger brother, Asahel relentlessly chased Abner to kill him. Abner gave him a chance to escape but he wouldn’t take it. Finally, Abner had to kill him. Asahel’s other two brothers chased Abner till they got to a hill. Abner talked Joab and his brother into peace and they went home.
There were many battles after that between them and they ended about the same. David’s side grew stronger and Ishbosheth’s weaker.
David was living in Hebron and had 6 sons with six different wives. David was a strong leader and the people loved him.
Ishbosheth was a weak leader. He rebuked his commander, Abner for sleeping with his father’s concubine when he should have had him put to death or fired him. Instead, Abner, stood up to Ishbosheth. Abner had no respect for Ishbosheth and decided he would rather serve David so he arranged a meeting with David to give him the whole kingdom. First, David wanted his wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, to be given back to him. She had been given to another man who was greatly distraught to lose her.
David met with Abner and made a covenant to be one nation. After Abner left for home, Joab returned from a raid. When he found out that David had let Abner go in peace, he was irate. He chased Abner and killed him to avenge the blood of his brother, Asahel. He didn’t consider the peace of the nation because he couldn’t get over the offense he had in his heart.
David saved the peace by honoring Abner in his death and letting the people know without a doubt, he had nothing to do with Abner’s death. Joab didn’t learn from watching David’s life and how he learned to forgive Saul and not take revenge into his own hands. God is the one who avenges us. He does it so that no one is blamed. Our part is forgiveness.
Joab got his revenge but also a huge curse on his family. The curse was that no one from his house would be without a running sore or leprosy or one who leaned on a crutch or fell by the sword or who lacked food… in other words: plague, war and famine.
In John, Jesus was about to have his last supper with his disciples. First, he wrapped a towel around his waist and washed the feet of his disciples. Then he reminded them that he was their teacher and their Lord yet he humbled himself to wash their feet. They were to do the same for one another.
Then, Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. This flabbergasted them and they put John up to asking Jesus who it was. Jesus said it would be the one who he gave the piece of bread once he had dipped it in the bowl. He dipped it in the bowl and gave it to Judas and told him to go and do what he was going to do. As soon as Jesus gave him the word and the bread, Satan entered into Judas and he left. The disciples still didn’t get it. If they had, they probably would have tried to stop God’s plan. God blinded their understanding until it was over and too late to stop it.
Psalm 119 is the alphabet song of the Hebrews. Every eight verses stands for the letters of their alphabet. Today we read Aleph for “A” and Bet for “B”.
Lord may we hid your Word in our hearts that we not stray from your commands.
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