Sat.’s Devo- The Clashing of Kingdoms

Read: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39; John 13:1-30; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 15:29-30
The “Field of Swords” makes no sense to me, but then there are a lot of things in the scripture that I don’t understand. Both sides were God’s people. Maybe it was just to show that God cared equally for both sides. Twelve men stood head to head and killed each other the same way. The battle didn’t end that even. David’s men killed 18 times the number of Abner’s men. But Abner killed Joab’s youngest brother, Asahel even though he tried to give him every opportunity to give up first.
Joab held that against Abner and could not forgive him even though it was all in the name of war and nothing personal.
Joab ended up killing Abner when Abner came in peace causing David to put a curse on his family for every generation. He proclaimed that there would always be a member of Joab’s family that had open sores or leprosy, or crippled, or died in battle or begged for food. That was a horrible curse.
David mourned the death of Abner and all Israel knew that he had nothing to do with his death. David got his wife, Michal back. Saul had promised David one of his daughters when he went against Goliath. He was now recovering all that had been stolen from him - the kingdom, his wife, and his honor.
In John, Jesus was eating the Passover seder with his disciples. He washed their feet telling them that if their walk was clean then all of their body would be clean. He told them one of them would betray him and even made it clear who it was, though they didn’t get it at the time. He told him out right that he was the Messiah and anyone who believed in him also believed in God which was the opposite of what he had said to the people. He told them that if he believed in God, then believe the one he had sent. Jesus could say it this way to his disciples because they did believe in him.
We are in a battle right now of kingdoms and it is becoming more and more obvious what those kingdoms are and who is on what side. I pray that the Body of Christ will not be naive but also not afraid of the enemy and his tactics. We already know the outcome and we are on the winning side!
Lord, we pray that you would speak clearly to us as the ones who believe in you and believe in God. Help us to be keenly aware of what you are doing and only follow your voice.