Second Samuel chapter two. Second Samuel two beginning in verse 10. From shepherd boy to king. That's what we have been studying on Sunday nights in the life of David. He is now king, but he's not king of all Israel.

He's just king of a portion. He's getting a taste of what it is to be king, but he he hasn't got the whole cake or the whole pie yet, just a piece of it. The Lord must have some purpose in the way all of this came about for David. Read in Isaiah four forty and verse 31 as I've it should be one of those verses you have somewhat memorized by now. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. Waiting doesn't necessarily mean just sitting around waiting for something to happen. What it means is taking steps of faith, moving forward, and then trusting the Lord to bring about all that he has promised.

And that is what it means to wait upon the Lord and that is what we see in the life of David. We sang about the high king of heaven. Though David is to be king of Israel, he is not king of kings and Lord of lords. There's only one of those. And he is on the throne and he is in charge and he is working out his will even in our very lives.

Sometimes we think, well, you know, what am I? What am I to him? What? I'm I'm not I'm not the king of this or the prophet of that, but but the Lord has a purpose and has a calling and a mission for all of us, particularly in the body of Christ as Paul points out in Ephesians and in other of his letters. So, we're reminded of that this evening.

We're also reminded as we look at David that like as we, David is flawed. But despite that, God still what? God still used him. Abraham was flawed as well. But the just shall live by what?

By faith. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. And indeed, praise God, the same is true of us in Jesus Christ. So we continue with the reign of David. Now, not from Jerusalem yet, not overall Israel, but just from Hebron, and we pick up in two Samuel two ten.

Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was 40 years old when he began to reign over Israel and reigned two years, but the house of Judah followed David. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months. So while David ruled in Hebron in Judah in the South, Jerusalem and southward, Ishbosheth, it would seem took a while, eventually collected and the tribes of Israel north under his reign and ran out the Philistines who had taken over a large chunk of it. So he only ruled for two years while David ruled for seven and a half. And he was installed, it says in verse eight, by Abner, if you look back up at verse eight, but Abner, the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul and brought him to over to Mahanaim.

So first, we'll take a moment to look at David's opponent in this. Saul was killed, but one of his sons survived and that still remained an issue for David. Just when you think, okay, it's solved. Oh, well, no. Now we've got to deal with Ishbosheth.

Does that ever happen in life? They think we got everything solved, boy, it's good. And then all of a sudden, what? Something else pops up. God's still on the throne though.

He knew exactly. It was all part of his his plan. Ishbosheth means man of shame. He was Saul's surviving son. He was installed as king after Saul's death by Abner.

Now, I don't know if you remember Abner from our previous story, but Abner was Paul's was Saul's second in command, his general over his army, the highest ranking military authority in Israel. He was the first cousin of Saul, which we see also with David. We'll talk about in a moment. A lot of times, nepotism played a major role in the rule of kings. He was the one who had chased David with Saul.

He was the one who was humiliated by David in chapter 26 of first Samuel when David walked right into the camp of Saul, took his spear and his water bottle and walked out while Abner and everybody else was fast asleep. So that was Abner. He likely installed Ishbosheth as king, not so much out of loyalty to Saul, though there may have been some of that there, but to secure his own power because the power really was more with Abner than it was with Ishbosheth. That's why it makes a point that Abner installed Ishbosheth as king in Mahanaim. So Mahanaim, it's interesting.

We don't exactly know the pinpoint position of that city. It was just on the other side, the East Side Of The Jordan River in what's called Gilead. But it isn't the first time Mahanaim is mentioned. It means two camps is what it means. And in Genesis thirty one one and two, it shouldn't say 21.

It's just one and two. And Jacob went on his way. This is Jacob coming back from Laban. So Jacob was at Laban's and Haran, and he's now coming back to Israel with Leah and Rachel and his children. And he is shaking in his boots as he's thinking about facing Esau.

He doesn't know what he's got. Laban coming behind him. He's got Esau in front of him. And in in the night, in between the two, and of course, Jacob is a far cry from a perfect example, but yet God is with him. And God demonstrated that to him.

Because as Jacob went on his way, the angels of God met him. And when Jacob saw them, he said, this is God's host, and he called the name of that place Mahanaim. Meaning two camps. That's one camp of Jacob's family and servants and God's camp of angelic host. And so so he called it Mahanaim to indicate that God was there with him and that it wasn't just Jacob alone but the host of the Lord were there as well, two camps and that's where that name originates.

So, we continue on in our story here. In verse verse 12. And Abner, the son of Ner, the servants of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mana name to Gibeon. And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, the servants of David went out and met together by the Pool Of Gibeon, and they sat down one on the one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the pool. And Abner said to Joab, let the young man now arise and play before us.

And Joab said, let them arise. Then there arose and went over by number 12 of Benjamin. That's Abner's group of the north, Saul's tribe, which pertaineth Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and 12 servants of David. And they caught everyone his fellow by the head and thrust his sword in his fellow's side, so they fell down together. Wherefore, that place was called Helcath Hazarim, which is in Gibeon.

So, all 12 of them died fighting each other. Verse 17, and there was a very sore battle that day and Abner was beaten and the men of Israel before the servants of David. So I'm a skip ahead just a little bit here to this map up here on the screen. So, there we go. Right here is Hebron.

That's where David is king. Up here is Gibeon on the map. That's where they were at. Over here, somewhere in this area is thought to be where Mahanaim was. So Abner's Camp, Ishbosheth's temporary capital is over here in Gilead, Gibeon there, Hebron down here.

So just to point what where the land things are going on. And after the 12 were killed, they fought together the armies and David's soldiers quickly had the upper hand over Abner. So verse 18. And there were three of Zeruiah there, Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as light a foot as a wild roe or wild deer or gazelle.

And Asahel pursued after Abner, and in going, he turned not to the right hand nor to the left from following Abner. Then Abner looked behind him and said, art thou Asahel? And he said, I am. Abner said to him, turn thee aside to thy right hand or to thy left and lay thee hold on one of the young men and take thee his armor, but Asahel would not aside from following him and Abner again said unto Asahel, turn thee aside from following me, where wherefore should I smite thee the ground and how then should I hold up my face to Joab, thy brother? Howbeit he refused to turn aside, wherefore Abner, with the hinder end of the spear, smote him from under the fifth rib that the spear came out behind him.

And he fell down there and died the same place. And it came to pass that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still. Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner and the sun went down when they were come to the Hill Of Ammah that lieth before Giah by the way of the wilderness of Gibeon. And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together Abner and became one troop and stood on the top of one hill. Then Abner called to Joab and said, shall the sword devour forever?

Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end? How shall it be then ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren? And Joab said, as God liveth, unless thou had spoken, surely then the morning in the morning, the people had gone up, everyone from following his brother. So Joab blew a trumpet and all the people stood still and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they anymore. And Abner said and his men walked all that night through the plain, passed over Jordan, and went through Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim.

And Job returned from following Abner, and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants, 19 men, and Asahel. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin and of Abner's men so that 300 and threescore men died. And they took up Asahel and buried him in the sepulchre of his father which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night and they came to Hebron at the break of day. War is a terrible thing, but sadly due to man's inability to seek peace and to eschew violence, war often breaks out.

You would think after all of these centuries of seeing the horrors of war, we would be able to avoid it. But yet, here we are back again, war in Israel, war in Russia and Ukraine, and it continues because man is violent at heart. The only one who can change that is the prince of what? Peace. And it is him that has brought peace to our hearts.

It is he that will bring bring peace when he returns to this earth after his defeat of Satan and his army, there will be a pit time of peace like there has never been when the prince of peace rules, not only in people's hearts, but from his throne in Jerusalem. But that time is not yet, and that time was not then. And before David could take his rightful place on the throne, we have one more war that must be fought. Did Abner know that David had been anointed to be the next king? The answer to that is yes.

We're going to keep reading and you're going to see that he admits that later on. But for the sake of keeping his own power, he chooses differently. And it's not going to end well for Abner as it did not end well for Asahel who was David's nephew. So these three men, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel are David's nephews. And so it would seem that Abner was averse to killing Asahel.

Though him and Joab both were not too averse to having 12 of their men both fight each other and watch them die before them. So this is what happens here at this pool in Gibeon. And the upper hand was got by the one who will eventually win the battle, and that's David and his men. 300 and some verses 19 that day. But the battle ended with stalemate, so to speak, and Abner returns to his place and Joab returns to his place, but not before a blood feud had been sparked, particularly in the mind of one Joab.

And so we'll see where that leads. Bitterness in the soul is a terrible thing and bitterness unchecked is going to lead to bad things. And we'll see that here in Joab as the bitterness in his heart overrules wisdom that he should have known. And this plagues him not only here but in other places also. So as we continue, we get three.

To And we see in verse one, now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, but David waxed stronger and stronger and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker. This war continued. Again, David ruled for seven and a half years in Hebron before he ruled all of Israel. So this took place during this time period. And during the time, David had the better of Ishbosheth.

David was winning. The smaller against the greater, at least in number. Ishbosheth had access to all the other tribes of Israel and their armies, and David had access to what? To one army and that is the army of Judah. Now Judah was a large tribe and but yet, he was for sure the underdog.

But once again, the underdog is winning. Well, why is that? Because one of them has God on his side and the other one does not. One, God has appointed to be the next king and the other, God has not. And God exalts kings and God brings down kings and we see that here.

In first Corinthians four twenty seven, it says, when God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And as he did throughout David's life, he can do also and will do as we learn to grow and to trust in him in our life and give us the victory over things that we would not imagine, accomplish things we would not imagine. But we need to learn to follow him and trust in him. He always keeps his promises. He hears and answers our prayers.

He is mighty in behalf of his children. So we see that here in David in regards to the battle that's taking place and the war that's taking place. But we do have a little parenthetical part here which we want to look at. So, verse two. So chapter three verse two.

And to David were sons born in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon of Ahinom, the Jezreelitis. Okay? We will read more about Amnon later in the book. His let's see.

And verse three, his second, Sheleiab of Abigail, the wife of Nabal, Carmelite. We don't read much about Sheleiab later. The third, Absalom, the son of Maaakah, the daughter of Telmai, king of Geshur. Do you ever read about Absalom again? Yeah, you do, sadly.

The fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith. Yes, we also read about Adonijah as well later in the book. The fifth, Shephatiah, the son of Abitol. The sixth, Ethereum by Eglah, David's wife, these were born to David and Hebron. So a little parenthetical point there.

Now, it was common for kings to have a harem, to have many wives and many children. But, was it something that God intended? The answer to that is no. Just a little aside here. Just because other Christians are doing something doesn't make it what?

Doesn't make it right. Even godly people of faith sometimes still make wrong choices. And this is a big one for David that he will pass on to his son after him. In Genesis four nineteen, we read, Lamech took unto him two wives. The name of one was Adah and the name of the other Zillah.

Islamic, this Lamech, this is not Noah's father Lamech. This is another Lamech in the line not of Seth, but in the line of Cain. This is a wicked man and he is the first one in scripture that is identified that's having two wives. David already exhibited an issue when it comes to women. Unsatisfied with one, he marries many.

For the purpose of providing for them, such as Abigail, for political reasons, such as Absalom, whose daughter whose mother was a princess that he married probably for political reasons, for for satisfying his fleshly appetites, foreboding a future moral issue with David. In Proverbs five eighteen, it says, let thy fountain be blessed and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. When God created Adam and Eve in garden and he said that the man should leave his father and mother and cleave unto his wife and they should be one flesh. He didn't create Adam and Eve and somebody else, just Adam and Eve. One man and one wife.

Furthermore, in Deuteronomy chapter 17, God specifically had this to say that applies to David. It's interesting. David knew the scriptures quite well, but this particular scripture, he didn't seem too keen on. It says here, but he but he, speaking of the king of Israel, shall not multiply horses to himself nor cause the people to return to Egypt to the end that he should multiply horses for as much as the Lord has said unto you. Ye shall henceforth return no more that way, neither shall ye multiply what?

Wives to himself that his heart turn not away, neither shall he greatly multiply himself silver and gold. By the way, Solomon had issues with more than one of these things. He had a stable with many many horses to his glory. He had many wives and he had much, what, Silver and gold. For all of his wisdom, again, didn't seem to heed this particular passage of Scripture.

Sadly, people in power, sometimes even religious leaders use their power to amass pleasure and gain and comfort for whom? Primarily for themselves. That is not why God puts us in places of authority and power to help ourselves to that which we we should not have and we do not deserve. Here we see an issue with David in regards to this. Children born to different mothers regularly struggled with this, Isaac with Ishmael.

Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob's sons. One of the more well known stories that are told to children is one Cinderella. Cinderella and her her stepmother and her, therefore, half siblings that she didn't get along with. Today, obviously, in The United States, we don't have multiplicity of wives, but so many kids are in what do they call those? Homes?

There's a word for that. Well, not foster homes so much, but blended. Blended homes. Right. Because of so many divorce becoming so common, divorce, remarriage, divorce, remarriage, kids have have stepbrothers and sisters on this side, the stepbrothers and sisters on that side, and stepmoms and stepdads, and not as a result of a death in the family, but as a result of divorce in particular.

But it does cause issues, and this was one issue that certainly did not have to be. So we move on from that though into verse six back to the feud between David and Ishbosheth and Abner and Joab. So we come to verse six. And it came to pass while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner made himself strong for the house of Saul. And Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah.

And Ishbosheth said to Abner, wherefore hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine? Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ishbosheth and said, am I a dog's head which against Judah do show kindness this day in the house of Saul thy father to his brethren and to his friends and have not delivered thee into the hand of David that thou chargest me today with a fault concerning this woman? In other words, he accused Abner of this. Abner is basically saying, well, how dare you accuse me? Look what I've done for you.

I could've turned you over to David, but I didn't. And this is how you reward me. You accuse me. You know, the people that so vigorously defend themselves often are what? Guilty.

So, it may very well have been that Abner was guilty. Thus, he protested much. But, we're not actually told whether he was guilty or whether he was not. But it caused a rift between Abner and Ishbosheth. Verse nine, so do God to Abner and more also accept as the Lord has shown to David, even so I do to him to translate the kingdom from the house of Saul and to set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah from Dan even to Beersheba.

Dan is the furthest city in the North, Beersheba the furthest city in the South. So what is Abner saying? Abner is saying, you you have made a mistake because now I am going to see that all of Israel falls into the hands of who? David. Yeah.

That's why he's saying to Ishbosheth. And Ishbosheth could not answer Abner a word again because he what? He feared him. So where is the power really? The power is not with Ishbosheth.

The power all along has been with Abner. Okay? Now, not as much with David and Joab. David has authority, it would seem, to a great degree over Joab, though not completely. As we'll notice, Joab every now and then becomes a definite thorn in David's side.

But clearly, Abner is the authority in the North and so now Abner has changed his mind. Though neither of these men were of great moral character, it's not clear whether Abner committed the sin or not, but it caused a rift between them. And Ishbosheth certainly would have caused to have him executed but did not wield the power to do so. Abner having the power at this point, Ishbosheth dared not oppose him publicly, and so Abner takes it to his advantage and declares his loyalty to David, which brings us to verse 12. So now we have a change in loyalty of the one really with the power in the North and that is indeed Abner.

And so we get to verse 12. Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf saying, who is the land? Saying also, make thy league with me and behold, my hand shall be with thee to bring all Israel unto thee. So Abner changes sides. In a war shifting in David's direction, Abner decides to support the winner and not the loser.

Pragmatic? Yes. Maybe a change of heart? Maybe. But more like more likely pragmatism.

Slow to betray loyalty to Saul. He was Saul's cousin. Maybe that played into why he waited so long to switch sides. But he does finally switch sides. Again, David during this time, again, what is David doing?

He's waiting. And again, things are falling David's what? They're falling David's way and not merely by coincidence. Behind the scenes, God is at work. First negotiations in verse verse 12 take place between David and Abner the messengers, seen as it might be kind of dangerous for him just to walk into Hebron seeing he has been the commander of the opposing army.

And then in verse 13, the negotiations continue. So, chapter three verse 13, and he said, well, I will make a league with thee, but one thing I require of thee that is thou shalt not see my face except thou first bring Michael, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face. And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, deliver me, my wife, Michael, which I espoused to me for an 100 foreskins of the Philistines. And Ishbosheth sent and took her from her husband even from Phaltiel, the son of Laish, and her husband went with her along behind along weeping behind her to to Bahurim, Then said Abner unto him, go return, and he returned. So David said, sure, I'll make a pact with you, but you have to prove your loyalty.

Bring me my wife. Now, was Michael indeed his wife? Well, she was his rightful wife. She was his first wife. She was Saul's daughter who was given to him in marriage.

It seemed that from our reading in first Samuel that it was an acceptable move by Michael. She loved David. She actually helped David escape from her father. But after David left as a fugitive and she was left behind, eventually, her father gave her to to somebody else. So would it seem that David had a right to ask for Michael back?

Well, if he didn't have six other wives, you might think so. But is this out of love for Michael? No. No, I don't think so. What is is so important about Michael?

She is Saul's what? She is Saul's daughter. She's Saul's daughter. Therefore, she is sister to the current ruler in Israel, that would be Ishbosheth. So it sort of authenticates David's rule over all of Israel by having Michael with him.

So that would seem to be the motivation behind what David is doing, not particularly out of love for Michael who has now been husband to another man and has children by him as she had none with David. And it is a political move, again, to prove Abner's loyalty to David. Moving on to verse 17, and Abner had communication with the elders of Israel saying, He sought for David in times past to be king over you, now then do it for the Lord has spoken to of David saying, by the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the Philistines and out of the hand of all their enemies. And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin. And Abner went also to speak in the ears of David and Hebron all that seemed good to Israel and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

So Abner came to David to Hebron, 20 men with him, and David was and David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast. And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go and will gather all Israel unto my Lord the king that they may make a league with thee, that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth. David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. And so here is Abner offering up the rest of Israel to David for him to rule over. And he said, I will go.

I they will listen to me and I will bring them here and we will make you king over all of Israel. That seemed good to David. Was David aware that Abner had killed his nephew? I am sure that Joab made David. But there was a bigger what?

There's a bigger picture here. There's there's a more important thing. There is people and lands and a kingdom at stake that overrules the importance of bringing justice, so to speak, to Abner. David at times had some issues, but David was wise and that made him, in many respects, a good king over his people. There is much to be said in wisdom And even people like us that have failings and faults, if we ask God, he will give us what?

Wisdom. If we will accept and receive his word and eat it, it will guide our steps. And God's people ought to be wise and thoughtful. God has given us not a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a what? A sound mind.

We need to use that. And we see David using that, taking the opportunity hopefully to settle this not with more bloodshed, but with diplomacy and treaty. And to David, that was worth putting up with who? That was worth putting up with Abner. Though David was a soldier, David was not bloodthirsty as the other man that we're going to talk about in the next verse.

And he saw an opportunity to settle this without further bloodshed and war. People in charge today would be well to consider that as well when given the opportunity. Our battle is not primarily with what? If you read my devotion from this week, flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places. So that brings us to verse 22.

So verse 22, and behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a troop and brought in a great spoil with them, but Abner was not with David in Hebron, for he had sent him away and he was gone in peace. When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told Joab saying, Abner the son of Nun came to the king and he has sent him away and he is gone in peace. Then Joab came to the king and said, what hast thou done? Behold, Abner came unto thee. Why is it that thou hast sent him away and he is quite gone?

What is Joab saying? Why did you let this guy walk away? You should have strung him up. That's what Joab is saying. You mean he's you let him go?

Verse 25, thou knowest Abner the son of Ner that he came to deceive thee and to know thy going out and thy coming in and to know all that thou doest. Joab said he didn't come to make a peace treaty with you, he came to what? He came to spy on you and you let him go with intel. Now, Joab shrewd, but he's wrong in this particular instance it would seem. Verse 26.

And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him again from the Well Of Sarai, and David knew it not. And when Abner was returned to the to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly and smote him there under the fifth rib and he died for the blood of Ezekiel, his brother. And afterward, when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the Lord forever from the blood of Abner, the son of Ner. For it rests on the head of Joab and on all his father's house. And let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

So Joab and Abishai his brother slew Abner because he had slain their brother, Asahel, at Gibeon in the battle. Joab couldn't let it what? Couldn't let it go. Now, did Abner search out Asahel to kill him? Do you remember the story we just read?

Did Abner say to Asahel, don't don't keep running after me? He did. Did he not say to Asahel, why don't you stop and grab somebody's armor and put it on? Because if you catch me, it's not going to end well. But as a hell continued.

A little different in falling in battle than in searching out somebody innocent to kill. There does there's a difference in scripture between the two. But Joab could not let it go. He couldn't see the bigger picture. He had to have his what?

He had to have his revenge. What does the Bible say? Deuteronomy thirty two twenty five, to me belongeth vengeance and recompense. Their foot shall slide in due time for the day of their calamity is at hand and the things that shall come upon them make haste. Why did God say to me belongeth what?

Vengeance and recompense. But Joab had to take that on himself. In the New Testament, these words are echoed in Romans 12 where it says, dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but gather give place to wrath for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Joab and Abner were not in battle at the time. And Joab, being deceitful and bloodthirsty and vengeful and not able to let it go, took Abner's life.

I can imagine his bitterness. I can imagine his anguish over having lost his brother. But sometimes we have to let God take care of those things. Let the right course of government and justice system take care of those things and not take upon ourselves things that are not ours to do. Again, you need to wait on who?

Wait on the Lord. So what did Joab do when he killed Abner? What was Abner going to do? Abner was going to go back to the tribes of Israel and get them to join who? David.

Now is Abner going to do that? The answer to that is no because Abner is dead. So Abner's not going to go back and do that now because Joab had to kill him. And this is not the first this is not the last time we'll see something from Joab. And we also see David not really doing a whole lot about it, announcing a curse, but Joab will remain David's second in command.

They David does mourn the death of Abner in verse 31. And David said to Joab and to all the people that were with him, rend your clothes and gird your sackcloth and mourn before Abner. And King David himself followed the buyer like the casket and they buried Abner in Hebron. And the king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner and all the people wept and the king lamented over Abner and said, died Abner as a fool dieth. Thy hands were not bound nor thy feet put in fetters as a man falleth before a wicked man, so fellest thou and all the people wept again over him.

When all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it was yet day, David swear saying, so do God to me and more also if I haste bread or ought else till the sun be down. And all the people took notice of it and it pleased them as whatsoever the king did pleased all the people for all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner. So what did David do? He mourned the death of his what? What was Abner?

Until that point in time, he was his he was his enemy. He was his adversary. He had been the cause of the death of many of his soldiers, but yet he was willing to lay that aside for what? For peace. He was willing to take a chance on Abner and he mourned the death of his enemy who it would seem had just turned to become his what?

His friend. And the people respected him for that. I don't know if it was more of a political maneuver, but does not seem to be the case. It seemed that David actually mourned the death of Abner, again, the cousin of king Saul, who David refused to kill, king Saul if you remember, on more than one occasion. And we'll see that once again in the next chapter next week with Ishbosheth.

So David mourns the death of Abner demonstrating to Israel that it's not his doing but Joab's. However, as he stated, God eventually will deal with Joab at a later date by the hand of his son Solomon and Benaiah. Does Joab have his day coming? And the answer to that is yes. Vengeance is mine.

I will repay, saith the Lord. So we'll end today with first Kings chapter two. In first Kings chapter two, David has passed and the throne is passed on to Solomon. However, Joab was not content. He wasn't satisfied with Solomon.

He wanted Adonijah. Among those list of sons we read a few minutes ago, Joab tried to install Adonijah's king in opposition to Solomon, God's choice. Very much like Abner, installed Ishbosheth in opposition, to David. I think his power went to his head. And so in verse 28, we see the result of that when Adonijah was killed and Solomon took his throne.

It says in verse 28 of first Kings two, then tidings came to Joab for Joab had turned after Adonijah though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord and caught hold on the horns of the altar. And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled under the tabernacle of the Lord and behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoida, saying, go fall upon him. So Benaiah is in the place.

Benaiah is to Solomon what Joab was to David. He is his highest ranking military officer. Joab evidently thought maybe if he went into the courtyard of the temple and grabbed a hold to the corner of the altar that they wouldn't kill him for his betrayal of David and David's wish for Solomon to be king. But that turns out not to be the case. Benaiah came to the tabernacle Lord and said unto him, thus saith, the king come forth, and he said, nay, but I will die here.

And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, thus said Joab, and thus he answered me. And the king said to him, do as he has said, and fall upon him and bury him, that thou mayest take away the innocent blood which Joab shed from me and from the house of my father. And the Lord shall return his blood upon his head who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he and slew them with the sword. My father David not knowing thereof to win Abner, the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa, the son of Jethar, captain of the host of Judah, we would read about later on. Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, upon the head of his seed forever, but upon David and upon his seed and upon his house and upon his throne shall there be peace forever from the Lord.

And Benaiah, the son of Jehoia went up and fell upon him and slew him and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. And so Joab meets an ignominious is that the word? Ignominious, I think. And they're clinging to the altar when his sin caught up with him. And our sin will catch up with us, but praise the Lord, we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ, the what?

Righteous. And if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to what? Forgive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But if we choose not to deal with our sins, then who will? And God will.

And behold, your sin will find you out. It found Joab out. As mighty as he was, he didn't die that way. He could not save himself. The power is in the hands of who?

In the hands of God. And the best thing is just to follow the Lord and do what is right, not allow bitterness to eat us up, to choose wisdom and righteousness and see the blessing of the Lord. David had his ups and downs, but David did that and the Lord blessed him. Joab, not not so much. Let's close in prayer.

Lord, we thank you for the many lessons that we read in this passage this evening. Lord, help us to heed not only the parts of your word that are convenient, but the parts that we find inconvenient. Lord, forgive us of our sins and keep our heart clean before you. Lord, give us wisdom from above and help us to seek peace whenever possible. Lord, help us to follow your will, to trust in the Lord with all our heart and to lean not unto our own understanding.

Lord, allow us not to be eaten up with bitterness and anger. Let us be angry and sin not, and let not the sun go down upon our wrath. May we learn more day by day to trust in you, to be a person after God's own heart, to see with the eyes of Christ a world that needs a savior, to recognize that our battle is not with flesh and blood, but within spiritual enemies, And to put on the whole armor of God that we may be prepared to fight the real battle and to show the world the love and compassion and mercy and the wisdom and grace of the God that we serve. And Lord, may you build your kingdom in our hearts. May you touch many lives and bring many souls to the savior through it As we choose day by day and step by step to let you have first place in our heart.

In Jesus' precious name we do pray. Amen.