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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Gal 5:22 |
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Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for collecting daily manna), make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Saturday, May 5, 2018
Today's Passage : Today's Passage:Subjecta:The Civil War Between David and Ish-Bosheth Bible Verse:2 Samuel 2, 3, 4 "A fierce battle followed that day [soon after David’s coronation], and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by the forces of David. Asahel [Joab’s brother] could run like a gazelle, and he began chasing Abner. He pursued him relentlessly, not stopping for anything. “Go fight someone else!” Abner warned. “Take on one of the younger men, and strip him of his weapons.” But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrust the butt end of his spear through Asahel’s stomach, and the spear came out through his back. He stumbled to the ground and died there. And everyone who came by that spot stopped and stood still when they saw Asahel lying there. When Joab and Abishai found out what had happened, they set out after Abner. Abner shouted down to Joab, “Must we always be killing each other? Don’t you realize that bitterness is the only result? When will you call off your men from chasing their Israelite brothers?” That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker. * * * Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know it. Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the gateway, as though to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab (with the help of his brother Asahel) stabbed him in the stomach, and he died. * * * When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. Saul's son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. They had gone into the house [of Ish-Bosheth] while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron. David answered, “[W]icked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed — should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!” So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner's tomb at Hebron." Message:
We have greatly abridged the melodramatic civil war between David and the majority of Israel, who were loyal to Saul’s son, Ish-Bosheth. Most people will say that the early kings of Israel were Saul, David, and Solomon, but really Ish-Bosheth might be inserted in the line—he at least merits a footnote! David (although anointed as king of Israel) commands only one tribe, Judah, at the start of it. These chapters are a backwater in the Old Testament history of Israel’s monarchic period. Mostly, it reminds us of how messy history actually is. Like Solomon after him, David must fight a major civil war to secure his kingdom.
The details seem like a plot out of a Shakespeare play, or a history of 15th century Florence. Abner, Saul’s general, kills Joab's brother Asahel. Joab murders Abner in revenge, stabbing him in the equivalent of a dark alley. A couple of opportunists run down Ish-Bosheth himself and murder him in his bed, then cut off his head and bring it to David.
You would think that, by this time, people would have stopped murdering kings and expecting David to reward them. David has a peculiar sense of right and wrong, as to whom may be killed and who may not. He would raid a village and kill the women and children; yet he calls Ish-Bosheth “an innocent man in his own house.” It is not clear whether David is simply opposed to regicide—remembering that the idea of kings being anointed by God had already arisen. Or perhaps this is an early manifestation of the Hebrews attitude toward non-Jews, who did not follow the law and correspondingly were not always entitled to its protection.
Meditation : Prayer : Walk with me, dear Lord, so that I may not be alone as I face this day, but always in your presence. Your joy is a lighthouse in a world often dark with sin, and I pray that I may reflect the light of your truth, to inspire others as I have been inspired. In the name of Christ, bless me this day, and all whom I may meet.......Amen |
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