Journey through the life of Saul & David - 62. Don’t let evil conquer you!!!

David sent Abner away safely after discussing, while Joab and some men returned from a raid, bringing much plunder with them. 

Joab heard about Abner's visit with David. So he rushed to the king and asked him that why he left Abner back alive?

Since Abner murdered his brother Asahel, Joab was furious and sent messengers to ask Abner to return back. David knew nothing about Joab's secret plan of asking Abner to come back to Hebron again.

When he arrived, Joab took him aside as if he wanted to speak with him privately. But instead he stabbed Abner in the stomach and killed him thereby taking revenge for killing his brother Asahel.(2 Samuel 3:27) 

When David heard this he was upset with Joab and his family who were guilty about this. In his frustration and anger, David cursed Joab and his family with leprosy, broken legs, death by sword and begging for food.

To Ponder:

True!! It's really upsetting when people around us specially our near and dear ones, don't behave the way we wanted them to rather do exactly opposite to what we plan.

It's really a test for our patience. How do we react? Do we curse like how David did or leave it in God's hands to take care.

Romans 12:21 says, Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. 

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 61. Lord will fulfill your heart's desire!!!

Abner sent messengers to David, saying, that he will help in handing over all of Israel to him.

But David replied, that he will not negotiate anything unless he brings back his wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, whom David bought for 100 fore skins of the Philistines. (2 Samuel 3:13)

So Ishbosheth took Michal away from her husband, Palti who followed behind her weeping as she went.

Abner spoke with the elders of Israel. And with the tribe of Benjamin about making David their king. Since the LORD has chosen David to save his people from the hands of the Philistines and from all their other enemies. Then he went to Hebron to tell David that all the people agreed to support him. David entertained them with a great feast. 

Then Abner said that he would call an assembly of people who supports to make a covenant with David to make him as king, so he can rule over everything his heart desired. Then David sent Abner safely on his way.

To Ponder:

Abner who was fighting against David so long, with one hurt feeling became sensitive and he himself stood and organized everything for David so that he would become the King of the entire Israel and Judah, according to God's plan as well as David's heart's desire.

Even today when God's perfect timing comes in our life, He can change everything upside down in a minute. Wait in the Lord.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 60. Let Thy will be done!!!

Saul had a concubine named Rizpah. Abner started living with her, so Ish-bosheth asked Abner, why he was living with his dad's concubine?

Abner got angry over this, since he had been sincere in showing steadfast love to the house of Saul and did not give them over to the hand of David. 

Even after doing so much he was charged with a fault of woman. So Abner got frustrated in fighting for Saul and family, though he knew that God had planned to make David as king.

So now he shifted stands out of anger in accomplishing for David what the Lord has sworn to him. That was to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah.

And Ish-bosheth could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.  (2 Samuel 3:11).

To ponder:

Sometimes we too are like Abner. Though we know what is the ultimate plan of God in our life, still we continue in what we desire to do according to our wish until when time comes when we face problems and finally out of frustration we land up or start doing His will in our lives.

Let us be wise and as we all say in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done" , let us surrender to His will and not ours today.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 59. Waiting time in the Lord is not a wasting time!!!

There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker. 

Sons were born to David at Hebron: His wife Ahinoam - gave birth to Amnon

Abigail-Chilean 

Maacah -Absalom

Haggith-Adonijah 

Abital - Shephatiah 

Eglah-Ithream

There was constant war between the house of Saul and the house of David. As David waited on the Lord his strength was renewed like that of an eagle as in Isaiah 40:31. Both his army and his family was strengthened.

To ponder:

Have you waited for a blessing for a long time? Today God encourages us from David's life that our waiting will not go in vain. 

As sorrows came in bunches, blessings also would come in bunches, for sure. He will turn our mourning into dancing.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 58. Be slow to anger!!!

Joab, David's commander, Abishai, and Asahel were brothers they were all in David’s army.

Asahel runs fast like a gazelle, so he began chasing Abner, who was Saul's commander and now came fighting with his son Ishboseth.

When Abner noticed him chasing he warned him to fight with someone else.

But Asahel din give up. Abner warned him to get away from him, since he dint wish to kill Asahel because he felt bad to face his brother Joab. But Asahel refused to turn back, so Abner thrusted his spear through Asahel’s stomach and he died.

When his brothers Joab and Abishai found this out they began chasing Abner. 

Abner at one point shouted and asked Joab, that should they always be killing each other and finally result in bitterness ? He asked Joab, when will he stop his men from chasing their Israelite brothers?

Then Joab realized and blew the ram’s horn, and stopped  chasing their Israelite brothers and they returned home.

To ponder:

We too, in our anger and frustration forget and vent out to our own brothers and sisters, instead of fighting with the real enemy, the Devil!

Are we doing this foolish act?

Eph 4: 26,27 says,  anger is the foot hold of the devil in our life. So let's cool down before the sun sets. And don't  give opportunity for the devil in our life and thereby losing our happy and loving days with our near and dear. Be wise and enjoy.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 57. God's promises will come to pass!!!

Abner was the commander of Saul’s army, he proclaimed Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, king over Israel .He was forty years old when he became king, he ruled for two years. (2 Samuel 2:8)

David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years. One day Abner led Ishbosheth’s troops and Joab led David’s troops and both of them met at the pool of Gibeon. 

The two groups sat down there, facing each other from opposite sides of the pool.

Then Abner said to Joab, to make few of their men fight hand to hand in front of them. Joab agreed. So they chose twelve men to fight from each side.

Each one grabbed his opponent by the hair and thrusted his sword into the other’s side so that all of them died. That place at Gibeon was known as the Field of Swords. 

Abner and his men were defeated by the forces of David. Even after Saul's death David had an unexpected opponent . So he had to wait another seven and a half years, to take over the full of Israel and Judah.

To ponder:

Isn't heights of patience! But our God is not a man to lie. If He said He would do it. He would surely do it. So don't give up. Just press on! 

During the W-A-I-T!!!

• Do not express yourself to God but pray for God's will to be done.
• Be patient with the strong assurance that it is all for the good and God is in control.
• In case you feel it is too hard for u, don't worry and stay restless or don't hide and stay away from everything, understand that God is working on your inner man and that He knows your limits.
• Continually claim God's promises.
• Confess positive and continually give thanks for everything.
• Ask God specifically to show you if there is something to be changed in your life (as a preparation for the next level).
• Don't meditate on people's critics and comments, meditate on the comforting word of God.
• Don't feel you have the biggest problem in the world rather bear one another's burdens and pray for them.
• Don't keep grumbling and telling tales about your long waits to everyone you see. Kneel down and ask God for directions.
• Don't sit lazy. Do what you have to do and God will do the impossible.
• When you wait, remember God will use your experiences as a channel of blessing  to many others. Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it cannot bring a harvest in the next season.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 56. Wait for God's appointed time!

Now a new chapter begins in David's life though he was anointed by God through Samuel long ago as the King but he had to run around for his life and take shelter here and there, until the appointed time came.

He never demanded or argued or fought for it. But simply waited in the mighty hands of God till God lifted him up in due time.

Now David asked the LORD, if he should move back to one of the towns of Judah, the LORD told him yes. Then David asked, which town he should go? The LORD said Hebron. So David and his wives and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron.

Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah. David made Hebron his capital, and he ruled as king of Judah for seven and a half years.

To Ponder:

He was 30 years old when he became king of Judah. Though God has promised us certain blessings in our life, let's not run behind it.

But wait for the appointed time when God himself will give it to us in our hands.

And so are prophecies from the Lord. Let us not run behind them, fixing our mind on them and finding ways to achieve them. Let us not get restless, become depressed or question God for so called 'delays'. Instead, let us wait for the appointed time when God Himself will give it to us in our hands.

Journey through the life of Saul & David - 55. Show God's true love!!!

David being a psalmist composed a funeral song for Saul and Jonathan his dear friend. He also commanded that it should be taught to the people of Judah.

It was known as the Song of the Bow, and was recorded in The Book of Jashar. (2 Samuel 1:17)

David was very depressed that his dear friend Jonathan who encouraged him and supported him was no more. He lamented saying that he loved him so much and his love for him was also deep and deeper than the love of women.

David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul, so he sent them this message saying that the LORD will bless them for being loyal to their master Saul and giving him a decent burial. The LORD also will be loyal to them in return and reward them with his unfailing love.

David said that he too, will reward them for what they had done for Saul and his family.

To ponder

Though Saul spent his life trying to killDavid, David never lost the love and respect he had for Saul and his family. Since he was anointed by God, what David had was not an outwardly love just to impress people and get their favor, but it was from deep within.

Let us also learn to show such love towards God's anointed people in our life today.

Journey through the Life of Saul & David - 54. Be Wise!!!

After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. (2 Samuel 1:2)

On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s army camp. In torn clothes with dirt on his head he fell to the ground before David  and said that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.

David asked how did he know that.

The man answered, he saw Saul leaning on his spear and cried out for help since he was in terrible pain and wanted to die.

So he said he killed him and took his crown and his armband, and brought it to show.

Hearing this David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow. They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan.

Then David asked the man who had brought the news, that why he wasn't afraid to kill the LORD’s anointed? (2 Samuel 1:14). Then David said to one of his men, to Kill him. So the man killed him and said that the man condemned himself by confessing that he killed the LORD’s anointed one.

To ponder

Many people do many things to win the approval of others. Proverbs 12:13 says, the wicked are trapped by their own words, but the godly escape such trouble.

We should be wise enough to answer to people around. Let us ask God's help to be wise in our words.

Journey through the Life of Saul & David - 53. Obedience is better than sacrifice!!!

The Philistines attacked Israel, many were slaughtered , three of Saul's sons—Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malkishua were killed.

The fighting grew very fierce around Saul, and the Philistine archers wounded him severely.

Saul asked his armor bearer to take his sword and kill him before the Philistines kill him.

But his armor bearer was afraid to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. His armor bearer also did the same.

The next day, the Philistines found the bodies of Saul and his three sons . So they cut off Saul’s head and stripped off his armor.

Then they proclaimed the good news of Saul’s death in their pagan temple.

They placed his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and they fastened his body to the wall of the city of Beth-shan.

But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard about Saul's death they came and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall and brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies. And took the bones and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.

To ponder

As Samuel predicted Saul's life had a tragic end, the great lesson we learn from Saul's life is that the most PLEASING thing to the LORD is our OBEDIENCE to his voice . Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. Because Saul rejected the command of the LORD, he was rejected as king.

So let's not procrastinate in obeying God and be out of God's list.