After the death of King Saul, Israel was embroiled in a civil war for seven years. At one point in a battle, an army captain lamented, “Must the sword devour forever?” (2 Sam. 2:26). The conflict had been long and exhausting. The scripture below narrates the final episode in this dark period of Israel’s history.
When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abnerhad died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rekab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin, 3 because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and have resided there as foreigners to this day.
4 (Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the newsabout Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)5 Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth,and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest.
6 They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.7 They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah. 8 They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”
9 David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, 10 when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! 11 How much more—when wicked 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!”
12 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.
For years Ish-Bosheth had been fighting for his right to be king, but things were not going well. The general of his army had been killed in Hebron. There was not much hope of victory left. Two leaders in Ish-Bosheth’s army decided to take matters into their own hands. They snuck into Ish-Bosheth’s house and killed him in his sleep. Cutting off his head and hands as proof of his death, they fled to David’s headquarters. They wrongly assumed that by delivering the body of David’s rival to him, they would be rewarded.
It is interesting to examine what David did during this time. He did not plot or scheme to claim the throne. He did not kill his rivals. Instead, the author presents David as waiting well: conducting funerals, writing laments, having children, and administering justice. In contrast, Joab, Abner, Rekab, and Baanah were all opportunists, willing to shed blood to advance their cause. David knew that he had been anointed by the Lord and waited for His timing. In accordance with the Law’s requirements for the murder of an innocent person, David again dispensed justice.
Often the Christian life is filled with times of waiting for God. These periods of waiting are often the times when we are forced to rely on God the most. Before the actual miracle arrives, the devil sends things that look so much like what God promised and sometimes if you’re not patient you run for that and lose out on the actual promise.
Isn’t it funny that before Isaac Abraham thought that Ishmael would be the blessing? Or for Joseph it could have been easy to assume that potiphers wife was the key to his success.
Here’s what I have learnt…
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord”
Ps. 27:14
Patience is very necessary when you are waiting for a promise from God to be fulfilled. One act of desperation and you will lose it all. God will always be on time and He will do it right. Any offer of a shortcut may be shortchanging you for the true promise. So hold on to God while you wait and let not your heart be troubled.
He will come through, just for you!
Xo,
Zoe🌟