2 Samuel 3

We might have anticipated that the way to the kingship for David would have been easy after the death of Saul, but this was not to be the case. Those allied with Saul were not immediately willing to see David as the true king. As the battle continued over many months it became increasingly clear that those allied with David would be victorious. Even Abner, the commander of the forces still following the house of Saul, knew that the Lord would surely establish David as the king of Israel and Judah.

Abner took steps to make peace with David as the son of Jesse required. Even Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, complied with David's demand to have David's wife Michal restored to the king. But it was Abner who would finally lead the rest of Israel, including the tribe of Benjamin, to receive David as God's anointed. He called them to recognize the will of the Lord in this matter that had caused so much contention and loss of life over many months.

David received Abner with all sincerity and gave him every indication that there would now be peace between Israel and Judah with David as king over all the sons of Jacob. But there was one man who was not content that Abner should be allowed to live. Joab was unwilling to trust the man who had killed his younger brother Asahel in battle some months before.

Without David's knowledge, Joab sought to deceive Abner. He took him aside, supposedly to speak to him privately, and then murdered him. When David heard of it, he spoke a curse against Joab's house, and distanced himself from the treachery that led to Abner's murder.

Joab had done to Abner what David's men had urged David to do to Saul during their long struggle. David had been unwilling to raise his hand against the Lord's anointed in those earlier days. Now Abner was dead after David had eaten a meal of peace with him.

David would not in any way be associated with the violence, deceit, and personal revenge that led to Abner's murder. The king led all Israel in mourning the loss of Abner. Even those who had been against David saw that he had not approved of Abner's death. Abner, when he had last met with David, assured the king that he would persuade all Israel to follow David. Instead it would be through David's sincere mourning over the death of Abner that the people from all the tribes would come to see David as their king.

David was willing to acknowledge that Abner, a warrior with some obvious faults, was yet a great man whose death should be sincerely mourned throughout Israel and Judah. His unfeigned tears were more powerful in bringing peace to the Lord's people than all the secret plots of Joab.

David displayed for us the heart of our true Messiah King. Jesus did not bring about His kingdom through the pretense of false peace accompanied with secret plots of revenge.

The cross of the Messiah was an honest message to the world. Here was the great Son of David mourning over our desperate condition and securing our redemption through his own body and blood.

Through that cross we have been granted a fellowship meal of eternal blessing. His good Word to us is completely sincere. He is not luring us into a trap to satisfy any secret hatred against us. He died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. He will love us forever, for He has granted to us a true sign of peace.