HAMMER HEADS
Opening Prayer
Lord God, there are so many places in Scripture where I can see myself in other’s weaknesses and sins. Thank you for your Word that enlightens me, convicts me, and changes me.
Read 2 SAMUEL 4
Ish-Bosheth Murdered
4 When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had 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 news about 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.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Which of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23) do you feel a particular need for at present?To Ish-Bosheth, Abner’s death would have signified that the peace treaty (3:12–15) had failed—and his courage subsequently failed him (v 1). A leader without courage is like a drill without a bit or a mobile phone without a charge. Into this power vacuum, tread two captains, Baanah and Rekab (v 2), men of action lacking morality. Perhaps they thought they could take charge and unite Israel with Judah, plus gain a reward (v 8), but David had seen this story before (vs 9,10) and acted just as decisively (vs 11,12).
I’m reminded of these words: ‘…it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail’ (Albert Maslow). Temptations for revenge, to use power (or violence, in this case) to further our cause, are ‘tools’ or weapons we see in use throughout the world, from city streets to corporate boardrooms, to remote villages, to government reshuffles. These instincts, this sin, is in all of us. Jesus shows us a better way. To those of us who would lord it over others, he tells us to humble ourselves and serve (see John 13:1-16). To those of us who would seek power, he says, ‘Pick up your cross because that’s not the way my kingdom works’ (see Matthew 16:24-28; John 18:36).
Apply
What ‘tool’ has been in your hand recently? What ‘tool’ does Jesus want you to pick up and use? (See Ephesians 6:10-18.)
Closing prayer
Thank you, merciful Father that the ways you deal with me are always right, purposed to build my faith and bring me closer to my Savior.
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