2 Samuel 2:29-32: A Great Victory For David's Army
“And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to Mahanaim. And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel. But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's men, so that three hundred and threescore men died. And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at break of day.’
- 2 Samuel 2:29-32 (KJV)
“There lacked of David's servants nineteen men and Asahel.” This passage shows us just how badly they were beaten. Abner and the army of Ishbosheth lost 360 men to 20 in the army of David. Compare these to the earlier words in The Second Book of Samuel:
“And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.”
- 2 Samuel 2:17 (KJV)
There was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. It was wrong for Joab to accept Abner's appeal for a cease-fire at the battle of The Field of Sharp Swords. The fact was that they couldn't just get along, and that there could be no peace between the rightful king David and the pretender to the throne, Ishbosheth. The cease-fire seemed to make things better but it only made things worse, and it caused the long war.
When we try to make peace between King Jesus and King Self within us, the result is a long, bitter war. It is so much better to simply surrender and submit to the reign of Jesus.
David grew stronger and stronger: The increasing strength of David and increasing weakness of Saul's house did not begin when Saul died. It began when God first chose David and withdrew His Spirit from Saul as we remember from The First Book of Samuel:
“Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.”
- 1 Samuel 16:13-14 (KJV)
Christian brothers and sisters, with The Lord’s help you can fight and win any battle. Without Him you can fight and lose any battle. Choose The lord. Be King David, not King Saul!
God bless!
Comments