August 29, 2025 • 35 mins
Chapter 20 of Heroes in the Bible: David with Dr. Tony Evans is inspired by 2 Samuel 3.
The Blood of Abner - A strong enemy becomes a close friend. A close friend proves to be a hidden enemy.
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Philippians 4:13, Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
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Learn more about Dr. Tony Evans at https://tonyevans.org/
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I'm doctor Tony Evans, your host for Heroes in
the Bible. If you've been enjoying this series, please write
a review and let me know how this podcast has
impacted your life.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to the epic.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Adventure of David, a story of honor, battle, jealousy, darkness, friendship, love, scandal,
and murder. While most people know of David the myth,
few know about David the man. In this episode, we
realize just how far we have come since the story
of David and Goliath. The simpler stories of good versus
(00:33):
evil are no more, and now it's time to weigh
deeper into the waters of political unrest, revenge, and scandal.
The plot of David's story is about to thicken, and
what was once black and white will begin to seem
more gray. King David is a pure soul, but he
has entered into an arena wrought with wickedness and contempt.
(00:53):
If he isn't careful, it will corrupt him and it
will certainly take more than good intentions and motivational speech
to unite this divided kingdom. This episode will give us
a glimmer of hope that peace is possible and David
will have victory in his grasp. But Peace has an
enemy and its name is revenge. The spirit of revenge
(01:14):
is the new foe David has yet to fight, and
in this episode David seems to be outmatched. Will he
be able to win? Darkened hearts back to the light?
Is David up to the challenge of being king? Or
should he have remain in Ziglag with his farm and family.
We will begin this episode with a prelude going back
to the most ancient of times, when revenge first slithered
(01:36):
its way into the heart of man. Hatred, jealousy, and
vengeance have existed since the First Family, so it is
no wonder that it seems like a formidable foe. How
will the giant sleigh affair against this new titan We
will find out in episode twenty, The Blood of.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Abner prelude to chapter twenty. Cain gripped the dirt below
him in anger. On his knees. He cursed God and lamented.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Why have you rejected my offering?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
He yelled?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Was I not diligent?
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Did I not labor for you?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Cain's anger was palpable, his body trembled with unhinged rage.
Why are you angry? Kane. God said, if your heart
does well, will you not be accepted. Cain burst to
his feet and shook his fist on high. He yelled
in agony, enraged that his sacrifice was rejected and his
brother's was accepted. God's gentle voice spoke through the wind, saying.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
A trap is laid out before you. Vengeance and hatred
are seeking to take you. Caine, Sin knocks at your door. Resist,
do not let it rule. However, Cain would not listen.
(03:04):
He stormed away in a fury. As knight draped over
the new Earth and stars scattered across the firmament. Cain
approached his brother Abel, who was tending to his sheep
in the field. Galaxies painted the night in a thousand
different colors, and the light shined down on Cain's face,
a face of vengeance and ate. He picked up a
(03:25):
stone from the ground and walked towards his brother Abel,
Cain said, startled. Abel turned around to see his brother
running at him with a stone in his foot, and
the sheep scattered in fear as Cain unleashed his contempt
for God unto his brother.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Blow after blow, Cain spited his creator by murdering his
image Bear. The crime against his brother Abel was really
an act against God. Blood soaked the ground underneath Abel's
dead and mangled body. Cain screamed into the night sky,
raped Jim like a madman. The murder of Abel was
(04:03):
the first of many crimes against life. Cain destroyed the
chance for peace between him and his brother by spilling
his blood. In doing so, he started a pattern, a
pattern of vengeance instead of forgiveness, a pattern of hatred
instead of love, a pattern of war instead of peace.
(04:26):
Chapter twenty. The blood of Abner, the blood of slain brothers,
cried out from the ground. The clanging of swords and
the firing of arrows rang in the ears of God's people.
With every battle, their hearts became more grieved. The civil
war between Ishboshaf and David had waged for two years.
(04:47):
The armies of Joe ab raged against the armies of Abner,
and there was great bitterness between them. The moral strength
of Israel was waning under the leadership of King Ishbosheth.
His weakness of character and fragile ego left Abner with
no choice but to take hold of the kingdom and
rule it himself. Ishboshat was king in name only, sitting
(05:08):
upon his throne in fine robes, with decadent feasts sprawled
out before him. Yet for all his pomp and adornment,
he had no strength of heart to lead. The foundation
of the Kingdom of Israel was on shaky ground, only
moments from collapsing. Meanwhile, David had become fruitful in Judah.
(05:29):
He had amassed an army of well trained men fighting
in the name of honor and devotion to their king.
He opened up trade with the non hostile nations, importing
key goods that they had been lacking since the division
of Israel. King David built treaties with households through marriage,
gaining the loyalty of kings and rich nobles who could
help fund the rebuilding of the kingdom. To his six wives,
(05:53):
David sired six sons, Amnon, chiliad Absalom, Adonijah, Cephataiah, and Hrium.
David's fruitfulness became renown among the land. Along with his
military exploits and political clout, David had successfully won the
heart of his people. His favor, power and affection became famous,
(06:15):
thus reaching the ears of King Ishboshet. Not only had
David bested him in war, but he had become a
better king than he could ever hope to be. Ishboshet
sank low on his throne, sulking in his kingdom built
on sinking sand. Abner awoke to the morning sun peeking
in through an open window. The morning spring breeze flew
(06:36):
in from outside, brushing up against his bare chest. He
pulled the sheets closer and looked. Next to him, a
woman lay beside him, naked under the covers. Her warm
and soft skin rubbed up against him. The sheets laid
over her curves, causing Abner to blush. He enjoyed this
moment of peace, gently stroking her hair. Before she awoke,
(06:58):
Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave him a smile
as sweet as honey. Good morning, she whispered. Her gentle
voice made his heart leap with affectionate joy. He gazed
into her hazel eyes, reflecting the sunlight dancing through the window,
and kissed her. The two of them smiled, yawned, and stretched.
Rispa wrapped the sheets around her body and walked over
(07:21):
to Abner's window. She turned her cheeks to the morning
sun and soaked it in. With her eyes closed, she
smiled and said.
Speaker 7 (07:28):
Ah, these are the mornings I never want to forget.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Abner walked over and held her close.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Moments like these are all we have small pauses from
the madness of life.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Abner and Rispa had grown very fond of each other
in the past two years. She was one of the
concubines in Saul's harem, considered a piece of royal property
passed down to Ishboshet. However, Abner saw her as much
more than that. She was beautiful, kind, and undoubtedly strong
drawn to each other. Despite their circumstances, Abner knew that
(08:03):
she was a part of the king's harem, and that
sleeping with her was considered the same as stealing property. However,
Abner felt that he was entitled to some joy in
his life considering the sacrifice he had made for King
ishbosheth He had successfully put him on the throne and
now led the nation on his behalf. It was he
who marched into battle and into danger. It was he
(08:26):
who convened with the elders and strategized with generals. Rispa
was surely a fair price for his loyalty. He had
dozens of concubines, after all, Abner held Rispa tightly in
his arms and kissed her neck. The two of them
stared at the window, admiring the colors of spring. However,
their sweet moment of bliss was interrupted by one of
(08:47):
the king's servants entering with a message. The young man
quickly realized he should have not and immediately bound his
head apologetically. The boy awkwardly looked up saw Rispa and
then left in her hurry. Rispa quickly gathered her clothing anxiously,
Her and Abner knew that this was not good for them.
The servant would undoubtedly report this to the King.
Speaker 7 (09:10):
I I have to go back to the palace before
the King sends for me.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Rispa said in a nervous voice. Abner was vexed by
the situation. He shouldn't have to hide anything from the King.
He was entitled to whatever he desired. Don't leave.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
If the King desires to make an argument about our dealings,
I will be sure to put his mind at.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Ease, Abner said. Rispa held Abner's face and kissed him.
Speaker 7 (09:35):
Oh I cannot risk it.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
She said, while shaking her head.
Speaker 7 (09:38):
I am bound to the King by law and fear
the worst for us both if I do not comply
with his demands. I will pray you can sway him,
for I know he holds you with great respect.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
With those words, Rispa departed out the door back to
the king's harem. Abner sat in silence for a long while,
then got dressed and made his way to the alice.
As he entered into the halls where King Saul once reigned,
he could not help but feel sorrow for what had
become of the kingdom. The empty halls echoed past failures
(10:11):
and shattered dreams. King Ishboshef was hunched over in his throne, pouting,
with a cup of wine in his hand. Abner bowed
his head and looked at the king.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
You send for me, my lord.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
He asked innocently. Ishboschef tilted his head to the side
and glared at Abner. His rosy cheeks and dilated eyes
revealed that he had been drinking all morning. His lack
of self control disgusted Abner. The only job Ishbochef had
was to act like a king and leave the ruling
to him. Instead, he insisted on acting like a child.
(10:45):
The boy king leaned back in his throne and murmured, I.
Speaker 8 (10:48):
Had originally beckoned you, so we might debrief from yesterday's.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Court of elders.
Speaker 8 (10:53):
However, more pressing issues have come to my attention.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Ishboschef lingered for a moment, hoping to make abbair.
Speaker 8 (11:01):
Is it bad enough that I have half my kingdom
following another man unworthy of the throne? Now I have
another man sleeping with my concubine. Who do you think
you are taking what my father passed down to me?
Have you no respect for the throne? You shame yourself
for stooping so low.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Abner's eyes met Ishbosheth's. The king expected a look of
shame and contrition. Instead, he only saw anger. Abner gritted
his teeth and took a step forward.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
No respect for the.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Throne, Abner said, seething with anger.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Am I a dog's head of Judah?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Abner continued to step even closer to the throne. Now
it was Ishbosheth who grew uncomfortable. The commander continued his questioning.
Speaker 9 (11:47):
Tell me, my king, who among the two of us
fought side by side with your father, his brothers, his friends.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
And his sons. Who among us marched.
Speaker 9 (11:57):
Against David and the armies of Judah? Who out of
the two of us has bled for the cause of
Israel and marched.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Into harm's way?
Speaker 9 (12:05):
Have I not protected you, elevated you, and served you
despite your impotent leadership and childish.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Widing Ishboschef opened up his mouth to speak, but Abner
took out his sword and extended it towards the king.
Walking closer to the throne, Abner continued his raving, you dare.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
Treat me as if I have given you over to
the enemy. After all I have done. You charge me
today with a fault concerning a woman you have no
interest in. You have the call to scold me sitting
atop a throne eye won for you with my own
blood and sweat.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Abner swung his sword into the table in front of Isbroschek,
angered ripped from him like molten hot metal. The king
coward in his throne, paralyzed with fear. Abner leaned in
close to the king, lowered his voice and spoke clearly, saying,
hear me.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Now, boy, May God strike me down if I do
not elevate David to take hold of what has been
sworn to him by the Lord from the land of
Dan to Beersheba. The throne of David will reign over
this land. You have lost my loyalty.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Abner waited for a response from the king, but there
was none. He scoffed and stepped away from the throne. Coward,
he said. Abner spat on the ground, removed his sword
from the table, and stormed off Asbosheth said nothing. He
was white faced and shocked at what had taken place,
and began lamenting the fall of his kingdom. King David
(13:41):
sat with Beniyah, who had been promoted to Captain of
the Guard. Together they discussed the enforcement of the law
and relationships to local judges. With their newfound success, they
needed to steward their resource as well and keep the
people accountable to God. David took great care into not
just being a man of military success. He had dreams
(14:03):
of being a king of peace, not just war. As
the two were in discussion, a messenger came in from Israel.
The young man refused water at the door, for his
message was urgent and needed to reach David as soon
as possible. The boy cleared his throat and.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Spoke, Thus, says, my master, Abner, to whom does this
land belong? It has been my most recent conviction that
the Lord has anointed you to steward his land and
his people. Make a covenant with me, and behold, my
hand shall be with you to bring Israel back to you.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
David and Beniah exchanged looks of confusion.
Speaker 10 (14:39):
What has prompted this change of heart from Abner?
Speaker 2 (14:42):
What is he to gain from this? Benya asked.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
David pondered, he would not have sent a message as
a trap. It would be dishonorable. If he has extended
this message, it must be because something has happened between
him and Ishboshev.
Speaker 10 (15:00):
I would still like assurances that this is not a trap.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Baniyah said, Perhaps there.
Speaker 10 (15:05):
Is a symbol of good will we can require of him.
If he truly desires to move the loyalty of an
entire kingdom in your favor, surely he would be willing
to extend an effort of clarity.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
David nodded in agreement.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
I know jest the thing.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
David stepped forward and said to the messenger, tell.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Your master that I will accept his request to meet. However,
I have a condition. He shall not see my face
until he brings me my first wife, Michal Saul's cruelty
turned her away from me. And she was given to
another man. I slaid a hundred Philistines with the right
(15:41):
to marry her, and I desire her.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Back another wife.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Benigah mumbled, be careful, my friend. David ignored his friend's
jab and continued to the messenger.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
I want my wife back. Being married to her gives
me more claim as Saul's successor his son in law.
Hopefully this will garner more confidence in the elders.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
The messenger bowed his head and sent word to Abner.
Only days after receiving David's message, may call was taken
away from her husband and sent to him. Abner had
followed through on his word. Now with the full trust
of King David, Abner began to lobby for the kingdoms
to be united once again. Gathered in his own home,
(16:25):
the elders of Israel conferred and deliberated.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
My lords, Israel is on shaky ground. Ish Boshev lacks
the stability and strength to lead.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Us, Abner said.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
For some time, I know many of you have been
pining after David to be king over you. We have
all witnessed the military and economic success of Judah. It
has now become clear to me that we have made
a mistake in anointing ish Boshev. I humble myself before
you and declare that I was wrong.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
The elders stirred in their seats and murmured to one another.
What has called this change in conviction? Abner?
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Are we to trust the words of a man so
easily swayed?
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Abner nodded and sighed.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
When the winds of the Lord blow, we must bend.
It is not a weakness to repent, he replied. The
Lord has made his choice. He himself spoke, saying, by
the hand of my servant David, I will save my
people Israel, from the hand of the Philistines and from
the hand of all their enemies.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Abner, a military man, now spoke with the conviction of
a prophet. His change of heart was clear in his words,
and the elders of Israel agreed. It was now time
for the two divided kingdoms to come together under the
Lord's chosen hero. David looked out his window towards the
gates Abner and a small band of his most loyal
(17:52):
men had entered to deliberate and celebrate the new union
of kingdoms. There was still much to be done, and
Abner would be crucial to the plan. Wearing the royal
robes gifted to him by Jonathan, David entered the dining
hall to greet Abner. The two men sat and ate together.
They reminisced of their military exploits and time serving under Saul.
(18:14):
Both of them were warriors at heart and men of honor.
David was surprised to discover just how much the two
of them had in common. Abner then began to speak
of the business regarding the two kingdoms.
Speaker 9 (18:26):
I will arise from here and gather Israel under your rule.
I have already deliberated with the elders. Now it is
a matter of securing the governors and military generals. It
will not be easy, but if the Lord wills, we
shall see a united kingdom under you.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
David could sense the earnest desire for peace in Abner's voice.
He nodded and said, thank you, Abner. The future of
God's Kingdom looks brighter than ever. But those parting words,
Abner bowed and left with his men. Both David and
Abner were eager for the struggle between kingdoms to end.
Their shared vision for the future of Israel left them
(19:04):
feeling at peace and hopeful. As the sun set, Abner
rode back home with fire in his belly for a
new kingdom under David. Moments after Abner's departure, Joe ab
returned from a raid bringing riches from the enemies of Israel.
He came laughing with his men, excited to lay the
bounty out before his king.
Speaker 10 (19:25):
My Lord, see what your army has done for your kingdom.
We have gold, silver, and livestock to secure a powerful
attack against Abner and his armies.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
The rest of the men cheered behind Joe abb beaming
with excitement. David smiled and said.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
We may have no need to spend any of this
on an attack against Israel. I have met with Abner,
and he is lobbying with the elders and governors to
secure me as king over Israel.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Joeab smiled disappeared immediately, his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched.
He was visibly angry at David's words. You did what,
Joab asked coarsely.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Abner sent word to me not so long ago, regarding
a peace agreement. He is now our ally in removing
ishbushat as king. He has opened up a way for
us to peacefully unite the kingdoms. Instead of shedding any
more blood.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Joab turned to his men and yelled get out. The
men quickly left the king's halls and shut the door.
It was only David and Joab now. Joab drew a
deep breath and spoke, saying.
Speaker 10 (20:29):
My king, what have you done?
Speaker 5 (20:34):
I have done the will of the Lord Joeab. You
should rejoice that we no longer have to kill our
brothers in Israel. Peace is upon us.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
David replied sternly. Joab's blood rose in temperature. He was
indignant and blind with rage. The heart of Cain was
taking hold.
Speaker 10 (20:54):
You allowed that treacherous snake to leave here alive. If
you truly desired peace, you would have killed him when
he entered these gates. Abner clearly came to deceive you.
I have no doubt that he and his men took
note of every part of Hebron, finding its weak points
and vulnerabilities.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Can't you see it was all a trap? David stood
to his feet and scold at his commander.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
The true trap is laid out by vengeance and hatred.
Joeab Sin knocks at your door. Resist it. We have
here a chance for peace. Turn from the darkness boiling
inside you and choose to embrace Abner as a brother.
(21:36):
Joab looked up with pain in his eyes. He killed
my brother, he whispered. I vowed to never forget what
he has done.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Joe Ab stormed off into the night, bent on finding
his revenge. It was late and the clouds blocked out
the full moon. A warm breeze flew through the sky,
signaling the coming of summer. Joab left the presence of
David in unhinged fury. His hands were shaking and sweat
beat down from his brow. He grabbed the arm of
(22:07):
his servant violently and said.
Speaker 10 (22:09):
Go and find Abner on his way back to Israel.
Tell him King David has further negotiations to make before
he goes back home. Have him meet at the cistern
of Sirah.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Go. The servant did as he was told and intercepted
Abner on his return to Israel. He gave him the message,
and immediately Abner sent course back to Hebron. The Cistern
of Siah remained in the shadows near the gates of Hebron.
Abner approached alone with his torch, stumbling through the narrow
passageway to the cistern. A small crack in the clouds
(22:40):
above illuminated the moonlight. Streaks of silver light danced down
into the alleyway, revealing a hooded figure leaning against the wall.
My King, Abner asked, suspiciously, why have.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
You asked me to come here? Of all places? Is
there something secret I am not aware of?
Speaker 2 (22:57):
The hooded figure took a step closer.
Speaker 10 (22:59):
I have come to speak of peace, he said, and
the difficult things that must be done to achieve it.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Abner grew more wary of the situation and reached back
for his sword. However, before he could, the hooded figure
leaped forward and stuck a dagger into Abner's stomach. Abner
coughed up blood and looked up. The moonlight revealed the
face behind the hood, the face of vengeance and hate.
Speaker 10 (23:23):
Joe Ab, I told you the day would come when
my brother's blood would be.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Dashed, Joe Ab said. Abner held Joab's hands helplessly as
the dagger was driven further into him. Joe Ab leaned
over to whisper in Abner's ear. Made the war die
along with you. With those words, Abner breathed his last
blood soaked the stone floor beside the cistern, and the
(23:49):
clouds covered the moon, once again blocking out the light.
After these things, it did not take long for word
to reach David. Joe Ab did not what he did,
nor did he feel shame. David leaned over the table
beside his throne and banged on the woods. He was
angry that job had ruined the kingdom's chance to peacefully unite.
(24:12):
He screamed and flipped over the table. The Naiad was
present with him, also feeling the pain of a lost
opportunity for peace. I and my kingdom are guiltless before
the Lord, David said, the blood of Abner's on Joab's hands.
May he reap the consequences. May punishment fall upon him,
(24:33):
his children, and his children's children. May there not be
a generation after him that does not fall by illness,
by the sword, or by starvation. The king fell to
his knees and wept. He lamented the death of Abner,
and even more the death of his first attempt at
peaceful unity. He gathered Joab and the rest of his
(24:53):
men and said, today is a day of mourning. For
two years we have fought for reunited is we have
lost men and brothers. Now, on the eve of a
new agreement with Israel, Abner has been slain. Along with
his death comes a harder path to peace. Tear your
(25:16):
clothes and put on sackcloth in mourning for Abner. So
the entire nation of Judah mourned over Abner. They buried
him in Hebron and lamented his death. David made sure
to show the entire nation that he did not desire
Abner to be killed. He needed Israel to know that
he was not responsible for his death. If the elder
(25:39):
saw him mourning, they would be more willing to continue
in peace talks. King David was acutely aware of how
delicate the situation was. He needed them to believe him
for the sake of the country. A song was written
by David and passed around across the nations of Judah
and Israel. A song of lament for a mighty man
(25:59):
of valor.
Speaker 5 (26:01):
Should Abner die as a fool, dyes, his hands were
not bound, nor his feet fettered. As one falls before
the wicked, he has fallen.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Not all hope was lost for a united kingdom. The
work Abner had done among the elders had laid a
stable foundation for David to build upon. He was beloved
among his people, and even the nation of Israel had
heard of David's tender heart and gentle spirit towards a
perceived enemy. Even in chaos, God's chosen hero was renowned
(26:33):
for his heart. The murder of Abner revealed a deep
and dark reality of the human condition. Mankind would always
seek to shed blood to right the wrongs done to them,
Yet all vengeance accomplished was of further descent into darkness.
They would take another shedding of blood to put an
end to the darkness. It would take an act of
(26:54):
mercy to triumph over the contempt. It would take an
act of love to triumph the hatred.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
We have a new villain in David's story, and it
is in Joe ab No. As angry as we are
with him, he is merely another victim to the ancient
evil that has dwelt in the hearts of men since
kain Revenge. Our story began with the prelude, which is
also a foreshattering of things to come. We have spoken
briefly about the story of Cain and Abel, but it
(27:25):
is worth revisiting as it is one of the most
fundamental stories ever told. The slaughter of Abel was our
first real encounter with the corruption of sin. Cain was
angry with God and took revenge on him by murdering Abel,
an innocent man. God won Cain beforehand. A trap is
laid out before you. Vengeance and hatred are seeking to
(27:47):
take you, Cain. Sin knocks at your door. Resist it,
Do not let it rule over you. Sin has depicted
not as an act, but as a person, someone who
is hunting Cain and wanting to rule over him. Sin
is indeed a foe to be conquered, but Cain was
not the hero to overcome it. That hero would come
(28:07):
much later to vanquish Sin, revenge and death once and
for all. When Cain took revenge on God by killing Abel,
he began a terrible cycle that couldn't be stopped. Cain
destroyed the chance for peace between him and his brother
by spilling his blood. In doing so, he started a pattern,
a pattern of vengeance instead of forgiveness, a pattern of
(28:29):
hatred instead of love, a pattern of war instead of peace.
The pattern of hatred repeats itself in episode twenty, but
it didn't begin with joeab There was a more subtle
revenge before Joab's acts in the alley. The first act
of revenge we see in the story is Abner taking
the king's concubine for himself and concealing it from him.
(28:50):
You may be thinking that doesn't seem like revenge to me,
but it is. The narrator gives us a glimpse into
Abner's mind. During this episode, Abner feels like he is
owed the pleasure of the king's concubine. After all, he
has done so much for the king and receive very
little thanks. Then, when Abner is confronted, he lashes out
(29:10):
and takes revenge on Ibaschef by allying himself with David.
It's a messy way to start an alliance, and it
turns out to get even more messy. Revenge can be
more subtle than repaying evil for evil. It can begin
with quiet contempt for another person. How is contempt conceived?
It can begin by feeling unappreciated and undervalued. When someone
(29:34):
feels unappreciated, they can make excuses for bad behavior I deserve.
This can be a mantra that justifies indulgence. This is
often how someone who works in a stressful job justifies
too many drinks, or a spouse who feels unappreciated justifies
an affair. People do these things to punish the people
they have contempt for, but they are actually punishing themselves.
(29:58):
Abner seems genuinely in love, and perhaps he is, but
that isn't the point. The point is that he is
clearly regretting who he's aligned with and has a growing
contempt for Saul's son that boils over into revenge. Abner
has a heated and one sided argument with Isbaschef, then
leaves in a rage to make peace with David. David,
(30:21):
in contrast to Isbachef, is thriving in Judah. He has
brought stability and security to the small nation through trade
agreements and peace treaties. However, there's an elephant in the
room we need to address. David has collected six wives
in seven years and sired many children with them. Remember
when we talked about the difference between prescriptive and descriptive
(30:44):
events in the Bible. This is a good example of
something that is descriptive, not prescriptive. Just because David has
six wives does not mean God says it's okay. In
the ancient world. Many packs between nations and tribes were
sealed through marriage. That is a possible reason for David's
growing family. There's also the reality that the more children
(31:05):
you had, the more secure your legacy was. As king,
David's responsibility was to have as many children as possible,
and having several wives made that easier. This is not
a justification, just a reality we have to accept. Benaiah,
a voice of reason in David's life, briefly warned him
about marrying too many women. This was a foreshadowing of
(31:29):
difficult things to come. I can't think of one example
in scripture where marrying several people turned out well for someone.
This should tell us enough about God's opinion on the matter.
Abner realizes that he's made a mistake by hitching his
wagon to the wrong horse. This is a common theme
in scripture. Sometimes you need to get what you want
(31:51):
in order to realize you shouldn't have wanted it to
begin with. We can all relate to this on some level.
Right Sometimes we pine at this sacrifice everything in pursuit
of it, then realize it was the wrong thing to pursue.
Jesus said it best by asking what good is it
if a man gains the whole world but loses his soul.
(32:13):
Abner has that moment and wants to correct it. He
shows a great deal of humility in this chapter. He
makes an alliance with David and we get a taste
of peace. David is excited to finally negotiate peace instead
of fighting for it. There is an important line in
this story that I want us to focus on for
a moment. The narrator says David he had dreams of
(32:36):
being a king of peace, not just war. This is
a sad line because unfortunately for David, he will be
a man of war his whole life. It is the
role he has been given to set the kingdom up
for success. We will revisit this theme later in the series.
David is so close to peace, so close, However, revenge
(32:57):
has its teeth sunk deeply into Joe AB's David warns
him the same way God warned Kin. The true trap
is laid out by vengeance and hatred. Joe, ab Sin
knocks at your door. Resist it. You have here a
chance for peace, turned from the darkness boiling inside you,
(33:17):
and choose to embrace Abner as a brother, just as
Kin refused to hear God. Joab refuse to hear David.
He goes against the King's wishes and kills Abner. David
is livid. Joab is ruined the chance at peace. Bloodshed
always begets more bloodshed, and the blood of Abner means
more Israelite men will have to fall in battle. David
(33:40):
tries to undo what Joeab has done, but it is
an uphill battle. David's character and good witness is going
to be put to the test. Will the elders of
Israel take David at his word that he had nothing
to do with Abner's death. The end of this episode
suggests that David's reputation as a man of honor may
keep them from the war. Another important theme in this
(34:02):
episode is the power of a good name. King Solomon,
David's son, who we will meet eventually in this series,
he said this, a good name is better than precious ointment.
David's reputation may be the only thing that saves them
from catastrophe. This is a good lesson for us. Does
our reputation earn us the benefit of the doubt? If
(34:25):
we aren't careful, dishonesty and gossip can ruin our witness
to others, and when we need people to give us grace,
we may not receive it. At the end of the episode,
we are told not all hope was lost for United Kingdom.
The work Abna had done among the eldest had laid
a stable foundation for David to build upon. He was
(34:46):
beloved among his people, and even the nation of Israel
had heard of David's tender heart and gentle spirit toward
a perceived enemy. Even in chaos, God's chosen hero was
renowned for his heart well good character. Clean up the
mess you have made. We will find out in our
next episode, United and Prepared. Thanks again for listening. For
(35:09):
more inspiring stories, daily prayers and wisdom to last a lifetime,
go to pray dot com and to expand your heroes
in the Bible Journey, download the Heroes of the Faith
devotional at Tonyevans dot org. Forward Slash Heroes, Write a
review and let us know how this podcast has impacted
(35:29):
your life. God bless
Hi, I'm doctor Tony Evans, your host for Heroes in
the Bible. If you've been enjoying this series, please write
a review and let me know how this podcast has
impacted your life.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to the epic.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Adventure of David, a story of honor, battle, jealousy, darkness, friendship, love, scandal,
and murder. While most people know of David the myth,
few know about David the man. In this episode, we
realize just how far we have come since the story
of David and Goliath. The simpler stories of good versus
(00:33):
evil are no more, and now it's time to weigh
deeper into the waters of political unrest, revenge, and scandal.
The plot of David's story is about to thicken, and
what was once black and white will begin to seem
more gray. King David is a pure soul, but he
has entered into an arena wrought with wickedness and contempt.
(00:53):
If he isn't careful, it will corrupt him and it
will certainly take more than good intentions and motivational speech
to unite this divided kingdom. This episode will give us
a glimmer of hope that peace is possible and David
will have victory in his grasp. But Peace has an
enemy and its name is revenge. The spirit of revenge
(01:14):
is the new foe David has yet to fight, and
in this episode David seems to be outmatched. Will he
be able to win? Darkened hearts back to the light?
Is David up to the challenge of being king? Or
should he have remain in Ziglag with his farm and family.
We will begin this episode with a prelude going back
to the most ancient of times, when revenge first slithered
(01:36):
its way into the heart of man. Hatred, jealousy, and
vengeance have existed since the First Family, so it is
no wonder that it seems like a formidable foe. How
will the giant sleigh affair against this new titan We
will find out in episode twenty, The Blood of.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Abner prelude to chapter twenty. Cain gripped the dirt below
him in anger. On his knees. He cursed God and lamented.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Why have you rejected my offering?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
He yelled?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Was I not diligent?
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Did I not labor for you?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Cain's anger was palpable, his body trembled with unhinged rage.
Why are you angry? Kane. God said, if your heart
does well, will you not be accepted. Cain burst to
his feet and shook his fist on high. He yelled
in agony, enraged that his sacrifice was rejected and his
brother's was accepted. God's gentle voice spoke through the wind, saying.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
A trap is laid out before you. Vengeance and hatred
are seeking to take you. Caine, Sin knocks at your door. Resist,
do not let it rule. However, Cain would not listen.
(03:04):
He stormed away in a fury. As knight draped over
the new Earth and stars scattered across the firmament. Cain
approached his brother Abel, who was tending to his sheep
in the field. Galaxies painted the night in a thousand
different colors, and the light shined down on Cain's face,
a face of vengeance and ate. He picked up a
(03:25):
stone from the ground and walked towards his brother Abel,
Cain said, startled. Abel turned around to see his brother
running at him with a stone in his foot, and
the sheep scattered in fear as Cain unleashed his contempt
for God unto his brother.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Blow after blow, Cain spited his creator by murdering his
image Bear. The crime against his brother Abel was really
an act against God. Blood soaked the ground underneath Abel's
dead and mangled body. Cain screamed into the night sky,
raped Jim like a madman. The murder of Abel was
(04:03):
the first of many crimes against life. Cain destroyed the
chance for peace between him and his brother by spilling
his blood. In doing so, he started a pattern, a
pattern of vengeance instead of forgiveness, a pattern of hatred
instead of love, a pattern of war instead of peace.
(04:26):
Chapter twenty. The blood of Abner, the blood of slain brothers,
cried out from the ground. The clanging of swords and
the firing of arrows rang in the ears of God's people.
With every battle, their hearts became more grieved. The civil
war between Ishboshaf and David had waged for two years.
(04:47):
The armies of Joe ab raged against the armies of Abner,
and there was great bitterness between them. The moral strength
of Israel was waning under the leadership of King Ishbosheth.
His weakness of character and fragile ego left Abner with
no choice but to take hold of the kingdom and
rule it himself. Ishboshat was king in name only, sitting
(05:08):
upon his throne in fine robes, with decadent feasts sprawled
out before him. Yet for all his pomp and adornment,
he had no strength of heart to lead. The foundation
of the Kingdom of Israel was on shaky ground, only
moments from collapsing. Meanwhile, David had become fruitful in Judah.
(05:29):
He had amassed an army of well trained men fighting
in the name of honor and devotion to their king.
He opened up trade with the non hostile nations, importing
key goods that they had been lacking since the division
of Israel. King David built treaties with households through marriage,
gaining the loyalty of kings and rich nobles who could
help fund the rebuilding of the kingdom. To his six wives,
(05:53):
David sired six sons, Amnon, chiliad Absalom, Adonijah, Cephataiah, and Hrium.
David's fruitfulness became renown among the land. Along with his
military exploits and political clout, David had successfully won the
heart of his people. His favor, power and affection became famous,
(06:15):
thus reaching the ears of King Ishboshet. Not only had
David bested him in war, but he had become a
better king than he could ever hope to be. Ishboshet
sank low on his throne, sulking in his kingdom built
on sinking sand. Abner awoke to the morning sun peeking
in through an open window. The morning spring breeze flew
(06:36):
in from outside, brushing up against his bare chest. He
pulled the sheets closer and looked. Next to him, a
woman lay beside him, naked under the covers. Her warm
and soft skin rubbed up against him. The sheets laid
over her curves, causing Abner to blush. He enjoyed this
moment of peace, gently stroking her hair. Before she awoke,
(06:58):
Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave him a smile
as sweet as honey. Good morning, she whispered. Her gentle
voice made his heart leap with affectionate joy. He gazed
into her hazel eyes, reflecting the sunlight dancing through the window,
and kissed her. The two of them smiled, yawned, and stretched.
Rispa wrapped the sheets around her body and walked over
(07:21):
to Abner's window. She turned her cheeks to the morning
sun and soaked it in. With her eyes closed, she
smiled and said.
Speaker 7 (07:28):
Ah, these are the mornings I never want to forget.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Abner walked over and held her close.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Moments like these are all we have small pauses from
the madness of life.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
Abner and Rispa had grown very fond of each other
in the past two years. She was one of the
concubines in Saul's harem, considered a piece of royal property
passed down to Ishboshet. However, Abner saw her as much
more than that. She was beautiful, kind, and undoubtedly strong
drawn to each other. Despite their circumstances, Abner knew that
(08:03):
she was a part of the king's harem, and that
sleeping with her was considered the same as stealing property. However,
Abner felt that he was entitled to some joy in
his life considering the sacrifice he had made for King
ishbosheth He had successfully put him on the throne and
now led the nation on his behalf. It was he
who marched into battle and into danger. It was he
(08:26):
who convened with the elders and strategized with generals. Rispa
was surely a fair price for his loyalty. He had
dozens of concubines, after all, Abner held Rispa tightly in
his arms and kissed her neck. The two of them
stared at the window, admiring the colors of spring. However,
their sweet moment of bliss was interrupted by one of
(08:47):
the king's servants entering with a message. The young man
quickly realized he should have not and immediately bound his
head apologetically. The boy awkwardly looked up saw Rispa and
then left in her hurry. Rispa quickly gathered her clothing anxiously,
Her and Abner knew that this was not good for them.
The servant would undoubtedly report this to the King.
Speaker 7 (09:10):
I I have to go back to the palace before
the King sends for me.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
Rispa said in a nervous voice. Abner was vexed by
the situation. He shouldn't have to hide anything from the King.
He was entitled to whatever he desired. Don't leave.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
If the King desires to make an argument about our dealings,
I will be sure to put his mind at.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
Ease, Abner said. Rispa held Abner's face and kissed him.
Speaker 7 (09:35):
Oh I cannot risk it.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
She said, while shaking her head.
Speaker 7 (09:38):
I am bound to the King by law and fear
the worst for us both if I do not comply
with his demands. I will pray you can sway him,
for I know he holds you with great respect.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
With those words, Rispa departed out the door back to
the king's harem. Abner sat in silence for a long while,
then got dressed and made his way to the alice.
As he entered into the halls where King Saul once reigned,
he could not help but feel sorrow for what had
become of the kingdom. The empty halls echoed past failures
(10:11):
and shattered dreams. King Ishboshef was hunched over in his throne, pouting,
with a cup of wine in his hand. Abner bowed
his head and looked at the king.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
You send for me, my lord.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
He asked innocently. Ishboschef tilted his head to the side
and glared at Abner. His rosy cheeks and dilated eyes
revealed that he had been drinking all morning. His lack
of self control disgusted Abner. The only job Ishbochef had
was to act like a king and leave the ruling
to him. Instead, he insisted on acting like a child.
(10:45):
The boy king leaned back in his throne and murmured, I.
Speaker 8 (10:48):
Had originally beckoned you, so we might debrief from yesterday's.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Court of elders.
Speaker 8 (10:53):
However, more pressing issues have come to my attention.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Ishboschef lingered for a moment, hoping to make abbair.
Speaker 8 (11:01):
Is it bad enough that I have half my kingdom
following another man unworthy of the throne? Now I have
another man sleeping with my concubine. Who do you think
you are taking what my father passed down to me?
Have you no respect for the throne? You shame yourself
for stooping so low.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Abner's eyes met Ishbosheth's. The king expected a look of
shame and contrition. Instead, he only saw anger. Abner gritted
his teeth and took a step forward.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
No respect for the.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Throne, Abner said, seething with anger.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Am I a dog's head of Judah?
Speaker 2 (11:38):
Abner continued to step even closer to the throne. Now
it was Ishbosheth who grew uncomfortable. The commander continued his questioning.
Speaker 9 (11:47):
Tell me, my king, who among the two of us
fought side by side with your father, his brothers, his friends.
Speaker 4 (11:54):
And his sons. Who among us marched.
Speaker 9 (11:57):
Against David and the armies of Judah? Who out of
the two of us has bled for the cause of
Israel and marched.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Into harm's way?
Speaker 9 (12:05):
Have I not protected you, elevated you, and served you
despite your impotent leadership and childish.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Widing Ishboschef opened up his mouth to speak, but Abner
took out his sword and extended it towards the king.
Walking closer to the throne, Abner continued his raving, you dare.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
Treat me as if I have given you over to
the enemy. After all I have done. You charge me
today with a fault concerning a woman you have no
interest in. You have the call to scold me sitting
atop a throne eye won for you with my own
blood and sweat.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
Abner swung his sword into the table in front of Isbroschek,
angered ripped from him like molten hot metal. The king
coward in his throne, paralyzed with fear. Abner leaned in
close to the king, lowered his voice and spoke clearly, saying,
hear me.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Now, boy, May God strike me down if I do
not elevate David to take hold of what has been
sworn to him by the Lord from the land of
Dan to Beersheba. The throne of David will reign over
this land. You have lost my loyalty.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Abner waited for a response from the king, but there
was none. He scoffed and stepped away from the throne. Coward,
he said. Abner spat on the ground, removed his sword
from the table, and stormed off Asbosheth said nothing. He
was white faced and shocked at what had taken place,
and began lamenting the fall of his kingdom. King David
(13:41):
sat with Beniyah, who had been promoted to Captain of
the Guard. Together they discussed the enforcement of the law
and relationships to local judges. With their newfound success, they
needed to steward their resource as well and keep the
people accountable to God. David took great care into not
just being a man of military success. He had dreams
(14:03):
of being a king of peace, not just war. As
the two were in discussion, a messenger came in from Israel.
The young man refused water at the door, for his
message was urgent and needed to reach David as soon
as possible. The boy cleared his throat and.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Spoke, Thus, says, my master, Abner, to whom does this
land belong? It has been my most recent conviction that
the Lord has anointed you to steward his land and
his people. Make a covenant with me, and behold, my
hand shall be with you to bring Israel back to you.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
David and Beniah exchanged looks of confusion.
Speaker 10 (14:39):
What has prompted this change of heart from Abner?
Speaker 2 (14:42):
What is he to gain from this? Benya asked.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
David pondered, he would not have sent a message as
a trap. It would be dishonorable. If he has extended
this message, it must be because something has happened between
him and Ishboshev.
Speaker 10 (15:00):
I would still like assurances that this is not a trap.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Baniyah said, Perhaps there.
Speaker 10 (15:05):
Is a symbol of good will we can require of him.
If he truly desires to move the loyalty of an
entire kingdom in your favor, surely he would be willing
to extend an effort of clarity.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
David nodded in agreement.
Speaker 5 (15:16):
I know jest the thing.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
David stepped forward and said to the messenger, tell.
Speaker 5 (15:21):
Your master that I will accept his request to meet. However,
I have a condition. He shall not see my face
until he brings me my first wife, Michal Saul's cruelty
turned her away from me. And she was given to
another man. I slaid a hundred Philistines with the right
(15:41):
to marry her, and I desire her.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Back another wife.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Benigah mumbled, be careful, my friend. David ignored his friend's
jab and continued to the messenger.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
I want my wife back. Being married to her gives
me more claim as Saul's successor his son in law.
Hopefully this will garner more confidence in the elders.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
The messenger bowed his head and sent word to Abner.
Only days after receiving David's message, may call was taken
away from her husband and sent to him. Abner had
followed through on his word. Now with the full trust
of King David, Abner began to lobby for the kingdoms
to be united once again. Gathered in his own home,
(16:25):
the elders of Israel conferred and deliberated.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
My lords, Israel is on shaky ground. Ish Boshev lacks
the stability and strength to lead.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Us, Abner said.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
For some time, I know many of you have been
pining after David to be king over you. We have
all witnessed the military and economic success of Judah. It
has now become clear to me that we have made
a mistake in anointing ish Boshev. I humble myself before
you and declare that I was wrong.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
The elders stirred in their seats and murmured to one another.
What has called this change in conviction? Abner?
Speaker 6 (17:02):
Are we to trust the words of a man so
easily swayed?
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Abner nodded and sighed.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
When the winds of the Lord blow, we must bend.
It is not a weakness to repent, he replied. The
Lord has made his choice. He himself spoke, saying, by
the hand of my servant David, I will save my
people Israel, from the hand of the Philistines and from
the hand of all their enemies.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Abner, a military man, now spoke with the conviction of
a prophet. His change of heart was clear in his words,
and the elders of Israel agreed. It was now time
for the two divided kingdoms to come together under the
Lord's chosen hero. David looked out his window towards the
gates Abner and a small band of his most loyal
(17:52):
men had entered to deliberate and celebrate the new union
of kingdoms. There was still much to be done, and
Abner would be crucial to the plan. Wearing the royal
robes gifted to him by Jonathan, David entered the dining
hall to greet Abner. The two men sat and ate together.
They reminisced of their military exploits and time serving under Saul.
(18:14):
Both of them were warriors at heart and men of honor.
David was surprised to discover just how much the two
of them had in common. Abner then began to speak
of the business regarding the two kingdoms.
Speaker 9 (18:26):
I will arise from here and gather Israel under your rule.
I have already deliberated with the elders. Now it is
a matter of securing the governors and military generals. It
will not be easy, but if the Lord wills, we
shall see a united kingdom under you.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
David could sense the earnest desire for peace in Abner's voice.
He nodded and said, thank you, Abner. The future of
God's Kingdom looks brighter than ever. But those parting words,
Abner bowed and left with his men. Both David and
Abner were eager for the struggle between kingdoms to end.
Their shared vision for the future of Israel left them
(19:04):
feeling at peace and hopeful. As the sun set, Abner
rode back home with fire in his belly for a
new kingdom under David. Moments after Abner's departure, Joe ab
returned from a raid bringing riches from the enemies of Israel.
He came laughing with his men, excited to lay the
bounty out before his king.
Speaker 10 (19:25):
My Lord, see what your army has done for your kingdom.
We have gold, silver, and livestock to secure a powerful
attack against Abner and his armies.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
The rest of the men cheered behind Joe abb beaming
with excitement. David smiled and said.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
We may have no need to spend any of this
on an attack against Israel. I have met with Abner,
and he is lobbying with the elders and governors to
secure me as king over Israel.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Joeab smiled disappeared immediately, his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched.
He was visibly angry at David's words. You did what,
Joab asked coarsely.
Speaker 5 (20:02):
Abner sent word to me not so long ago, regarding
a peace agreement. He is now our ally in removing
ishbushat as king. He has opened up a way for
us to peacefully unite the kingdoms. Instead of shedding any
more blood.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Joab turned to his men and yelled get out. The
men quickly left the king's halls and shut the door.
It was only David and Joab now. Joab drew a
deep breath and spoke, saying.
Speaker 10 (20:29):
My king, what have you done?
Speaker 5 (20:34):
I have done the will of the Lord Joeab. You
should rejoice that we no longer have to kill our
brothers in Israel. Peace is upon us.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
David replied sternly. Joab's blood rose in temperature. He was
indignant and blind with rage. The heart of Cain was
taking hold.
Speaker 10 (20:54):
You allowed that treacherous snake to leave here alive. If
you truly desired peace, you would have killed him when
he entered these gates. Abner clearly came to deceive you.
I have no doubt that he and his men took
note of every part of Hebron, finding its weak points
and vulnerabilities.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Can't you see it was all a trap? David stood
to his feet and scold at his commander.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
The true trap is laid out by vengeance and hatred.
Joeab Sin knocks at your door. Resist it. We have
here a chance for peace. Turn from the darkness boiling
inside you and choose to embrace Abner as a brother.
(21:36):
Joab looked up with pain in his eyes. He killed
my brother, he whispered. I vowed to never forget what
he has done.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
Joe Ab stormed off into the night, bent on finding
his revenge. It was late and the clouds blocked out
the full moon. A warm breeze flew through the sky,
signaling the coming of summer. Joab left the presence of
David in unhinged fury. His hands were shaking and sweat
beat down from his brow. He grabbed the arm of
(22:07):
his servant violently and said.
Speaker 10 (22:09):
Go and find Abner on his way back to Israel.
Tell him King David has further negotiations to make before
he goes back home. Have him meet at the cistern
of Sirah.
Speaker 2 (22:18):
Go. The servant did as he was told and intercepted
Abner on his return to Israel. He gave him the message,
and immediately Abner sent course back to Hebron. The Cistern
of Siah remained in the shadows near the gates of Hebron.
Abner approached alone with his torch, stumbling through the narrow
passageway to the cistern. A small crack in the clouds
(22:40):
above illuminated the moonlight. Streaks of silver light danced down
into the alleyway, revealing a hooded figure leaning against the wall.
My King, Abner asked, suspiciously, why have.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
You asked me to come here? Of all places? Is
there something secret I am not aware of?
Speaker 2 (22:57):
The hooded figure took a step closer.
Speaker 10 (22:59):
I have come to speak of peace, he said, and
the difficult things that must be done to achieve it.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Abner grew more wary of the situation and reached back
for his sword. However, before he could, the hooded figure
leaped forward and stuck a dagger into Abner's stomach. Abner
coughed up blood and looked up. The moonlight revealed the
face behind the hood, the face of vengeance and hate.
Speaker 10 (23:23):
Joe Ab, I told you the day would come when
my brother's blood would be.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Dashed, Joe Ab said. Abner held Joab's hands helplessly as
the dagger was driven further into him. Joe Ab leaned
over to whisper in Abner's ear. Made the war die
along with you. With those words, Abner breathed his last
blood soaked the stone floor beside the cistern, and the
(23:49):
clouds covered the moon, once again blocking out the light.
After these things, it did not take long for word
to reach David. Joe Ab did not what he did,
nor did he feel shame. David leaned over the table
beside his throne and banged on the woods. He was
angry that job had ruined the kingdom's chance to peacefully unite.
(24:12):
He screamed and flipped over the table. The Naiad was
present with him, also feeling the pain of a lost
opportunity for peace. I and my kingdom are guiltless before
the Lord, David said, the blood of Abner's on Joab's hands.
May he reap the consequences. May punishment fall upon him,
(24:33):
his children, and his children's children. May there not be
a generation after him that does not fall by illness,
by the sword, or by starvation. The king fell to
his knees and wept. He lamented the death of Abner,
and even more the death of his first attempt at
peaceful unity. He gathered Joab and the rest of his
(24:53):
men and said, today is a day of mourning. For
two years we have fought for reunited is we have
lost men and brothers. Now, on the eve of a
new agreement with Israel, Abner has been slain. Along with
his death comes a harder path to peace. Tear your
(25:16):
clothes and put on sackcloth in mourning for Abner. So
the entire nation of Judah mourned over Abner. They buried
him in Hebron and lamented his death. David made sure
to show the entire nation that he did not desire
Abner to be killed. He needed Israel to know that
he was not responsible for his death. If the elder
(25:39):
saw him mourning, they would be more willing to continue
in peace talks. King David was acutely aware of how
delicate the situation was. He needed them to believe him
for the sake of the country. A song was written
by David and passed around across the nations of Judah
and Israel. A song of lament for a mighty man
(25:59):
of valor.
Speaker 5 (26:01):
Should Abner die as a fool, dyes, his hands were
not bound, nor his feet fettered. As one falls before
the wicked, he has fallen.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Not all hope was lost for a united kingdom. The
work Abner had done among the elders had laid a
stable foundation for David to build upon. He was beloved
among his people, and even the nation of Israel had
heard of David's tender heart and gentle spirit towards a
perceived enemy. Even in chaos, God's chosen hero was renowned
(26:33):
for his heart. The murder of Abner revealed a deep
and dark reality of the human condition. Mankind would always
seek to shed blood to right the wrongs done to them,
Yet all vengeance accomplished was of further descent into darkness.
They would take another shedding of blood to put an
end to the darkness. It would take an act of
(26:54):
mercy to triumph over the contempt. It would take an
act of love to triumph the hatred.
Speaker 1 (27:04):
We have a new villain in David's story, and it
is in Joe ab No. As angry as we are
with him, he is merely another victim to the ancient
evil that has dwelt in the hearts of men since
kain Revenge. Our story began with the prelude, which is
also a foreshattering of things to come. We have spoken
briefly about the story of Cain and Abel, but it
(27:25):
is worth revisiting as it is one of the most
fundamental stories ever told. The slaughter of Abel was our
first real encounter with the corruption of sin. Cain was
angry with God and took revenge on him by murdering Abel,
an innocent man. God won Cain beforehand. A trap is
laid out before you. Vengeance and hatred are seeking to
(27:47):
take you, Cain. Sin knocks at your door. Resist it,
Do not let it rule over you. Sin has depicted
not as an act, but as a person, someone who
is hunting Cain and wanting to rule over him. Sin
is indeed a foe to be conquered, but Cain was
not the hero to overcome it. That hero would come
(28:07):
much later to vanquish Sin, revenge and death once and
for all. When Cain took revenge on God by killing Abel,
he began a terrible cycle that couldn't be stopped. Cain
destroyed the chance for peace between him and his brother
by spilling his blood. In doing so, he started a pattern,
a pattern of vengeance instead of forgiveness, a pattern of
(28:29):
hatred instead of love, a pattern of war instead of peace.
The pattern of hatred repeats itself in episode twenty, but
it didn't begin with joeab There was a more subtle
revenge before Joab's acts in the alley. The first act
of revenge we see in the story is Abner taking
the king's concubine for himself and concealing it from him.
(28:50):
You may be thinking that doesn't seem like revenge to me,
but it is. The narrator gives us a glimpse into
Abner's mind. During this episode, Abner feels like he is
owed the pleasure of the king's concubine. After all, he
has done so much for the king and receive very
little thanks. Then, when Abner is confronted, he lashes out
(29:10):
and takes revenge on Ibaschef by allying himself with David.
It's a messy way to start an alliance, and it
turns out to get even more messy. Revenge can be
more subtle than repaying evil for evil. It can begin
with quiet contempt for another person. How is contempt conceived?
It can begin by feeling unappreciated and undervalued. When someone
(29:34):
feels unappreciated, they can make excuses for bad behavior I deserve.
This can be a mantra that justifies indulgence. This is
often how someone who works in a stressful job justifies
too many drinks, or a spouse who feels unappreciated justifies
an affair. People do these things to punish the people
they have contempt for, but they are actually punishing themselves.
(29:58):
Abner seems genuinely in love, and perhaps he is, but
that isn't the point. The point is that he is
clearly regretting who he's aligned with and has a growing
contempt for Saul's son that boils over into revenge. Abner
has a heated and one sided argument with Isbaschef, then
leaves in a rage to make peace with David. David,
(30:21):
in contrast to Isbachef, is thriving in Judah. He has
brought stability and security to the small nation through trade
agreements and peace treaties. However, there's an elephant in the
room we need to address. David has collected six wives
in seven years and sired many children with them. Remember
when we talked about the difference between prescriptive and descriptive
(30:44):
events in the Bible. This is a good example of
something that is descriptive, not prescriptive. Just because David has
six wives does not mean God says it's okay. In
the ancient world. Many packs between nations and tribes were
sealed through marriage. That is a possible reason for David's
growing family. There's also the reality that the more children
(31:05):
you had, the more secure your legacy was. As king,
David's responsibility was to have as many children as possible,
and having several wives made that easier. This is not
a justification, just a reality we have to accept. Benaiah,
a voice of reason in David's life, briefly warned him
about marrying too many women. This was a foreshadowing of
(31:29):
difficult things to come. I can't think of one example
in scripture where marrying several people turned out well for someone.
This should tell us enough about God's opinion on the matter.
Abner realizes that he's made a mistake by hitching his
wagon to the wrong horse. This is a common theme
in scripture. Sometimes you need to get what you want
(31:51):
in order to realize you shouldn't have wanted it to
begin with. We can all relate to this on some level.
Right Sometimes we pine at this sacrifice everything in pursuit
of it, then realize it was the wrong thing to pursue.
Jesus said it best by asking what good is it
if a man gains the whole world but loses his soul.
(32:13):
Abner has that moment and wants to correct it. He
shows a great deal of humility in this chapter. He
makes an alliance with David and we get a taste
of peace. David is excited to finally negotiate peace instead
of fighting for it. There is an important line in
this story that I want us to focus on for
a moment. The narrator says David he had dreams of
(32:36):
being a king of peace, not just war. This is
a sad line because unfortunately for David, he will be
a man of war his whole life. It is the
role he has been given to set the kingdom up
for success. We will revisit this theme later in the series.
David is so close to peace, so close, However, revenge
(32:57):
has its teeth sunk deeply into Joe AB's David warns
him the same way God warned Kin. The true trap
is laid out by vengeance and hatred. Joe, ab Sin
knocks at your door. Resist it. You have here a
chance for peace, turned from the darkness boiling inside you,
(33:17):
and choose to embrace Abner as a brother, just as
Kin refused to hear God. Joab refuse to hear David.
He goes against the King's wishes and kills Abner. David
is livid. Joab is ruined the chance at peace. Bloodshed
always begets more bloodshed, and the blood of Abner means
more Israelite men will have to fall in battle. David
(33:40):
tries to undo what Joeab has done, but it is
an uphill battle. David's character and good witness is going
to be put to the test. Will the elders of
Israel take David at his word that he had nothing
to do with Abner's death. The end of this episode
suggests that David's reputation as a man of honor may
keep them from the war. Another important theme in this
(34:02):
episode is the power of a good name. King Solomon,
David's son, who we will meet eventually in this series,
he said this, a good name is better than precious ointment.
David's reputation may be the only thing that saves them
from catastrophe. This is a good lesson for us. Does
our reputation earn us the benefit of the doubt? If
(34:25):
we aren't careful, dishonesty and gossip can ruin our witness
to others, and when we need people to give us grace,
we may not receive it. At the end of the episode,
we are told not all hope was lost for United Kingdom.
The work Abna had done among the eldest had laid
a stable foundation for David to build upon. He was
(34:46):
beloved among his people, and even the nation of Israel
had heard of David's tender heart and gentle spirit toward
a perceived enemy. Even in chaos, God's chosen hero was
renowned for his heart well good character. Clean up the
mess you have made. We will find out in our
next episode, United and Prepared. Thanks again for listening. For
(35:09):
more inspiring stories, daily prayers and wisdom to last a lifetime,
go to pray dot com and to expand your heroes
in the Bible Journey, download the Heroes of the Faith
devotional at Tonyevans dot org. Forward Slash Heroes, Write a
review and let us know how this podcast has impacted
(35:29):
your life. God bless
Host
Dr. Tony Evans
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