2 Samuel 3 (Part 2) Bible Study (Joab Murders Abner) | Pastor Daniel Batarseh

I would encourage you as we turn to second Samuel chapter three that the references that will be shared tonight in relation to what we're going to study would be turned to in your own bibles, because I want you to see it in your own bibles, and I also want you to remember these scriptures. They're extremely powerful. When we consider them, Sometimes we forget these verses. Sometimes we remind of these verses. But I I realize in my life that one of the greatest ways of remembering references is to see it in my own copy of God's word.

There's almost like a map that's created in your own mind where you can maybe you might not remember the references, but you remember where it's located and what side of the page, and you're able to quickly go there. And so I want you to see these verses in your Bibles, second Samuel chapter three. We're gonna start in verse 17. We're not gonna complete this chapter. It is a loaded chapter, and it would be a great injustice to just scale and and to just kinda, you know, just skim over these things without considering their implications.

Now, I'm gonna pray in a moment, but I'm just gonna wait for you to turn there. I'm gonna do my best as we turn to these references that I'll I'll I won't quote it. I'll wait for you to meet me there as well. Alright. Let's pray.

Well, we thank you. We thank you for this, this discipleship school that has been going on for many years on Friday nights. We thank you that, we get to come to the word of God, especially in the old testament. And, Lord, receive great, great, great truths for our lives today. Great insight into who you are.

And, Lord, we just pray that you would help us. We we admit our weakness not just in being able to read our bibles, but to understand it is a great, great task. And so we need a great God to help us. Lord, teach us. Show us.

Lord, let there be a freedom in the communication of your word, but not in a way where the flesh will intervene or interfere. Let everything that is that is said be according to the will of God. Let our hearts receive all that you have to say in a way in which we will joyfully submit to your instructions. Lord, protect our minds and our hearts. As we heard last Sunday, Satan would love to interfere with this transaction of truth.

And so, Lord, protect us and help us, Lord, to sit in place and to pay attention to who you are and what you have to say to us. We ask these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Can somebody give me a summary? Maybe not a summary, but, yeah, just a one sentence summary of what happened last week in our study of second Samuel chapter three.

What was the the main event that took place that will help us understand the rest of this chapter? Who are the main characters at this point? Abner is one, and who's the other? We've been studying it for a long time. Joab is another.

There's there's another one you could say is more important than Joab. David. Abner and David. Right? Joab, a secondary character.

Ishbosheth, another secondary character. What happened between Abner and Ish Bosheth? Are they on good terms? Are you scared to answer? Are you intimidated?

I'm gonna say you're wrong. It's okay. What happened? Are they on good terms or bad terms? K.

Somebody didn't want to say it out loud, but they said bad terms. You're right. I hope you're all in agreement with that. They are not on good terms. What did Afton decide to do?

Ishmael. Ishmael, we're done here. I'm no longer going to be supporting you, helping you. I'm going over to David's side. Good motives or bad motives?

Questionable motives. And so we see now that Abner, who was on the son of Saul's side, trying to oppose David and the will of God, is now switching his allegiance over to David. And and not just switching his allegiance, but he he endeavors to try to win the hearts of the rest of the tribes to crown David as the king over not just Judah, but all of Israel. And that's what we see in verse 17. We read here, and Abner conferred with the elders of Israel saying, for some time past, you have been seeking David as king over you.

Now then bring it about, for the Lord has promised David 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. Abner also spoke to Benjamin, and then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do. We have to read these verses very carefully, or else we just think they're just that that it's not the meat. There is meat in this, great meat in this. What do you notice in what Abner is saying to the tribes?

What does it reveal about him specifically? Look at verse 17 carefully and and realize the implications of his statement here. For some time past, you have been seeking David as king over you. So Israel wanted David to be king for a long, long time. And Abner, by stating this to the different tribes, whether he realized it or not, is indirectly confessing something about himself.

And what is he confessing? I was the one who stood in the way. You've been seeking David to be king, and the only reason why David is not king is because I raised up opposition, and I persuaded you to join my ranks when in reality, deep down inside you knew David was supposed to be the anointed one over Israel. And so we see here that this man is actually confessing that he was the sole cause for this delay in the will of God being known and for the people of God to be blessed by the ordinance that would come through David's administration over Israel. The scripture is very honest and very realistic in telling us in different ways how much one person can do both for good and both for evil.

You and I have heard many many messages, conferences, sermons about the inspiring examples of how one righteous man can do so much good in a nation, in an assembly, in a community, but it's it's equal for for the sinner. That one person can so partner with the enemy or so be succumb to the flesh that he can do far far reaching damage for the kingdom of God or against the kingdom of God. Ultimately, the gates of hell cannot prevail, but there's a reason why there is a fight against the advancement of the will of God. It's possible to try to derail it or to delay it or to attempt to even bring some level of destruction to it. And Abner was that person.

Abner was one person who was able to bring an entire nation to a halt. And I want you to turn to a scripture because king Solomon noticed something throughout his reign, and he says it in the book of Ecclesiastes chapter nine. Look what Ecclesiastes chapter nine verse 18 says. And I'll wait for you to turn there. Again, I want us to take our time to see these verses in our own books, in our own bibles.

Ecclesiastes nine eighteen. Look what Solomon says in his observation. Ecclesiastes nine eighteen. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. One sinner, not 10, not a 100, not 1,500, one sinner destroys much good.

All it takes listen. All it takes is one individual to create untold damage in whatever context they find themselves in. All it takes is one gossiper. All it takes is one person in the church to preach false teaching. All it takes is one person to not fear God.

All it takes is one sinner to do much damage. And this is what we have to understand. That's not just a mere observation. That's an insight for the righteous to know how to respond to this potential destruction. If one sinner can do so much good, Paul uses the language of leaven.

He says a little leaven does what? Leavens the whole lump. Now when Paul said that, he said in two different places. What was he referring to? Sin is one unrepentant sin.

Right? He says that in first Corinthians five about a man who was in a who was in a very despicable sexual relationship. And the church did not deal with it. They actually tolerated it. They thought it was fine.

And Paul warns. He says, a little leaven. Leaven's a whole lump. If you allow this to remain here, it will corrupt the entire assembly, and you have to do something about it. The other one is what?

In Galatians. Leaven is referred to as what? One is sin, the other is false doctrine. False teaching. And notice, Paul, by the spirit, whether it's unrepentant sin or false teaching, he doesn't say a lot of leaven.

He says a little bit. All it takes is for a little bit. All it takes is for one sinner to do damage to much good. And so you have to understand that the righteous, those those who are especially in the local church, even in your own life, it's the duty to see the little leaven or to see the one person who who is resilient in the rebellion and to confront it to confront it. And when confrontation doesn't work, we have to do what Paul says in first Corinthians five, you have to cleanse it.

And that often, unfortunately, means removal. There has to be drastic measures because one sinner destroys much good. Abner is an example of that. If you ever doubt that, if you ever doubt what one person could do, remember this man who literally put a halt to a nation in experiencing David being king over all Israel. It's a powerful truth.

Now we come back to our main text, and what do we see? He's continued to speak to the tribes. In verse 18, now then bring it about Bring it about. For the Lord has promised David 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. Now we've already discussed in previous bible studies that Abner was well aware that his schemes was in direct violation to the will of God.

He was literally fighting against God's promise. I mean, the crime is huge. There's to sin unknowingly is one thing. To sin knowingly is a great, great, great thing to do against God. And what he's doing here is that he's communicating to the people that he's well aware of the promise of God over David.

And although this is a very wrong thing, what he is communicating, there's truth in this. There there is truth in what he is saying here, and it's very applicable to our own lives. Because he sees he sees that the people, in verse 18, are not bringing it about. Sure. He was standing in the way.

But look at this insight. Right? The people had a knowledge that David was supposed to be king. It wasn't just Abner. He says, you knew.

You knew David was supposed to be king. So they had knowledge. Not only that, in verse 17, they also had desire. So they had knowledge. David is supposed to be king, and they even had some kind of, aspiration that it would come about.

So they longed for that to a certain degree. But here's the understanding, knowledge and desire are not enough to experience the blessings in obeying the will of God. It's not enough to have biblical knowledge. It's not enough to even have great desire for that to be realized in your life. What needs to happen is what Abner is saying.

Now then, bring it about. You gotta bring it about. You gotta make a choice, a very practical choice. I think this as simple as that sounds, you would be amazed to know how many believers are paralyzed in their sanctification because they think they're in a good place simply because they have knowledge of the truth, and they even get stirred once in a while, and and and they think that, I I want this. But listen, you can know that you should read your Bible.

You can even have a desire to read your Bible, but you will not know the blessing until you read your Bible. Isn't that amazing? It's astounding. Right? You can know that you need to pray as a Christian.

You can even have moments where you're stirred, especially after meetings like this and conferences, that you need to pray. But you're not going to know what God has for you, the reward, until you actually do it. Let Let me say one more example. You can know the truth about who Jesus Christ is. You can even have wishes in your heart that he would truly be Lord and you can actually surrender him.

But that will not save you until you bring it about and bow your knee and submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ. A lot of people, what's standing between them and actually knowing God's showering favor is simply a decision to make. Just do it. Just make that step and actually do it. Don't don't wait for God to just pick you up with strings and and throw you into that direction.

He would give you the knowledge, and he might even stir your hearts from time to time, but the decision is yours. The decision is yours ultimately. These people, they had to make a choice. Abner is charging them. Now bring it about.

You already know the truth. You you you seem to have the desire. Now move forward. I would say the same to people in here. Why are you why are you staying in the same place when you already know it and your heart claims to testify that you want it, then just do it.

Move forward. Make the steps. Make the decisions. Block out the time. Cut off the peep whatever it is you need to do.

Just move forward because god is not gonna push you. Verse 19. Abner also spoke to Benjamin. Why did he speak to Benjamin? Why is it saying that he spoke to this tribe separately?

Where's Saul from? The tribe of Benjamin. So so so Abner is fully aware that if there's gonna be any resistance, the most resistance is gonna come from the tribe of Saul. So he singles them out, he sits with them, and he communicates to them, and there seems to be no objection here from Benjamin. And after he he he convinces this tribe, he makes his way towards Abner or rather to Hebron to sit with David and to tell him, we're getting there.

We're gonna accomplish this. This is actually gonna come about. After seven years of civil war, all of this is finally gonna come to an end and the the fruition of the promises of God for David to be king over all of Israel is budding. You know, when I looked at verse 19 when I read it last night, I thought to myself, that's amazing. David was supposed to be the king.

David was anointed to be the king, and David did not have to lift one finger for him to be the king. David didn't enforce himself. He didn't use compulsion. He didn't coerce. He didn't threaten.

He didn't gather the people and and and tell them, you know, Samuel anointed me. Don't you guys realize it? Don't you guys see it? All David does is that he rested in the fact that if God said it, then he would do it. If God said it, then he would do it.

There this is very important for many people who are in transitional periods of life where they are seeking God's answers for things, and they even believe and even tell others that God told them something. That's a very it's a very risky thing to do if you're not confident about it. But let me give you that advice if you do believe that. If God said it, he'll do it. There are sometimes where you and I have to make decisions, God's not gonna do it for us, and there's other things that if God said he would do it, and if it's if it's something beyond your control and you believe God said he would do it, then just watch him do it and and don't See, David did not compromise his integrity in this process.

He didn't lower himself. He didn't he didn't manipulate anything. He just rested in the fact that if God said it, then he would do it. I think two m's come to mind in in that, ministry and marriage. Ministry and marriage.

People who really wanna serve god in a particular way. If god called you to something, he's gonna trust me. It will be effortless. The doors will open and you almost feel like there's a there's a rope around your waist and you're just being pulled in that direction. It's incredible.

When God calls somebody to it, there's such an ease and grace that comes with no devil in hell can stop you. Same with marriage. Same thing with marriage. God will give you a peace. God will make a way.

And if it's really God's will, you don't have to pull your hair to make things happen. Just trust God. And you trust him for your job, don't you? Right? You trust him for the car that you're driving.

Right? You trust him for the job. All these things that we trust God for. And when it comes to something as serious as marriage, we think that God is like, well, if you make one wrong step, you're done. I'm gonna I'm gonna just throw you out here.

Just trust the Lord. Please. You'll save yourself from a lot of headache, and you'll preserve your integrity in the process. In this case, David did the best thing by waiting on the Lord to bring the people to him, and it's interesting the means that the Lord used to make it happen. Listen.

If you were if you were to tell David years before this, Abner is gonna be used to bring the nation before you, that'd be quite shocking. You're talking about enemy number one is gonna be the the way and the reason for everybody else to be convinced that that just doesn't make any sense because God's providence is not predictable. I I know we love to try to predict how God moves, and and that mean there's nothing wrong with that. It's wrong if you think that God should move in this particular way. And if he doesn't, you get you get angry.

That's wrong. That's sinful. But God's providence is really, really unpredictable. And that's what makes him God. And that's how he gets most because even in your mind when you think that this is how God will do it, and then he does it some other way, you're just you're just given more worship that way.

It's incredible. It's incredible when you just really trust the Lord, how he can he can really, really amaze you and how he brings things about. Abner was the one used to bring the nation to David. Who would have thought? And there's so many promises and insights throughout the Bible that indicate that for our own lives.

Can I give you one? There's many Proverbs that I love. This one always intrigued me. It's in Proverbs 16 verse seven. And notice what notice what it says.

When a man's way pleases the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Isn't that incredible? When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. That's exactly what's happening to David. Now we gotta be careful with some of the the proverbs, right, some of the sayings, because some people take them as total guarantees no matter what the context is.

That's that's a very dangerous way of interpreting things because there are many saints throughout church history where their enemies did not give them favor. They were martyred. They were tortured. They were despised. And so either we have a contradiction or we need a we need the right lens in interpreting a verse like this.

It is not to say that every single one of our enemies will be able to recognize our righteousness and then work in our favor for the glory of God. What it is saying is that God is able to do that. That if in his wisdom and in his plan for our particular lives, for his program for our lives, God is able to take the enemies in our lives and actually turn them to be servants for God's will. And that's exciting, and that's what's happening here with David. And what we see in Proverbs sixteen seven is an instruction, is is that if you want even that possibility of seeing even the enemies in your life actually serve the purposes of God in your life, what do you need to do?

Well, live in a way that pleases the Lord. Walk in the path that honors God, that glorifies God, and in that path, you may see something just as amazing as God taking your enemies and then actually serving the purpose of God in your life. That's awesome. That's wonderful. That tells me that the safest and most riveting and thrilling place to be on earth is not is not your favorite state, where it's not your your favorite country.

The best place to be is in the will of God. That's the best place to be. No matter where you are geographically, if you're in the will of God, things like this can become a reality. I don't envy the sinner. I don't envy the wicked.

I don't envy the celebrity. We heard it earlier. There's no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked. But, oh, for the righteous, he can even make your enemies be at peace with you. Awesome.

What an awesome God. And so we see that with David here. Now we come back. Look at verse 20. Verse 20.

When Abner came with 20 men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. And Abner said to David, I will arise and go and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires. So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace. Just then, the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace.

When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, Abner, the son of Ner came to the king and he has let him go, and he has gone in peace. What phrase is being repeated here in these verses? Peace. Three times in three verses, he had gone in peace, he went away in peace, he had gone in peace. What the Holy Spirit is trying to emphasize is that in the most unlikely relationship, you and I are seeing a solidification of peace.

There's reconciliation happening here. And this reconciliation is more beautiful than just two individuals who are at war with one another. This relationship being rebuilt will actually bring streams of healing to Israel, And all of Israel will be unified together through the bond that these two are making at this time. It's almost as though it's look at what's happening. Peace is becoming a reality.

Peace is manifesting. Peace is now coming to this nation after several years where there was always contention and war and difficulty and and doubt and unrest. Peace is finally coming. Peace is a major not just a theme in the Bible. Peace is something that you and I can inherit, and it's something that this world is desperately yearning for.

Peace. We hear that word a lot. I don't think we know what it means, and I don't really think we know what it really looks like. So let me ask you, when you hear peace, what's the word association? I mean, practically, what does that look like?

Peace. Shalom. Peace. What does that look like internally on an individual basis? Let's start there.

Calm. Good. Calm. Rest. Sense of?

Absence of haste. Absence of haste. What a beautiful way of saying it. Absence of haste. It's synonymous with calm, I think.

Yes. Salvation. Okay. The primary and the most pinnacle experience of peace is with God. Right?

So the gospel through Christ secures a peace with God. Only in Christ can you and I know a calm. We can know a rest. May I add this peace involves security? I feel secure.

I'm not I'm not operating with agitation or anxiety of my surroundings or potential threats. Harmony, tranquility, it includes all those things. And the Bible promotes a peace, the most important peace you can own this life with himself. In Christ, you and I don't have to live a minute in this world worried about our standing with God. We're completely at rest.

We don't have to fear that he will destroy us eternally. We don't have to worry that he will change his mind in the covenant. You and I can know a sigh of relief that we can sigh for all of eternity because he's a good and faithful God. And we can trust in his promise, and you and I can walk knowing that God really is for me. God is for me.

He's not against me. And that is a wonderful piece to know, and I I you can't know a greater piece than that. But there is a secondary piece that the bible really, really promotes, and it comes from the place of laying the foundation of peace with God, and that's peace with one another. Now peace with God is more easily experienced than peace with one another for the sole reason that God that God is faithful. And he's constant, and he's true, and he's consistent, and he never fails.

He never lies. He he he never does anything in the flesh. But peace with one another is very difficult to achieve. It shouldn't be, but, unfortunately, it's so much more common to know unrest, doubt, frustration, agitation with one another than this than this really, like not just short term. I'm talking about long term peace with other people.

Why? Why is that? Let let me be more specific. Not just because you're a sinner and I'm a sinner and we're just sinners that Jesus is trying to sanctify. More specifically, because for the Bible to command that you and I should be at peace with one another and that we can experience peace with one another, says that it's possible to have long term peace with one another.

Hallelujah. Why is it so rare? Why is why are so many homes disrupted? Why there's so much disturbance? Why in so many local church I mean, it shouldn't be.

In our day to day, you're hearing of more church splits than church multiplication. How is that possible? I don't understand that. When the bible says that it's possible because every command for anything means that it's possible to experience it. God does not tease us with his commands.

God doesn't say do this, but it's not possible, so just I just wanna show you what my will is, but you can't do it. That's not who God is. Every command ensures us that it's possible to know it because he promises the power to fulfill it. Let's be real. Okay?

We're a family. Some of you, this is your local church. Some of you, you visit on Fridays, you're extended family. Praise god. But why is it that peace on a practical level is so uncommon or so sporadic in the context that we find ourselves in?

Any ideas? I think it'd be good to know. We wanna diagnose it. Okay. Self dependence.

So we don't see the value in other believers, so why would I even care about being at peace with them when I can do this myself? Lone ranger Christianity doesn't exist. Anything else? Pride. Oh, pride.

Yes. Pride is a great enemy to peace. Selfishness. Sure. Jealousy.

Jealousy. Jealousy. Jealousy. Evil. It's really evil.

You can't have peace when you look at somebody else and you you feel a certain way, you feel threatened about them, you you envy what they have. It's just not possible. Good. These are great answers. Anything else?

Because we're gonna see how this piece is gonna be very short lived, and we're gonna see exactly why it was short lived. Flesh, generally. But what about my flesh? What about my flesh? We touched on a lot of it.

Unforgiveness. How can you reconcile without forgiveness? How can David have a feast with this man unless he was able to forgive him? Isn't that incredible? David was a very look look.

He was human. Right? We learned last week that he was not a good father, but one of the things about David is that he was a very forgiving man, and that brought a lot of blessings, including peace to a whole nation. What if David says, you're gonna just come on all for a sudden? You wanna be on my side after seven years of of making this extremely difficult for me and for the will of God?

Yeah. No thanks. No. He disarms himself and he trusts in this and he's willing to to to mend this broken relationship so that God's glory can be known. Beautiful.

Unforgiveness. Anything else? A couple more maybe? Sure. Read it.

Yeah. First John chapter one verse six. Consists from all sin. So that we individually, we're not living in life which which covers everything else. Yes.

Beautiful. That pretty much summarizes it. Yes. You have something else? Yeah.

Yeah, that that that kind of mentality is seeping into the church where people are becoming more easily offended, and, and we see how that's becoming, prevalent and you see the privilege in that and that's becoming the norm so that people wanna take advantage of it because it ties into selfishness. And as our brother just said, walking in the light, if you are walking in complete light, meaning in honesty before God, in transparency before God, in humility before God, then that will translate in you being able to fellowship genuinely with other people. Here's the thing, peace, we we see it repeated in three verses. Peace is now you can smell the fragrance of it after so long. It's now coming about and it's quickly gonna be snuffed out.

And I'll tell you why. We read it. Joab steps into the scene and when he steps on the scene, he says something to David in verse 24. Then Job went to the king and said, what have you done? Behold, Abner came to you.

Why is it that you have sent him away so that he is gone? You know that Abner, the son of Ner, came to deceive you and to know your going out and your coming in and to know all that you are doing. Joab is not happy about the news that came to him that Abner came by for a visit, that they sat down, and that a friendship is building. That disturbed him deeply, and guess what? He's right.

Only because he did not know what Abner did behind the scenes by cutting ties with Ish bosheth and coming to David and saying, I'm willing to join your ranks. If if that was not a reality, then Joab is being a good, wise commander. How do you just let this guy come in, scope out your headquarters, and just leave? You're supposed to apprehend this man. He's our enemy.

He's causing all this trouble. What's wrong with you? But that's not the case because what Joab is doing is he's making accusations based on limited information. He's smearing the character of Abner without really knowing what took place, And that is often the case with many people who who who are in context like this even, who will never be able to know rich meaningful relationships because they operate by limited information, because we can't stop it. No matter no matter how much we try, you will never be able to really stop you hearing something about someone else.

K? This is really intensely practical, but I've seen the destructiveness about it where I can preach about it every single week. I don't care how repetitive it is. I will say it every week. It's amazing.

We want deep teachings, and we can't even deal with this minor thing in life. You you gonna you're it's gonna happen. And the danger is that peace is often stifled because we are ready to treat others based on the things that are not true or maybe no longer true. You see, what Joab should have done is what we always should do based on any information you receive about anybody. I don't care who it is or what it is.

Investigate. He he is so upset about this that look at verse 26. When Joab came out of David's presence, he didn't even wait to hear what David had to say. He made up his mind so much that he just, I'm not even gonna pause. I'm not even gonna give you the chance for you to say, I'm just gonna turn around and walk on right out of here.

And so this man has made up his mind. He he he just has these assumptions, maybe because of the history with Abner, but he didn't know the change that came about in Abner's life, and then he he translates that into accusation, and he's about to assault him. He's about to kill him. What would happen if David had learned that Abner had or rather, Joel blurbed that Abner had changed? What if he had sat down with David and communicated the details that he was unaware of?

Remember, he was he was on a raid. He was not familiar with what's going on between Abner and David. This guy is literally gonna kill somebody else because of a misinformation, because of limited information. Be very careful. I don't want you to rob yourself of beautiful, meaningful, rich relations with others because you're easily swayed in one direction or the next.

It's so detrimental. I've seen it, and I I feel I really feel bad for people. I really do because they destroy much. If he was walking in wisdom, he would do this differently. Now, I wanna show you a scripture in Romans chapter 14.

Look at this. This is beautiful in Romans 14 verse nine rather 19. Let's go there together. I'll turn there with you in Romans chapter 14. Maybe keep your finger in second Samuel so you don't lose your place.

Romans 14 verse 19. He's speaking to believers. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Like, pursue it, chase after it. Blessed are the peacemakers for what?

They're called what? Sons of God. God is a peacemaker. God seeks to make peace even with enemies. And so if you wanna if you wanna be identified to who God is in a very powerful way, one way is by being a pursuer of peace with other people.

You don't you don't enjoy drama. You don't enjoy tension. You pursue reconciliation. You pursue peace. You pursue clarity.

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Now what is the context in Romans 14? Paul is hearing that there are some Christians who are eating certain foods that's disturbing the conscience of other Christians, And he's hearing that some of these Christians who don't want to eat certain meats because they think it's unholy are criticizing the ones who are. And and what Paul is saying is, look, verse 20, do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

So he's saying, look, I'm among those who understands Christian liberty. I'm not I'm not among those who say, you know, this is wrong or the I I see how God sanctifies these things, and I see the liberty that even though these things were dedicated to demons, when you pray over it, it's made holy, and some don't. They're like, that that thing was dedicated to a demon, and I used to live that life, and for you to eat it disturbs my conscience. Paul says, even though I'm in this camp that says it's clean, for the sake of my brother's conscience, I'm not gonna eat it. Like, that's Christian love.

That's Christian sacrifice. And look at look at the effort. Like, instead of saying, what's my right? My conscience doesn't it doesn't do that. If this is gonna make us be able to see each other, hug each other, love each other, walk in harmony, I'm not gonna do it.

Kingdom of God is more than just food. And so what am I saying? If Paul says that is the extent of the effort that we should make with one another, then shouldn't we also make the effort to investigate based on things that we hear? If if I'm willing if I'm supposed to not be willing to enjoy certain things based on the liberty of my conscience, how much more is it my duty to say, well, I'm not gonna make judgments about somebody based on just misinformation or little information, I'm gonna do my part to seek peace. Do you see what I'm trying to say here?

What's at stake when there is no peace, when there's a lack of harmony, when we make judgments and we close ourselves off, or we even refuse to build a relationship with somebody initially for because of whatever things we've perceived or heard? Look at verse 20. Do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God. It destroys the work of God. It hinders the work of God.

See, peace is so important for advancement in the things of God that whenever Satan senses it even from a distance, like he did back in second Samuel, he will do all that he can to bring about a disruption in that place, and he has many ways of doing it. When peace is just beginning, the enemy comes in through the flesh, an open door, and he's about to bring chaos instead. There's a second reason many of you mentioned already. Joab, as we come back to second Samuel, I would say that he's intimidated. What's Joab's occupation in David's army?

Commander, general. What's Abner's position? What was he for Saul's army? Commander, general. I don't think he's too comfortable with the fact that David and Abner are becoming friends.

Perhaps he's threatened. This guy can take my position. This guy can be a rival to me, and that's very carnal. Because James four one says something, you don't have to turn to this one, you're very familiar with it, but James four one tells us very clearly what causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? You know what it is?

Is it not this that your passions are at war within you? And then he goes on in verse two to say you covet but you don't you don't have. You know, you seek after but you don't get so you murder. And and James is not talking about actual murder. In this case, in second Samuel, it's gonna be actual murder.

James is borrowing the language of Jesus from the sermon of the mount where if you hate your brother in your heart, you actually murdered him. And so he's saying, do you wanna know what's he's talking to the churches who are dispersed, and he's saying, you know what's going on with you having civil wars within your assemblies and your your homes and your ministries? Very simple. Your passions, your your selfish desires and pursuits are not being satisfied, and because of that you're actually causing wars. Very, very strong language.

You're causing battles among yourselves because you are operating in the flesh. You have these longings and these desires and they're not being fulfilled, and you see people who are standing in the way or you actually want what they have and because they have it and you don't, you're willing to actually clash with them. And Joab is proving that to a certain degree. I mean, it's not explicitly clear, so I won't make a dogmatic statement about it, but when you see Joab's behavior in the future, you can tell that he really he really treasures his post. There's a final and last reason why Joab is really upset about Abner, and this is good.

You'll get there if you understand the history between Joab and Abner, which is what? What did Abner do to Joab indirectly? Killed his brother. And he wants to avenge his blood. You you killed my brother and you think you can just come in here feast with my boss and just pretend like nothing happened.

And so he doesn't wanna even hear from David, he looks at David, he speaks his mind and he walks right out. He's not just gonna walk out and take a cool walk in the night and just hopefully forget about it. Verse 26. When Joab came out from David's presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the Cistern Of Sarai, but David did not know about it. So Abner is already long gone.

Joab sends messages and says, get Abner back over here. David has no clue what's about to happen. Verse 27. And when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate to speak with him privately, and there he struck him in the stomach so that he died for the blood of Asahel, his brother. He killed him.

Cold blooded, cruel murder. He destroys this man, and we're never ever going to see the potential relationship that could have been rebuilt when there was peace. It was snuffed out. Murder is wrong. David condemns Joab, but there is a there is a level of violation here that is deeper than just the fact that he killed he killed Abner.

What makes this especially wrong? And the only way you're gonna know the answer is if you remember a bible study, maybe a few of them that alluded to a certain reality in the culture of Israel that would make this more severe. Okay. So there is an element of taking vengeance that solely belongs to God and that is stealing from God because if he says vengeance is mine and you take vengeance into your own hands, you're taking something that belongs to God and that's stealing. We talked about that once.

But think back. Think back to why this and this is really gonna connect when this is why the the old testament is so beautiful when you understand the the the totality of it. Things begin to make sense, and things connect in a beautiful way. You're very close. Did you hear, Andrew?

Is it because they were in the gate? Yes. But there's more to it. It it part of it has to do with the fact that they were in the gate. Okay.

Let's go to Joshua chapter 20. Here's your answer. In Joshua chapter 20, we're gonna read six verses. So be patient. Once you read it, things are gonna begin to make sense.

At least if if there's 0% clues, you're we're gonna we're gonna bring that bar to 80%. Joshua chapter 20 verse one down to verse six, and this is the glory of the word of God, and this is why we need to master the scriptures. Verse one of Joshua chapter 20. Then the Lord said to Joshua, say to the people of Israel, appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, that the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there. They shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood.

He shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case to the elders of that city, then they shall take him into the city and give him a place and he shall remain with them. And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not give up the manslayer into his hand because he struck his neighbor unknowingly, and this is important, did not hate him in the past. And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time. That's so prophetic. Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home to the town from which he fled.

When God was establishing the Israeli society in the Old Testament, he he had a unique feature in that culture, and it was the cities of refuge, six cities that would be placed in strategic areas in the land, so that if there was involuntary manslaughter, accidental murder, or even, something that took place, but it was not premeditated, it was not done out of hatred, it it was just an accident, whatever the case may be. That person had the right to flee to one of these cities of refuge, and by doing so, he would be protected from the closest relative to the one who did die, who had the right to avenge the blood of the deceased. And so these these these culprits, they would they would run, they would come to the gate, the elders would come, he would explain his situation, and then if it was clear enough that this is this needs to be this needs to undergo some kind of a trial, they take him in, they place him in, and if the avenger of blood comes in and they ask for that person, by law, it was illegal, prohibited for there to be revenge.

And that man had to stay there until the trial took place, and if he was found innocent, then he can go back. If he was found guilty, then he can be given up to the to the avenger, or until the high priest died. Here's what's interesting. Abner killed Asahel. Here's my question.

Was it premeditated? How? Why wasn't it premeditated? Very good. More than once, Asahel was pursuing Abner.

Abner looked back and he begged him to stop. He would not listen. He continued to pursue. He begged him to stop. He would not do it.

Finally, he takes a spear, the butt of it, thrusts it back into Asahel's stomach, and it comes out of his back. What do you call that? Self defense. Not out of hatred, not premed admit he is a candidate to be able to undergo a trial to assess whether or not he is innocent or guilty. In other words, he could have gone to a city of refuge, and he could have been protected.

Come back to second Samuel. You're still keep a hand there in Joshua chapter 20. Come back to second Samuel two twenty seven. If that person was in a city of refuge, the avenger of blood could not touch him. Second Samuel three twenty seven.

And when Abner, after he was called by Joab, returned where? To Hebron. Are you still in Joshua chapter 20? Go back to Joshua chapter 20. We read the first six verses.

Look at verse seven. After he gave the instructions of the city of refuge, look at what he says. Look what the word of God says. So the people, they set apart Kadesh in Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath Arba, that is what? Hebron.

In the hill country of Judah. Hebron was a city of refuge. Where was Abner murdered? In a city of refuge. Where he was supposed to be safe is where he was killed.

And that just adds a severity to Joab's crime. He he completely had no reverence, no fear of he was so filled with bitterness that he actually kills him in the gate, The very place where Abner should have been to call for the elders to explain his case is the very place where he was not given a chance but was instead murdered. Next week, we're gonna see the cry of David and the nation, and I believe that's an element to it. And so we heard about how you and I can treat even a little sin too lightly, and then there are people who treat people's sin without regarding the laws of God of how to be merciful and patient and forgiving, and they are quick to judge and quick to afflict condemnation. And Joab here does not consider his surroundings, he does not consider the significance of the feet, and where their feet were planted, and he kills this man.

And the blood that should have been protected was shed in that place. But Job is not the only wrong one here. Who else is in the wrong? I say Abner. I say Abner.

Why? Because he killed Asahel long ago. Why didn't you flee to the city of refuge? Why wasn't that your immediate reflex? Abner's job after doing that, if he really believed he was innocent, was to run to one of these places and to stay there to receive a just trial or to wait until the high priest died, and he didn't.

It could be that he thought he was so powerful that he didn't need to. We don't know the reason why he did it, but he didn't do it, and he died a fool's death. He died a fool's death. And Abner there is a picture, is a picture of the sinner because the city of refuge is a picture of Jesus Christ. Hebrews tells us that we have fled to him for refuge.

So many Psalms and Proverbs tells us that running to the Lord, the name of the Lord is a strong tower, or we take refuge in the Lord. He is the city of refuge. And what's amazing is, just like Abner, you have many people today who have sinned and they delay in running to Christ. They wander about. And just like Abner, pay very close attention to this, they think things are fine, they think that nothing will happen, and all of a sudden without notice their life is taken from them when it could have been spared.

You'd be amazed to know how many people I know people for years who have heard the gospel many, many times, who have sat in meetings many, many times, and they still have yet to run to the city of refuge. And you are no different than Abner. You are no different than Abner. Why are you waiting? Do you not know that at any moment by surprise, just like Joab who invited him for a conversation seemed to be innocent, seemed to be harmless, and Joab was very very conniving in the way he killed people.

We'll see that in a different example. All for a sudden, Abner's life was taken from him. Who says that it's no different than you? And for you? Abner's a picture of something else too.

Though not directly in his case, there is a scripture in Numbers 35 which tells us not just how to get to the city of refuge, but when you get there to stay there. And it warns, there's a law there, that if you wander outside of the city of refuge and the avenger of the blood, if he finds you, he has the right to kill you. And that's a picture of those who, yes, come to Christ as a refuge and receive safety, but at one point in their lives, they drift away from Christ, and they wander from the will of God, and they put themselves in danger, and they end up suffering much loss. And so it's even possible today that you, as you sit in this place, you know that your heart is not where it's supposed to be. And you know that you are not in the will of God.

You know that there's compromise in your life and that gives the enemy legal license to have his way with you. And so my charge to you is to stay in the city of refuge, my brother. Don't wander. There's nothing profitable out there. There's nothing beneficial.

The only thing that you can expect outside of the will of God, the only thing, is the same thing for that man slayer who wanders out of the city of refuge. Danger. That's the only thing that's waiting you. Danger. And so I don't care if you are in the city of refuge, I don't care who's outside of the city of refuge who's calling for you to come outside.

I don't care what they're persuading you with. I don't care what they're inviting you to. The same way that there was a law established then, it is true spiritually now. The moment you step outside of the will of God, for whatever reason, you put yourself in spiritual danger. But let me close with this.

Have you even got there? Every week I see at least one new face, and I don't know where you are. And so my question to you is as you've heard this bible study, are you convinced that you've sinned against God? You know one of my favorite bible verses about sin is in first John one where it says if anybody says he does not sin, he is a liar. So if you claim you haven't sinned against God, you have already lied, you've sinned, welcome to the club.

Now it's one thing to know that you've sinned against God, that if you stand before God that you will be guilty, but here's my next question: have you fled to Christ? Because Christ doesn't want you to stay there. And here's what's beautiful about the city of refuge. I'm gonna try to end it here. Okay?

That in the old testament when when God instructed in verse seven of Joshua 20, when he instructed the placement of these six cities, he did it in such a way that no matter where you are geographically, it would be easily accessed. It wasn't placed in such a way that you would have to sprint across the land and there was a great risk for you to be caught by the avenger of blood. Every city of refuge was placed in a certain way that no matter where you were, you can have easy access to safety. And that is a picture of how Christ has made it so simple for you to be saved. He didn't make it hard.

Realize your sin, acknowledge your sin, confess your sin, repent of your sin, and embrace the one who paid for your sin, and then run to that. That's how you want. You wanna know how you pick yourself up and run? That's how you do it. I have sinned.

I confess I'm a sinner. I confess that I've sinned against God, against man. I confess that if I remain in my sin, I will die in my sin, and I will be punished for eternity. But I realized that he paid for my sin, and so I will run to him, hide in him, embrace him, and be safe. Have you ever done that?

Have you ever done that? If not, you are not in the city of refuge. You're outside and you're in danger. Run to him. He's waiting for you.

He wants to save you. He made it so easily available to you. That is my Jesus. That is the gospel I preach. That is the gospel many of you believe in and have put your trust in, but maybe there's one in here who hasn't come to that and I'm calling you to run.

Here was the call for the person who did who did sin. They had to run immediately. If not, you will be like Abner. And years has gone by, I believe, after he killed Assel and he thought he was safe, all of a sudden he was swept away from this life. Don't wait.

Please don't wait. I beckon you. Come to the city of refuge who is Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for Jesus Christ, our city of refuge.

Thank you that we can run to him, and he will keep us safe. Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you made it so available to all men of all ages, of all backgrounds, of all races. Thank you. And Lord, we just sit here tonight overwhelmed by the wisdom of your word, by the supernatural authorship of this word, and it causes us to just adore you. Your word is so rich, Lord.

It is so deep, and we're overwhelmed by the fact that every time we come together we learn something new and it just gives us another jolt of joy in your presence. Lord, for us who are in Christ, protect us from the lies and the and the whether it's self deception or outside deception that would convince us to step outside of the will of God. Keep us in. And lord, for those who have never even stepped foot, who have not come to the gate and have reasoned, lord, we just ask that today would be the day where in their heart of hearts, they would flee to Jesus Christ. And they would declare that they, in fact, have sinned, and they would trust that you will take them in.

Only your Holy Spirit can convince a man to run-in that direction. Lord, we bless you tonight at this Bible study. We wanna worship you. And we wanna worship you with the frame of mind that we are surrounded by you, we are shielded, we are in the depths of the palm of your hand, nothing can snatch us out. We are kept secure forever and ever.

Thank you for your love. Thank you that we don't have to bear us and we don't have to look over our shoulder and fear judgment anymore. We are safe in Christ. In Jesus name, amen. Let's stand and worship the Lord.