2 Samuel 4: Grief to Glory

​When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were captains of raiding bands; the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon a man of Benjamin from Beeroth (for Beeroth also is counted part of Benjamin; 3 the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and have been sojourners there to this day). 
 
4 Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. 
 
5 Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. 6 And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 7 When they came into the house, as he lay on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and put him to death and beheaded him. They took his head and went by the way of the Arabah all night, 8 and brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron. And they said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-bosheth, the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life. The Lord has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.” 9 But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, 10 when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron. 
 
 
Meditation
The sovereign grace of God works God’s glorious purposes through the groaning of the world.
 
The casualties of Israel’s civil war were catastrophic- Families ripped apart, people dying, and tribal fighting. The murder of Ish-bosheth was cowardly violence reflecting these harsh realities.

David did not rejoice when he received word of Ish-bosheth’s homicide, even as he was rebelling against David’s house. David grieved the injustice and brought justice to the perpetrators. More than consolidating power, David desired to honor God’s standard for justice.

God displays His sovereignty in establishing David’s rule over Israel THROUGH the rebellion of Abner (2 Samuel 2), the folly of Joab (2 Samuel 3), and this unjust bedside slaying. The ungodly opportunism typical of civil war was opportunity for God to clear the way for His anointed king, David the son of Jesse.

Jesus is the true King who emerges from war to bring peace and justice, transforming grief of death to eternal glory. In the context of catastrophic death Jesus asks, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see glory…?” (John 11:40) Do you believe? Paul speaks about the groaning of creation as birth pains for the delivery of eternal glory (Romans 8:18-25).  In Jesus Christ, death is a doorway to life. Jesus goes through grief to establish His kingdom in glory. 

God is working every detail of this groaning world for the good of His people and the glory of His name (Romans 8:28-29). Grief and groaning are not the end of the story- God works all things for glory!
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from today’s reading, especially the grief and groaning of the narrative?
 
-Why is it difficult to believe the Lord’s anointed will establish His justice in a world of pain and problems? How does David’s actions point to the work of the true King, Jesus Christ?
 
-How does the rule and reign of King Jesus, the One whose work makes glory though groaning possible, provide a new perspective and power for you?
 
Key Verse
12 And David commanded his young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hanged them beside the pool at Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.