He doesn't want this blood feud. And He's trying to talk Ashael out of it, but he's not. This young man is bullheaded. He's a fool, too. Not understanding the man is warning him.
He's probably you know, saying, oh, he's just afraid of me 'cause I look how fast I can run.
Well, it's one thing to run like a gazelle, it's another thing to fight like a tiger. Just because you get there first doesn't mean you're gonna be first in the end. These lessons are for ministry and serving Christ with our lives. This is Cross-Reference Radio with our pastor and teacher, Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville.
Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of 2 Samuel. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about Cross-Reference Radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching. 2 Samuel 2 is the text Pastor Rick will be teaching from today on this edition of Cross-Reference Radio. Remember that the next time you feel in a mood and you don't want to serve. You tired?
Is no excuse? Get to work. That's the idea behind it. Are there times that I want to go play? I want to go do something and I can't.
Because I've got twenty verses to go through still. And it's going to It's going to burn up all the daylight into the evening. And I think it's 100% worth it.
Now, I don't know if the others do. I say, you know, no end, don't need any help there. Whether you do or not, I've still got my job to do. I just have to try to do it better. Anyway, verse 9, and he made him king over Gilead, that's Azishbosheth.
Abner made him king, over Asherites. Over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, over all Israel. Why didn't you just say all over all Israel? And we wouldn't have to read all this.
So, Gilead again is a central territory on the east of Jordan to the tribes that didn't want to come into the Promised Land. They wanted to settle outside, and God permitted it. The Asherites, it's a variant of the tribe of Asher, but it's including Nephtali is up that way, and Zebulun is up there, well, Jezreel. Uh this all connected Asher, Zebulun, Manasseh, Ishkar. They're there.
And then he mentions Ephraim and Benjamin, and then he says the rest.
So Gad and For instance, Dan might have said, hey, how come we didn't get any Mansion, shout out.
So his power is sure to the north and east of the Jordan, but He's not qualified. It won't work well for him. Verse 10. He will survive this chapter, but not the next one. Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was 40 years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years.
Only the house of Judah followed David.
So if he was 40, he was 35 when Saul died. And because it was five years' delay before he was anointed, That would tell us that Jonathan was substantially older than David. Jonathan may have been 35, and David, you know, in his 20s, very late teens, when they bonded together. David was probably about 16 when he slew Goliath. He could have been younger.
But Likely around 16. Anyway, interesting little things that come off the pages to kind of put together, and they're really hard. to button down. Many times. Verse 10: Ishbosheth Saul's son was 40 years old when he began.
I did, I read that, didn't I? And where's the Samuel of the north? At least David has Abiathar. But there's nothing righteous mentioned about the North.
Well, this will be a characteristic that follows it until its collapse. When the Assyrians come and Uh just take them all away. He's going to be a puppet king. Abner's going to call the shots. He's going to insult Abner at one point.
You make a charge against Abner, and Abner's going to go, that's it, I'm out of here. But Joab will, you know, ten-tan, drama music, Joab. Uh Anyway, verse 11. And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
Well remember two years for Ish-Bosheth It's in the La latter part of D that seven and a half year period for David. Davis will probably be about 28 when he comes to power, when Ishbosheth comes into power. Not counting the months. Probably closer to 29. But anyway, verse 12.
Now Abner, the son of Nur. And the servants of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. And they're going out For battle, not negotiations. It's not just a platoon of men. Because we know over 300 get killed.
Just from this This side just from Abner's men.
So it's a sizable force. And verse 13. And Joab the son of Zariah, And the servants of David went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon.
So they sat down, one on one side of the pool. And the other on the other side of the pool. Nothing about that thirteenth verse. Sh should be dismissed. Critical to the story.
Why are one side on one side of the pool and the other ones? Because if they get in striking distance, somebody's going to try to kill somebody. Joab is here. And what we know of him, if he gets the shot, he's taking it. There's nothing fair about him.
He never misses a chance to stab someone to death. And He will he will stab Abner to death, Amesa to death, and Absalom.
Something about the letter A at the first part of your name just didn't bother this guy. And he kills him up close. You're looking right in their eyes when he kills them. He is a brute. This is the first mention of him.
He's mentioned in 1 Samuel, but it's not part of the narrative. It's, oh, by the way, Joab was. But now he's in the story. And he's going to stay in the story until Solomon has him killed. David from his deathbed is going to say, You need to kill that guy.
David could not, it would not have been good for the kingdom, but Solomon could. It was good for the kingdom. But he was. He was a great man. But he was a bad man.
The two are not the same. You can be great and good, you can be great and bad. He was great on the battlefield in that sense. That's the extent of his greatness. At one point, he and his brother get surrounded, and Joab just ups his game.
Okay, you do this, Abraham, and I'll do this, and we'll beat these boys back, and that's what they did. Uh he was loyal to David. Uh 'Til after when Solomon was coming up. And then that was his fate. Anyway.
He's David's nephew. He will become David's military commander. He's already a commander. And verse 14, Just pause, just remember that part there on the opposite side of the pool. Abner knows he better not get close to Joe Abner.
If anybody is the statesman, it's Abner, not Joab. And uh when Abner does get close to Joab, He dies. In chapter three. Verse 14. Then Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise and compete before us.
And Joab said, Let them arise. At this point, the smart button in the brains of these two middle-aged men. was turned to off. They have both become Blazing idiots, and you we'll see why. If you don't know the story.
And it is difficult to know. Uh exactly why did they have this duel? Was it a sporting event to kind of just show off, or were they trying to say, okay, the champion wins, and whatever kingdom loses becomes? joins the other one. It's not explicitly said.
Because it ends it's such a disaster of fools, That's why I bring it up. Whatever it was, by their standard and by our standard today, it was a failure. And so we've talked about the kings, and now we have the fools. Uh I don't think Abner was a fool all the time. But he is today.
Verse 15.
So they arose and went over. by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. Joab is never too far away from where the blood is going to be. He is a genuine land shark. You're just the guy that you don't want to be around.
And growing up, My brother had a friend, Aaron. He was a tough dude. My brother wasn't, but he liked my brother, so my brother was always safe if Aaron was around. But he He was tough. Anyway.
I'm glad he liked me too. He he was a Joab of the neighborhood. I think he died a violent death, if I remember. Verse 16. And each one grasped his opponent by the beard and thrust his sword into his opponent's side.
So they fell down together, therefore, the place was called a field of sharp swords. which is in Gibeon. What? Simultaneously, 24 men grab each other's beard and kill each other. That who planned this?
Who that had to, the Hebrew word come down.
Okay.
Now the Hebrew word for sword is broad. It can mean a sword, which it mostly does. Or it can mean A dagger. In this case, evidently a long dagger. Because they grabbed each other's beard.
I mean if you had swords, you just hacked the guy's arm off when he's trying to grab your beard. They had to get close enough to dagger each other. Or they were dumb. I don't think that was it. These were supposed to be their champions.
Somebody said, let it be with long daggers. Because Joab's going to use a long dagger to take out Abner later. But there's more to come.
So Uh all twenty-four, dead, downright stupid. Who thought of this? This is a scene on a West Side story. But it's worse. Whatever their intentions were, it ended In unnecessary death and more death, because there's going to be even be a battle out of this, a waste of young men, a pointless episode in the early stages of David's kingdom.
Nothing more than a barbaric gang fight. This was not military tactic. This was just a gang fight. It was a display of middle-aged idiocy in men. namely Joab and Abner.
Abner's the one that suggested it. Joab liked the idea. Blood? Yeah, yeah, let's do it. We don't read of this stunt.
being repeated again. I wonder why. The misuse of testosterone. leads to wasted blood. Therefore that place is called the field of sharp swords, which is in Gibeon.
Adding to the idiocy of fools. Is this attempt to glorify the name of this Murder scene. It's not a battlefield. The duel was just as senseless. It's the field of sharp swords.
Yeah, but not sharp people. A better name would have been The Fool's Field. or the field of dumb dudes. but not the field of sharp swords. Anyway, this is why kings and fools, this is just, I don't think of any way to redeem.
This event to say, well, look at the bright side. Or, well, men were men back there.
Well, men are men still. This is dumb. Verse 20. I mean, imagine if you were called. You know, you.
You're one of the champions to represent us. Yeah, another fool. I would have said nothing with it, but daggers? Why don't we use swords? Anyway, therefore, that place we read in verse 17.
So there was a very fierce battle that day. And Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before the servants of David.
So they didn't solve anything. It escalated. Everything just got out of hand. Could you see the look on their faces when you have 24 dead men? holding each other's beards and uh just it's just silly.
David again has more than 600 men. They're not all here.
Some of them are. Verse 18.
Now The three sons of Zariah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Ashael. Ashael was. As fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.
Well, this is going to work way against him. It's a bad day to run so fast. They're David's nephews, David. Joab is probably old. Joab may have been older than.
Then David. It says Ashael was fleet of foot as a gazelle. Ironically, he ran. Too fast as we're going to get to verse 23 for his own good. Verse 19, Ashael pursued Abner.
And in going He did not turn to the right, hand, or to the left from following him.
So he's focused, he's zeroed in. He knew that this was a golden moment. But he underestimated Abner's skill and he overestimated his own skill. And he thought because he could catch the middle-aged guy that he could take him out. If successful, What he would have done is dissolved.
The throne of Ishbosheth. They would have united the kingdom. He would have been a national hero. It was a prize target. But That doesn't mean it's easy, in fact, quite the opposite.
Verse 20. Then Abner looked behind him and said, Are you Asher? And he answered, I am. There's a lot of talking for two men running. On the battlefield.
And Abner said to him, Turn aside to the right hand and to the left, and lay your lay hold of one of the young men, and take his armour for yourself. But Ashael would not turn aside from following him.
Well, this reference to taking the armor is not a reference that Ashael didn't have armor, but that to the victor go the spoils from the vanquished. We read about David took Goliath's armor, the Philistines took Saul's armor. That's what he is saying. You know, go get another prize, leave me alone. But He wanted the big kill.
And he got killed on his own safari. I mean, it just did not happen. And he dies a gross. just a grotesque death.
So verse 22, Abner said again to Ashael, turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?
Well Abner's a tough dude and we're going to find that out. But he feared going head to head with Joab, because Joab evidently by this time already had a reputation of being a killer. But Joab Wouldn't get too close to Abney either. In fact, when he's trying to catch him after this event, he's going to bring his brother Abishai with him. It's not like.
You know, there was no going not a match, but Abner knew the two tigers tangled, but they're both gonna get hurt. It's just not worth it.
So he doesn't want this blood feud. And He's trying to talk Ashael out of it, but he's not. This young man is bullheaded. He's a fool, too. He's not understanding the man is warning him.
He's probably you know, saying, oh, he's just afraid of me because I look how fast I can run.
Well, it's one thing to run like a gazelle, it's another thing to fight like a tiger. Just because you get there first doesn't mean you're gonna b be first in the end. These lessons are for ministry and serving Christ with our lives. We talk about it. the battlefield of Christianity.
Well, we see it in the pages of Scripture. The same properties go with it. They're parallels that you just cannot dismiss. When the day comes for Abner to die, his murderer will be Joab. And the tactic chosen by Joab is stealth.
Why? because he knows Abner. sword to sword might might win. And that's why Joab's going to Be sneaky about it. Anyway, verse 23.
However, he refused to turn aside. Therefore, Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of the spear, so that the spear came out of his back, and he fell down there and died on the spot.
So it was that as many as came to the place where Ashael fell and died. Stood still. Yeah, I bet they did. this big prize. Ash Ail could just taste it.
He could taste the victory. But who is this guy with the blunt end? Who needs a spirit tip if you could do this with the blunt end?
Well, There's a lot happening here.
So it's not the spear tip end, it's the other side. the butt of the spear. And he likely is As he's running, Ashel's coming up on him hard. And he he has to slow down or stop. They both may have fallen to the ground.
And he seems to w we know he's trying not to hurt him.
Well he'd use a sharp end if he were. He's trying to poke at him, maybe knock the wind out of him. But He miscalculates Ashael's reaction time. and the momentum and thrust that's coming at him. And so you have these two forces coming together.
This Hard piece of wood sticking out, held firmly by evidently a very strong man. Strong enough to hold it so it doesn't move out of his hand on impact. And it impales. Yeah. Goes right through muscle and tissue.
The blunt end. It's so impressive that everybody was awestruck. It's not a freak accident, it's physics. But who saw it coming? I think Abner didn't know his own strength.
I think he was shocked. They figured he'd just knock the guy out. He kills him with one blow. And so here, you know, that running real fast. Maybe he was planning to knock Abner down with his speed, and then finished.
You know, Jonathan used that tactic, came in his arm. I'll knock him down, you kill him. It is a valid tactic. With these kinds of weapons. unforeseen by everyone.
And so it was as many came by. Verse 23. As came to the place where Ashael fell down and died, stood still. Yeah, they were in utter shock. This gory outcome.
It's not even the spear sticking out of the man, it's the back end, it's a shameful death, it's ironic, too. It ran. Right into. Death. Again, less a freak accident, more of a perfect strike.
Joab doesn't care anything about that. All he knows is I'm going to kill you. He's like a weasel. He's not gonna turn away from chasing the rabbit. Verse 24, Joab and Abishel also pursued Abner, the two brothers.
Wishing they could run by Gabichelle. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill, verse 24, of Amma. which is before gia By the road to the wilderness of Gibeon.
Well, just what he was trying to avoid is happening. As Job said, the thing I feared has happened to me. And he's gotta be, he was almost kicking himself. I knew this would happen. But you can imagine the guy's running up ordering me.
I'm just gonna poke this kid. And he kills him, and now the instant thought is, oh, I killed him. The instant thought is, now I gotta fight the brothers. There's the law of, you know, the Cities of refuge were there for The Avenger of death. You could go kill somebody for killing somebody.
And Joab's gonna uh gonna do just this. If you wronged Joab, no matter whose fault, you were a marked man. It was revenge without mercy. He cared nothing for justification. Once he just said, I have to kill you.
That was it. Verse 25.
Now the children of Benjamin gathered together behind Abner and became a unit and took their stand on top of a hill.
So they regrouped. These are seasoned troops, not seasoned like for a snack, but. Uh they were These were trained troops who'd been in battle. They knew how to regroup. Uh And that's what they do.
They're taking a stand. You have to admire that. Verse 24: Abner called to Joab and said, Shall the sword devour forever? Do you not know that? That it will be a bitter in the latter end.
How long will it be? Then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren. Statesmanship. Essentially, he's saying, well, we try to have this duel so we wouldn't have this big battle. I think that's.
more likely what's going on. was not just sport, but It failed, verse 27. And Joab said, As God lives, unless you had spoken, surely, then by morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren. 'Cause I would have chased you till to morrow. But because you've spoken, You're right.
I'll kill you another time. is what's going on. Abner is a dead man walking from this day forward. And he's going to let his guard down. And when he should not, Verse 28, so Joab blew the trumpet.
And all the people stood still. and did not pursue Israel any more, nor did they fight anymore.
So Joab had musical skills. No, that's not what it means. He probably had somewhat else. There's a shofar, the ram's horn blown. The battle is over, but the war is not.
Verse 29. Then Abner and his men went on all night through the plain, crossed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron. And they came to Mahanaim, There's a lot of miles being covered by these men, and this is significant also to the story. The way it ends, I'll get to that in verse 30. And Joab returned from pursuing Abner.
And when he had gathered all the people together, There were missing of David's servants nineteen men and And Ashael.
So twenty killed in action for Judah. It goes on. Verse 31: But the servants of David struck down of Benjamin and Abner's men 360 men who died. That's 18 times the loss. What happened?
I think this is the retreat. It was not an organized retreat. They ran. Their own leaders running. for his life from Ashael.
That would account for uh the great rout that uh took place This was not propaganda. It's what happens when you retreat in disorder from a trained army or a bloodthirsty one. Verse 32, Then they took up Ashael and buried him in his father's tomb, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night and they came to Hebron at daybreak.
Well, it's 14 miles. To force march from Bethlehem to Hebron. But they had been fighting all day. They had to march to the fight, they engaged in the fight, they chased each other, they ended up running all over the place. This is some tough guys.
It's not like Well let's camp down for the night. They go to a funeral. I mean, it's just. emotionally It's just quite impressive. It was good to remember, these are the guys that Saul was chasing, not many of them.
And they're going to be David's men. Throughout. What about the hundreds of bodies? I don't recall the number, 318, whatever it was. 360 men who died.
What about their bodies? Were they just left there for the buzzards?
Well, it's possible, but I think that the Jews were sensitive to this all the way back from the days of Abraham. And they uh I I would think that they at least would come out the next day. It's quite gory. But uh That's how this chapter ends. More of a chapter that stands out It's like a good movie, you know?
You kind of remember parts of it later in the process. And as Christians who are supposed to be engaged in spiritual warfare, there are things to ponder from this story. This has been the latest edition of Cross-Reference Radio. Pastor Rick Gaston is teaching through the book of 2 Samuel, which details the reign of David as king of Israel. There are so many life lessons to be learned during these years of David's life.
We're glad you've tuned in to hear more from God's Word. This radio ministry comes to you from Calvary Chapel, Mechanicsville, in Mechanicsville, Virginia. If you're interested in accessing more messages just like this one, you can listen online or download these messages at crossreferenceradio.com. You can also subscribe to our podcast by going to your favorite podcast app. We can't wait for you to step into the next teaching that Pastor Rick has for us.
So come back next time for CrossReference Radio.
