Abner's Choice: 2 Samuel 2:8-11

I believe life is best served in humble submission to God.  Who among us can know the future?  We know what we want, but our desires are often fleeting.  We frequently feel less contentment with our heart’s desire after we acquire it than during the pursuit of our heart’s desire.  Only God knows what will truly satisfy us.

With Saul dead, there needs to be a new king.  Abner, Saul’s general, steps up and appoints one of Saul’s remaining sons, Ish-bosheth.  Elsewhere in scripture, Ish-bosheth is called Eshba’al, which is a phrase meaning “Son of the Lord.”  In this case, though, Ba’al means lord in the language of the Canaanite people as Ba’al was one of their chief deities.  Thus, Saul named one of his sons after a chief Canaanite god.  This is more evidence that God rejected Saul because Saul was not walking with God.

I cannot fault Abner for doing something.  There is a vacancy in the power hierarchy of the Hebrew people, and it needs filled.  Monarchies are typically filled by offspring; it makes sense to look to Saul’s children as the next king.  Abner, being a general and close to Saul, exercises his power.

What I can fault Abner for is ignoring the people of Judah.  It was clear to them David was God’s next chosen leader, even if Samuel’s anointing of David was a private matter.  Abner must have heard of David’s anointing in Judah.  Despite this, Abner picks Ish-bosheth.

Abner has an issue with David. Abner is the one who brought David to Saul after Goliath’s death.  Abner is the one whom David called out the second time God delivered Saul into David’s hands and David spared Saul’s life.  Abner and David have history.

Complicating matters, David already has a general.  David’s general is Joab.  If Abner submits to David, he won’t be the chief general anymore.  Given David’s track record of forgiveness, David certainly would have folded Abner into his regime somewhere.  David probably would have given him a respectable place to help bring Saul’s troops in line with his own.  However, Abner would be taking a step backwards and not been the chief general.

This brings us to the crux of this situation.  Abner backed a self-serving king.  Now he must accept or resist the consequences.  Instead of humbling himself and taking the place God would have provided in David’s regime, he wants to do his own thing.  Abner doesn’t want to relinquish power.  Abner doesn’t want to play God’s role for him; he wants to be in charge.

Life is often a power struggle between us and God.  We all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.  Certainly, none of us are perfect.  We can do what we want and reap the consequences of our choices.  We can humble ourselves before God and reap His glory.  I believe life is best served in humble submission to God.