Seeds of Rebellion
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 Asahel fell down and died, stood still. Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the Wilderness of Gibeon. - 2 Samuel 2:23-24
The warning Abner gave to Asahel was ignored and Asahel lost his life. While Abner was the one who killed Asahel, it was really not his fault. He had no desire to kill him. He warned him twice; once to get some armor and once to turn back, but Asahel was determined to kill him. For Abner, he had to either kill Asahel or be killed by him. Those were his choices.
However, his brothers, Joab and Abishai, did not believe Abner had no choice. As David’s men came to the spot where Asahel fell, they all stopped, but Joab and Abishai continued on in pursuit of Abner. They wanted his blood. It had become a personal war.
Abner knew this would happen. He tried to prevent it, but it could not be stopped, or maybe it could have been avoided. From the beginning, it was Abner who came against David, God’s anointed. His first action to set up a kingdom without David started all of this.
Look at how one action led to the death of so many. One rebellion against God caused so much destruction. That is what you will reap when you sow seeds of rebellion—destruction.
All misery calls sin mother.
~George Swinnock~
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