Daily Manna: Vengeance Is Not You. Thursday 22, August 2013 TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 3:22-30 KEY VERSE: “And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of Ner” (2 Samuel 3:28). God forbids retaliation. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). The long war between the house of David and that of Saul had resulted in the death of many young and vibrant soldiers. Asahel, brother to Joab, had been killed by Abner, commander of Saul’s army. The killing did not go down well with Joab, who was the leader of David’s army. He thereafter began to look for an opportunity to avenge the blood of Asahel. After the war, Abner had sought to reconcile with the house of David. He volunteered to surrender the troops under his command to David. A sweet accord was reached, but Joab did not buy into the peace move. He slew Abner without the knowledge of David. Joab decided to avenge the blood of Asahel in peace time. But that earned him a curse. David said: “Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father’s house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an issue or that is a leper, or that falleth on the sword or that lacketh bread” (verse 29). Though it’s painful to lose one’s sibling, Joab ought to have realized that his brother was killed during a conflict situation. He had every opportunity to avoid the curse he eventually brought upon himself and his posterity. King David also manifested the attributes of a real man of God and the father of all Israel. He did not give place for sentiments. Although Joab had served him for many years, he did not justify his misdeed. Anger, vengeance and inordinate ambition were Joab’s waterloo. To avoid similar consequences, bend beneath the Cross today for cleansing from all inbred sins. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Vengeance belongs to God.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Aug 2013 11:13:23 +0000
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