2 Samuel 3:28-30 – Don’t act in haste

David was hopeful that Abner would bring to completion what they had agreed upon. He was confident that he would soon rule over the entirety of Israel. Little did he know that things would not be so smooth flowing. For Abner who was to get the proposal going was cold-bloodedly murdered by Joab without the knowledge of David. When David heard about the murder. He immediately disavowed having anything to do with Abner’s death. As far as he was concerned, he was guiltless of Abner’s blood for this was not in his plan and not what he wanted.

The next thing David did was severe, he pronounced a curse on Joab and his father’s household. He said, “May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father's house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!” Then verse 30 reminds us how dreadful vengeance can be. Abner killed Asahel, so now he was put to death by Joab and Abishai all because of revenge. If only Joab understood the context which led to Asahel's death, he might not be so hasty. If he understood the heart of David and the will of God, he would probably not be so rash in murdering Abner. He did not take the time to think and consider. One assassination will beget another. These few verses remind us that in seeking vengeance there can be no end. We must not do things mindlessly.      

When Abner left David, he did not expect to be killed. When David sent Abner away peacefully, he also did not anticipate this would happen. But in God’s mysterious providence the situation turned out as it did. Proverbs 19:21 reminds us that, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man,  but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Does it mean that we should not plan then? Certainly not! To plan we certainly must. If we do not plan, we are planning to fail. But in our planning, we must always factor God into the equation and not be presumptuous. Be sure to put in lots of thoughts, but also make sure to put in lots of prayers. Let our achievement in life be one of divine-human collaboration.