Family Fight Never Yield A Winner

Synopsis     2Sam 2:5-16     11/14/2108 

David made a friendly overture to the tribal leaders of Benjamin. He sent his greetings. And, because they had remained faithful to Saul, he promised to be generous with them . He also told them that the leaders of Judah had made him their king.  

Abner was Saul’s cousin. And he was the leader of Saul’s army. So, after Saul’s death, Abner crowned Ishbaal king over Israel. Ishbaal was one of Saul’s surviving sons. David’s army was led by Joab, one of the men who had followed David while in the wilderness. Ishbaal’s army was led by Abner.  

Sometime after Ishbaal had been crowned, Joab encountered Abner near Gibeon. Both men were leading their armies. Abner commanded the army of Israel. And Joab commanded the army of David.

So, Abner proposed that select young men from each army compete as a possible replacement for an all-out war. And Joab agreed to this. Accordingly, the leaders of each army selected twelve men. But at the end of the competition, all the contestants died. So, the contest was a draw.  

Tribal Disputes Can Never Be Won Through Battle 

Abner proposed a contest instead of having a larger battle. And Joab agreed. But, the contest was a draw. Twelve men from each army fought in a competition and all twenty-four ended up dead. And so, the contest served as a metaphor for the futility of civil war.  

The injury of brother fighting brother was not worth whatever outcome each side hoped to achieve.  

Family Fights Never Yield A Winner 

No one is surprised when members of the same family fight because it’s so common. And yet, it really should be shocking. But the shocking part isn’t that people should fight there own family members. The shocking part is that anyone thinks they could be successful after injuring his brother.  

 “But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste, and no town or house divided against itself will stand” Matt 12:25