: “And when Saul’s son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled” (2 Samuel 4:1). There was a beautiful building at the centre of a metropolitan city. It was a master piece, of the best architectural design, suspended on a major pillar and fortified with the best security gadgets of the day. Suddenly, the main pillar of the building collapsed due to uneven settlement under the pillar area. Great was the ruin of this magnificent edifice. Ishbosheth was the fourth son of King Saul and the last member of his family to reign in Israel. Abner, the commander of the army in Israel was a strong pillar and backbone behind the reign of lshbosheth until they disagreed over Saul’s concubine. The death of Abner weakened the position of the king. Two of his captains (Baanah and his brother Rechab), sons of Rimmon came to the king’s palace at noon, while lying on his bed. They beheaded Ishbosheth and brought his head to David in Hebron, expecting to be rewarded. David however had them exterminated for their wickedness. Ishbosheth met an untimely death because he put all his trust and hope on Abner, the strong man of Israel. People who put their trust in man will always be disappointed. When we have problems or challenges of life, it is good to seek help. But we must never bypass God or His directives to us as contained in the Holy Bible. Abner had replaced the position of God in the heart of Ishbosheth. The strong man, so to say, became an idol for him to rely on. How unwise this turned out to be. Idols such as money, fame or success can be seductive if we rely on them. Wealth and luxury bring a false sense of security. To avoid temporal disappointment and eternal regret, sinners must repent, put their trust in the finished work of Christ and believe the gospel. Believers must always put their trust in God and His unchanging word. On no account should the counsel of mere men subvert or replace the immutable dictates of God’s wisdom. THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The Lord knows them that trust in Him.
Posted on: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 04:39:58 +0000