2 Samuel 1-4: Vengeance is the Lord's

Have you ever absolutely hated someone? Perhaps it was a friend who turned his back against you or a person who you just didn't get along with. Either way, so often in our sinful hearts we hate those who are our fellow image-bearers of God. This leads us to wishing for their harm and desiring that things would not go well with them. But in the end, scripture tells us that this not to be our attitude, because vengeance is the Lord's.

In the first four chapters of 2 Samuel, we see David take his place as king. However, many trials are besetting him as he does so. He finds out that Jonathan, his best friend, was killed in battle, and that Saul committed suicide. Both of these deaths cause him to mourn, even though Saul was his very enemy. Next, Ish-bosheth (Saul's son) is appointed king of northern Israel by Abner, even though David was supposed to be king over all Israel. Because of this, Joab (David's army commander) decides to take matters into his own hands and murder Abner. In response, David mourns the death of Abner (his enemy) and murders Joab for taking Abner's life. And lastly, in 2 Samuel 4, we find two of Saul's army captains murdering Ish-bosheth and bringing his head to David, looking to please him. Once again, David rebukes them for taking an innocent life, and has both of them killed.

Phew! That was a lot of biblical history. We just summed up four chapters of scripture in a paragraph, but what's the point? Perhaps many applications could be drawn, but the one I would like to point out this morning is that vengance is the Lord's. So often, we attempt to take our anger into our own hands and retalliate against those whom we think have wronged us. However, this is not the pattern of scripture, as seen in the life of David. Even when his enemies were unrighteously murdered, David mourned. Furthermore, David never commanded anyone who murder his primary enemies (including Saul, Abner, and Ish-bosheth) because he trusted in the Lord's plan. Furthermore, David did not desire to see anyone in pain or death, but rather experience the goodness of the Lord. He would rather see his enemy repent than his enemy perish. Surely all of these characteristics ought to be true for us as well.

So, how have you taken vengeance upon others in the past? Have you repented of this, and realized that it is not your job to avenge people? Let me encourage you today: trust in the sovereignty of God. He's got it under control; all you need to do is trust him and not take matters into your own hands. Forgive those who have wronged you instead of wronging them again; two wrongs do not make a right.