Monday, September 19, 2011

Political Favors

Reflections on 2 Sam. 4:1-12

Politicians often publicly disassociate themselves from political action groups that operate illegally and slander their opponents, but they secretly welcome that help and even reward the lawbreakers when they win an election. David was not that kind of man.

FAVORS LOST. Baanah and Recab were from Beeroth, a town belonging to the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:17) in the territory of Benjamin (Josh. 18:25) near Saul’s hometown. Sometime before this, the Gibeonites had fled Beeroth, possibly when Saul killed many of them (2 Sam. 21:1-2). After they fled, Saul may have given their lands to Benjamites such as the father of Baanah and Recab (cf. 1 Sam. 22:7). Whatever favors they had received from Saul and from Ish-bosheth as captains of his raiding bands, they no longer expected those favors to continue.

NEW FAVORS EXPECTED. Baanah and Recab knew Ish-bosheth had no real power without Abner and that the people were eager to make David king. They were sure that Ish-bosheth would lose the throne and probably his life also. Why not make the best of a bad situation? Accordingly, they went to the royal residence and found Ish-bosheth sleeping at midday. They killed him, cut off his head, and took it to David hoping to win a reward when they presented the evidence of his rival’s death. They obviously expected to win David’s favor when they reminded him that Ish-bosheth’s father had tried to kill him. David would surely be impressed that they had acted as God’s agents in avenging “my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring” (v. 8). They confidently awaited new favors from the new king.

JUST REWARD. Their reward was not what they expected because David was not a man whose judgment could be impaired by political favors. He did not need the help of lawless men. He had the help of the Lord who had delivered him out of every adversity (v. 9). Accordingly, David not only disassociated himself from these men who murdered his rival, but he also gave them their just reward. He executed the men who thought that favors could be purchased with wickedness.

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