“Greater and Weaker” - 2 Samuel 3

One of the fastest-growing online businesses is the business of spying on Internet users. Communications Professor Joseph Turow writes: "We're at the start of a revolution in the ways marketers and media intrude—and shape—our lives. Every day, most if not all Americans who use the internet … are being quietly peeked at, poked, and tagged as they move through the online world."

In other words, every time you click a link, fill out a form, or visit a website, advertisers are collecting personal information about you. Then companies target ads for you based on that information. Turow says that a recent online Valentine's Day card he sent to his wife, contained trackers from 15 different companies. Even a simple online greeting card purchase reveals a lot about you.

The goal is to sell us stuff more efficiently, but Turow worries that this new technology is creating a society where our value is defined by profiles we don't even know are being built. For example, marketers already have developed a new jargon that divides people into two distinct categories: "targets" and "waste." In the future, Turow says, advertisers might you place you in "reputation silos" that discriminate those pegged as "down-market." Turow says,

I'm concerned about … social discrimination. In an everyday world where companies are deciding [how] I'm targeted, making up pictures about me, I'm getting different ads and different discounts and different maps of even where I might sit in an airplane based on what they think about me … It has a lot of ramifications of how we see ourselves and how we see other people.

How do we see ourselves and other people? How do we make these kinds of judgements? By what standard? Unfortunately, our standards by which we judge between winners and losers in our culture, even in the church, tend to be standards of the world. A good person, and bad person, a person of worth, a person of character, a person who is good enough. Those we call winners and losers. How do we judge? In accordance with the standards of the world or the standards of Christ? By what standard? Think about it… if we judge according to the worlds standards, either way, winner or loser, we lose. In the end, the judgement made by Christ in accordance to His Holy standards is the only one that will matter. By what standard? We will get some answers from our passage today.

Last week we witnessed the king after the heart of God’s commitment to the Word of God and how it is to be his guiding light of the kingdom. The other kingdom was set up by Abner, but when the kingdom began to weaken, he decided to betray the king of Israel and help bring the kingdom to David which he will admit belonged to David anyway. But his plan did not work out to well.

There was a long period of war between the houses of Saul and David. David grew stronger and Saul grew weaker. Saul’s sons were dying but sons were born to David to strengthen him, but it happened with different wives. The son’s listed were those who were born to him while he was in Hebron. Meanwhile in the weakening house of Saul, our friend Abner was growing in strength to the point of even sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines and defying the king to his face. When Ishbosheth confronted him, Abner became angry at the king of Israel. He threatened to bring the whole kingdom to David and establish his throne over the north and south. The Ishbosheth became afraid of what Abner might do, so he remained silent even though he was threatened with let’s say treasonous speech. Abner actually did go to David to make a deal. Now David would not talk until they brought him his wife Michal. David interestingly sent word to Ishbosheth instead of Abner and the king took Pal-ti-el’s wife, Michal away from him and he followed her weeping all the way until Abner told him to go back home. An interesting turn of events, Abner is politicking with the elders of Israel to make David king over all, even though it was he who made made Ishbosheth king, He went to David to tell him that all of Israel and Benjamin agree. They all celebrated with Abner and 20 of his men with Abner telling David that he would call an assembly in Israel and they will make you king. David then sent Abner back in peace. When Joab found out about this he became angry with David and put a plan together to get Abner back without David knowing so that he could kill Abner for killing his brother Asahel. Abner was killed and David cursed the descendants of Joab. David also commanded Joab and all who were with him to mourn for him and bury him here in Hebron. David and all of the people mourned for Abner at the gravesite and sang a funeral song for him. And because David mourned for Abner by fasting all of Judah and Israel knew that he was innocent of Abner’s murder.

- Side note… Joab was cursed by David and would eventually be executed by Solomon for what he did to Abner here.

2 Samuel 3:1 NLT

That was the beginning of a long war between those who were loyal to Saul and those loyal to David. As time passed David became stronger and stronger, while Saul’s dynasty became weaker and weaker.

The grass withers the flower fades but the Word of our God stands forever.

The First King Becomes Greater

The Second King Becomes Weaker

The Greatest King

The first consideration is the kingdom of David and how the Lord is continuing to bless and strengthen him to greatness. The second point is how the Lord causes the house of Saul to continue to be weakened. Finally we will see how all kingdoms of this world must decrease, while Christ must increase the greatest King.

Thesis: Though we can and do become blinded by the pattern and philosophies of this world coupled with the corruption of sin to seek greatness in ways that are in accord with the standard set by the world, the Gospel opens our eyes to the light that the kingdom of Christ must increase and our kingdom must decrease.

I. The First King Becomes Greater

- We seek to grow and progress in life but are we going about the wrong way?

A. There was a long period of war between the two kingdoms. The important piece given was the statement that David was getting stronger. And the author does something curious. He gives an account of David’s sons that were born of him from several different wives.

B. Now we are quick to run to the polygamy issue, but the reason the author brings it up is based on the principles that having lots of children will strengthen a man and that some of the the wives were the result of politicking. Maacha was the daughter of the king of Geshur and was married to David to form an alliance. So David got stronger because of new Alliances with other surrounding kingdoms. Political increase.

C. It seems that the author does not directly condemn David here (Maybe a way to understand it’s relative acceptance implicitly in almost some wives may be ok, but lots, like Solomon, would be bad because it will lead their hearts away from God)… either way, it is a narrative telling us what happened and how people saw it. Not necessarily the way it should be. The point is… David got stronger with his wives and sons. Having lot’s of children is a sign of strength then as it is today. Not just in strength in numbers for support, but also for succession and dynasty.

Psalm 127:3–5 NLT

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.

Psalm 127:3–4 NLT

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.

D. This is the strength of Children. Something we as a modern culture neglect. Children can seem a burden to people more than a blessing and a strength. For many it is too much a lifestyle change.

Psalm 127:3 NLT

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.

E. Though David did not go about acquiring his sons in the best way, nonetheless he had sons and I believe that it is the point of the author. Period. David’s support was strong and his dynasty was intact and promising. It was not intended to deal with the issue of polygamy. It was to show a contrast between David and Saul. David had sons born to him, Saul’s sons were dying. That is the ultimate point. Life and death contrast.

F. But David did not go about it in the way the Lord intended. The pattern of the Scriptures shows many children, from your wife. Your only wife. This is clear intent. But there is a point I want to make here in light of this. Something we can learn.

G. David did increase in strength, but it was not done in the best way. The author does not point this out, but I will. I think the dynamics of polygamy really had an affect on David’s sons and on their mothers. Though none of these sons mentioned were famous, three of them became infamous and caused David heartache. Amnon raped David’s Daughter, Absolom had Amnon killed and tried to take the kingdom away from David, Adonijah tried to take the throne away from Solomon.

H. We seek to grow and progress in life but are we going about the wrong way? Sure we maybe stronger, but if it is not in the way the Lord ordained, then we could face even more heartache in the future. When we think of success and failure how are we judging it? By what is our standard? Growing weaker or stronger, how are we judging it? Today we like to use the terms winners and losers. What are we doing to become winners in life? And if you feel like a loser are you really a loser? How do we judge?

I. The category of winner and loser today is not helpful. For the most part when a person judges a winner and loser…it is in accordance to what the world thinks. Think about it. When you look at someone and if you had to think winner and loser, by what standard do you judge. The reason why I say that it is not helpful or even immoral is because the Standard is the worlds.

J. God’s standards are not the standard of the world. We are not to be strong, but weak. We celebrate the meek, the hungry and thirsty, the poor in spirit, the merciful, and peacemakers… where the world celebrates, ambition, material success, external beauty, the rich in wealth, the achievers, the accomplished, the popular, and the entertainers. In our country, those who entertain carry much power.

K. What I’m trying to say. When someone calls us a loser today…we don’t like it. But if we are called winners, we should not like it either. If we are losers in accordance to the world’s standards, then we do not want to be winners either! And if our priorities revolve around these categories, then we will use unbiblical means to accomplish strength and success…even if it is good strength. If we are strong, it also matters how we got strong.

L. When we build muscle is it because of hard work or steroids? Sure we get big and strong on steroids, but in the end there are so many side effects that it could even kill us. It does not just matter that you come to God, it matters how you did it. It does not just matter that you worship God, it matters how you worship Him as well.

M. As Christian’s when it comes to being a winner or a loser… our goal is not either or… it is N/A. When the Scriptures judge… it is not about winners or losers. It is about the obedient and disobedient. Other than a few scriptures… the Bible is not calling for winners, but finishers! The Bible is not calling us to be successful, but to be sanctified. The Bible is not calling us to be popular, but to be pure. It does not call for dominance, but devotion. It is not calling for fortune, but faithfulness. Obedience.

N. Christ is not calling us to be winners!! But to be obedient! It does not matter how the world judges you… but how the Lord judges you. We deny self, take up our cross, and follow him. Period. And when strength comes… we realize that it does not come from us, but from the grace of God.

O. And as we are going to see in the rest of the book of 2 Samuel… David’s real strength did not come from his many sons, but from the grace and faithfulness of God.

P. We find strength in the Lord. In His grace. His grace is sufficient for us, His power is made perfect through weakness.

II. The Second King Becomes Weaker

- Our kingdoms weaken as His kingdom grows.

A. Ishbosheth was disrespected by Abner and took no action toward one who would defy him. Showing the weakness in contrast how David rules. Even David showed Ishbosheth respect as a true leader. When Abner called to David about negotiations, David sent word to Ishbosheth. Abner was insubordinate even when called out for sexual relations with one of Saul’s harem. Saul’s Harem belonged to his successor…and this action could be seen as a threat to the very throne. Sexual relations with a wife of the king. Solomon showed this when Adonijah asked for Abishag, David’s wife, for His wife.

B. Ishbosheth weakened, but Abner got stronger. The king of Israel feared Abner, but when he realized the weakening of the kingdom with Saul’s son and with the desires of the elders of the regions, He decided that he did not want to strengthen himself in a kingdom that will be gone soon, he reached out to David. The Scriptures are not clear as to the real intentions of Abner, but if you consider the path he blazed to this point, it sure does seem as if he is looking out for his own best interest.

C. Everyone sees and knows that David is going to win. I better get in good with David. All of the elders and people desired David for sometime now. Ishbosheth is going nowhere… he is going down with the ship, I am not going with him. Disloyal and Deceptive. In order to gain strength, he does that which was not intended by God.

D. Can we add deception and scheming like Abner to the list of things we participate in, in order to become strong? Two men who do that which should not be done to be strong, but is there a difference?

E. David sins, but his heart is after God. When it comes to strength he says…

Psalm 28:6–8 NLT

Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. The Lord gives his people strength. He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.

F. David cries out to the Lord for mercy. He finds mercy. Did Abner? We don’t know for sure. But if he did not call upon the name of the Lord, then he will not find it.

G. Many of us today may look and see that we operate too much in the category of building our own kingdom. Strengthening ourselves with the wrong things and wrong ways. We look to the world more than we do God. Maybe we seek to be winners in the world than to be obedient children of the Lord. Do we like Abner seek to go with the flow… the world is going this way so we either get with the program or be left behind and so we compromise our own beliefs?

III. The Greatest King

- He must increase and we must decrease.

A. As Christians we are doing this today… We see many changing theological truths in order to be accommodating to the world. We are willing to redefine institutions of God for the sake of not being an offense to the World. Will we stop talking about firm absolute truth’s of scripture in order to go with the flow of the world?

B. Sin causes us to desire friendship with the world, knowing that it is hatred toward God. And if we are honest, we may care about the judgment of the world more than we do God. We may care more about pleasing the world more than God in unfaithfulness. This is hatred toward God and is truly reprehensible and punishable by death in eternal fire and darkness forever. It is sin and the wages of sin is death.

C. But there is forgiveness for us all today. Christian even you. This is the Gospel of Jesus . All of this unfaithfulness that we all do every day in some way deserves death, and Christ took that death from us, but dying for us. The scriptures declare… Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures. The saying is trustworthy and deserving…

D. There is salvation for us today. Today repent of our sins. And cry out to the Lord for mercy. Christian and non-Christian alike. Christians we will go to the Lord and cry for mercy like David did. We go before the Lord because we desire to be obedient to the Lord and desire to be forever thankful for his grace and mercy. Repent and rest in the unmerited favor that He has for you. Rest in your peace that transcends all understanding. Rejoice that we are co-heirs of the kingdom that can never be shaken.

E. If you are not a Christian today…If you came in here believing that all of this is meaningless, a farce and worthless and right now you suddenly believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God…then you have life in His name. You should know that this is only possible because the Lord has given you life…It is by grace that we all have been saved. Call upon the Lord… and he promises to save you. Today if you see the Kingdom of God, then know that the only reason why you do, is because you have been born again. Repent of your sins and believe. The Lord has given you life. This is the power of the Gospel of Jesus. Please let one of us know that this has happened to you so we can rejoice with you.

F. Everyone today… Jesus is Lord. He is the Christ. He is the King of kings. We have salvation today and we pray that He will continue to cause us to grow in righteousness. He will cause us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. He will cause us to be made more and more like Him.

G. David’s kingdom increased while Saul’s decreased. Behold the Lamb of God. The King of Kings. Like John the Baptist said, He must increase and I must decrease…Today let us all say that Christ must increase and we must decrease.