The Fall of Abner 2 Samuel 3:33-38
If you have already read the sermon outline, you may be thinking that the preacher is going to be a bit morbid today. And perhaps you would be right. Physical death is not the most pleasant subject, but physical death is not "the end" either, Someone has conquered it. Physical death is, however, a reality, and it is good for the preacher to address reality.
I could speak on managing great wealth, but not everyone possess great wealth. I could address the issue of parenting, but not everyone is, or will be a parent. I could expound about heaven, but not everyone will see it. Today, we have a topic, that is relevant to us all, for with very few exceptions, all of mankind faces death. Young, old, rich, poor, all races, all nations, all tongues, all levels of wealth, of education, and of strength, even health.
It is not wise to avoid the topic of death. It is unwise to be unprepared for it. You can go the whole day not talking about the night, but the night still comes. And what would you think of the unprepared hiker in the woods that finds himself in darkness without a lamp and says, "I didn't know the sun would set." You would be aghast at the thought of his inability to face an inescapable reality. So is the one who is not prepared to part from his/her physical body. Are you telling me, it won't happen to you?
David was king. He was not king over all the tribes of Israel, just over Judah. Saul and Jonathan were dead. Saul's son Ish-Bosheth, was King over Israel. The man we focus on today is named Abner.
Abner was a warrior, a fighting man. A strong man, and the chief commander of the army of Israel under King Ish-Bosheth. David also had leaders in his army, one, who was top ranking among the army was named Joab.
At one point, the two groups of fighting men (David's men, under Joab, and Ish-Bosheth's men, under Abner) found themselves sitting on opposite sides of a pool of water. Abner's idea was to have 12 from each side fight hand-to-hand, probably for entertainment and in order to size up the opposing foes. All 24 of those men fell that day and a larger battle ensued.
David's men, under Joab, routed the enemy, so Abner and his men began to flee. Joab's brother, Asahel was described as being as fast and nimble as a gazelle. He was pursuing Abner and refused to be distracted, or to pursue any other foe.
Abner warned Asahel time and time again to break off his pursuit or be cut down. Asahel, like all of David's men, were not warriors that were likely to cower before their foes. Abner's warning proved accurate. Asahel was fast, sure enough, but Abner was a mighty and cunning warrior in Israel, and as Asahel closed in, Abner ran the blunt end of his spear straight through his pursuer and the pursuit was over.
Asahel's brother, Joab, was not too pleased with his siblings death. But the pursuit of Abner was broken off... For a time.
Now we turn our attention in the story from war to politics. Back at home, Abner and his King, Ish-Bosheth, had a falling out. Abner scolded the king and the king was afraid of his army commander, so the King decided to just keep his mouth closed.
Abner then sent word to David, the opposing King who ruled over Judah. And the message was, let us make an agreement between you and me, and I will help bring all Israel under your control. David agreed.
So Abner and 20 of his men went to see David. King David prepared a feast and plans were made to unite Israel under one King. Then Abner was sent away in peace.
Joab, David's commander of the army, later returned and discovered that his old nemesis, the one who killed his brother in combat, had met with King David and was sent away in peace. This was displeasing to Joab, so without the King David's knowledge, Joab sent word for Abner to return. When he did, Joab called him aside as if to tell him a secret, and then murdered him. The Fall of Abner.
That leads us to our text, a lament (or sad song) that David sang for Abner, his long-time enemy, and short lived ally.
Four thoughts concerning death drawn from our text today and the story that encompasses it:
The first, Death doesn't observe any borders. The purpose of a border is to control who comes in and who doesn't, and who leaves, and who doesn't. A nation without borders is not a nation, for it has forfeited it's sovereignty to the outside world. Many European countries have dismantled their borders, now they are in a hurry to put them back up. Without borders, you lose sovereignty.
Death can not be bound by the borders man may try and establish. Think of Abner, He was a warrior. He was in the midst of many battles. He rose up through the ranks and was out in front leading the charge. One would think that death would be apt to catch him on the battlefield. It did not. Everyone in Israel, including King Ish-Bosheth, either feared him or respected him. He made peace with David and his kingdom. There were no enemies left, one would think. But death isn't bound by rules. You don't have to step into a dangerous environment and out of a 'safe-zone' for death to claim you. You don't have to be on a battlefield or in a dangerous situation. Borders aren't respected. God spoke though the prophet Jeremiah and said, "death has climbed in through our windows and has entered our fortresses." The point is, there is no earthly safe-haven, not a home, not a fortress. Physical death, to this day, is unbound and un-contained.
David, in his lament for Abner, mentions there was no arrest, no trial, no fair hearing, no sickness, no old age... just death, as by the hands of wicked men. Unfair, unjust, unbound.
Secondly, we can note, that death does not yield to greatness. King David said in verse 38, "Do you not realize that a prince and a great man has fallen in Israel this day?"
To say, "A prince" was to acknowledge his position of leadership and authority. And even though Abner spent so much time as an enemy of David, David testifies to the greatness of Abner.
I already mentioned that Abner was a great warrior. Mighty in battle. Mighty in command. But Abner was also intelligent and shrewd. He had political power and skills. One king feared him and the other king made a treaty with him. One king would not confront him, the other king blessed him. None the less, despite greatness in leadership, despite political prowess and relative peace, despite strength and cunning, death didn't bow to the prince, or the great man that Abner was.
To take it one step farther, it was God's plan to unite Israel under one king and that king was not just any king, but David. Abner became a strong ally for fulfilling the will of God. He was a great asset on David's side. He was poised to be used mightily in the fulfilling of God's will. But Abner fell.
Physical death is something we all must prepare for. It knows no borders, follows few rules, and doesn't yield to greatness.
The third observation is this: (It is just as morbid as the first two. Sometimes the truth isn't something we like to face or discuss, but truth is truth, and Jesus said, "the truth will set you free." So join me in being brave, and let us press on to the end).
Death doesn't consider those that still remain. Abner fell, and according to David, again in verse 38, it was a loss not only for Abner, but for all of Israel. David wept and sang a lament, he fasted and mourned, he became weak, too weak to carry out justice on the evil-doers, so he left that in the hands of God.
He encouraged all to mourn. I'm sure some were perplexed, Abner was such a long time foe. But David counted Abner's fall as a loss for both kingdoms. Death doesn't consider those that remain, it has no compassion for those who continue to live. Death doesn't give a thought to the ones who are left behind. Death doesn't care.
Entire nations have mourned over loss caused by death. And not a single one here hasn't been affected by loss due to death. Death has no compassion for those parting, nor compassion for those that remain. It has no remorse, it respects no borders, it is not intimidated by importance or greatness or strength or wealth or youth or health. It is not a friend to mankind.
But there is one thing death can not take away, and that is their remembrance. Tomorrow is Memorial Day. A day to remember those that have fallen. We've lost many who were princes and princesses. Many who were great, who were young, who were strong, who were drafted or who volunteered. We have lost many in foreign lands and many here within our borders. Death didn't consider those who would remain. But we remember the fallen, we remember the many warriors for freedom that fought to preserve our liberty, and died, so that we might live and live free. Death can not erase their remembrance, nor can it erase the remembrance of loved ones and family, friends and coworkers, schoolmates and neighbors, death can't erase their remembrance.
When it comes to those who have gone before, though dead, they still speak. Their influence remains, for even death can't take some things away.
Physical death is a reality of life. This is what it has been ever since the fall of man. It is the sorrow of mortal man. It observes no borders. It cares not if it approaches the great or the small, the strong or the weak, the young or the old. It doesn't give a thought to the ones who will remain and endure the tremendous loss of association and fellowship and embrace. Physical death may be a worthy foe. A foe that appears unbound and untamed. But death has met it's match in Jesus Christ.
If a four point sermon is not enough. Here's a final thought: Death doesn't stand a chance.
Christ alone has established a border that death can not cross. He will one day bind death itself and cast it into the abyss, never again to escape. There is a greatness that death yields to, and that greatness has power over it. It is Christ who considers those that remain, and it is Christ who makes the provision for reunion. There is a reason that I am not ashamed of Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, unto life, and into a place where borders keep away such nasty things as death. Death meets it's match in Jesus Christ, and death doesn't stand a chance.
Help me share this good news!
