The Stronger & Weaker Kingdom 2 Samuel 3:1-21

Saul & David represent heads of two kingdoms, the former being the weaker, the latter being the stronger. What is more, the weaker kingdom of Saul is crumbling and being decimated by the stronger kingdom of David is advancing and growing in strength day-by-day. This carries awesome significance for Christians today. The kingdom of God inaugurated by the son of David only grows stronger and stronger with the passing day. The kingdom of Saul is marked by decay, defeat and death. Each and every day the kingdom that is marked for destruction under Satan’s diabolical demise is doomed.

David’s sons are enumerated for us after this beginning and we hear for the first time about three of his sons whose characters will be fleshed out; Amnon, Absalom and Adonijah. Their dubious presence makes us wonder how stronger David’s kingdom will be with these three sons grow up.

No sooner does this thought cross one’s mind we are given an even more puzzling description; Abner. He is said to strong in the kingdom of Saul. But we wonder how strong can someone be in a fledgling enterprise? What are we to make of this? On the one hand David’s house is growing strong but his sons will prove blameworthy and yet in Saul’s teetering kingdom we have a strong man portrayed named Abner with apparently no future.

What is the solution? The answer is given to us in verse 12: defection. After Abner is accused of sleeping with one of Saul’s concubines, he leaves Saul’s kingdom and enters into covenant with David. The lies and pettiness are too foolish for Abner to continue on with so he departs. David’s terms are to bring one of his wives, Michal. Her character will end in infertility and barrenness. Abner’s is soon to unfold.

Defection from the weaker kingdom to the stronger kingdom will require a strong man to do so. That strength is a resolve to not put up with wickedness any longer but to go where God’s future is headed. The destiny of people in David’s kingdom is one that looks ahead to that of promise in God’s salvation.

This season of Lent calls on you to leave the waste of a weakened kingdom and pursue God’s presence in the stronger One Jesus Christ our Lord. Call on the name of the Lord and be saved.