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“When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. . . . Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon . . . set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day . . . They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away. . . . They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, ‘Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.’ David answered . . . ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, when someone told me, “Saul is dead,” and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death. . . . How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!’ So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them.”—2 Samuel 4:1–12 NIV)
In this intense and unsettling chapter, we see a powerful example of how not to pursue justice—and how David chose to handle things differently.
At this point, David was rising in power, and the house of Saul was crumbling. After the death of Abner, Ish-Bosheth, Saul’s remaining son and political rival to David, became paralyzed with fear. It was a vulnerable time. Sensing an opportunity to win David’s favor, Rekab and Baanah murdered Ish-Bosheth in cold blood, in his own home, and then brought his head to David—believing they’d be rewarded for eliminating David’s enemy. But what they didn’t understand is that David wasn’t motivated by revenge or political ambition. He was motivated by righteousness.
David had learned that just because something seems to serve your purpose doesn’t mean it honors God. In fact, what Rekab and Baanah did completely violated David’s sense of justice. Their actions were wicked and cowardly, and David made it clear: God does not bless treachery—even when it appears to be in your favor.
We often live in a world where shortcuts to success are tempting. Sometimes, people around us may try to bring us “solutions” that are unethical or dishonorable, all in the name of getting ahead or fulfilling God’s promise more quickly. But this story teaches us something critical: Just because a result seems good doesn’t make the method righteous.
David understood this. He had waited patiently through hardship, betrayal, and suffering without taking Saul’s life when he had the chance. Now, even though Ish-Bosheth represented a crumbling opposition, David refused to rise by the hand of injustice. He honored God above ambition.
It’s also important to note David’s reaction: He didn’t celebrate the death of a rival. He called Ish-Bosheth an “innocent man.” David knew God’s kingdom isn’t built through manipulation, deceit, or murder—it’s built on justice, mercy, and faithfulness.
How do we handle situations when others bring us opportunities that come at someone else’s expense? Are we quick to justify wrongful actions because they seem to serve our purpose? Or do we have the courage to say, “This is not how God works”?
This passage reminds us that God’s justice is holy and His ways are higher than ours. We’re not called to advance His purposes through unrighteous means, but to trust Him and walk in integrity, even when it’s slower or harder.
Integrity is never a shortcut, but it’s always the right road. Trust God’s justice. He sees. He knows. He will act in His perfect time.
Pause:
Practice:
Pray: Father, thank You for being a God of perfect justice. Help me to walk in Your ways and to trust You, even when it feels tempting to take shortcuts or accept help that doesn’t honor You. Give me the discernment to recognize what’s right, the courage to do it, and the faith to wait on Your justice. Let my decisions reflect Your truth and not just my ambition. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.