In other words, things are often OK on the outside until a big event occurs. Do you remember the words of Jesus when He spoke about the man who built his house on the sand? Do you remember what He said would happen to that house when the storm arrived? He said “and great was the fall of it.”
We are not much different today, are we? Here’s how you can tell. If you are living you life without a true foundation, you will almost always become troubled when you hear bad news. You see, the foundation is hearing and doing what Jesus says. Those who hear and do what He says are right now building their lives on a solid foundation. But those who refuse Christ’s words and attempt to build on some other foundation won’t have a lot to hold them together when they receive some bad news.
Ishbosheth and Israel have not been living by the words of the LORD whatsoever. They’ve gone off on their own under the direction of a deceiver named Abner. They’ve accepted his words and, in essence, believed him over the truth. And now that he’s died, the foundation is crumbling beneath them. And, as you can expect, Ishbosheth’s fears came upon him, just as the Bible says. Job 3:25 “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”
Look with me at II Samuel 4:5 and see how Ishbosheth’s fears were realized. II Samuel 4:5 “And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. (6) And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.”
Now, let’s be frank about it. Christians cannot afford to live imagining that their fears will come upon them. In the NT we read this. I John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” It’s never a Christian’s place to let any sort of fear torment him. It’s simply the opposite of God and His ways. He says we can choose to be enveloped in love, to operate our lives inside of His perfect love, His love to us and for us.
As you know, He’s the authority on these two subjects, love and fear. And He’s said that “fear has torment” while “love casts out fear.” Obviously Ishbosheth was tormented by the fear that one day he’d be found out and lose his crown. That fear came upon Him when two of his own military captains took his life. Look at verse two.
II Samuel 4:2 “And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin.” These two captains arrived at Ishbosheth’s home at noon while Ishbosheth was literally napping. While he lay on his bed, they took his life.
Now, where’s the element of faithfulness here? Notice what these men do; verse seven. (7) “For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.”
And verse eight; they bring his head to King David. II Samuel 4:8 “And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. (9) And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
(10) When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
We are not much different today, are we? Here’s how you can tell. If you are living you life without a true foundation, you will almost always become troubled when you hear bad news. You see, the foundation is hearing and doing what Jesus says. Those who hear and do what He says are right now building their lives on a solid foundation. But those who refuse Christ’s words and attempt to build on some other foundation won’t have a lot to hold them together when they receive some bad news.
Ishbosheth and Israel have not been living by the words of the LORD whatsoever. They’ve gone off on their own under the direction of a deceiver named Abner. They’ve accepted his words and, in essence, believed him over the truth. And now that he’s died, the foundation is crumbling beneath them. And, as you can expect, Ishbosheth’s fears came upon him, just as the Bible says. Job 3:25 “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.”
Look with me at II Samuel 4:5 and see how Ishbosheth’s fears were realized. II Samuel 4:5 “And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went, and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay on a bed at noon. (6) And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.”
Now, let’s be frank about it. Christians cannot afford to live imagining that their fears will come upon them. In the NT we read this. I John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” It’s never a Christian’s place to let any sort of fear torment him. It’s simply the opposite of God and His ways. He says we can choose to be enveloped in love, to operate our lives inside of His perfect love, His love to us and for us.
As you know, He’s the authority on these two subjects, love and fear. And He’s said that “fear has torment” while “love casts out fear.” Obviously Ishbosheth was tormented by the fear that one day he’d be found out and lose his crown. That fear came upon Him when two of his own military captains took his life. Look at verse two.
II Samuel 4:2 “And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also was reckoned to Benjamin.” These two captains arrived at Ishbosheth’s home at noon while Ishbosheth was literally napping. While he lay on his bed, they took his life.
Now, where’s the element of faithfulness here? Notice what these men do; verse seven. (7) “For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.”
And verse eight; they bring his head to King David. II Samuel 4:8 “And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the king this day of Saul, and of his seed. (9) And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
(10) When one told me, saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would have given him a reward for his tidings:
Go on to page three