We are first introduced to Abner as the commander of Saul’s army and his cousin (see 1 Sam. 14:50-51). When David killed Goliath, Abner stood by Saul’s side (see 1 Sam. 17:55). Over time, Abner would have been a witness to David’s conquests and Saul’s growing dislike of David. As a member of Saul’s inner circle, he witnessed the heated exchange between Saul and Jonathan that led to David fleeing (see 1 Sam. 20). Abner remained allegiant to Saul, but that allegiance would be questioned.
While being pursued by Saul and his army, David and Abishai slipped into camp and took Saul’s spear and water jug. This was the second time David refrained from killing Saul. David then stood on a mountain and woke up Saul and Abner. David showed the spear and jug, questioning Abner’s ability to faithfully guard the king. (See 1 Sam. 26.)
When Saul died, Abner took Ishbosheth and set him up to be the successor to Saul’s throne, showing a continued allegiance to family. Abner did so in spite of knowing that God had declared David to be the successor of the throne (see 2 Sam. 3:9-10). His allegiance to Ishbosheth would soon shift when Ishbosheth accused Abner of seeking the throne for himself. Suddenly, Abner reminded Ishbosheth of God’s plans for David, which is ironic since Abner was the one who installed Ishbosheth as king in the first place. Abner then reached out to David, offering to help him end the civil war (which Abner contributed to) by bringing all the tribes of Israel under David’s rule. With Abner’s help, David’s throne was unified. Abner was allowed to go in peace by David, but others exacted revenge on Abner for the death of a brother.
Throughout Abner’s life, he appeared to change his allegiance: Saul, Ishbosheth, God, and then David. Behind all those shifts, one sees his real allegiance: to himself. We see this in his declaring of God’s promise that David would be king with Abner making this declaration to the person he had set up as king in the first place. He used God’s promises when the promise was convenient and benefited him. Abner was amazingly consistent his entire life: his allegiance to himself never changed.
Before we dig up more dirt on Abner, we need to take a look at our own allegiances. We too may be like Abner, declaring an allegiance that is really a mask for our true allegiance: ourselves. We must ask ourselves why we are allegiant to Christ, to His church, to people in our lives. Are we allegiant out of pure motives or are we really acting on selfish motives? Abner was admirable in many ways, knowing how to maneuver through change and political crisis. Yet, he did so not as a servant to society and others, but as a servant to himself.
What lessons can we gain from the life of Abner? How can we serve others out of a pure motive for honoring God?
In studying the life of Abner I disagree with your accusations against Abner. Abner was a cousin of Saul, a Benjamite, and the captain of Saul’s army, I see Abner as a man loyal to his king who was anointed by Samuel to be the king of Israel. His character was evident when he tried to persuade Joab’s brother, Asahel, not to try and kill him during a battle. I see Abner as a man loyal to his king and tribe and office as captain of Saul’s army. It was Abner who persuaded Joab to stop the fighting between Israel and Judah. Abner remained loyal to Saul’s family by making Ishbotheth, the next in line for the throne, king over Israel. If Abner had been concerned with only himself he could have easily taken he throne due to the weakness and lack of experience of Ishbotheth. Abner’s eyes were opened to his mistake in remaining loyal to Saul and his royal line when the person he had made king accused him of treason. At this point Abner quickly admitted his mistake and accepted what he knew to be God’s will for David to be king. Through the efforts of Abner he was able to persuade the elders of Israel including the tribe of Benjamin to accept David as King. David acknowledged Abner as a great man and a prince in 2 Samuel 3:38.
I see the point of the lesson and Abner’s example as being able to recognize God’s plan and be willing to change with and move with God. Abner’s loyalty to his leader and family was admirable but Abner did recognize and make amends quickly. His change of loyalty made great advances in bringing Israel and Judea together. The lesson for us is to always be open to God’s plans and move with him. Admit when when we are wrong and make every effort to correct our mistakes. I see Abner as a hero.
Cynthia, Thanks for the detailed response. I too see Abner as a hero used by God to bring about the unification of David’s throne. Where we differ is on Abner’s motivation for his actions and Abner’s admitting he made a mistake. Abner was instrumental in starting the civil war (see 2 Sam. 2:12) which raises the question about him quoting the promise made about David…why would he install Ish-bosheth in the first place if he already knew the declaration that David would be king. In 2 Samuel 3:1, we are told that the house of David grew stronger while the house of Saul grew weaker. Abner was astute enough to see the handwriting on the wall so he acted swiftly before everything came crashing down on him.
When I think about loyalty in this passage, I think of David. God honored David who waited for God’s purposes and plans to occur. Abner was used by God to bring about that plan in spite of Abner’s changing loyalty (family, Saul, David, or self). I am thankful that God can use us in spite of our flaws to bring about His purposes.
I think Abner’s problem is very much the same as our problem in that, like Abner, we have a tendency to decide what we are going to do for God, instead of understanding that the question is what is God going to do with and through us. Abner decided, on his own and in his own mind, that he was going to be the sovereign change agent in his world instead of allowing God to be God in all of his life circumstances. Don’t know about anyone else, but I stand guilty of the same behavior. But, by the grace of God, I’m old enough to look back and see how totally wrong and fruitless that mindset is and can be. In summary, I agree that Abner was a political animal with his own best interest in mind in all of his actions. Whenever we act independent of God, we have nowhere to go but wrong.
One of the references, the one questioning Abner’s ability to protect Saul, his king is given as 2 Sam. 26. It is 1 Sam. 26, It is interesting that because a person is a relative that makes them qualified to have a key position in government.