Introduction

Hello everyone! Let’s us look at 2 Samuel chapter 4 , what is this chapter telling us? The topic of this chapter is “To destroy the bloodshed from the earth”. If you observe carefully, you will find that one thing is very real and that is curse, you will find that some people inexplicably live under a curse: and some people inexplicably live in a state of blessing. From our observation, we will find that some people are very blessed, and some people are very unlucky.

If we use the bible, it will be easier to give an explanation if you are not pleasing in God’s eyes, you will be unlucky. You will notice those who are pleasing in God’s eyes are blessed whenever they go. Where is the problem? The problem lies in the shedding of blood in the world. We are not talking about war between countries but talking about murder and homicide. The descendants of the murderers in this world are all cursed.

In the previous chapter, we were talking about the curse upon Joab and his family. Joab murdered Abner and the family, though did not commit the murder, were not able to escape from the curse forever. Abner’s descendants would be suffering from leprosy, killed by sword, and living in poverty. If you look carefully, you will find people who cheat, deceive and murder people for their core interests, their ending will be tragic. The verses in this chapter and the entire story describe David being inspired by God to become a man after God’s heart.

Inspiration to be a person after God’s heart

2 Samuel chapter 4 describes the murder of Ishbosheth by two of his army commanders. The two army commanders beheaded his head and carried his head, who was their master they once served. They traveled all night and rushed to see King David with Ishbosheth’s head. This sounds horrendous and scary. What was David’s reaction?

David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “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 in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! 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!” 2 Samuel 4:9-11 NIV

Do you think these two commanders were killed are injustice? For most people’s reaction towards the action of David must be distressful and unable to comprehend why he killed them. Ishbosheth had been at war with David for many years together with other tribes which were under him except the tribe of Judah which was under David’s. If we are going to use the logic of ordinary people, they would think if I killed Ishbosheth, no more wars in the future and I should be rewarded with an official position with King David.

David thought otherwise as he logic system was based on God, what God loved, he loved, what God hated, he hated. David was inspired by God was to be a man after God’s heart. If we read the book of 1 Samuel, it was talking about God looking for a King and priest who are after God’s heart. David deeply understood what God hated. He knew that in Noah’s generation, God killed everyone except for the eight members of Noah’s family were saved.

What did God say? Anyone who sheds human blood will be held accountable for his sin. You might me asking why? The reason is simple, we bear the image of the glory of God so how can we sin. We might ask but God had killed so many people and had shed many human blood. During the days of Noah, people were violent and killing was common. Probably at that time, it was like America, guns were not controlled, someone could bring a gun to school and starting shooting at the children. As a result, many children were killed. Followed by going to the restaurant, shooting the patrons in the restaurant and many people were killed.

God saw that the world was full of violence, so he destroyed all the people of that generation. After destroying it, God told Noah, if anyone who sheds human blood will be punished by God and put to death. This is a serious matter. Currently, in our generation, when we get to the workplace, we do not hold a gun, but we gossip too much. We talk too much and using our words in our conversation to hurt each other. It is just like people arguing in the market with knives in their words if you hurt me with your words and I will use my words to hurt you deeper. This is how people in the world belong to the world’s value system.

David knew one thing very well, no matter how corrupted the world was, he had to be a man after God’s heart. The man who reported the death of King Saul seemed to have performed a meritorious service but was killed by David. This time, two men decapitated Ishbosheth's head and brought it to David, and they were also killed. Will anyone help David in the future? If in the future a Philistine chopped off the head of the Philistine king, and then brought it to David to ask for credit. What do you think will happen? Many people will be dumfounded and unable to handle this situation.

There was a legend circulating in the community not to repeat history again. If you kill your master, even though he was David's enemy, if you brought him to David, you would be killed. If you left such a reputation, who else will work for you? It would be troublesome in the future for David, but it did not bother David at all. David chose to be a man after God's heart. If God was not pleased with the shedding of human blood, especially when a subordinate kills his boss, then I follow what God hates . It is said that Zhang Fei and Xiang Yu both ended up like this. They were betrayed by their subordinates, and finally killed. Their heads were decapitated by their subordinates, and they were rewarded by their rival country. From a tactical point of view, it was okay, but from a God's point of view, it was not okay but trouble.

If you indulge in this kind of sin, sin will run rampant in the place because there is an evil spirit behind it. If people see David rewarding these two, then one will be punished today and the other tomorrow. Soon after, David's subordinates would do the same thing, and there would be enemies among them. Then their subordinates would start killing their superiors and get rewards from their superiors' enemies, and the entire nation of Israel would be completely destroyed. , the people below will imitate the example and imitate the same thing.

But David was very clear about God’s preferences. This thing was a sin, and it would be terrible if it became too widespread. Therefore, David did not value his own interests, although others would say, “If you do this, no one will help you in the future.” David said, “it does not matter to me because I have God, and my God controls everything.” David would not fall on these tricks of this man murdered that man, and that man murdered this man.

Everyone has seen that the technology for killing people is very advanced now, and drones can be used to kill people. These things are hated by God, but this is what people in this generation do. Drones fly to people's doorsteps and kill people, all using facial recognition, and they are killed quickly. This is what people do even when they are being watched by drones while driving. This is something God hates. From a human perspective, you have killed an enemy, but from a God's perspective, you have become God's enemy.

We must learn to love what God loves and hate what God hates, and we must not act according to human values. Human values are not reliable and not applicable. In fact, after so many years of history in this world, people have always been killing people. What did they gain in the end? It seems like nothing was gained. When we read history carefully, it is simply dazzling, but if we simplify this matter and look at it from a spiritual perspective, it becomes simple. Why? David had a concept, and this concept is the second point we are going to talk about.

God is the protection of my life

David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “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 in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! 2 Samuel 4:9-10 NIV

God is my life and the protection of my life. David said it was not you who helped me, but it was God who helped me. I need God and how could I sin against him. God is the protection of my life! Therefore, I swear by the Lord who has saved my life and rescued me from all my troubles. My God is not only the God of this life but also the God of everlasting life. This was David’s concept. God is my life. It is best to keep God’s words, act according to God’s will, and not live according to the worldly natural logical system.

As far as the throne was concerned, Ishbosheth was about to have his head decapitated and due to his head was decapitated, the territory for David was expanded immediately from one tribe of Judah to twelve tribes. How illustrious! But David did not think likewise, he was thinking God is my life and pleasing God’s will is my life! Therefore, you never put your throne above God’s value system but put God first in your life. Some people do not understand that God is the only guarantee of our lives, when critical moments happened, our business, girlfriend, family, throne, and work are more important than God. God become the least important and is the last in the list. Is God your guarantee of your life?

Some people cry out when they encounter disaster, “God, where are you?” God said, “I am on vacation flying to Maldives for a vacation.” You said, “God! Why are you going to Maldives for vacation when I am in dire straits?” God said, “During my difficult time, you went to Maldives for a vacation.” You said, “God! Where are you?” God said, “ I am busy.” You said, “What are you busy with?” God said, “ I am busy with my business, so I have no time to care about you. You said, “ Why are you busy with your business at this time?” God said, “When I came to find you, you were also busy with your business.” Oh no, now you know what had occurred!

There was a nurse who came among us in our Church. The nurses in China here are very different from China, the patient said to the nurse when she was busy that she would like to go to poop. The nurse said to the patient “Why do you want to poop when I am busy?” Do you think we can control our bowel when we must go? We could not control it. The patient lodged a complaint about her to the management. Will you tell God, “You are my life, I can live without anything, but I cannot live without God.” There are times I had done things which might not be appropriate, but I will immediately tell God that I did not do right.

God is our life because it was God who saved us when we first experienced suffering. God saved us from the first suffering, so we must dedicate our lives to God and do whatever God asks us to do immediately. Someone said, “According to what you said, can we still live our daily life? I said to them, “Isn’t our life has been good?” Our lives are given by God, and we owe God a life! Everything we have, come from God, and God is our life. If a person does something that God hates, can God accept it? Even if it is for your own benefit, you still cannot arouse God’s wrath!

If people do not know that God is everything to us in this life, that would be a tragedy! How many people have sinned against God for their core interests! When Jesus entered the temple, he kicked out all the people doing business in the temple. Doing business in the temple makes the house of prayer a den of thieves. There are many pyramid schemes in churches now. Why? They all think money is important! Does money really matter? I am telling you; money is not important. Importantly is that we do not sin against God! This is where people are stupid, and they do not investigate how they have gotten through their lives.

People are stupid because they do not know how important it is to be a person after God’s own heart. Have you sinned against God many times? Do not be a petty person looking at trivial things. Finding fault in people and looking for trouble. If God is our life, do you really know what God is pleased with and what He is displeased with? If you really knew it, would you, do it? Not to mention following God’s words, even following what I say will a long way for you to catch up.

Some people said to me “Are you comparing yourself to God?” No, because my standards are low! I just wish that the brothers and sisters among us would not be gossipmongers. Their expression and demeanor when they speak are so tiring to watch! Can you live well if your heart is like a peanut and your head is like a walnut? A person's mind is like a peanut, his head is like a walnut kernel, and his eyes are filled with trivial matters that are just sesame seeds and mung beans. This is the key. Which of your words are God’s words? Have you really followed God’s will? We must start to adjust ourselves according to God’s words and learn from David.

Why did Rekab and Baanah do such stupid things?

Rekab and Baanah were running around and sweating profusely with the head in their hands. The journey to Hebron was a full 100 kilometers which was equivalent to running two or three marathons. Their minds probably were filled with promotion and wealth, and they felt carrying a bucket of gold instead of a human head. The more they ran, the more energetic they became. Both brothers were not willing to rest, and the motivation kept them going. Unknown to them, they were running to their death. Didn’t they know that the messenger who killed Saul was killed by David? They were thinking this would not happen to us as we were the tribe from Benjamin and sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, not from the tribe of Amalekites. David would not kill us.

The human logic system is amazing, and it is natural to think that everyone will think likewise. Some people said to me, “Teacher, you would do the same thing if you were in a situation like mine. I said to them, “Look at me, I won't be like you! How can I be like you?” Look at yourself if you live like the way you are now, how can I possibly live like you? Some people asked me, “Teacher, why haven’t you encountered this kind of problem?” I replied, “How could I let myself encounter this kind of problem? I have wits in my brain.”

Unfortunately, some people have bugs in their brain just like the bugs in software. As soon they entered a door, they would say, do not waste electricity, save some electricity! It is freezing in winter without putting on the heater. As a result, that person will be frozen by the cold. Do you think I will be like this? No as I can handle it. I am generous and I will pay the electricity bill. Do you know the Cantonese people? Cantonese people always wear a pair of flip-flops when they go to the Northeast of China, and they still wear them even when it is freezing in winter. The logic that is inside people is wrong and I am doing a demolition of their inherent logic system inside people.

Do not think that everyone else thinks the same as you and do not say to me whoever encounters such a situation would be the same as me. If you do not have a good relationship with your mother-in-law, you would say “Who wouldn’t do react the same way as me when they were facing the same circumstances.” Some brothers were fighting for their parents’ property, and you would say “Who wouldn’t do exactly the same when having such brothers.” There is only one person who is different and that is me. Please bear in mind that it is not true that everyone else is the same as you. People has thousand reasons to explain the problem and they are useless explanations. We must have a spiritual perspective and an uncompromising concept of sin. Everything in the Ten Commandments of the Bible is sin. Do not make idols for yourself, do not put anything above God, otherwise it will be an idol and you will be cursed in the end.

Being filial to your parents is a blessing, but not being filial to your parents will lead to a curse. If people have no spiritual vision and, in their eyes, they only see money, fame, and profitability, they are moving toward destruction. If a person is desperately heading towards destruction, he will not be able to stop himself even if he wants to. Over the years, I saw some people trying their best to get there. When it was over, everything collapsed, no way out of the misery and in the end, he had to rely on me to save him.

Do not think that everyone in the world thinks the same as you. There are a group of people who are determined to be after God’s heart and treat God as their destiny! No matter how beautiful the logic was in our heads, we must dismantle it because it is useless. We must start building ourselves according to God's logic, and you will have a king's destiny, and you will become a loyal priest who is in line with God's heart. A king who is in line with God's heart will not be missing anything. You will Lack nothing! We need to wake up. Forget about the things we did not do right in the past, and now I have told you if you continue running towards destruction, “Don’t you think you deserve it?”

Ishbosheth was killed by the throne

Ishbosheth offended his commander Abner all because of a woman that has nothing to do with him. Abner went to David but Joab the captain of David killed him. Everything was a mess up. As a result, once Abner was died, Ishbosheth’s strength as a King had weakened due to losing his capable commander. Everything for Ishbosheth had reached to a point that was irreversible. If you want to be a king, you must be a king with ability, wisdom, and strength but in Ishbosheth’s case he had nothing only waiting for death knocking on his door.

Everyone must have a thorough judgment of themselves if they can do the job well. The throne was nice if Ishbosheth was not destined to be the King, it would be wiser for him to pack his bags and report to David. He could honestly tell David that he was not fit and capable to be the King. Look at the Chinese history about Liu Bei’s eldest son Liu Shan, Adou was his infant’s name, was a smart man, he had self-awareness of his incapability. He was not like his father but was made the crown prince by his father. There is a church with ten thousand people, and his son succeeded his father as the Pastor of the Church. Was he able to manage the people that his father was managing? Absolutely not! Not what his father could manage, he could manage too. On the surface, people listen to you but in fact, they do not listen at all.

As a result, Ishbosheth was harmed by the throne, otherwise he would not have died so tragically. What a miserable death! I am feel emotional about person who only values fame and fortune. In the end, they were harmed by fame and fortune, what were they trying to do? As a Chinese saying, I am not going stretch my hands so long, I do what I can do, one step at a time or if I can do 2 steps at a time but I will not be in a hurry to get things done. I am not like some people who can have five thousand people believe in the Lord as soon as they pray or preach. I do not know why these five thousand people are here for. Would these people be ruined? If I do not do this, I cannot fix it. If I want to rectify it, I will rectify it one by one. If I can rectify one, I will rectify one. If I can rectify two, I will rectify two. I am not greedy for fame.

Ishbosheth was harmed by the throne and died miserably! Ishbosheth relied on Abner to be a king. All because a woman that discorded his relationship with Abner. Abner was very displeased with the remarks and went to seek refuge with David, so Abner was weakened by ordeal. Abner died in Hebron, and everything was in chaos. Just like many young children who do not study well, they sleep with their heads covered. Ishbosheth's head was buried in Abner's tomb in Hebron, marred by the throne and fame.

Things in this world are so harmful to people! There are countless people walking on this path. They wanted to build a company today and go public tomorrow, but the company failed to go public and went under. They do not understand that the throne is controlled by God. How good it is to be in line with God’s will! What a wonderful choice it is to be a priest after God’s heart, to be a king after God’s heart, and to be a person after God’s heart.

Conclusion

I would like to summarise for the preaching today. When we know God’s wisdom is a smart person. There are a numerous character I have used in the short paragraphs and there is a conclusion that there are only 2 kinds of people in this world. It is not about men or women; it is about smart people and stupid people. The only way to be a smart person is to know God. That is the only way to be smart. Over the past few years, we have been studying Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, both books are my favourites, as these books told me to choose to be a smart person. My wish is to know how to make my brothers and sisters become smart people. The church wants to shape everyone into a person who knows God. Knowing God is wisdom, and fearing God is the beginning of wisdom.

How can you say you know God if you do not fear God? When you have nothing to do, you offend God. Whenever you speak, you always talk about “what-if”, for example, If I do this, I will serve God. If I do that, I will serve God. God said, “If this is the case, I will treat you like this.” You talk to God all day long about what ifs, and God also tells you what ifs, what will be the result? That is not the result, that will be “what- if”. Some people say, “If I have 100 million, I will donate it.” I think that they should give up! Even if I have 100 million, I will not donate.

We must begin to learn to know God. If you know mathematics and it cannot be compared to learning to know God. Your college entrance examination score can be very good, but it may not determine your good destiny. But those who know God will lack nothing in life, and those who believe in Him will not be ashamed! I wish that all our brothers and sisters would become smart people, and I wish that all our brothers and sisters would learn to know God. This is also what I am thinking about day and night as well as looking forward to every day!

May God bless everyone!