Let’s get our bearings on where we’re at in our text study.
When we last left off (the day before yesterday), a blood feud had been established between Avner and Yo’av.
Avner was Ishbosheth’s military commander and the man who was the real power behind the northern tribal alliance.
Yo’av was David’s military commander and the son of David’s sister Zeruiah.
What happened was Yo’av’s younger brother Asahel was killed by Avner after a scuffle between Avner and David’s men at the Pool of Gibeon (a body of water that bordered Benjamin and Judah’s territory).
Asahel chased after Avner, fully intending to end his life.
But he failed.
Avner emerged victorious.
He speared Asehel with a battle technique only the most experienced warriors could pull off.
This sparked a family vendetta against Avner that’s so typical in the Middle East even today.
As we move forward, I want you to pay close attention to how God’s Law is slowly but surely ignored and misused in the national life of Israel and the lives of individual folks like David.
This is why it’s so important to study the Torah.
How can we know if God’s law is being misapplied if we don’t know what it says, right?
Even in this conflict between Avner and Yo’av, a misapplication is emerging.
Yo’av believes he must avenge Asahel, thinking it’s the right thing in God’s eyes.
We’ll dive into this topic later.
But for now, based on the Torah, understand that Yo’av becomes his family’s GO’EL HADAM in this situation.
You do remember what a GO’EL HADAM is, don’t you?
It means a “blood avenger.”
This was a role permitted by God and the Torah in certain circumstances.
If you recall, the Lord set up six cities of refuge throughout Canaan so a person who unintentionally killed a person (like Avner) could escape there to be safe from the blood avenger.
The blood avenger was permitted to avenge the death of a family member, but NOT if they were able to escape to one of the six cities of refuge.
So the takeaway for today is pretty clear.
There are situations in Scripture where the Law is NOT applied correctly.
But we won’t know that without a strong understanding of the Torah.
Ya feel me?
Many people think they’re following the Torah but are actually mimicking its misapplication from other parts of the Hebrew Bible.
I’ll point out some of these misapplications to you as we move forward.
Anyway, for now…
Stay frosty!
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Yeshua replied,
‘You are in error because you
do not know the Scriptures
or the power of God.'”
-Matthew 22:29
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