“Avner also spoke with the people of Binyamin. Then Avner went to Hevron and reported to David everything that had been agreed to by Isra’el and the house of Binyamin.”-2 Samuel 3:19
One of the biggest hurdles Avner had to overcome in getting his political ducks in a row was the Tribe of Benjamin.
Why?
Because King Saul hailed from the Tribe of Benjamin.
This meant that up until the death of Saul, the throne belonged to Benjamin.
The benefits connected to that status can’t be overstated.
Plus, we can’t overlook that since Avner himself was a Benjamite…
There was probably no one else in Israel better qualified to convince the leaders of Benjamin to accept David…
Or, at the least, to not be opposed to him.
For Benjamin to willingly hand the kingdom over to David from the tribe of Judah would have been a serious blow to their egos.
Why?
Well, think about it.
Judah never supported their leader, Saul, and still didn’t support his son, Ishbosheth.
So, after taking care of business, Avner returned to David with a group of men to hand over the throne of Israel.
They held a special dinner to celebrate and finalize the agreement.
All that was left was for Avner to head up back north and gather the leaders from each tribe.
These leaders would be pivotal in uniting all the 12 tribes under one king for the first time in Israel’s history.
David said goodbye to Avner and promised him a safe trip home.
This was a tense time.
Tremendous changes were underway.
But here’s the thing.
Even though God had declared these changes were going to happen…
Even though the people knew about it…
Not everyone was happy about it.
That’s just human nature.
The takeaway for today is to again point out the prophetic nature of what’s unfolding here.
Note I said this would be the first time a divided Israel would come together as ONE under ONE king.
Hmm…doesn’t that sound familiar?
What do I mean?
Well, check out the New Testament verses below.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“Truly I tell you,
at the renewal of all things,
when the Son of Man sits
on his glorious throne,
you who have followed me
will also sit on twelve thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
— Matthew 19:28
“And I confer on you a kingdom,
just as my Father conferred one on me,
so that you may eat and drink
at my table in my kingdom
and sit on thrones,
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
— Luke 22:29-30
“It had a great, high wall with twelve gates,
and with twelve angels at the gates.
On the gates were written the names
of the twelve tribes of Israel…
The wall of the city had twelve foundations,
and on them were the names
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”
— Revelation 21:12-14
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