sovereign despite sin

Now then bring it about, for the Lord has promised David, saying, ‘By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.’

2 Samuel 3:18

David was promised by God that he would rule over all of Israel. But this was a promise that took years to finally be known as true. For seven and a half years David ruled in Hebron, while the remnant of the house of Saul ruled most of Israel’s territory. This civil war was painful but part of the eventual plan to bring David to a unified kingdom. It took the long weariness of war, as the forces of Saul’s house grew weaker, for the events to lead to change (2 Samuel 3:1).

Eventually Abner, the lead general opposing David and the true power behind the throne of Saul’s house, realized the moral decay of Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son. Abner was accused by Ish-bosheth of a treason he did not commit, which led him to switch his allegiance to David. And using his political power and persuasion, Abner convened the elders of Israel and Benjamin to align themselves again as one nation ruled by David. The promise God made to David came true. God worked even in the messiness of human conflict and the murky dirtiness of human politics.

God will keep His promises. And He can do so despite human activity that seems counter-productive to His will. He will use the worst humans can do to one another and despite our fallenness, His will is done!