en yan hua fang

“Why in Such a Rush to Fry Me?” ~ ✨

The Chinese have a classical saying: “Born of the same root, why in such a rush to fry me?”  It refers to brothers from the same family killing each other due to conflicts of interest.  Such events, throughout history and across all peoples, are countless.

The Bible also records many instances of fratricide within the same tribe or family.  Can we learn from history how to avoid its repetition?  This reflection uses the events among the descendants of Abraham chosen by God—the twelve tribes of Israel—during the early days of Israel’s nationhood, to inspire contemplation and serve as a warning.

The lack of unity among the twelve tribes of Israel was evident as early as the time of Moses, because they did not fear God with one heart, nor follow Him single-mindedly.  The seeds of Israel’s division into the Northern and Southern Kingdoms during the reign of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, 120 years after the nation’s founding (1 Kings 12:16-19; 14:30), were sown much earlier.  After the death of Saul, the first king, his commander Abner established Saul’s son Ish-Bosheth as king over eleven tribes of Israel, while the tribe of Judah followed David (2 Samuel 2:10).

Thus began a war lasting seven and a half years between the house of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin (2 Samuel 3:17-19) and the house of David from the tribe of Judah (2 Samuel 2:3-4).  Both the tribe of Benjamin and the tribe of Judah belonged to the twelve tribes of Israel, all descendants of Jacob (i.e., Israel), Abraham’s grandson.  It is hard not to sigh—born of the same root, why did they have such urgency in turning against each other?

Saul’s pursuit of David is well-known.  After Saul and his three sons died fighting the Philistines, in the eyes of the common people, they were heroes who defended their homeland.  Therefore, Abner’s support for Saul’s youngest son Ish-Bosheth’s ascension was acceptable to the people.  However, on the other side, the tribe of Judah had already anointed David as king over Judah, inevitably creating two opposing camps (2 Samuel 3:1).

The common people might not have understood that Saul’s death was because he violated God’s commands, consulted a medium instead of inquiring of God, so God put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David (1 Chronicles 10:13-14).  Besides the prophet Samuel, David, Saul, and his eldest son Jonathan, who else knew that God had rejected Saul as king and anointed David to succeed him?  David was not eager to rule all twelve tribes.  He followed God’s will and waited for God’s timing.  He knew that to govern the entire nation, he must rely on God’s guidance and first unite the people’s hearts (1 Samuel 11:6-7).

David’s “Song of the Bow,” lamenting the deaths of Saul, Jonathan, and the fallen Israelites, not only expressed his grief but also served as a warning to the people of Israel about God’s holy and fearsome nature.  The song’s depiction of profound father-son and brotherly bonds also conveyed the kinship that should exist among the twelve tribes, who were of the same flesh and blood (2 Samuel 1:23, 26).  David ordered this song to be taught to the people of Judah and recorded in the Book of Jashar (2 Samuel 1:18).  The Book of Jashar, a collection of ancient Hebrew writings, first appears in the Book of Joshua 10:13.  This shows David’s great emphasis on using this song to instruct the people of Israel.

David had the heart of God, viewing God’s people as his own flesh and blood.  This is clearer in the incident where Abner, commander of Israel’s army, was treacherously assassinated by David’s commander Joab, without David’s knowledge.  David strongly condemned Joab and cursed his wicked deed, ordering him and his men to tear their clothes, wear sackcloth, and mourn before Abner’s coffin, while David himself followed behind.  David gave Abner a high-profile burial in Hebron, held mourning for him, and wept aloud by Abner’s tomb.  When the people urged David to eat before sunset, he took an oath: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”  The people realized the killing of Abner was not the king’s will, and because of David’s sincere mourning, they were pleased with him.  From then on, everything David did pleased all the people (2 Samuel 3:31-39).

David looked to God, prioritising the mandate to protect the people of Israel.  At this moment, with the first king of Israel dead and many Israelites fallen in battle, amidst an atmosphere of fear and defeat, David, God’s anointed, a king after God’s own heart, surely knew that uniting the people of Israel was God’s will.

Regarding uniting the people, David inquired of God if he should go up to one of the towns of Judah.  Starting here, God instructed David to go up to Hebron (2 Samuel 2:1)—this was God’s prior preparation.  From Abraham and his son Isaac sojourning there, to God giving Hebron to Caleb of the tribe of Judah during the allotment of land, to David’s time, Hebron was a landmark of Israel’s single-minded following of God.  The elders of Judah came to Hebron and anointed David king over the tribe of Judah (2 Samuel 2:4).  From this enthronement, David began his path to unifying the kingdom of Israel (2 Samuel 5:5).

The path to unity was not achieved overnight.  To unify a people who had rebelled against God, David went through seven years and six months (2 Samuel 5:3-5).  During this time, there were internal troubles and external threats.  For example, there were verbal disputes between the men of Judah and Israel (2 Samuel 2:12-31) resulting in 380 deaths (2 Samuel 2:12-31), and the aforementioned killing of Abner by Judah’s men when he defected to David, and the assassination of King Ish-Bosheth by his own army commanders—events that could have caused great turmoil.  After long years of separation, all the tribes of Israel finally came to Hebron to see David, willing to submit to him (2 Samuel 5:1-5; 1 Chronicles 11:1-3 & 12:23-40).

I believe the path to unity was achieved because during those seven and a half years, David did not merely sit and wait.  Rather, he shepherded the house of Judah with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands (Psalm 78:70-72).  David’s capability as king over Judah was evident to all, so much so that the tribes of Israel finally turned to him, made a covenant with him, and anointed him king over Israel.  This was precisely God’s will, not something achieved by human scheming.

David then attacked the Jebusites, foreigners who had lived in Jerusalem for over 400 years.  During Joshua’s allotment, this land fell by lot to the tribe of Judah, but the men of Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, so they lived together until David’s time (Joshua 15:63).  This time, it was not God commanding David to capture Jerusalem, but David recognizing God’s heart.  After the allotment, Jerusalem remained in foreign hands for over 400 years.  Now, with Israel unified, it finally became the capital city inherited by Israel.

“Jerusalem” is a symbol of ultimate victory.  At this point in Israel’s history, the separated twelve tribes united to capture this city by strategy.  Its natural geography made it suitable as Israel’s capital, a place where all tribes could come to worship God.  Deuteronomy 12:5 tells readers that God chooses a place among the tribes to put His Name.  David’s capture of Zion pleased God; God established it as the dwelling place for His Name (Deuteronomy 12:5; Exodus 15:13 & 20:24).

In David, we see God’s choosing, God’s shaping, and God’s timing.  For all who do not rely on their own understanding but seek God’s guidance, God will guide carefully, even lead personally.  This reminds me that God’s purpose in choosing the twelve tribes from Abraham’s descendants, and in choosing believers from all nations in Christ in the last days, is the same: to restore their relationship with God, to be of one heart and walk with Him.  Now that we are chosen in Christ, God’s will is to shape us in Christ to be agents of good works (Ephesians 1:4 & 2:10), enabling you, me, and him to discern what is God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

David was richly gifted to be Israel’s king, governing God’s people.  The twelve tribes also each received gifts, each in their place, loyal to God.  Today, local churches in various nations also serve Christ with the gifts given to each person.  According to Old Testament historical records, everyone should use the past as a mirror for the present, not think of themselves more highly than they ought, but think with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given (Romans 12:3).  Through the redemption bought by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, whether Jew or Gentile, slave or free, all are baptised by one Spirit into one body, and all are given the one Spirit to drink (1 Corinthians 12:13).  Brothers and sisters in the Lord (members of the body) should each use their gifts, fulfill their roles responsibly, care for one another, and accept each other.

“Born of the same root, why in such a rush to fry me?” serves as a timeless warning.   The ancient twelve tribes of Israel, from the same stock, fought against their own flesh and blood, leading to division and ultimately national destruction.  Believers gathering from the nations in the last days, by faith also become descendants of Abraham, the father of many nations, and are one family in the Lord.  They should take the twelve tribes as a warning.  Abraham was justified by faith; the King descended from him, Jesus, through humble obedience, accomplished what was impossible.

Solomon, son of King David, after succeeding David’s throne, was granted wisdom by God and uttered many wise sayings preserved for future generations, like “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart” (Proverbs 27:19).  David’s path to unity foreshadowed how Christ would later break down the dividing wall of hostility between God and man, and between people.  Today, if the church is to achieve the seemingly impossible unity, each member must follow the example of Christ, humble and obedient, willing to deny themselves, and aim for completeness before Almighty God.

May all readers be reminded by this reflection—”Unity begins with bowing down; strength originates from being of one heart”—and learn the lesson of “not turning against each other” in Christ.  Finally, I conclude with this poem👇🏻

“My Left, Your Right” ✨

My front, your back; my left, your right.

Divergence in viewpoint, comes from different angles.

Discord in life, is the torment of unwillingness to compromise.

Acknowledging divergence is important; resolving discord is the solution.

A triangle doesn’t need equal sides.  Three points aligned still form a solid triangle.

If people set aside their own strengths and weaknesses, nothing in the world would be too difficult to accomplish.

✨✨💖 ~