“What happened to Abner is not right,” David said at Abner’s funeral service. “He didn’t deserve to die like he did. He wasn’t imprisoned because of some wrong he had committed. He died foolishly because he was seduced, tricked, lured out of the city.”

You see, in Old Testament times, if a man killed someone unintentionally - as Abner had done - he could find protection from his victim’s avengers by running to one of six cities of refuge located throughout Israel. If, however, he stepped outside of the gate of the city, he would no longer be protected. Hebron was a city of refuge. That is why Joab had to meet with Abner at the gate (verse 27) in order to kill him.

Jesus Christ is our refuge. Don’t be lured away from Him, gang, or else you’ll lose the safety, security, satisfaction, and protection He offers to you. Abner was a great warrior, a true leader, loyal to a fault, a wise man - but he died as a fool because he stepped away from the city of refuge. Don’t let this happen to you. Stay within the city of refuge, under the shadow of the wings of Jesus (Luke 13:34).