When defying God’s will, Ishbosheth would discover he couldn’t get far enough away to be safe.
You may recall that the territory of Benjamin, home to Saul and his family, ran along the northern border of the much larger tribal allotment of Judah. Evidently, Abner thought his make-believe king, Ishbosheth (whose name ironically means “man of shame” or “man of humiliation”), would be safer on the other side of the Jordan River (2 Sam 2:8). Thus his court was established at Mahanaim in the land of Gilead, on the south bank of the Jabbok River. Mahanaim means “two hosts,” and was named that by Jacob when he saw that his company was also being accompanied by a host of angelic guardians. Jacob saw the angels on his way out of Canaan (Gen 28:12), and also on his way back in (32:1-2). It’s a reality that many believers fail to embrace, but is true nonetheless. The first scene is explained for us by the Lord Jesus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” ( Jn 1:51). In other words, Christ IS the ladder, the link we have between heaven and earth. The angels are spoken of as first ascending, then descending. That is, they are already here, taking our needs to the throne of God, then returning with the answer. As Jacob came to meet Esau, he divided his company into two, hoping, at worst, that he would lose only half. But there was no need for that. A second host were already there! “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14). That is, we who belong to Christ, some day soon will benefit from ultimate salvation—removing us from the very presence of sin. Until then, we are being assisted by God’s angelic servants. But Christ is still our vital link!