2 Samuel 1 - David Mourns for Saul

In the final chapter of 1 Samuel, we saw the Israelites defeated by the Philistines, Saul’s sons were killed, and he was mortally wounded. He asked his armorbearer to kill him so the Philistines wouldn’t torture him, but his armorbearer would not. So, Saul attempted to take his own life by falling on his own sword. This was all to fulfil the word of the Lord through Samuel. In 1 Chronicles it states, “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord, and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. But he did not inquire of the Lord; therefore He killed him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.” (1 Chron 10:13-14) It was the Lord that put Saul to death, not Saul himself. Saul even tried to take his own life, but as we will see, the Lord would not allow him to do so. It would be an Amalekite that would finish him off.

As we pick up in the first part of 2 Samuel, the scene again shifts back to David at Ziklag. He and his men had been there two days, and on the third day, a man from Saul’s camp came to David mourning with his clothes torn and dust on his head. He fell on his face before David. David asked him where he came from, and the man replied he had escaped from the camp of Israel. David asked him how the battle went, and the man told him what had happened and that Saul and Jonathan were dead also. David asked him how he knew they were dead? The man replied that he had seen Saul on Mount Gilboa leaning on his own spear, and how Saul had called out to him and asked him who he was. The man replied to Saul that he was an Amalekite. I wonder if those words stung Saul more than the Philistine arrows and his own spear? The man continued that Saul requested him to kill him since he was in anguish, yet his life was still in him. The man then told David that, because he saw that Saul would not live, he killed him and brought David Saul’s crown and bracelet.

When David heard this, he and his men tore their clothes. They mourned, wept, and fasted until evening for the death of Saul and Jonathan and for the defeat that the people of the Lord and Israel had experienced at the hand of the Philistines. Probably as though to make sure he had heard correctly, David asked him “Where are you from?” The man replied that he was the son of an alien, an Amalekite. Those words probably stung David as well. He had just defeated the Amalekites who had taken all the wives and children of him and his men. David told the man, “How was it you were not afraid to put forth your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed,” and he told one of his men to go and execute the Amalekite. Apparently, David didn’t agree with mercy killing. He said to the man, ““Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’” Even at Saul’s death, David still had a high respect for Saul and the anointing the Lord had on his life.

Next, David does something we might not expect. One might think David would have rejoiced that his enemy was dead and that he would no longer be on the run from the relentless pursuit of a man who wanted to murder him, but David did not rejoice. Instead, he mourned the death of Saul and Jonathan his son. He lamented over them, and he told his men to teach the children of Israel the song of the bow:

“The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen! Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon—Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. O mountains of Gilboa, Let there be no dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings. For the shield of the mighty is cast away there! The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty. Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury; who put ornaments of gold on your apparel. How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle! Jonathan was slain in your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women. How the mighty have fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”

Notice how David had nothing bad to say of Saul; he took the opportunity to highlight the good that Saul had done in his lifetime. Everyone knew the bad Saul had done, so there was no need to focus on that now. What is said during a time of mourning is to help and comfort those left behind in their time of grief. Despite making a wreck out of his life and his kingdom, Saul was still a man who had been chosen and called by God, and this deserved recognition. He referred to Saul and Jonathan as the beauty of Israel, for the calling of God on someone’s life is beautiful. David did not want the enemies of Israel to know lest they should glory in the tragic defeat of the people of the Lord. David prayed there would be no dew or rain on Mount Gilboa, and it is barren unto this day. When current-day Israel was reforesting this region, they left Mount Gilboa unforested because of this curse. He praised Jonathan and Saul for their military might, and grieved their falling in battle. He called them beloved and pleasant, and recognized they were united in their death. He commanded the daughters of Israel to weep over Saul who had clothed them with luxury. He addresses Jonathan directly in his lamentation by stating that Jonathan had been very pleasant to him and that his love for him was wonderful, surpassing the love of women. This was not a sexual love as some have attempted to say. No love can surpass the self-sacrificial love that believers can demonstrate to one another, just as Christ has done for us. Jonathan truly demonstrated this type of love for David.

Wow! This was quite the lamentation for someone who has been your enemy for the last decade or more. These were not mere words of flattery, but David mourned for Saul and Jonathan because he loved them. It takes a godly man who is full of the Spirit to morn someone who relentlessly sought his life for the last 10+ years. How are we doing in loving our enemies? What would we say at their death. Would we lament them? Would we praise them for the good they did in their lives, or would we still find fault? I think it is important to point out that there is a difference between love and forgiveness. Love and forgiveness are closely related, but they are not the same thing. Real agape love is given regardless of one’s actions, and truly is in spite of them just like God’s love for us is in spite of us. Forgiveness, on the other hand, is given upon repentance. Jesus told His disciples, “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” The Lord does not forgive us if we do not repent, so I do not believe He would ask us to do something that not even He would do. Not forgiving someone simply says I have something against you. If you molest my child, I can and still should love you, but I cannot allow you around my children or any other children for that matter because you have not truly repented. The challenge for us is not having hatred in our hearts for someone who has done something as heinous as this. Even if they have repented, it can still be a challenge to love and forgive people who have truly wronged us. There are certain hurts and grievances that are very difficult, if not impossible to forgive, without the Lord’s help. It is the work of the Spirit in our lives as we meditate on the word of God and what Jesus has done on the cross for us to set us free from the law of sin and death that will help us love and forgive others in these situations.

Well, this was a long and hard stent for David, and his troubles were far from over, but the man who had spearheaded his demise was gone. God had taken care of the situation; David did not have to do anything. David was just hanging out in Ziklag with his men, and did not know that Saul’s end was so close. This is often how it is: we worry, fret, and run from our troubles, but God is about to turn the tables in our favor. 

1 Samuel 31 - The Tragic End of Saul

Last time in 1 Samuel, we saw David return to Ziklag to find the city burned with fire, and all their women and children had been carried away captives. David and his men were greatly distressed, and David’s men even spoke of stoning him. However, David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. He could have chosen to be angry and bitter, but instead, he drew near to the Lord to seek His counsel. The Lord told David they should pursue after the Amalekites, and that they would recover all. David did so, and gave a portion of the spoil to his men and to the people in the areas where he and his men were accustomed to stay.

Now, the scene returns to Saul and the nation of Israel preparing for war with the Philistines. If we recall, Saul had visited a medium the night before to ask counsel of Samuel, and Samuel had told him that he and his sons would die in battle. Saul was so distressed at this, that he could not rise off the ground until the medium and his servants compelled him to eat. He was in no shape to fight a battle the next day.

When the Philistines fought against Israel, Israel fled from before them. They were slain on Mount Gilboa, meaning they retreated back to their own camp. The Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons, and killed Saul’s sons. Next, they mortally wounded Saul, and Saul, thinking he would not live, said to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.” When his armourbearer refused to do so out of fear, Saul fell upon his own sword.

One might think that Saul, seeing he was about to die, would make his peace with God, but there was none of that from Saul. There is no telling what the Lord might have done for Saul if he had repented, but he chose to hold onto his sin until the bitter end. Apparently, his own attempt at suicide did not even succeed, for we are told in 2 Samuel that an Amalekite finished him off. I think it is interesting that the Amalekites that the Lord had told Saul to destroy that he chose not to, were the ones who killed him. It was as if the Lord was bringing him back to that unrepentant sin that marked his downfall. I don’t know if it was as much for Saul’s benefit as it is for ours, for Saul was on his way out. However, you and I can look and learn from his example. This is what unrepentant sin always does: it comes back to bite us eventually. We have a tendency to think we can get away with certain sins because we don’t experience immediate consequences, but the Scriptures teach that there will be consequences. They state, “…be sure your sin will find you out.” (Numbers 32:23) And, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Galatians 6:7-8) True repentance does not alleviate all consequences, but it certainly can lessen them.

I believe this is an appropriate time to write about suicide. There are three examples of suicide in the Bible: There was Saul, Ahithophel, and Judas Iscariot. When you examine their lives, all three were in direct rebellion against God. We have already learned of Saul, Ahithophel counseled Absolom in trying to overthrow David as king, and Judas, motivated by greed, regularly stole money from Jesus’ ministry and betrayed Him to the Jewish leaders. All three chose taking their own life rather than truly repenting. I wonder what would have happened if Saul had repented? If Ahithophel had repented, I wonder if David would have shown him mercy? If Judas had repented, I know the Lord would have forgiven him. Suicide is still murder, folks. As I have heard it said, it is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It is the wrong solution. They are thinking of no one but themselves, and they do not care what everyone who is left behind thinks or feels. It is truly a selfish and sinful thing to do. It is murder, because it is still killing someone who was made in the image of God Genesis 9:6). God is the only one who has the right to take a life, except for those instances in which He has given permission for us to do so. So, does someone who commits suicide lose their salvation? My theology has changed somewhat on this subject over time. If you were to tell me you believed you had good reason to question their conversion based off their decision to take their own life, you may have a fair argument. Genuine faith produces a changed life that no longer wants to live after the flesh. It’s especially difficult to imagine someone who walks into a place, murders several people, and then takes their own life is not demon-possessed. I think many who do these types of things probably are possessed, or at the very least, heavily influenced by demonic forces. However, if someone was truly born again, they have been saved by placing their faith in Jesus alone for salvation, and therefore, no sin can take it away from them. If sin could take it away, then not sinning would have had to have helped secure their salvation in some way. Believing that one can lose their salvation by sinning somehow ultimately translates into a works-based salvation, and makes us no different than the cults that teach you must believe in Jesus plus do good works to go to Heaven. The only sin that will condemn us is not believing on Jesus Christ for salvation (see Jn 3:18 and Jn 16:9.

When the Israelites on the other side of the valley and on the other side of Jordan saw the soldiers fleeing and that Saul was dead, they forsook their cities, and the Philistines dwelt in them. The next day, when the Philistines went to strip the slain, they found the dead bodies of Saul and his sons. They beheaded Saul, and published the tidings in the temples of their idols and among the people (probably carrying his head around on display). They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths, and fastened his body to the wall at Beth Shan. This was a public disgrace to do this to Saul’s dead body, and when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard of it, the valiant men went all night and took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan. Then they burned their bodies and buried their bones under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh. If we recall, Saul, at the beginning of his reign, had helped the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead against the Ammonites, and won a great victory. Despite Saul’s failings and tragic ending, these men still proved their loyalty to their king out of gratitude for what he had done for them.

Saul’s end was a tragic one that could well have been different if he had only chosen to yield to the Lord’s will instead of his own. His reign, although having some positive notes, largely goes down as a failure, and this is what we should expect when insisting on living a life of sin rather than one of obedience to the Lord. Saul reigned for 40 years, so it may seem as though the Lord was standing idly by while he played the fool and mad man by murderously pursuing David and the priests of the Lord. However, everything the Lord said would happen to Saul did come to pass. The Lord was being gracious to Saul by giving him that time to repent. All this should serve as a good object lesson for you and me. Despite all this, we will see David’s response to Saul’s death, which will be different than we might expect. 

The Personification of Wisdom Part I.

Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?  She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.  She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.  Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.  O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.  Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.  For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.  All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.  They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. (Proverbs 8:1-9)

 

Here we find out more about what wisdom looks like practically.  As we have seen previously, wisdom is from God, and His intention is to give it liberally to mankind when requested out of a prayer of faith.  When wisdom speaks it is not meaningless or of no value, but it is excellent (very good).  It is also right; wisdom will never speak something that is not in accordance with the Scriptures.  It is always truthful.  Since its giver is God, it never lies even if its end is noble and just.  “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19) Wickedness is an abomination to wisdom; by its virtue it hates evil.  We see later in verse 13, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”  Wisdom is from God, and because God is good He hates sin.  If we truly fear (reverence) God we will hate sin also.  This is not in a self-righteous sense that looks down on others’ faults as a means of making ourselves look better, but a sincere hatred of sin because of what it does to us and to others.  This can also be said of our love for the Lord.  Many people will say they love the Lord, but have no intentions of obeying Him.  Jesus told His disciples, “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” and “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 14:15, 15:10) So to the degree that we hate evil and walk in obedience to the Lord is the degree that we fear and love God.  Again, when wisdom speaks, it is always in righteousness; it will always direct us to and instruct us in what is right.  To those who already possess understanding and knowledge, more wisdom will be plain and right to them.  It will not be mysterious or difficult to understand, but it will just make sense.  In closing of this section I wanted to include the New Testament compliment of this passage: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” (James 3:17-18)

Are we walking in wisdom today?  Are the things we think and talk about excellent and right?  Are we truthful with the Lord, with ourselves and with others?  Do we fear and love God by hating evil and purposing to walk in obedience to the Scriptures?  None of us are where we ought to be, but Jesus again told His disciples, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5) If we abide in Him by faith, He produces the much good fruit of righteousness in us.