May 12, 2015
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

A Different Kind of Honor

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Father, You are worthy of honor and praise. Bless the Lord, O my soul.

Read 2 Samuel 1:17-27

[17] David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, [18] and he ordered that the people of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar): [19] “A gazelle lies slain on your heights, Israel. How the mighty have fallen! [20] “Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice. [21] “Mountains of Gilboa, may you have neither dew nor rain, may no showers fall on your terraced fields. For there the shield of the mighty was despised, the shield of Saul-no longer rubbed with oil. [22] “From the blood of the slain, from the flesh of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied. [23] Saul and Jonathan- in life they were loved and admired, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. [24] “Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold. [25] “How the mighty have fallen in battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights. [26] I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. [27] “How the mighty have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!”

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory, and honor and power” (Rev. 4:11).

Tragedy is an effective teacher. Although blessings are sweet for the moment, the things that hurt us tend to stay longer in our memories. Sometimes they leave scars. On the one hand, David’s response to the deaths of Saul and Jonathan were cultural protocol. When a city was destroyed or a king died, people lamented them ceremonially. But on the other hand, David’s lament is a lesson of lasting impact for God’s people. David, now king, laments the deaths of Saul and Jonathan in what experts consider to be one of the finest pieces of Hebrew lyric poetry in Scripture.

What is the poem’s message? The refrain “How have the mighty fallen” (19,25,27) unifies David’s lament in a literary envelope for emphasis. But part of the story is conspicuously absent. David makes no mention of Saul falling on his sword or spear (6). That’s because David wants the people of Judah to remember the greatness of Saul and Jonathan without hesitating. He does this by focusing on their weapons, both offensive and defensive. The tools of war, although still symbolic of royal valor, are now abandoned and left to the elements much like the honor of the two fallen warriors. The imagery calls for the reader to honor Saul and Jonathan.

When someone we love dies, we like to remember the good things about him or her. But selective memory was consistent with David’s treatment of Saul in life as well. Regardless of what Saul did to mistreat David, David viewed Saul with honor (16). Although some might see David’s high regard for Saul as blind, David wanted God’s people also to honor Saul because in so doing they would honor God. This is a different kind of honor, one that we would do well to consider as we view God’s role in the lives of others.

Apply

What does honoring your relationship with the Lord mean to your commitments with family, friends, and others in your life?

Closing prayer

Lord, I struggle with honoring those who do not seem to deserve it. Help me to give them honor and pray for them, even though I may not agree with them.

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