A Failed Tree Uprooted

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Opening Prayer

Father, I place into Your hands this day decisions to be made, work to be done and obstacles to be encountered. Show me Your way.

Read 1 Chronicles 10:1-14

^[1] Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. ^[2] The Philistines were in hot pursuit of Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua. ^[3] The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him. ^[4] Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and abuse me.” But his armor-bearer was terrified and would not do it; so Saul took his own sword and fell on it. ^[5] When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. ^[6] So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together. ^[7] When all the Israelites in the valley saw that the army had fled and that Saul and his sons had died, they abandoned their towns and fled. And the Philistines came and occupied them. ^[8] The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ^[9] They stripped him and took his head and his armor, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news among their idols and their people. ^[10] They put his armor in the temple of their gods and hung up his head in the temple of Dagon. ^[11] When all the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ^[12] all their valiant men went and took the bodies of Saul and his sons and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the great tree in Jabesh, and they fasted seven days. ^[13] Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, ^[14] and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

Meditate

“Behold, I have played the fool and have committed a serious error” (1 Sam. 26:21, NASB). Obviously Saul failed to learn from his mistakes. A timely reminder for us.

Think Further

The modern reader of this tragic story might focus on the moral dilemmas of the deliberate taking of life–here via suicide and mercy killing. In our complex world we struggle with the ethical implications of many life-and-death issues, both in personal choices and in legal enactments. Is it ever right to take a human life? The Chronicler’s primary moral concern, however, is different–the nature and requirements of Israel’s kingship.

Saul’s command to the armor-bearer to end his agony might have been a natural human response to his perceived fate, but he was making an impossible request. Although Saul was already mortally wounded, intentionally taking his life would have been shameful, especially for a man appointed to protect Israel’s king in battle–partly because of the sixth commandment (Exod. 20:13) but particularly because Saul was God’s anointed (1 Sam. 9:15-16, 10:1,24-25). David’s response to the false tale of Saul’s end (2 Sam. 1:1-16), and his own earlier refusals to take Saul’s life when he had a chance, indicate his high view of the monarchy even before he became king.

Beyond this immediate story is the larger evaluative framework of Israel’s monarchy, characteristic of the Chronicler. Saul did not die merely as a result of a failed battle. His rule was cut short by the verdict of the Lord that he was no longer worthy to be Israel’s king. He had been unfaithful to God and his calling in varied ways for most of his reign. The elderly prophet Samuel (who had reluctantly anointed the nation’s first king decades earlier) had warned that replacing YHWH’s rule with a human ruler would cause grief–and it did. Saul’s overarching sin was that he did not listen to God. So this royal sapling was abruptly uprooted.

Apply

What evaluation of your life would you not want to be part of your epitaph? What current choices or changes would help make sure you are not remembered regretfully?

Closing prayer

Living Lord, I want to fight the good fight of faith, to not be like Saul and to have played the fool. Infuse me with power and fortitude to walk faithfully with You.

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