I Shall Not Be Headless (Part 1) Series

SERIES: DAVID - A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART:

PART 11: I SHALL NOT BE HEADLESS

1 SAMUEL 31: 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 critically. 4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through 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 with him. 6 So Saul and his three sons and his armor-bearer and all his men died together that same day. 7 When the Israelites along the valley and those across the Jordan saw that the Israelite 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 three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped off his armor, and they sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim the news in the temple of their idols and among their people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of the Ashtoreths and fastened his body to the wall of Beth Shan. 11 When the people of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all their valiant men marched through the night to Beth Shan. They took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from the wall of Beth Shan and went to Jabesh, where they burned them. 13 Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

INTRO: DAVID: A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART PT. 11: I SHALL NOT BE HEADLESS

1. Saul Starts Off Well: Extremely Tall & Handsome: (I Samuel 9:2). Saul Was Charismatic, Admired & Respected, Courageous in Battle, Humble & Respectful. He Was Charitable & Selfless. Per the Talmud (the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend), he gave his fortune to the poor; helped pay for needs of poor brides-to-be; paid soldiers out of personal treasury, not public funds. Saul Epitomizes Self-Sacrifice. He went to war with the Philistines after hearing the prophecy that he and his sons would be killed (I Sam. 28:19). Others would have run away. Most Of All: Filled with the Holy Ghost, prophesized, Had Samuel as prophet, etc. Thus he defeated the enemies of Israel - Ammonites, Philistines, Moabites, Amalekites. Only the Philistines remained a threat. In 2½ years, he united the tribes.

2. List Of His Weaknesses / Failures: Saul’s Presumptuous Sacrifice At Gilgal (1 Samuel 13) / He refuses to kill Agag the King of Amalek / Erects Monuments For Himself / Would kill Samuel if he heard of David’s Anointing / Begins To Resent, feel insecure, Envy & Fear David / Has A Wounded Pride, Violent Temper, Spirit Of Murder / Influenced By Public Opinion / Tries To Kill Jonathan / Kills 85 Priests & families & Cattle in Nob / Consults Witch At Endor.

Why Was Saul Killed? Two Reasons: I Chronicles 10:13So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the Lord because of the word of the Lord which he did not keep and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it.

TO SUM IT ALL UP - SAUL IS A FOOL – FROM HIS OWN MOUTH

I Samuel 26:21Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly. No one likes to be called a fool. But fool has more than one meaning. Webster Collegiate Definition (Secular): FOOL - Without well-developed reason, a person who lacks the basic skills or ability to judge rightly; One who acts unwisely; a feeble-minded person; one who can be easily imposed upon, etc. Saul played the fool.

THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF FOOL IS NORMALLY TWOFOLD:

1. First Meaning Of Fool Is: Someone Who Sees Or Knows Right From Wrong But Prefers To Select The Wrong. Psalms 14:1:The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. Proverbs 1:7:The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. I Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. I Corinthians 2:14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.