How Are The Mighty Fallen

“How are the Mighty Fallen” 2/6/22 a.m. 2 Samuel 1:17-27

I don’t know where you all get your news. Most of us watch FOX news. In the OLD DAYS you watched ABC, CBS, NBC. As a kid I remember David Brinkley, Harry Reasoner, Roger Mudd, I used to laugh at his name, and of course, Walter Cronkite, the most trusted man in America. But today some of you all may watch, or may have watched in the past, CNN. Cable News Network. And this week the PRESIDENT of CNN RESIGNED in DISGRACE. Jeff Zucker. He was having an affair with a subordinate. A man who was supposed to be ONLY TELLING the NEWS had been HIDING the NEWS for years. And when it finally came out this last week he RESIGNED. And when I read this story this PHRASE FROM GOD’S WORD came to my mind. “How are the Mighty Fallen”

It is spoken 3 times in 2 Samuel 1. So let’s go ahead and read 2 Samuel 1, Verses 17-27

“And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!

20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.

22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places.

26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!”

So this was David’s Eulogy for King Saul and his son Jonathan. They had both been killed fighting the Philistines. And what a CONTRAST between two different people. A FATHER and SON. So let’s look at the words David spoke, “How are the nighty fallen” but before we do let’s go to the Lord in Prayer.

Brother _______, would you lead us?

I. The first time we see this phrase, “how are the mighty fallen!” is in Verse 19. Now this is after David has told us that this would be a POEM to be taught to the children. The Song of the Bow would be placed in the Book of Jasher. This Book was a Book of POETRY and SONGS. The Book of Jasher is also mentioned in Joshua 10:13. And so David begins to SING this song. A FUNERAL SONG. A SAD SONG. A song of DEFEAT. “The BEAUTY of ISRAEL is SLAIN.”

“How are the MIGHTY FALLEN.”

Let me say this. King Saul had fallen long before this day. He was a man BLESSED by God but he was a man who had turned his BACK on God.

In 1 Samuel 16, we see where Saul had become SO CORRUPT that GOD’S SPIRIT had left him. And in it’s place an Evil Spirit had come to LIVE. David is also ANOINTED KING in Chapter 16.

In 1 Samuel 17, we see where David kills Goliath and he is LOVED by all the people. Because of this Saul becomes very jealous.

In 1 Samuel 18, Saul tries to kill David TWICE while he plays the HARP for Saul.

In 1 Samuel 19, David became SO HATED by Saul that Verse 1 tells us, “And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that they should kill David.”

And so in Chapter 20, David has to leave the KINGDOM for fear of his life and He and Jonathan say their final goodbyes. What a HEARTBREAKING fall that Saul has gone through.

As I read this I can’t help but think, “How are the MIGHTY FALLEN.” I look at our world today. People that have so much potential. They have been blessed by God in extraordinary ways. TALENT, STRENGTH, ABILITY, BEAUTY and many more things but yet they SQUANDER those blessings.