Is Saul’s death a warning to those who started well, but backsliding? Can an unfaithful leader hurt many people? Where are you headed? Let’s look at 1 Samuel 31.
Did Saul and most of his sons die on the same day in battle? If God had not intervened, would David have been fighting on the side of the Philistines?
When the Philistines attacked the Israelites, the Israelites ran away from the Philistines, and many fell dead on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua. The battle was fierce around Saul. When the archers located him, they wounded him badly. Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me with it! Otherwise, these uncircumcised men will come and kill me or torture me.” But his armor-bearer refused because he was terrified. So Saul took the sword and impaled himself on it. When the armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also impaled himself on his sword and died with Saul. So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his soldiers died together that day. (1 Samuel 31:1-6 CEB)
What happened to the Israelite army after they realized that their leader was dead? What did the Philistines do with Saul’s body?
The Israelites on the other side of Jezreel Valley and the other side of the Jordan learned that Saul and his sons were dead. They saw that the Israelite army had run away. So they ran away too, and the Philistines moved into the towns the Israelites had left behind. The day after the battle, when the Philistines returned to the battlefield to take the weapons of the dead Israelite soldiers, they found Saul and his three sons lying dead on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines cut off Saul's head and pulled off his armor. Then they put his armor in the temple of the goddess Astarte, and they nailed his body to the city wall of Beth-Shan. They also sent messengers everywhere in Philistia to spread the good news in the temples of their idols and among their people. (1 Samuel 31:7-10 CEV)
What did the Israelites do with Saul’s body and those of his sons?
But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days. (1 Samuel 31:11-13 ESV)
What is the principle criterion whereby we must be saved? Did Saul cease being a believer? Did his actions show it?
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16 HCSB)
From where can we get the strength not to stray as Saul did?
But the Lord is faithful and will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. (2 Thessalonians 3:3 ISV)
Is Saul’s death a warning to those who started well, but backsliding? Can an unfaithful leader hurt many people? Where are you headed? You decide!
