The Tragic End of Saul and the Faithful Hand of God
October 22, 2025
Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
1 Samuel 31
We’ve walked with Saul and David through valleys and mountaintops, through victories and failures, through caves, betrayals, and repentance. Now, as we come to the last chapter of 1 Samuel and before we move onto the first chapter 2 Samuel, the curtain falls on Saul’s life — not with the sound of triumph, or with a transition of power surrounded with blessings, but with the hollow echo of tragedy. Yet, even in tragedy, God’s faithfulness shines. The story of 1 Samuel doesn’t end in chaos — it ends in completion. God’s Word has come true. The rejected king falls, and the anointed king waits to rise.
I think of Lance Armstrong. For years, he was the symbol of perseverance — the cancer survivor who conquered the impossible, the man who stood on the podium of the Tour de France seven times in a row. As a former cyclist myself, I remember watching him with admiration. His strength, his focus, his sheer willpower — it was legendary. But behind all the triumph was a secret life of deception. When the truth came out, the fall was devastating. Titles stripped, reputation destroyed, legacy shattered. What began in glory ended in shame — not because he wasn’t gifted, but because he believed he was untouchable.
That’s the pattern we see in so many lives — not just in the world, but even among believers. The Apostle Paul once wrote about a man named Demas, who started strong in ministry but didn’t finish well. Paul said, “Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me.” (2 Tim. 4:10) He began with calling and conviction but ended in compromise and collapse.
And now, as we close the book of 1 Samuel, we meet another man who started with incredible promise and ended in tragic failure — King Saul. Chosen by God, empowered by the Spirit, blessed with opportunity — yet undone by pride, disobedience, and despair. Saul’s story began with the anointing of God and ends with the judgment of God. This is more than a sad ending; it’s a spiritual autopsy. Saul’s death shows us what happens when a man stops believing that God’s mercy is greater than his mistakes. But even in this tragedy, there’s a deeper truth shining through: sin may destroy, but God’s faithfulness never fails.
What we see in this chapter is both sobering and hopeful: sin has consequences, but God’s covenant never collapses.
I. The Fall of Saul — When Disobedience Bears Its Fruit (vv. 1–6)
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together.
The scene opens on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. The Philistines have advanced deep into Israelite territory, and the army of Israel is in full retreat. Verse 1 sets the tone: “Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.” This is not just another battle; it’s the final chapter of Saul’s rebellion against God. The man who once stood head and shoulders above the people now lies among the dead. His sons — Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua — fall beside him. The light of Saul’s lineage flickers out on the battlefield.
Then we come to one of the most tragic moments in all of Scripture: “Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through and mistreat me.’ But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.” (v.4)
This was not an act of courage; it was an act of fatalism. Saul’s reasoning wasn’t “I will die for Israel.” It was, “There’s no hope left — not even God can redeem this.” His entire life has been building to this moment. Disobedience hardened into pride, pride curdled into despair, and despair gave birth to fatalism. Saul wasn’t just ending his life — he was making one last statement: “I will have the final word, not God.” That’s the essence of fatalism — the belief that it’s too late for God to forgive, too late for redemption, too late for grace. It’s the sin of hopelessness, and it’s just as deadly as rebellion.
This is why 1 Chronicles 10:13–14 gives us the divine commentary “So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. 14 He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.” (1 Chronicles 10:13–14)
And think about this — David could have been there. Just two chapters earlier, he was marching with the Philistines, ready to fight in this very battle. But God intervened. In His mercy, He spared David from standing on the wrong side of this field. While Saul was dying in rebellion, David was being delivered from compromise. The same God who allowed judgment on one mountain extended mercy to the man after His own heart.
Mount Gilboa stands as more than a battlefield — it’s a mountain of lost potential. So tragic that David would later curse it, saying, “Let there be no dew or rain upon you.” (2 Sam. 1:21) It’s the place where pride dies and God’s purpose lives on.
When Saul fell on his sword, it was the final act of a man who had spent his life resisting God’s authority. Even in death, Saul is self-directed — the very definition of rebellion. Contrast that with David. When David hit rock bottom at Ziklag, he strengthened himself in the Lord his God (1 Sam. 30:6). Where Saul despaired, David turned upward. Where Saul said, “It’s over,” David said, “But God…”
That’s the dividing line between ruin and redemption. And here’s the good news, church — every one of us still stands on the right side of that line if we’ll turn to the Lord. You are never too far gone for God’s grace. Saul believed the lie that it was over — that his sin was too deep, his mistakes too great, his failure too final. But that’s not true for you.
Maybe you’ve made a mess of something. Maybe you’ve said, “God can’t use me after this.” But friend, the very fact that you’re breathing is proof that God isn’t finished with you. As long as there’s repentance, there’s redemption.
Don’t pick up Saul’s sword — pick up David’s harp.
Don’t end your story in despair — hand your story back to God.
The same grace that restored David after adultery and murder can restore anyone who will humble themselves before the Lord. Saul said, “I’m unredeemable.” David said, “The Lord is my shepherd.” And that’s still the difference today. God isn’t looking for perfect people — He’s looking for surrendered hearts.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
Saul’s death wasn’t sudden — it was slow-motion judgment and chapter 31 is the tragic end of that slow motion. Every step of disobedience was a step toward Mount Gilboa. Maybe you feel like a train wreck in slow motion. I have great news for you today. Turn yourself back over to God. Surrender all of your life and you will find redemption and hope instead of a fatal and final destination.
II. The Humiliation of Israel — The Enemy’s Triumph (vv. 7–10)
And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them. 8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. (1 Samuel 31:7–10)
The king’s fall becomes the nation’s shame. When leadership collapses, courage evaporates. The enemy doesn’t just defeat an army; they desecrate a testimony. Verses 8–10 describe the grisly aftermath. The Philistines strip the bodies, cut off Saul’s head, and fasten his corpse to the wall of Beth-shan. His armor becomes a trophy in the temple of their gods.
In other words, the enemies of God are celebrating — not just a military victory, but a spiritual one. They believe their false gods have triumphed over Yahweh. This is the public shame of private sin. What began in Saul’s heart ends in Israel’s humiliation.
There’s a sobering reminder here for every believer — especially for leaders: Sin is never private. It will eventually make its way to the walls of Beth-shan. That’s why Paul warns in 1 Timothy 5:24: The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.
When the Church compromises, the world rejoices. When Christians fall, the enemy gloats. But praise God — the story doesn’t end with mockery; it ends with mercy.
III. The Faithfulness of the Men of Jabesh-Gilead — Light in the Darkness (vv. 11–13)
But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 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. 13 And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days. (1 Samuel 31:11–13)
Just when it seems all is lost, a flicker of faithfulness appears. “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…” (v.11–12) These men risk their lives to recover Saul’s remains and give him an honorable burial. Why? Because decades earlier, Saul had rescued them from the Ammonites (1 Sam. 11:1–11).
When everyone else forgot Saul’s beginnings, they remembered his mercy. They responded with loyalty and courage. Even in judgment, God preserves a remnant of faithfulness. The men of Jabesh-Gilead remind us that God always has His people, even in dark times. Their act of devotion stands as a quiet protest against the chaos — a candle flickering in the darkness of national defeat.
They buried Saul under a tamarisk tree — the same kind of tree Saul once sat beneath while plotting David’s death (1 Sam. 22:6). How fitting: the tree of conspiracy becomes the tree of closure. There’s a lesson in that: God always writes the last line, and He often writes it with poetic justice.
IV. The Faithfulness of God — His Promises Never Fail
Saul’s life ends in defeat, but God’s plan marches on. The curtain falls on one king so it can rise on another. What man ruins, God redeems.
Through David, the Lord will restore the throne, the land, and the hope of Israel. Ultimately, through David’s greater Son — Jesus Christ — the Lord will bring redemption to the world. The Book of 1 Samuel began with a barren woman crying out in faith and ends with a barren nation crying out in defeat. But in both cases, God was already preparing the next chapter. When Hannah prayed, she couldn’t see Samuel. When Saul fell, Israel couldn’t see David. But God was already at work. That’s the unshakable truth of this chapter: even when everything looks lost, God’s promises are still in motion.
Saul’s death sets the stage for David’s coronation. What appears to be an ending is actually the beginning of fulfillment.
Romans 8:28 still rings true across the centuries: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
As we close the book of 1 Samuel, the contrast could not be sharper.
Saul fell on his sword — a man who said, “I will control my destiny.”
David fell on his knees — a man who said, “I will trust my God.”
Both were sinners. Both failed. But one repented and found grace; the other resisted and found ruin. The tragedy of Saul’s life is that he could have been David. God never wanted Saul’s destruction — He wanted Saul’s obedience.
Fatalism says, “God can’t fix this.” Faith says, “God isn’t finished yet.”
Saul’s sword says, “I am unredeemable.” The cross of Christ says, “You are redeemable.”
And the contrast between those two truths is the difference between despair and hope. When the smoke cleared on Mount Gilboa, Israel was in shambles, but God was still sovereign. When the enemy celebrated in their temples, heaven was already preparing a new king.
The story of Saul’s end is a warning, but it’s also an invitation. No one has to end the way Saul did. God’s mercy is still greater than our mess. As we move into 2 Samuel, the story turns from tragedy to triumph, from rebellion to restoration, from man’s failure to God’s faithfulness.
So here’s the takeaway as we close 1 Samuel: Don’t let despair write your ending. Let faith write your next chapter.
