Slices
Prepare
‘At the start of this series, Lord, I ask you to open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word. Amen.’
Bible passage
David hears of Saul’s death
1 After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honour.
3 ‘Where have you come from?’ David asked him.
He answered, ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp.’
4 ‘What happened?’ David asked. ‘Tell me.’
‘The men fled from the battle,’ he replied. ‘Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.’
5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’
6 ‘I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,’ the young man said, ‘and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7 When he turned round and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, “What can I do?”
8 ‘He asked me, “Who are you?”
‘“An Amalekite,” I answered.
9 ‘Then he said to me, “Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.”
10 ‘So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.’
11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, ‘Where are you from?’
‘I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,’ he answered.
14 David asked him, ‘Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?’
15 Then David called one of his men and said, ‘Go, strike him down!’ So he struck him down, and he died. 16 For David had said to him, ‘Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, “I killed the Lord’s anointed.”’
Explore
No one could claim the Bible is air- brushed or edited to give its readers a simplistic message or make everyone look good. What are we to make of today’s difficult passage of grief and vengeance? Perhaps there’s something here for all of us to benefit from in those times when events, life and even God don’t turn out the way we expect or think they should.
We know from 1 Samuel 31 that Saul wasn’t killed by the Amalekite in today’s passage, no matter how elaborate the yarn he spun for David (vs 6–10). Saul had taken his own life. So why would the Amalekite lie? Very likely, to curry favour with the new king. But David’s heart wasn’t like others (see 1 Samuel 13:14). So instead of a self-interested glow of achievement, of having finally arrived, that might have gripped other kings’ hearts (and perhaps ours, too), David was first gripped by sorrow (v 11). This wasn’t a formal showing at a state occasion; David genuinely grieved for Saul and his son Jonathan (v 12). Have you ever considered the practice of fasting to express sorrow, grief or repentance? David is then moved by the fear of God and can’t quite believe the Amalekite so glibly broke God’s law (v 14; Psalm 105:15). The resultant execution of judgement was swift and terrible (vs 15,16).
Respond
‘Lord, help me to both love you more and fear you more. Amen.’
Deeper Bible study
Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness, even when I have been unfaithful. Thank you that you’ll never leave my side or drive me from you.
Who killed Saul? There are three accounts in Scripture.1 Today’s text has stirred debate surrounding the underlying reasoning for the actions of this Amalekite. He may have been a battle scavenger who had come across Saul and expected praise and reward from David, whom Saul was pursuing. Is it by chance that he brings David the very items he would require when anointed king? He then presents himself as a resident alien, thereby expecting privileges under the Mosaic law – privileges he did not deserve. He tragically failed to understand the man of God that David was, or that David himself had had the opportunity to kill Saul.
David knew that if God had called and anointed Saul, who was he to take that sovereignty away? By his own words, this man sealed his fate. For if he had killed Saul, he had killed the Lord’s anointed.2 If he had not, he was still an Amalekite and had to die.3 David ordered his death. In doing so, he shows that he had no hand in Saul’s death, as many may have suspected; instead he mourned Saul, mourning we can take as genuine for, whatever Saul’s failings, he was the Lord’s anointed.
What blessing falls upon us as a royal priesthood!4 With God for us, nothing can stand against us – but relationships carry rewards and responsibilities. Our anointing came at a colossal cost at Calvary, as the true anointed one was crucified and stained with our guilt. David teaches us that following God, in denial of primitive needs, was a precursor for being lifted in God’s eyes, aware of who we bring down. He shows us fundamental components for kingship, for ultimately his heart was tuned to God’s and his people’s victory, not just his own.
‘... you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you … into his wonderful light.’5
1 1 Chr 10; 1 Sam 31; 2 Sam 1 2 1 Chr 16:22; 1 Sam 26:9 3 Exod 17:16 4 1 Pet 2:9 5 1 Pet 2:9, italics added
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 2 Chronicles 24,25; Ephesians 5
Pray for Scripture Union
Give thanks for new volunteers for Open the Book run by Local Mission Partner Future Vision in Sudbury. Pray for God’s continued direction and wisdom at Thomas Gainsborough School as Ian and Liz encourage both staff and students.
