2 Samuel 1:1-27

How the Mighty Have Fallen

The death of a major leader often has the greatest impact on many throughout the world.

Death of Joseph in the Bible led to Israel’s Egyptian captivity.

Death of Moses led to conquest of the land.

Death of Joshua let to period of Judges

Death of Samuel led to the kingship

Now death of Saul.

Recap of the story thus far.

1 Samuel 26-27 David spares the life of Saul and flees to be with the Philistines

1 Samuel 28, Saul encounters the medium, or necromancer, at En-Dor in hopes of reversing the prophecy against him

1 Samuel 29-30, the Philistines reject David, his wives are captured in Ziklag, he defeats the Amelekites

1 Samuel 31, Saul dies

Common in the OT for a major section of the Bible to begin with either a genealogy, or “these are the generations of…” or “After the death of x”

Samuel was a complete work but the author is emphasizing the major transitional point

MP1: Death of Saul, Response of David

David was out at war with the Amalekites

Still in Ziklag where he witnesses the destruction of his new hometown

An interesting encounter with an Amalekite 2 Samuel 1:2–10

Two options, one result

First option: The man is telling the truth.

Appeared to be from the battle (clothes torn, dirt on his head)

Recounting what happened (Israel fleeing)

Recognizing Jonathan and Saul died

1 Samuel 31:3 “The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers.” Chariots fit the “pressed hard against him”

David would not have yet known exactly how Saul died

Amalekite brings royal jewels to David

Interesting way that Saul’s kingly regalia came to David.

Once from Jonathan’s voluntary surrender of his kingship to David

This one at the hands of an enemy

Second option: The man is lying.

Appearance still maintains he was at the battle.

No indication that the Amelekites were with the Philistines

David was fighting them in Ziklag

Although 1 Sam 31:3 recognizes Saul being pressed hard, no mention of chariots

Would Saul still have been alive after falling on his sword and arrows?

Certainly a possibility that he was not finally dead.

Intent of the Amalekite? Is he trying to claim victory for killing the king?

Reward in store?

Political pardon?

Favor with David?

Good persepctive: Yet if this Amalekite wanted a reward from David, he almost had to ‘story’ a little. How could he say he slithered around like a coward, waiting for Saul to fall so that, when the way was clear, he could pounce on the royal insignia? Certainly he had to explain how he obtained the crown and armband, but how much more gallant it sounded if in the thick of battle he kindly and coolly assisted Saul in death with dignity

Story from Dale Ralph DavisThere was once a Scottish lad who thought this way. An unresolved misdemeanor had occurred in Dingwall: a boy had entered a garden and stripped the plum trees. Several months had gone by yet the culprit was unknown. Then came a Sabbath when there was a children’s service at the church, and the pastor, Dr. John Kennedy, was preaching. He spoke from Psalm 11:4 of the One ‘whose eyes behold and eyelids try the children of men’. Then he came to his dramatic conclusion: ‘The boy is with us this evening who stole the plums! I shall not look in the direction of his seat lest I betray him. But I know him. I saw him from my study-window—saw the wall leaped, the pockets filled—the breathless race home. He thought no one saw, but I saw the whole, and God saw.

Neither are clear, but the result is the same, and it does not change what happened.

Sometimes we think that what we do is unseen if no one can attest to it. But God is all-knowing and all-seeing. He knows our innermost thoughts, how much more does he know that actions we conduct in darkness rather than the light?

MP2: Response of David, Furthering the Assault on the Amelekites (2 Samuel 1:11-16)

Traditional Israel lament for what happened.

Can you imagine the range of emotions going through David’s head in this moment?

Just judgment on the Amelekite.

It seems that he wanted a reward for pronouncing the death of the king

Like a messenger of the “good news.”

He did that which was detrimental to his fate “touching the Lord’s anointed.

Side bar: This term has been abused in the past several decades to refer to avoid criticizing pastors or “pastors” in the church

Specific reference of “touch” is Hebrew word for strike, physical harm

1 Samuel 24:6“He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord’s anointed.””

1 Samuel 26:9“But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?””

The term references physical harm

Self-signing death warrant and justice executed by David

The blood of Saul was not on his hand either

David was providentially kept from earning, deserving, or obtaining the kingship on his own

Applications:

Is this not a picture of our salvation in shadowy forms? God Himself decrees and dictates how and when one is saved, just as God ensures the Davidic kingship is by God for His own glory.

It should also illicit from us grief and repentance when God brings about his judgment.

God’s judgment on Saul was just, yet at the same time, it should grieve us that the wages of sin is death

It should grieve us when those who are without Christ suffer eternally

It should embolden us as well to proclaim the truth

David shows spiritual principles

Godly understanding of judgment

Proverbs 17:5“Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.”

Romans 12:19 “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.””

Godly grief of death

A lesser man than David would have gloated over the death of Saul, so long his bitter enemy; and a more ambitious man than David would have been equally pleased about the death of Jonathan, since he would naturally have succeeded his father had he lived. (Philipps 9)

If we wish to honor God and live peaceably with those around us, we like David must sanctify our private thoughts and make it our privilege to forgive others as Christ has forgiven us.

Divine judgment should never make us feel self-righteous. It is a taste of what we deserved if it were not for Chritst

MP3: A Lament for the Mighty (2 Samuel 1:17-27)

Sometimes song comforts us when we reflect upon tragedy.

This is exactly what comforted Horatio Spafford and his wife Anna, when he wrote the Hymn “It is Well”, remember the first line of the hymn, When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know It is well, it is well, with my soul. Think about that when hearing how song can be a means of comfort amidst tragedy.

This hymn was written after traumatic events in Spafford's life. The first was the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which ruined him financially (Spafford had been a successful lawyer and had invested significantly in property in the area of Chicago that was extensively damaged by the great fire).[1] His business interests were further hit by the economic downturn of 1873, at which time he had planned to travel to England with his family on the SS Ville du Havre, to help with D. L. Moody's upcoming evangelistic campaigns. In a late change of plan, Spafford sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic Ocean, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sea vessel, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died.[2] Spafford's wife, Anna, survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone …". Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.[3] Bliss called his tune Ville du Havre, from the name of the stricken vessel.[4]

And so here, David likewise pens a lament, a hymn if you will, that the people of Judah should be taught. It is not a recollection on the wickedness of Saul, but on the faithfulness of the Lord in remembrance of such pain. I’m going to go line by line and pick out the main themes of the song.

vv. 19-20 David laments that this great victory over Israel should not be proclaimed amongst the pagan nations. It seems like the Philistines would have proclaimed this battle just as Israel did against them, 1 Samuel 18:7“And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.””

v. 21. An un-anointed shield. The word for shield has a meaning beyond just that of a physical defensive weapon. The Lord is our shield insofar as he takes the blows on our behalf but it also references his sovereignty over us as well. Saul’s self-sovereignty was defiled. It was not longer anointed or set apart for holy use.

v. 22. Look at the honor David extends to Saul. Sometimes in life we focus too much on the negative that happens. And Saul was certainly an enemy toward David. But David exalts Saul’s military prowess in saying “the sword of Saul returned not empty.” Saul and Jonathan were mighty warriors of Israel.

v. 23. How powerful is this which we discussed last week that Saul and Jonathan, despite Saul’s shortcoming as king and father, they were still united until the end.

v. 24. The right mindest of those who grieve for Saul even though he was a wicked man.

v. 25. A repeat of the theme of the sermon and of the song.

v. 26. Many liberal scholars use this verse and other instances of David and Jonathan to claim there was an illicit sexual relationship with one another. Nothing could be further from the truth. The point David extols is Jonathan’s sacrificial love for the true king of Israel. Remember Jonathan gave David his right place as king. Jonathan was humble and committed to his dear friend.

Proverbs 17:17“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

Proverbs 18:24“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

The Bible demonstrates a genuine love brothers can have for one another.

Many of us have friends we share the same sentiment about. (Pearce).

v. 27. David concludes again with the same theme of the lament.

One thing we need to ask ourselves is how do we see Christ in this?

It is clear that Jesus himself weeps for those who are ungodly

Luke 13:34–35“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ””

Luke 19:41–44“And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.””

Jesus calls the ungodly unto himself

Jesus calls sinners. We want to think we are like Jonathan or David but we are really more like Saul. We reject God, we despise his counsel, we seek after ungodly wants, yet the judgment that Saul received temporally is the temporal and spiritual judgment we deserve, yet that which Christ bore on our behalf

As we continue in 2 Samuel we will see how powerful Jesus’ Kingship surpasses that of Israel’s kings as we eagerly wait in anticipation.