How the Mighty have Fallen!
Tracing the Shadow of the King • Sermon • Submitted
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Poetry and the meaning of Story
Poetry and the meaning of Story
And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
“There is none holy like the Lord:
for there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he has set the world.
“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
When you decide to follow Jesus, you are making the decision (whether you realize it or not) to become a student of the Bible. And every moment you devote to studying the Scriptures, every moment you hold a magnifying glass to the pages of the Bible, you are cultivating a sense for the way words work, and the way sentences work, and the way paragraphs work together to tell a story. Truly, you become a student of literature in the highest sense of the word, because the Bible is the greatest written work in human history. Literally by reading the words of Scripture carefully, you are honing tools that will equip you to read everything that has ever been written. Because in the truest sense of the words, the Bible is the greatest story that’s ever been written. And it’s especially important because it’s true.
I say all this because, perhaps for this passage more than any other, you’ve got to get your tools out. This passage is loaded with powerful meaning; this passage is in a lot of ways the centerpiece of the book of Samuel. But you’re not going to see that meaning, you’re not going to notice the brilliant power of this passage, unless you read it carefully. In a word, you won’t understand this passage until you treat it as masterful literature.
The significance of Poetry
The significance of Poetry
One of the most important principals for understanding the Old Testament, especially for understanding the history within the Old Testament, is the centrality and significance of poetry. Poetry operates almost like a user’s guide to the meaning of the historical stories we read in the Old Testament. Inevitably when you open your Bible and begin reading Old Testament stories, you’ll find those stories interrupted by song. The most significant stories are punctuated, beginning and end, with poetry. And in almost every case, the poetry that punctuates the historical stories of the Old Testament is there to teach us the meaning of those stories.
Let me give you an example.
and record the same event twice. Both and point our attention to Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea. In both we learn that God split the sea miraculously, in both we learn that Israel crosses over on dry land, in both we learn that Pharoah’s army is drowned in the waters. The same event, twice. So what’s the point of the second record?
A better question might be, “How do the two records differ?”
The first record is standard prose - reads just like any other historical text you might find in a library. But the second record is poetry. And the second record teaches readers the significance of the first.
We know that God split the waters, we know that Israel crossed through the Red Sea on dry land, we know that Pharoah’s army was drowned. But we don’t know why. Until we read these words.
“I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously! The horse and its rider he has thrown into the sea! The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation!”
That’s why. Why were the people delivered miraculously? Because “By your loyal love you will lead the people whom you have redeemed! You will guide them by your strength!” Why was the strongest military force in the world drowned in the Red Sea? Because “The LORD is a warrior!” Because “Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power!”
That’s why. It’s not enough to know what happened to the people of Israel. You must know why it happened. Poetry answers the “why.”
The key to understanding the passage we’re reading today is located within the poetry which surrounds it. So I want to read the story itself, and then I want to read the poetry that surrounds it, so that you and I can together answer the “why” of this passage.
Turn with me to .
The Mighty have Fallen
The Mighty have Fallen
Before we begin reading, I think it’s important to note that we’re reading two chapters consecutively that apparently fall in two different books. We’re going to begin reading in and we’re going to finish in . We’re doing this because that’s the structure of this passage, not because I needed to go ahead and pick up the pace because this series is super long. See, the books of 1 & 2 Samuel were originally one book, only one. It begins in the first verse of and ends on the final verse of . And it was simply called, “Samuel.” When the Bible began to be distributed widely in Greek, the Greek version split the book in half for reasons that must have seemed appropriate at the time but were actually terrible.
And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
“There is none holy like the Lord:
for there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he has set the world.
“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
The reason I mention this is because the death of Saul is the centerpiece of the book of Samuel in more ways than one. It represents a major shift in the kingdom of Israel, from the leadership of Saul to the leadership of David. It represents the end of David’s wanderings as an exile. And also because the words are located pretty close to the center of the book. But you wouldn’t know that this story is the centerpiece because the present division of Samuel splits this story in half, leading many readers to take chapter 31 as an independent story- the end of one book, and chapter 1 as independent story - the beginning of its sequel.
I want to read it together, because that’s what the author intended for us to do. So if you’re ready, let’s start reading in , and we’ll just keep on going through .
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 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. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 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.
The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 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. They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 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.
Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 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. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 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. The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 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. They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 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.
After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”
Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. And David said to the young man who told him, “Where do you come from?” And he answered, “I am the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite.” David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ”
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:
“Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
“You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
“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.
“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions.
“You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
“How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
your love to me was extraordinary,
surpassing the love of women.
“How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”
Okay, let’s get started.
Saul and his men
This story opens on the same battlefield that’s remained central to our developing plot since chapter 28. The Philistine Army has gathered against Israel to finally, ultimately decimate the Israelite army and to end the reign of Saul, their first king. It’s worth noting that the people of Israel have faced the Philistine armies before, but in every case victory came by the hand of David. But where is David now? Saul has cast him out of the kingdom. The mighty victor of Israel is a refugee among the Philistines. And now David, for all Saul knows, stands against the people of Israel. So here is Saul, facing an army led by his greatest enemies. Saul is terrified. Terrified of losing the kingdom, terrified of losing his life. So terrified, in fact, that he’s willing to abandon the covenant by communing with the dead. Saul and two of his men disguise themselves and flee to a pagan medium to consult the dead spirit of Samuel while the Philistine army stages rank and file against the inferior Israeli forces.
Samuel’s spirit is successfully raised from the grave, and he promises prophetically that -
within 24 hours - Saul, his sons, and his armies will fall.
As we open to , we immediately learn that Samuel’s final prophecy is fulfilled precisely. Within 24 hours, Saul and his forces are overrun by the Philistines, and Saul’s own sons, including the faithful Jonathan, are dead on a bloody battlefield. Saul alone is left, mortally wounded by an arrow. In his final moments, after years of stubborn refusal, Saul recognizes his cursed fate, and pleads with his armor bearer to end his life.
This isn’t the first time we’ve been reminded that the faithful ought never stretch out their hand against God’s anointed. Like David, Saul’s armor bearer refuses to strike God’s chosen king. So Saul kills himself, and tragically his armor bearer follows his example.
Thus ends the house of Saul, the first king of Israel. His death is a suicidal as his reign, for any rebellion against the Most High God is functional suicide.
When the Philistines discover his body, they cut off his head and the heads of his sons, and then they parade these fallen warriors naked before their gods. Rumor of this humiliation is whispered throughout Israel, until the valiant men of Jabesh Gilead travel 15 miles overnight to retrieve their bodies and secure for them an honorable end.
As the camera pans to David, we learn that Israel’s devastating loss coincided with David’s miraculous victory. Both battles - Israel’s clash with the Philistine army and David’s clash with the Amalekite raiders - both battles are happening at the same time. As David, the faithful king, marches home victorious, Saul, the faithless king, lies dead on the battlefield. As David's men rebuild their homes, the Saul’s men are abandoning their homes.
The scene shifts when, unexpectedly, an exhausted warrior stumbles upon David’s camp. He says that Saul and his sons are dead, and he offers indisputable evidence - Saul’s crown and armlet. Apparently this Amalekite expected a reward, for he brags that he himself stole Saul’s last breath.
Here we encounter strong tones of irony. Saul was cursed and lost the kingdom because he refused to finally, totally destroy the Amalekite people, though the law demanded it. Saul refused to end the Amalekites. Now he pleads with an Amalekite to end him. Such is the suicidal end of all disobedience. Those things we refuse to yield will secure our miserable end.
He refused to end the Amalekites. Now he pleads with an Amalekite to end him. Such is the suicidal end of all disobedience. Those things we refuse to yield will secure our miserable end.
Remember that David refused to stretch out his hand against the LORD’s anointed, though he had reason enough. Though Saul sought his life for years, David refused to act against God’s chosen king. It’s an expression of David’s unwavering faith in God’s plan, in God’s work, in God’s capability. Though Saul threatened his life, cut him off, chased him through death’s valley, David refused to harm him in any way.
Because Saul’s life belonged to God. This is the disposition of Saul’s armor bearer. This is the disposition of David. And this ought to have been the disposition of the Amalekite.
Again in a moment of literary brilliance, we learn that David is willing to do that which Saul refused to do. He stretches his hand against the Amalekite, simultaneously avenging the LORD’s anointed and fulfilling the expectation of the law to cleanse the land of this wicked people.
And that’s where the story ends. Saul and his sons are dead. David and his men avenge their deaths and weep in mourning.
That’s what happened. But what does it mean? We have the what. Now we ask why.
As you might expect, this story is followed by poetry. David and his men weep over the lost lives of Saul and his sons. And in his lamentation, David writes the following words:
And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and Jonathan his son, and he said it should be taught to the people of Judah; behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar. He said:
“Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
“You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
“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.
“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions.
“You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
“How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
your love to me was extraordinary,
surpassing the love of women.
“How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”
“Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult.
“You mountains of Gilboa,
let there be no dew or rain upon you,
nor fields of offerings!
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
“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.
“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!
In life and in death they were not divided;
they were swifter than eagles;
they were stronger than lions.
“You daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
“How the mighty have fallen
in the midst of the battle!
“Jonathan lies slain on your high places.
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
very pleasant have you been to me;
your love to me was extraordinary,
surpassing the love of women.
“How the mighty have fallen,
and the weapons of war perished!”
HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!
HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!
They were swifter than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN IN THE MIDST OF BATTLE!
HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN AND THE WEAPONS OF WAR PERISHED!
Ask yourself. Why would he repeat those words?
Three times those words are repeated. How the mighty have fallen! Saul, the tall and handsome prince of Israel. Saul, who stood a head taller and six inches broader than any man in Israel. Saul, the king like the nations, is dead. How the mighty have fallen!
This poem, in part, answers the question, why? Why did Saul fall? Why was the house of Saul ruined, humiliated on a bloody battlefield, paraded naked on the pagan streets? Why?
These words, repeated three times - HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN! - these words are a hint. They get us one step closer to answering the question. Why?
I’ve mentioned already that this story, and the poem which concludes this story, occur in the center of the book of Samuel - not just the physical center of the book, but the narrative center. This story is the centerpiece. And when you’re studying a literary masterpiece, you don’t merely read the centerpiece of the work without attempting to draw connections. This book is masterful, so the connections are there. Your job is to follow the dotted line that the author has clearly drawn.
And when we first opened the book of Samuel, I told you that the story of Hannah, and most especially the song that Hannah wrote, taught us the meaning of
Those are good questions, and we need to take them in turn.
So when I realized that this story was more significant than it seemed at first, I began to look for connections. And those words - repeated three times: “HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!” - those words itched at me, they reminded me of something important. They reminded me of Hannah’s song!
Those words - repeated three times: “HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!” - those words itched at me, they reminded me of something important. They reminded me of Hannah’s song.
Those words itched at me, they reminded me of something important.
Do you remember Hannah’s song? I just read it to you, a few minutes ago. And when we first began this series, I suggested that Hannah’s song was the key to understanding the entire book of Samuel.
Read with me from .
It’s the thread that connects everything. And I’m not going to reread the entire poem again, but I want you to listen to a few lines:
And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation.
“There is none holy like the Lord:
for there is none besides you;
there is no rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the Lord is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble bind on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,
but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
The Lord kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low and he exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
and on them he has set the world.
“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.
The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;
against them he will thunder in heaven.
The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
So the words that David repeated three times - “HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN!” - those words reminded me of Hannah’s words.
THE BOWS OF THE MIGHTY ARE BROKEN
but the feeble shall bind on strength.
He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
FOR NOT BY MIGHT SHALL A MAN PREVAIL.
Hannah sings this song, exulting in the God who humbles the mighty, but who gives strength to the faithful. She praises the God who exalts the poor, but cuts off the wicked. And she looks forward to the day when the people of God will be rescued not by the might of men, but by the strength of God on display in the work of a faithful King.
Hannah’s song warns us that the might of man will not prevail. Because that’s not the way of God’s kingdom. And David’s song reminds us that the might of man will not prevail. Because that’s not the way of God’s kingdom.
All of the sudden, when we read the poetry of David carefully, we see that it harmonizes perfectly with the prophetic words of Hannah.
This world worships the mighty. But in the Kingdom of God, the mighty will fall, and their bows will be broken. But the feeble will bind on strength!
This world worships the mighty. But that’s not the way of God’s kingdom. The mighty will fall, and their bows will be broken, but the feeble will bind on strength.
Okay, so if we're careful readers, we’ll identify this connection. Hannah’s prophecy that the mighty would fall and that the feeble would bind on strength - we can follow that prophecy to its fulfillment in the death of Saul, the mighty and tall and handsome, the king like the nations, who by all accounts had what it takes to lead a people, except faithfulness. If we’re careful readers, we’ll draw connections from the song of Hannah to the song of David.
HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN! David’s words are something more than mere mourning. These words are a profound reflection on the reign of the King who was just like the nations. The bows of the mighty will be broken, but the LORD will guard the feet of his faithful ones. The might of men has no place in the kingdom of God! The LORD will give strength to his king.
HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN! This is something more than mere mourning. These words are a profound reflection on the reign of the King like the nations. The bows of the mighty will be broken, but the LORD will guard the feet of his faithful ones. The might of men has no place in the kingdom of God! The LORD will give strength to his king.
That’s the why.
That’s the meaning of Saul’s death. And that’s the meaning of Saul’s reign. The people of Israel asked for a king like the nations, a King who was mighty to deliver them from their enemies! But that isn’t the way of God’s kingdom. Not by might will a man prevail.
So now we’ve found a pattern. At the beginning of the book of Samuel, we find a poem. And this poem teaches us how to read the stories to come. At the center of the book, we find a poem, and that poem teaches us how to read the stories that precede it.
Beginning. Middle. And do you want to know what I thought when I saw that pattern?
What do you want to bet that there’s a poem at the End of the story, just like these?
Turn with me to .
Now, I’m not going to read all of it because this poem is very long. But I want you to see what the author has worked hard to do. I want you to see that the book of Samuel is an extraordinary work of literature. It’s a masterpiece that’s carefully woven together to teach us how to understand a very important moment in Israel’s history. From the outset, we’re given poetic guidance. At the center, we’re given poetic guidance. And at the very end, we’re given poetic guidance that teaches us the meaning o the story of Saul, and the meaning of the story of David.
Listen to these words.
And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said,
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.
“In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry came to his ears.
17 “He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
18 He rescued me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Sa 22:17–18.
17 “He sent from on high, he took me;
“He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
he drew me out of many waters.
18 He rescued me from my strong enemy,
“He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.
“The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
For I have kept the ways of the Lord
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his rules were before me,
and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight.
“With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
with the purified you deal purely,
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
You save a humble people,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
For you are my lamp, O Lord,
and my God lightens my darkness.
For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
This God—his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
“With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
with the purified you deal purely,
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
You save a humble people,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
English Standard Version Chapter 22
26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
27 with the purified you deal purely,
and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
28 You save a humble people,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
“For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
Three times these songs resound. God is mighty to save! God. Not men. God is mighty to save. He humbles the mighty and he stifles the proud. For the only true strength is the strength of God’s mighty arm to rescue his people by sending his anointed King.
HE RESCUED ME FROM THOSE WHO HATED ME
That’s the meaning of the book of Samuel. That’s the meaning of the reign of Saul. That’s the meaning of the life of David. Three poems resound in chorus. Beginning, middle, and end. Three poems, resounding with the same theme. Not by might will man prevail - not by might, but only by the strength of God through the gift of an anointed King.
FOR THEY WERE TOO MIGHTY FOR ME!
The message of this book is the cry of the redeemed!
God rescued me from my strong enemy! God rescued me from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me!
For who is God, but the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world. “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness.
He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world. “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail.
OH, HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN, AND THEIR WEAPONS OF WAR PERISHED! For not by might shall a man prevail. But the LORD will give strength to his King.
For who is God, but the LORD?
Who is God, but the LORD?
Who is God, but the LORD?
That’s the question that we answer with our lives. Who is God, but the LORD?
Trace the shadow of the faithful king, David, and you’ll read the stories of the faithful
Saul is a shadow. The people of Israel traded God for Saul. He’s a shadow of everything we run to that is not God. Saul is a shadow of this world’s promises. Follow me, and you’ll be healthy, happy, prosperous. Follow me, and you’ll be safe and secure. Saul is a shadow of the would-be kings. They promise joy by the might of their strong hand. But who is God, but the LORD?
To whom do you flee when you’re afraid?
What satisfies your most secret desires?
Where do you invest your time?
Don’t trust in the might of would-be kings. Would-be kings seem able. They make shiny promises. But in the end, they lead their armies to utter destruction! And all the redeemed will shout, when Christ returns and defeats the armies of would-be kings - Oh, how the mighty have fallen!
Instead, trace the shadow of David. The faithful coming King of Israel is a shadow of the Messiah, who