Mortal Combat | 2 Samuel 1:1-16

[VIDEO] II Samuel Bumper

Introduction

Welcome / Church Online

Back to our summer series on Samuel

Last week we learned that King Saul has died, and Pastor Tim challenged us to run our race and finish well.

Today, we are going to dive into the first chapter of II Samuel.

David Learns of Saul’s Death

2 Samuel 1:1 NLT

After the death of Saul, David returned from his victory over the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.

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It’s important to note that David was camped in Ziklag located deep in the southern territory, while King Saul was killed on Mount Gilboa far away, north of Judah.

If you remember, David had just finished defeating the Amalekites after returning to Ziklag and discovering that the Amalekites had raided Ziklag, captured David and his mens’ wives and children, and burned the city to the ground.

David’s distance from Saul’s battle and preoccupation with defeating the Amalekites, recovering his family, and rebuilding Ziklag means he has no idea that King Saul, the king of Israel, has died.

2 Samuel 1:2–4 NLT

On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s army camp. He had torn his clothes and put dirt on his head to show that he was in mourning. He fell to the ground before David in deep respect. “Where have you come from?” David asked. “I escaped from the Israelite camp,” the man replied. “What happened?” David demanded. “Tell me how the battle went.” The man replied, “Our entire army fled from the battle. Many of the men are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.”

2sam1.2-4

For David, this news would be similar to us hearing about the planes hitting the twin towers on 9/11 or JFK being assassinated. We can remember the exact place we were when the news was delivered.

But there wasn’t a news channel David could turn on to verify the information. He couldn’t pull out his phone and getting on Twitter or Facebook to see if others were discussing the event.

Imagine the thoughts that might have been running through David’s head.

The king, and his son Jonathan—David’s best and closest friend—are dead.

2 Samuel 1:5 NLT

“How do you know Saul and Jonathan are dead?” David demanded of the young man.

You better have some evidence to back up this kind of claim.

2 Samuel 1:6–10 NLT

The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him. When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. ‘How can I help?’ I asked him. “He responded, ‘Who are you?’ “ ‘I am an Amalekite,’ I told him. “Then he begged me, ‘Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.’ “So I killed him,” the Amalekite told David, “for I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.”

2 Samuel 1:6–9 NLT

The man answered, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear with the enemy chariots and charioteers closing in on him. When he turned and saw me, he cried out for me to come to him. ‘How can I help?’ I asked him. “He responded, ‘Who are you?’ “ ‘I am an Amalekite,’ I told him. “Then he begged me, ‘Come over here and put me out of my misery, for I am in terrible pain and want to die.’

2sam1.6-

2sam1.6

First, how do you just “happen” to be on Mount Gilboa in the middle of war?

His words suggest he may have been fighting alongside the Israelite army.

Yet, his lackadaisical choice of vocabulary leaves a lot to be desired — and may have tipped David off to the man’s true intentions—he excepted a reward.

2 Samuel 1:10–16 NLT

“So I killed him,” the Amalekite told David, “for I knew he couldn’t live. Then I took his crown and his armband, and I have brought them here to you, my lord.” David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord’s army and the nation of Israel, because they had died by the sword that day. Then David said to the young man who had brought the news, “Where are you from?” And he replied, “I am a foreigner, an Amalekite, who lives in your land.” “Why were you not afraid to kill the Lord’s anointed one?” David asked. Then David said to one of his men, “Kill him!” So the man thrust his sword into the Amalekite and killed him. “You have condemned yourself,” David said, “for you yourself confessed that you killed the Lord’s anointed one.”

2sam1.10-

Mortal Combat

It’s interesting to me that in this moment Saul ask for the man’s identity. Would it matter at this point?

It’s ironic that the man informs Saul that he is an Amalekite.

As we studied last summer, it was Saul’s refusal and failure to completely wipe out the Amalekites, that the Lord rejects Saul as King.

1 Samuel 15:17–24 NLT

And Samuel told him, “Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel. And the Lord sent you on a mission and told you, ‘Go and completely destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, until they are all dead.’ Why haven’t you obeyed the Lord? Why did you rush for the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord’s sight?” “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul insisted. “I carried out the mission he gave me. I brought back King Agag, but I destroyed everyone else. Then my troops brought in the best of the sheep, goats, cattle, and plunder to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” Then Saul admitted to Samuel, “Yes, I have sinned. I have disobeyed your instructions and the Lord’s command, for I was afraid of the people and did what they demanded.

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Saul’s downfall as Israel’s king is bookend by enemy Amalekites.

His downfall began with the failure to destroy the Amalekites (; )

His life now ends with an Amalekite claiming responsibility for killing him ()

When you refuse to put to death the things in your life that God has commanded you to kill, they will be the death of you.

The death of your influence, the death of your ministry, the death of your joy, the death of your peace, the death of your contentment, etc.

Too often we think we’re the exception. We continue to play in sin and dabble in the things God has called us out from.

John Piper - “Killing sin is not optional. This is mortal combat: Sin dies or we die. We must refuse to settle in with sin.”

Colossians 3:5–11 NLT

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

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John McArthur - “Sin must be dealt with ruthlessly. It must be obliterated. It must be utterly defeated. It must be hacked to pieces or it will revive and it will continue and it will come back to plunder your heart and again and again and again and sap your spiritual strength and rob you of your virtue. And you cannot be merciful with Agag, and you cannot be merciful with amalek or he will turn and multiply and come back to devour.”

Sin must be dealt with ruthlessly. It must be obliterated. It must be utterly defeated. It must be hacked to pieces or it will revive and it will continue and it will come back to plunder your heart and again and again and again and sap your spiritual strength and rob you of your virtue. And you cannot be merciful with Agag, and you cannot be merciful with amalek or he will turn and multiply and come back to devour.

Proverbs 6:27–28 NLT

Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire? Can he walk on hot coals and not blister his feet?

Quit trying to toe-the-line. Stopping seeing how close you can get to sin.

Little boy at soccer game toeing-the-line

Matt Chandler - Too often we tell ourselves that we can control sin. We want to manage it, train it. But we don’t necessarily want it to die. That’s not grace-driven effort; that’s legalism.Grace-driven effort is violent. It is rage-filled and violent toward the residual sin inside of us. It’s not going to give it one inch of room. It doesn’t just want to starve and control sin: It wants it dead.

Colossians 3:5–10 NLT

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Matt Chandler - Too often we tell ourselves that we can control sin. We want to manage it, train it. But we don’t necessarily want it to die. That’s not grace-driven effort; that’s legalism.Grace-driven effort is violent. It is rage-filled and violent toward the residual sin inside of us. It’s not going to give it one inch of room. It doesn’t just want to starve and control sin: It wants it dead.

Grace-driven effort is violent. It is rage-filled and violent toward the residual sin inside of us. It’s not going to give it one inch of room. It doesn’t just want to starve and control sin: It wants it dead.

Putting Sin to Death

Paul said we are to put on our new nature and be renewed as we learn to know our Creator and become like Him.

7 STEPS TO PUT SIN TO DEATH:

1. Identify & make sin your enemy

Romans 8:6–8 NLT

So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

Quit playing with and justifying sin

Ask God to help you see sin from his perspective

2. Prayer

Matthew 26:41 NLT

Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

3. Renew your mind

Renew your mind

Romans 12:2 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Develop an appetite for the Word of God

Allow His Word to renew your mind and change the way you think

4. Resist & Avoid

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James 4:7 NLT

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

This is an active fight. You can’t sit idly by and hope that sin will die. You must take up a fighting position. Resist is a verb.

Psalm 1:1 CSB

How happy is the one who does not walk in the advice of the wicked or stand in the pathway with sinners or sit in the company of mockers!

3.Confess sin daily

Notice the progression: Walk, Stand, Sit.

We need to remove the temptation. Don’t put yourself in situations where you’ll be tempted to sin.

5. Confession & Accountability

Sin is not put to death by covering it up. It must be brought into the light.

1 John 1:9 NLT

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Grace-driven effort is violent. It is rage-filled and violent toward the residual sin inside of us. It’s not going to give it one inch of room. It doesn’t just want to starve and control sin: It wants it dead.

1 John 1:9 NLT

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

James 5:16 NLT

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Live by the Spirit

Live by the Spirit

6. Live by the Spirit

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Romans 8:9–14 NLT

But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

Pivotal Moments

Even so, the man provides definitive evidence to prove Saul’s death—he gives Saul’s crown and armband to David. Both of these were royal symbols of kingship.

Put to Death

Scratch Sheet

Romans 8:11–13 NLT

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.

rom8.11-

7. Fix Your Eyes on Jesus

Hebrews 12:1–2 NLT

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

We have a natural tendency to drift towards what we are focused on.

You can never beat sin by staring at it and making it your focal point.

Your focal point must be on the one who has already defeated sin and assured your victory!

Romans 13:14 NLT

Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Scratch Sheet

Dark side of ambition

Amalekite sought to profit from Saul’s death, assuming David would reward him for bringing him the news

Saul’s downfall as Israel’s king is bookend by enemy Amalekites.

His downfall began with the failure to destroy the Amalekites (; )

His life ends with an Amalekite claiming responsibility for killing him ()

When you refuse to put to death the things in your life that God has commanded you to kill, they will be the death of you.

The death of your influence, the death of your ministry, the death of your joy, the death of your peace, the death of your contentment

HONOR

David understood his response to the news of Saul’s death would shape how the nation viewed the Lord’s anointing

By having the Amalekite executed, David accomplishes two things:

Defended the anointing of the Lord and the position of king, presenting himself as a caretaker of the royal office

Distanced himself from any appearance of guilt of Saul’s death.

“Lord’s anointed one” ()

Points ahead to the coming Messiah

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Messiah

מָשִׁיַח, mashiyach; “anointed” or “an anointed one”; “messiah”

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Messiah

MESSIAH (מָשִׁיַח, mashiyach; “anointed” or “an anointed one”; “messiah”)