Whatever we start, do it well and end it well. Put your heart in it and do a good job. It is more important how we end than how well we start.
• This is so true of Saul’s life. He started well, but did not end well.
• We are going to read about his death today (1 Sam 31), and I’ve entitled my message – don’t waste your life – to remind ourselves that we want to live a purposeful life and end it well, to the glory of God.
Saul started out well, actually. He was anointed by God and given the chance to lead his nation.
• 1 Sam 9:2 says he was “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites - a head taller than any of the others.”
• But a good beginning does not guarantee a good end. It is not enough to have great potential or show great promise. It is what you do with that potential that makes all the difference.
If we squander His blessings, you would have wasted the opportunities God has given us. Don’t spurn the grace of God in our lives.
Let’s read 1 Sam 31:1-7.
• The author reveals more how exactly Saul died in 2 Sam 1:1-12.
David got to know of Saul’s death on the third day after his return from fighting the Amalekites… in order words, both battles could have happened about the same time.
• We see the grace of God here. He led David away from Aphek and avoided the fight against his own nation Israel (where Saul and his sons would be killed).
• And having David returned in time to rescue his family from the Amalekites.
• “… in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28)
The author described Saul’s death at great length. In fact, we only had one simple line that says his sons were killed (31:2). Nothing more.
• We don’t know how Jonathan died. Some of us may like to know because Jonathan has been David’s most loyal supporter. He risked his life to save David.
From the way this part of Israel’s history was written, it is clear that the author wants to track TWO LIVES – Saul and David.
• He swings between Saul and David, telling us what happens on Saul’s side and then what happens on David’s side.
• Most of the time, they are at two different places, except the few occasions they converge.
The author’s primary interest is to contrast Saul with David. It is not a chronological record of historical events.
• He wants us to see two different lives with two different hearts – one drifting further and further into disobedience, and the other drawing closer and closer to God in obedience.
• One is a heart that is after his own heart; the other is a heart that is after God’s own heart.
And today we read the conclusion of the life without God – a tragic end, filled with gloom and doom.
• This is not that God has not been good to Saul, or that He has not shown him favour.
• God has anointed him as King. Once the Spirit of God fell upon Saul and he prophesied.
Saul has chosen to take a different path on his own and rejected God’s Word.
• Both David and Saul have been disobedient. They were both imperfect in many ways.
• But one was more willing to admit his wrongs and return to God. David humbled himself and sought God’s will.
• The Lord honours such a HEART – a heart after His own heart.
Can Saul be a David? Yes! If he wants to. God does not show favouritism (Rom 2:11).
When the Israelites made the mistake of asking for a King, listen to what the Lord says through Samuel in 1 Sam 12:19-25.
19 The people all said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king."
20 "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied. "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. 21Do not turn away after useless idols. They can do you no good, nor can they rescue you, because they are useless. 22For the sake of His great name the LORD will not reject His people, because the LORD was pleased to make you His own. 23As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. 24But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 25Yet if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away."
God’s intention is to bless Israel. His favour upon them, despite their choosing of a king, will continue. WHY?
• 22“For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.
• God loves you and will bless you, NOT because of you, but because of WHO He is.
Our sin cannot and can never be greater than the cross. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is sufficient.
• Your wrong cannot condemn you for good. Our sin is not fatalistic.
• 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
What condemns us? Our defiant spirit. “Yet if you persist in doing evil…”
• Their persistent disobedience - their unwillingness to heed God’s ways - will lead to their downfall. Their will eat the fruit of their own choice.
• Both the nation and the King will be swept away. History proved it!
So don’t say God send men to hell. He doesn’t.
• John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
• Men send themselves to hell. “We are free to choose, but we are not free to choose the consequence of that choice.”
See what 1 Chron 10:13-14 says about Saul’s death:
13Saul died BECAUSE he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, 14and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.
Saul has been unfaithful and inconsistent, even to the very end.
• He first asked his armour-bearer in 1 Sam 31:4 “Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised fellows will come and run me through and abuse me.”
• His armour-bearer (an Israelite) was terrified and would not do it, so Saul committed suicide.
• Apparently he failed. 2 Sam 1 tells us an Amalekite soldier found him still alive, and Saul said: “Stand over me and kill me! I am in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.” (2 Sam 1:9)
He said earlier he does not want an “uncircumcised” person to kill him, and now he’s asking an Amalekite to end his life.
• Clearly it wasn’t a spiritual concern. He was trying to avoid the pain. It was a self-serving concern.
• Such was Saul’s hypocritical and inconsistent life. We saw that in the earlier chapters. He had not seriously honoured God with all his heart.
• He ruled his own life and this was how it ended. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Prov 16:25)
This is what the author wants us to see – the contrasting lives of Saul and David.
• Learn from David, the author implied. He has a different heart and therefore a different destiny.
• Not that he was perfect, but that he was submissive to God.
• The Lord said to Eli – “Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained.” (1 Sam 2:30)
Look at David’s response to the news of Saul’s death.
• Did he receive it with a sense of relief, now that this “thorn in his flesh” was taken away? NO.
• Was he glad that Saul has died and now he could safely take the throne and become the King of Israel? NO.
That was probably how the young man sees it, that’s why he was so enthusiastic about telling David.
• He thought killing Saul would put David out of his misery and that he might even get a reward for it. He was wrong!
• David grieved greatly at hearing the news. He even wrote a lament for this and asked that the men of Judah sing it.
To him, this young man has killed the Lord’s anointed.
• It doesn’t matter that Saul would die anyway. It doesn’t matter that Saul had caused him so much misery.
• To David, this young man killed the Lord’s anointed and must be punished. He had him executed.
It’s all about the will of God. It’s all about what is right in the sight of God.
• David honours God and God blesses him. David submits to God and God leads him.
HOW BIG IS YOUR HEART FOR GOD? How much do we really HONOUR Him?
Funny how a $20.00 bill looks so big when you take it to church,
but so small when you take it to the mall.
Funny how big an hour serving God looks, and how small 60 minutes are
when spent playing golf, fishing or playing bridge.
Funny how long a couple of hours spent at church, but how short
they are when watching a movie.
Funny how we get thrilled when a football game goes into overtime,
but we complain when a sermon is longer than the regular time.
Funny how laborious it is to read a chapter in the Bible and how easy
it is to read 200-300 pages of a bestselling novel.
Funny how we can't think of anything to say when we pray, and don't
have any difficulty thinking of things to talk about to a friend.
Funny how people are so consumed with what others think about them
rather than what God thinks about them.
