1 Samuel 31:1-6 Meanwhile the Philistines had begun the battle against Israel, and the Israelis fled from them and were slaughtered wholesale on Mount Gilboa. The Philistines closed in on Saul and killed his sons Jonathan, Abinidab, and Malchishua.
Then the archers overtook Saul and wounded him badly. He groaned to his armor bearer, “Kill me with your sword before these heathen Philistines capture me and torture me.” But his armor bearer was afraid to, so Saul took his own sword and fell upon the point of the blade, and it pierced him through. When his armor bearer saw that he was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. So Saul, his armor bearer, his three sons, and his troops died together that same day.
When Saul refused to obey God and annihilate the Amalekites, he not only lost a kingdom, but also the promise of success in battle. What might have happened had Saul repented? We will never know. Then Saul bent all his efforts at slaughtering David, only for God to protect David and his men. Desperate, Saul consulted a medium who raised the specter of Samuel. Samuel told Saul that Saul and his men would die the following day. Now Samuel’s prediction is coming true, Saul and his sons have died, and all Saul’s men are fleeing the battlefield.
You would think David would be happy that Saul’s threats have been permanently removed, but you would be wrong. Even though David has feared Saul, he has never hated him, recognizing that Saul has been under the influence of evil spirits. In the beginning, David was Saul’s court musician and his military commander. Saul called him “son” and treated him like a son. David’s father thought so little of him that he was willing for David to risk his life, fighting off wild animals to care for the family sheep while his older brothers lazed around at the family house. When David first began serving Saul, he really did think of him as a father; however, Saul failed completely as a father figure, being willing to sacrifice David for his own ambition. Throughout all David’s sufferings from Saul, throughout all David’s retreats into the wilderness, David has never lost hope that Saul would one day come to his senses, repent and worship the Lord, and again embrace David as a son. Then David and Jonathan could be together, and David would be at peace.
It’s not only Saul and his three sons who have died on the top of Mount Gilboa, but David’s hope for reconciliation with Saul has died as well. Never again can David wake up in the morning, hoping that today will be the day all the madness will end, Saul will come to his senses, and the persecution will stop. After all, David never sought the anointing of the Lord; Samuel anointed David at God’s instruction. But rather than repent and admit that David’s anointing was the work of the Lord, Saul blamed David and tried to kill him.
David is devastated! As David told Abishai, he knew Saul would die one day, but he never thought it would be so soon or that Saul’s sons would also die with him. Now David’s hopes for Saul’s repentance and for reconciliation lie dead in the dust. David honors Saul and Jonathan by the only means he has: he composes a dirge to be sung throughout all generations. When we read these verses, we can almost see David weeping and hear his heart breaking. And God’s heart is breaking also, for God always wants us to repent and to turn to Him.
1 Samuel 1: 17-18 Then David composed a dirge for Saul and Jonathan and afterward commanded that it be sung throughout Israel. It is quoted here from the book Heroic Ballads.
19 O Israel, your pride and joy lies dead upon the hills; mighty heroes have fallen.
20 Don’t tell the Philistines, lest they rejoice. Hide it from the cities of Gath and Ashkelon,
Lest the heathen nations laugh in triumph.
21 O Mount Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, let no crops of grain grow on your slopes. For there the mighty Saul has died; he is God’s appointed king no more.
22 Both Saul and Jonathan slew their strongest foes, and did not return from battle empty-handed.
23 How much they were loved, how wonderful they were—Both Saul and Jonathan! They were together in life and in death. They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24 But now, O women of Israel, weep for Saul; he enriched you with fine clothing and gold ornaments.
25 These mighty heroes have fallen in the midst of the battle. Jonathan is slain upon the hills.
26 How I weep for you, my brother Jonathan; how much I loved you! And your love for me was deeper than the love of women!
27 The mighty ones have fallen, stripped of their weapons, and dead.
Evidently, prior to David uttering this curse on Mount Gilboa, people might have been farming there; however, ever since David’s day, no crops grow there, only wildflowers and some shrubs. During the summer, Mount Gilboa is bare and rocky, in stark contrast to the fertile Jezreel valley below.
What is remarkable about this story is David’s response to Saul’s death. Certainly, David and Jonathan have been the closest of friends; however, David has spent years avoiding Saul’s attacks. At one point, David even sent his parents to Moab so they would be safe. But now that Saul has died, David is grieving Saul-perhaps not the crazed and obsessed ruler, slaughtering people on a whim. But David is grieving that a man bearing the anointing of God has failed and has fallen to his worst enemies. And David is grieving for what Saul might have been and was not, for Saul could have been a glorious success had he obeyed God. All that handsome physique, all that physical strength, all that talent, all wasted because Saul refused to worship God and obey him! And how horrible that Saul’s sons have died defending their father. Certainly, Jonathan at least has deserved a far better father than Saul.
There is also one other thing David is grieving: Now the burden of kingship will really and truly fall on him. David has seen how Saul failed to bear up under that responsibility, but will he do any better? In all this grief, God is the One who can comfort David and give him hope.
As I am writing these words, I am thinking about departed loved ones who have died in January. One year ago today, my beloved sister-in-law died after a long illness. Five years ago, we lost my stepmother, Mary. Mary was one of those wonderful people with a bottomless fund of wisdom, and even when we were in Ghana, I would call her regularly just to hear her comments on everything. Although both these ladies faced severe health problems, as long as they were alive, their families still could hope that things might miraculously improve. But death is final, and hopes also die. I can only pray for these families, that God will strengthen them and comfort them.
When we lose friends and family, God is the only One who can truly comfort us, for He alone knows our hearts and the depth of our grief. Barbara Johnson, a Christian writer who endured a great deal of suffering, once wrote a book entitled Splashes of Joy in the Cesspools of Life. (Johnson wrote a number of other books as well; however, I am especially fond of this title.) Johnson and her husband started a group entitled “Spatula Ministries,” because they felt that when people got bad news, it might take a spatula to scrape them off the ceiling. Although Barbara and Bill Johnson are both with Jesus, Spatula Ministries continues to care for hurting people. (https://officialbarbarajohnsonlibrary.com/spatula-ministries ) Spatula Ministries has these goals:
1. Supporting parents in crisis
2. Providing hope through shared experiences
3. Offering practical resources for healing
4. Creating communities of understanding
5. Sharing God’s love through practical support
If you are grieving, I can thoroughly recommend Spatula Ministries and their resources. Let’s pray.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help all those who are grieving to find their comfort in You, for You are the Ultimate Comforter. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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