A Godly Response To The Death of An Enemy
After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites…
On the third day, a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head… “Where have you come from?” David asked him, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.” “What happened,” David asked... “The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa.”... “And there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit…He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ “ ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered.
Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’ So I stood beside him and killed him...And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my LORD.”
Then David and all his men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
On the third day, a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head… “Where have you come from?” David asked him, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.” “What happened,” David asked... “The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”
“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa.”... “And there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit…He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ “ ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered.
Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’ So I stood beside him and killed him...And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my LORD.”
Then David and all his men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
2 Samuel 1:1-12
King Saul and his son Jonathan along with his two other sons were killed in battle. It was evident that Saul’s tragic death was the result of God taking His hands off him. He had blatantly disobeyed God and murdered innocent priests, women, children, and even animals because one priest had given food to David and inquired of God for him. David had spent years on the run just to escape from the murderous pursuit of Saul.
Question: How would you have reacted if you heard the news that your arch enemy who had spent years trying to kill you had lost his life in battle? How would you have responded to the man who brought you the "good" news? Most of us would rejoice at such news and praise God that alas our enemy was dead. We would give testimonies in Church and probably reward the man who brought us the crown from the head of Saul. But not David. David responded with pain, sorrow and fasting for the tragic death of Saul and Jonathan. He even had the man who brought the news killed for helping Saul to end his life - taking the life of God’s anointed. David’s response to the tragic death of Saul is worth learning from.
God is not pleased when we rejoice at the suffering of our enemies. Even though He brings judgment, he does not want us to wish ill upon our enemies. In fact, God poses a question in Ezekiel, “Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked?... Rather am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” As much as it goes against our grain, let's purpose to sincerely seek the well-being even of our detractors for a lost soul is nothing but a tragedy.
Question: How would you have reacted if you heard the news that your arch enemy who had spent years trying to kill you had lost his life in battle? How would you have responded to the man who brought you the "good" news? Most of us would rejoice at such news and praise God that alas our enemy was dead. We would give testimonies in Church and probably reward the man who brought us the crown from the head of Saul. But not David. David responded with pain, sorrow and fasting for the tragic death of Saul and Jonathan. He even had the man who brought the news killed for helping Saul to end his life - taking the life of God’s anointed. David’s response to the tragic death of Saul is worth learning from.
God is not pleased when we rejoice at the suffering of our enemies. Even though He brings judgment, he does not want us to wish ill upon our enemies. In fact, God poses a question in Ezekiel, “Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked?... Rather am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?” As much as it goes against our grain, let's purpose to sincerely seek the well-being even of our detractors for a lost soul is nothing but a tragedy.