Compare Saul's end with David's reliance on God in difficult situations. A Tale of Two Responses to Crisis Saul’s Fatal Choice 1 Chronicles 10:4: “Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and run me through, or these uncircumcised men will come and torture me.’ But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it.” • Saul faces overwhelming defeat at Mount Gilboa. • Instead of turning heavenward, he opts for self-destruction. • Earlier patterns of disobedience culminate here: – 1 Samuel 13:8-14 – impatient sacrifice. – 1 Samuel 15:22-23 – partial obedience with Amalek. • The Philistines do not kill Saul; his own unbelief does. • 1 Chronicles 10:13-14 gives God’s verdict: “Saul died for his unfaithfulness to the LORD … therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.” David’s Habitual Godward Reflex When danger pressed in, David consistently looked to the Lord: • Goliath’s threat – 1 Samuel 17:45-47 “I come against you in the name of the LORD of Hosts… the battle belongs to the LORD.” • Pursued by Saul – Psalm 57 superscription; 1 Samuel 24 Hiding in caves, he entrusts vengeance to God, refusing to take the throne by force. • Ziklag in ashes – 1 Samuel 30:6-8 “But David found strength in the LORD his God … ‘Shall I pursue?’ … ‘Pursue, for you will surely overtake and rescue all.’” • Repeated inquiries – 2 Samuel 5:17-25; 1 Samuel 23:1-4 Every move bathed in prayer before battle. Key Contrasts • Source of Counsel – Saul: turned to a medium (1 Samuel 28:7) → silence from God. – David: turned to the ephod, prophets, psalms → fresh direction. • Response to Fear – Saul: panic, self-reliance, suicide. – David: worship, petition, obedience. • Legacy – Saul: kingdom torn away, corpse displayed (1 Samuel 31:9-10). – David: covenant promise of an everlasting throne (2 Samuel 7:16). Lessons for Our Own Valleys • Crisis reveals where trust already rests; cultivate dependence before the battle. • God honors humble inquiry more than impressive strength. • The same Philistine threat that ended Saul’s life deepened David’s testimony—because one fell on a sword, the other fell on his knees. Closing Reflection Two kings. One battlefield. One chose the sword of despair; the other chose the Shield of faith. The aftermath still calls us to ask: when troubles close in, will we do as Saul did—or as David always did—“strengthen ourselves in the LORD our God”? |
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