1 Samuel 31

In this final chapter of First Samuel the story of Saul comes to an end in the defeat of Israel by the Philistines. This battle was the one in which David had longed to fight, supposedly on the side of Achish. Whatever David's intentions were, God had not permitted him to be there. While he and his men were recovering their families and possessions from the hands of the Amalekites, the men of Israel were running away from the forces of the Philistines in a horrible defeat.

Not only did Saul die on the field of battle, so did his sons, including David's great friend, Jonathan. Saul was badly wounded by the Philistines, and begged his armor-bearer to take his life, but he would not. So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it rather than face the torture that might come to him from the Philistines.

There was more to this account that would have to wait until the opening chapter of Second Samuel. It is enough for us now to know that the king and his sons were dead. The men that went to war with them from Israel were either dead on the field of battle or fleeing back to their cities. The people of Israel that lived in that region had to abandon their homes in order to save their lives, and the Philistines took over their territory.

The Philistines rejoiced over the dead bodies of Saul and his sons. They sent word everywhere in their cities, a word of the defeat of God's people that was received as “good news” by the people of Philistia. They took Saul's armor in the temple of one of their gods and put the mutilated bodies of the king and his sons on the city wall for public display.

How would God bring victory from this disgrace? The brave men of Jabesh-gilead traveled through the night and rescued the bodies from the wall and brought them back to their city. There they burned the remains, but buried the bones respectfully, and fasted for seven days as an act of mourning.

This was not the victory that our hearts long for. We want resurrection life, not a respectful grave. But Christ, our Redeemer, not only suffered the public disgrace of death on the cross for us, on the third day he rose from the dead. This is victory.

This world is dying. But Jesus, our Redeemer, is bringing us something new and alive. He has led the way for us. We trust in Him.