2
Samuel marks the transition from Saul to David as Israel’s king.
Chapter 1 begins immediately after “David
returned from defeating the Amalekites“.
Remember, they had recovered all that the Amalekites had stolen
including their wives and children. The mood in the camp must have
been exuberant. Next we read, “On
the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn
and with dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the
ground to pay him honor“.
This man seemed to understand exactly who David was. Notice, David
is immediately suspicious, “Where
have you come from?”
He answered, “I
have escaped from the Israelite camp.”
David knew the great army of Philistines had united to do battle
against Israel. David impatiently wanted to know the outcome of the
battle. “What
happened? Tell me.”
He said, “The
men fled from the battle. Many of them fell and died. And Saul and
his son Jonathan are dead“.
He continued, “I
happened to be on Mount Gilboa… and there was Saul, leaning on his
spear, with the chariots and riders almost upon him. When he turned
around and saw me, he called out to me“.
David did not interrupt; “Then
he said to me, ‘Stand over me and kill me! I am in the throes of
death, but I’m still alive’.”
The Amalekite concluded his story, “So
I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had
fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his
head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”
The Amalekite clearly thought he was about to be rewarded for his
deeds. He must have known of David’s persecution and his right to
the throne of Israel. I’m sure he expected a celebration at the
great news he brought.
Instead
we read, “Then
David and all the 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 the house of Israel,
because they had fallen by the sword“.
David mourned the loss of life, but he also mourned for Saul
himself. David never developed any hatred toward his tormentor.
Instead David only honored Saul as king. We will always have people
that bother us, perhaps even to the point of trying to cause us harm.
As believers, we are to follow the teaching of Christ, who told us
to “Love
our enemies and pray for those who persecute us”
(Matt 5:44, Luke 6:27). Romans 12:20 adds “If
your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something
to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
A study of the words used here changed my understanding completely.
“Feed” means feed tenderly as you would someone that you are
nursing back to health. The drink is an offering of reconciliation.
And the hot coals speak of the fervent love that only comes from God
Himself. Bitterness destroys, but love always builds up.
After
mourning for Saul and Jonathan, David said to the young man who
brought him the report, “Where
are you from?”
And he answered “I
am the son of an alien, an Amalekite“.
Then David asked the question that should reverberate with us; “Why
were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s
anointed?”
Whenever we snipe at those God has put in authority over us, we too
are fighting against the Lord’s anointed. Then
David called one of his men and said, “Go,
strike him down!”
So he struck him down, and he died. For David had said to him, “Your
blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you“.
Don’t miss the irony here. God highly honors life and as a result
the punishment is public execution. The words this man thought would
bring him reward instead cost him his life. Are your words feeding
others or testifying against yourself?
.