A Tragic End

Your files with you and I truly think you would first Samuel chapter 31 and will be looking first of all, verses 1 to 7 Philistines filed against Israel and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa and the Philistines over took Saul and his sons and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and a bit a dab and milky. Sure, the sons of Saul, the battle pressed hard against Saul and archers founding. He was badly wounded by the archers.

Then Saul said to his armor bearer draw your sword and thrust me through with it last these uncircumcised, and thrust me through and mistreat me, but his armor bear would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore, Saul took his own sword and fell upon it, and when his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead. He also failed upon his own sword and died with him.

Thus Saul died in his three sons and his armor bearer and always men on the same day together. When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandon their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in in them. Let's pray heavenly father, we are staying steady and today the death of an apostate King Saul.

Amanda knew a lot about you, but did not truly know you. His death was a suicide is a sad, hopeless death that glorify the powers of darkness.

Lord you put this sad story into your word for your glory and for our benefit. May we as children of God. Be warned and motivated by Saul's rebellious heart. Help us to see the futility of running from God. Saul was overcome by fear. We understand that we live in a fearful time. We as a church in America never really had to deal with rejection, anger and persecution that's now constant and ever-increasing reality. Help us to be a trusting church, not a fearful church. Help us to stand on your promises, for God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, of love and of a sound mind. Jesus you told us not to fear that one who can only destroy the body, but the fear that one. They can destroy both body and soul and hail. Help us to fear you and you alone and help us to love you more. Help me to preach truth and through it, glorify your name and edify this body. 40 is in the precious and holy name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

You may be seated in John chapter 10 verse 10 Jesus said, the thief cometh not to kill, steal and destroy life come that you might have life and that you might have it abundantly. About 20 years ago Bruce Walker got up early all night. Monday morning and took the kids to school.

Bruce Walker was a Baptist pastor and he had a church down in the eastern part of North Carolina. He had preached two services just the day before and nobody noticed anything different about him at all that day. This day took the kids on the school we stop by Hardee's on the way back home and got a sausage biscuit took his wife. She wasn't up yet, so he left a sausage biscuit on the table and he went out to the workshop. This was his day off he got out in the workshop and then his wife got up a little bit later she noticed that he won the round figured he was out there in the workshops and she just decided to leave them alone, but by about lunchtime. She started worried about and so she decided to go in and check things out.

She walked out to the the workshop to check on him. She didn't hear hammering or sawing going on in that kind of concerned or when she opened the door. When she opened the door she saw her husband had killed himself. He hung himself to death and her heart was absolutely broken. She looked over on the side there was a toolbox in the side of the toolbox. There was a a note he left her note in the note stated that he got himself into such horrible terrible debt that he could not pay it off and he did not know what to do.

He told his wife in the note how much he loved her. He said please apologize to the church for me in his last statement was this, he said I'm so depressed I just don't have a desire to live any longer.

His family was absolutely devastated.

His church was grief stricken. The community was an absolute shock and everybody had this question why he seemed to be stable, pay seem to be fine.

You just preach the gospel on the day before and when they checked into his finances the debt that he was so concerned about was really not that big a deal friends. This situation is not a strange and unusual occurrence in the society in which we live. Juliet realize that here in the United States that there the people that little are under 25 years old.

The greatest reason for their deaths is what it is suicide. Suicide is attacking us in every front of me were seeing it everywhere. We see it in movies. We see it in music. We see it, especially in rock videos. One particular rock band was interviewed about two decades ago and they asked the leader of this that the leader this rock band. They said, why is it that you put so much emphasis on suicide and he said this is the reason he said, suicide is the ultimate act of rebellion. He said why should we wait to we get old and then die a hard, lingering death, why do it that way.

Why not ball up our fiesta in God's face, shake our fiesta in God's face and say you don't tell us when to die. We make the choice we die when we say die people.

I submit you today that Satan's greatest desire is to bring us to that end, Jesus said, the thief Satan cometh not with the keel, steal and destroy.

For several months now we've been studying the life of David was impossible really understand the life of David, unless you study it along with the life of Saul and here we see Saul today. Coming to his end, and it's one of the most tragic ends that we see in the entire Bible. Saul had lost every shred of hope and with that spirit of depression. Just urging him even compelling him to destroy himself and with the Philistine army chasing after him with swords drawn. He decided suicide was the only way out.

He took his sword, he plunged it down in the ground blade up and then he threw himself onto that sword and committed suicide.

The Philistine soldiers had won their greatest victory. Saul, the king of Israel was now dead and I ran over to his body and they decapitated him and they took his hand in his armor.

They brought it back to one of the Philistine temples and they put it up as trophies as trophies to their false gods into their idols and then they took Saul's body and they they nailed it to a wall in Bess Chan just to increase the mockery in his humiliation. Folks are not many suicides mentioned in the Bible the suicide of King Saul is the first suicide that is mentioned in it is not by accident that we have him as our classic example of a of a suicide case for here was a man whose life was field with satanic deception. Numerous David in all this. Member two weeks ago, I shared with you that the last few chapters of first Samuel are written, at least partially, that we might have a comparison of David and Saul's what happens in first Samuel 30 that we saw last week. What happens in first Samuel 31. These things are happening almost simultaneously know what was going on with David. David and his men had been following with King a case they are out, and while they are out they look back and find out that something horrible is happened in their hometown of the sick lag that Amalekites had to attack sick lag with their families are. They burned the city down.

Totally destroyed it. They taken all the goods of the Israelites and they had also captured the wives and children of the of of David, and when they got that one day and when David saw it he was terribly broken.

He went into a very deep depression and his men were so mad about this, they were ready to take David and stone him the death and it was at that time that David ran to God in repentance. The Scripture says that he strengthened himself in the Lord his God's faith begin to soar his joy he returned and his double mindedness just vanished. Once again and once again David is dependent upon God he takes is me and they go up to find the Amalekites when they get there to their camp. They find that they are outnumbered about 10 to 1 with Amalekites or drunk.

And David defeats cement just destroys the Amalekites. They take back their wives and children. They take back all their stuff and even take back the great spoils of victory folks at that very moment when David is experiencing one of the greatest victories that he ever had. What's happening to Saul. Saul is experiencing a terrible horrible defeat. Saul has no joy.

He has no faith and he has no hope. All that he has in his heart is death and defeat an absolute destruction and send that hopelessness that he commit suicide.

I shared with you two weeks ago. The difference in Saul and and David is nothing but the grace of God. Folks, we need to compare Saul and David not to make a hero out of David, but to let us know that there's only one hope for us and that hope is God. Our only hope is God. I like to look at people's lives and see if there's a theme in their lives see where what I think about when I think about particular people. I think about about Bible characters are really like to do this like with Caleb.

What is the theme in Caleb's life is perseverance. This man would not quit his name. Caleb means bulldog like a bulldog stick to witness. I look at Daniel Daniels theme in his life was no compromise fervor. Daniels, the Scripture says about it that he prepared in his heart before hand that he would be obedient to God. Look at Paul. His theme in his life was gospel passion.

I look at Peter. The theme in his life was love for Jesus. I look at David.

The theme of his life was faith in God's promises, but what was the theme in the life of King Saul. It was a hardhearted in penitence over in the book of Isaiah.

Isaiah teaches us that the way to God's blessings is through repentance, coupled with faith in Isaiah chapter 55 or seven. Isaiah said this let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Saul knew that truth and he rebelled against that truth is entire life. I got four points I want to share with you today. The first one is Saul's death look with me again at verses one through five and the Philistines were fighting against Israel. The men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa and the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons and the Philistine struck down Jonathan and a been a day of an milk Yeshua the sons of Saul, the battle pressed hard against Saul and the archers failed him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor bearer draw your sword and thrust me through with it. Leslie's uncircumcised come and thrust me through and mistreat me, but his armor bearer would not prefigured greatly. Therefore, Saul took his own sword and fell upon it, and when the armor bearer saw that Saul was dead. He also fell upon his sword and died withing Saul knew what was coming when he went to the which to to the medium at indoor the dead prophet Samuel was commissioned by God to go and prophesy to King Saul. Any did that and and Samuel said to King Saul Lisa because you do not obey the voice of the Lord. By this time tomorrow you and your sons will be dead and Israel will be defeated by the Philistines that prophecy. Not every vestige of courage. I do Saul. He fell down and Samuel's feet shaken and trembling.

The Scripture says there was no strength left in him and Saul has to go to lead his men into battle. Can you imagine being one of Saul's soldiers at that time looking up to him to be the one who takes you out in battle, the one who leads you and I look up and what are they see I see a man that shaken and trembling in fear that they see a man who has no hope there's no fire in his belly.

I mean this guy can't even stand up will the battle begins in the Philistine send a barrage of arrows into the Israelite camp. Several of the Israelites. Many of them are hit by those they are some of them were killed instantly and some of them are terribly wounded. Saul was one who was was terribly wounded by this time the Philistines are storming the camp of Israel and they come with their swords drawn and Saul looks over at them and he's bleeding profusely. He's too tired to run and he's bleeding and he's too scared to do anything about it so he looks over to his armor bearer and he says take your sword and thrust me through so that they won't take advantage of million, and make me live longer and torture me in the arch in the armor bearer looked at Saul knowing that he could not lift his hand against God's anointing said I can't do that. Saul takes his sword, he throws it down into the into the ground blade up and then he throws himself on it and within just a few minutes.

Saul is dead. The armor bearer then does the same thing, throws his sword down into the into the ground and throws himself on it and he too is dead. What about the suicide of Saul, humanly speaking, we might call it understandable for he knew that, or at least he believed that he was getting ready to die. EA thought that if these data live that it was going to be a mess because they were torturing terribly. So why not just go in and do it. Herman hates him a said this suicide is not committed by brave man but a wicked coward who removes himself from the life this life to open his eyes, inhale.

I think we need to soften that a little bit, especially in the case of mental illness or deep deep depression that impairs a man's thinking. I think of William Cooper who was a great songwriter a great man of God. He was just just riddled with depression EA in this hardhead horrible depression that would come only up several times in his life. He almost committed suicide, but he was spared that because John Deaton is pastor. The writer of amazing Grace stepped in and saved his life an amazing thing.

I demand that I served with is when I was a deacon but for when the ministry and served with him as a deacon and this man got middle dimension and he took the gun he put it to his head and shot himself to death. I knew this man whale in this man had spiritual fruit in his life. He love the Lord Jesus. He would go out with me on visitation and he would share his faith and and there was just so much about them that look like Christ.

Chip Sloan later wind all this happened, preached his funeral service and pre-and chips shared with the congregation.

They are what I need and in my heart that this man had spiritual fruit that he was a true believer. After the service was over. A man came up to me and said you know what he said. He said this man's last act on earth was to commit murder of himself.

He said I think he's inhale today.

I said I don't think he's inhale today and I takes suicide very seriously.

But I think this man was, it was his mind was.

Not he is anymore. He was in deep deep forms of dementia. I think this man knew the Lord, I believe the love the Lord and I believe that he is with the Lord today because I want you know that's not the case with King Saul. Saul suicide was not the result of an irrational impulse. It was a calculated decision. Richard Phillips has some wise insights into in this suicide. Listen to this.

Perhaps more troubling than what Saul did in that hour of despair is what Saul did not do. There's no cry to God for help. There is no appeal to heaven for mercy. We read nothing along the lines of the pleas that virtually feel David Psalms years earlier on the night when Saul is sent ruffians to slay David in his house.

David prayed deliver me from my enemies. Oh my God protect me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from those who work evil and save me from bloodthirsty man now with the Philistine circling in Saul has no such prayers in his quiver.

Thus, as he dies a as he lived in hardened self-will and without faith in God. Salvation, not even crying out to the Lord with his dying breath all through his reign. No hand and injured him, but his own. And as he lived, so he died his own undo were in his own murder.

Why did Saul come to that tragic Ian was because he was stupid.

None. It was because he was spiritually blind and deceived by the enemy. Second Corinthians chapter 4 verses three through four says this and even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing in their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Saul was never in a true relationship with God. He was blinded and deceived by Satan, but somewhat. You know it's possible for people in the church professing Christians and true Christians to also experience that kind of deception I think of Bruce Walker, the pastor who pastored to love the Lord and got so depressed and so out of his mind that he committed suicide by hanging himself to death. Why is it that we have countless evangelist today that are misusing money stealing money and involving themselves in all kinds of immoral relationships.

Why do we see churches that have so little spiritual life and vitality.

Why is it that so many people in the church did decide that I don't really need to study the word of God. I don't really need to worship. Entertainment is more fun than worship. Why is it we see so many churches today that are not burdened for missions.

Why is it we see so many today who claim to be Christians.

And yet you can't tell much difference between them and those that don't have anything to do with Christ at all. Why is it that it just appears that Satan is so active and effective today, even in churches because God's people have not learned how to deal with Satan present in Ephesians chapter 4 verse 27, it was Paul. He said give no place to the devil how we give place to the devil to disobedience and unbelief.

That's how we do it now think there are two extremes here.

Both of them are dangerous.

Both of them are wrong.

The first is those people who who have an exaggerated understanding of Satan's authority in his power. I see a demon behind every bush.

They believe that Satan is almost as sovereign as God and that he has unbelievable power. He does have unbelievable power, but not anywhere in here that of God.

That's a dangerous dangerous thing to believe and then on the other hand there are those who just ignore what the Scripture says about Satan's power and authority that they look at Satan as if he's a cartoon character with a red suit and a pitchfork and a and a Forteo. They look at him as if he is not really real at all that he's a fairytale character limit K that's dangerous to go.

Satan is a mighty powerful billion who who desires our destruction.

How do we know that how do we really know that because there's so much Scripture concerning the need for us to be deeply involved in spiritual warfare. Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10 through 12. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you might stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities and rulers of darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. In James chapter 4 and verse seven that the Scripture say this is what resist the devil and he will flee from us in first Peter chapter 5 verse eight Peter said, be sober, be vigilant for your adversary the devil woke up about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. First Timothy 37. The Scripture teaches us about what to try to avoid the snare of the devil and then in second Corinthians chapter 10 verses three through six. The Scripture says, for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ in heaven a readiness to revenge all disobedience when our obedience is fulfilled, but we need to remember the great book Pilgrims progress you haven't read it hot. I just beg you to read this kid's burgeon read it over 100 times meant that much to him. But the book has a main characters names Christian and he's going to the celestial city and that journey is a picture of his Christian life and all that journey. He realizes that this is a battle. This is tougher than he ever imagined he has liens that are attacking him representing demonic activity. He is captured by a giant who represents depression is put into doubting Castle payee has the temptations for it for four materialism and for sensuality in Vanity Fair piece. He falls one time after another after another, but each time God picks them right up and each time after that fall, he learned something. What is he learning is learning how to take up the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God is learning how to deal with with the Satan's deceptions and have discern what Satan is trying to do, discern, discern his schemes and to fight against them. He is learning that Christianity is much more than just a set of rules and regulations is much more than just following principles is following a person Christianity is you and Anna relationship with the person of Jesus Christ. It is you following him and the what he learned was that the closer he followed Jesus, the more power he had in the more joy he had King Saul's life ended in sorrow and in deep grief. Finally, suicide why because he had a religion and not a relationship with God because he knew about God, but he did not know God and because he failed to understand the key to discipleship and the key to discipleship is across. Jesus said if any man be my disciple, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. I pointed was a glorious death. Look at verse six.

Thus Saul died and his three sons and his armor bearer and always me and on the same day together. Saul died in this battle by suicide his son Jonathan died in the same battle but he died fighting valiantly for Israel, shut two other sons we don't know much about them but we do know a lot about Jonathan. Jonathan was a man of God. If we had to put a theme to his life.

I think it would be faithfulness. He was faithful to David and became David's best friend. He was faithful to his father and showed great respect to his father. He surrendered his kingship to David. He surrendered his life to his dad, Richard Phillips said this about Jonathan and the light of eternity.

Jonathan's death was not so much tragic is glorious through his faith in the Lord.

Jonathan escape from tragedy to enter into glory forever.

Jonathan died while fulfilling his duty. He died a warrior's death and received the faithful servants reward .3 the consequences of Saul's apostasy equipment verses 7 to 10 men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan Saul, the men of Israel had fled in the Saul and his sons were dead, that they abandon their cities and then they fled and the Philistines came and lived in them the next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain. I found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa so they cut off his head stripped off his armor sent messengers throughout the land of Philistines to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people they put his arm in the temple of Asher Roth in a fashion fastened his body to the wall of bashing in and for Samuel chapter 8 verse 19 to 20. The people of Israel said this, we want a king over us so that we will be like the other nations. I said we don't like this idea of just being under God. When a king who who will ride on a big white stallion. He will be impressive. He will is you will impress the enemy. He will impress us. That's what we want with this Joe Jehovah who we call king. We can even see him. I had forgotten what Jehovah had done for them. They forgotten that Jehovah had opened up the Red Sea, so the children of Israel could cross through alms on dry land and not one of them was hurt or kill in the Egyptian army try to follow in and God let loose the water and killed and destroyed the entire Egyptian army, they forgot about the walls of Jericho have God get the walls of Jericho and they collapsed and when they collapsed the people of God when in and took the land and one the great victory they forgot that God had given them this great promise land. What did they won't. They wanted to become pagans that they wanted to king that they could see what their physical eyes. In other words, they wanted idolatry.

The other nations had gods, they could see and feel that they can see the statue that they had made this thing wouldn't God make a put their hands on. They could touch it. They could reach over and they could touch a the golden calf they could put their hands on it they can do that with Jehovah for Jehovah says you trust me and you come to me by faith and not by sight. So Saul was found dead, the Israelites ran off when they saw what was happening.

They left their homes and and they took off out of their the Philistines Saul Saul's dead body. They came over they severed his head from his body. He took his head and all of his armor and they went back to the temple of Asher Roth and they placed it up in that temple as trophies to their false gods to their idols and the Philistines then moved into the homes that the Israelites had lived in and the Israelites had to depart because they were so scared puts the gospel of the Philistines would now be preached far and wide, declaring the supremacy of Dagon and Asher off over Jehovah God Richard Phillips at this Christian should refuse to worship and serve the idols of our day false gods, such as money, power, pride and pleasure.

The first reason is that our service idols will conclude with a idols power over our lives. Those who give themselves to see on in support of their idols find that they become unable to cease their sins. Their hearts had been captured and ruled by the idols, they foolishly serve a man. My fourth point is faith in the dark.

Look at verse 11 through 13 but when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard with the Philistines had done to solve all the valiant men arose they went all night. They took the body of Saul and the bodies of his son from the wall of bashing in and they came to Jay Bish and burn them.

They are, and they took their bones and buried them under the Tammuz tree and Jay Bish and fasted seven days.

Saul didn't do much right but one thing he did the right was right in the first of his reign. The men of Jay Bish, Gilead were attacked by Ney hash in the ammonites.

Ney has said we would get to make a deal with you. You can take up our liar. This situation, you can take what you want to do here and you can be our servants or will kill you. And if we don't kill you, then were gonna pluck out your right I and then you will be our servants. They gave him a few days to think it over. Jay Bish Killian got in touch with Saul. Saul came in. Saul brought his army and he quipped Ney Ney hash in the ammonites absolutely wiped them out and when that happened. Jay best Gilead the men of that of that town just felt very deeply grateful, deeply grateful to King Saul. They would never forget what he had done. Then, when they heard that he had died. What did they do they relate when all the way to bashing.

They took his body down. They took the bodies of his sons, and they brought those bodies back all the way back to Jay Bish Killian.

They burn the bodies in the took the bones and they buried those buns and honorable burial for King Saul. These heroic men risk their lives to do what was right in the show their appreciation to Saul second Simeon Samuel chapter 2 verse 25 is when David is being coordinated to be the new king of Israel is very interesting. The first people that he praises are the men of Jay Bish Killian there. The very first ones that he praises folks if David noticed the fidelity of the men of Jay Bish, Gilead for what they did in honoring King Saul.

I believe with all my heart that our Lord Jesus Christ will honor those who serve him and loving and in that last day what will he say to us, he will say this will done my good and faithful servant international into the joy of the Lord. We are now living in a dark time in America's history. If you stand for God's truth, the chances are you to be mocked you to be canceled out or you're gonna be persecuted and it's not going to be easy.

Folks, this is not a time to be timid. This is not a time to compromise truth. This is not a time to waffle in the faith. This is a time for our world to see that that God is put steel in our backbone that we are going to stand for Christ that Jesus Christ is given a number one in our life and all the demons and hail can't change it folks. It is time for God's people to be like Jonathan and not like Saul to spray heavenly father. You have given us an example he King Saul of what not to do. He died was noted faith with no joy with no testimony for the Lord and no hope.

How horribly, terribly sad.

My Saul suicide remind us that we are called to be different. As Paul said if any man be in Christ is a new creation. Old things are passed away. Behold all things are become new. Help us to be steadfast and immovable. Help us to be focused and single-minded. Help us to be grace driven and totally dependent on you help us simply Lord to be like Jesus, forgive us of our many sins convict us when were wrong. Comfort and encourage us when were faithful. Thank you for loving us and thank you for saving us, forcing the precious name of Jesus that we pray. Amen