"Inhabitants of Jabesh-Gilead recovering the bodies of Saul and his Sons", 1865 engraving, by Gustave Dore', from "La Sainte Bible".
The Death of Saul - ESV Study Bible.
There he is, Israel's first king, head severed, hanging on a Philistine wall.
What are we to learn from this?Well, there are many lessons in Saul's life. We see:
- the great tragedy of disobedience (God regretting Saul)
- the propensity of man to swell himself in pride.
- the savagery that can come from jealousy.
But far more importantly, giving this man's life a higher view, we see that no man can be king of Israel.
Through great sin, man called for a human king.
God granted this sinful request, and out of a long line of kingly failures, we learn that God will bring the King of Kings. God will rule Israel, and all his elect, for his own namesake.
I remember crying with Samuel, as I read of Israel's rejection of God as her king, and yet God tells Israel, "Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil".
As John Piper says, "Man commits one of the greatest sins of history (rejecting God as King), and he (God) simply sweeps it under the rug?"
How can this be?
I implore you, set aside 45 minutes, watch Dr. John Piper's video, and seek to understand this all important answer.
Amazingly, and most strangely, God uses our/man's sin to bring glory to Himself. Who can comprehend the depths, of the mind, of this God?
Only by thoughtful meditation, as we watch these horrific scenes, can we begin to scratch the surface of understanding.
And when we do begin to scratch the surface, how can we not fall prostrate in adoration of his beauty?
Oh my soul, be unrelenting in desire to know the beauty of Abba!
