“And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers. Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.” — 1 Chronicles 10:3-4

Recently my husband and I attended the memorial service for a friend and fellow believer. What a joyous occasion it was as friends from church, the school where she worked, and the community where she lived gathered to celebrate her life. Among the many tributes given that day, we heard two thoughts expressed repeatedly: she loved people and she was an example of faithfulness in her service to God. She clearly had been a friend to many both young and old, and the abundant comments about her constant smile proved it was legendary. All who labored with her in the work of the Lord spoke of her consistency and dedication to every task given her. What a beautiful testimony! When our friend stepped from this world into the next, we know it was a glorious and triumphal entry into her eternal Home. 

What a contrast to the death of Saul that we read about in today’s text. Saul’s last years were marked by periods of depression and gloom. While he had tried sporadically to please God, his life was characterized by inconsistency, disobedience, and selfwill. Enraged by jealousy, he had tried to kill David a number of times. And this chapter reveals that he faced death the same way he had faced life—he took matters into his own hands. When Saul’s army was defeated and he was wounded in battle, he took his own life. What a tragic end for this first king of Israel, who had started his reign with such great promise! And how different from the end of our friend’s earthly life—one who was faithful to her God from the day she gave her heart to Him until she stepped into Heaven. 

Pondering how we will leave this earth highlights the importance of how we live on this earth. A glorious entry into Heaven at the end of life’s road requires a faithful walk with God as we travel that road. Godly lives are built by faithfulness one day after another. Each obedient action may seem small in itself, but it takes us one step closer to our heavenly goal. 

Let’s purpose that by the help and grace of God, the end of our lives in this world will be triumphant rather than tragic, so we can spend eternity with Him!

BACKGROUND

After establishing Israel’s ancestry in the genealogies presented in previous chapters, in chapter 10 the author of Chronicles turned to the history of the Hebrew kingdom. The account of Saul’s death is provided as a preamble to the narrative that focuses on David for the remainder of the book. A brief overview of the battle on the slopes of Mount Gilboa is given in verses 1-3, followed by a description of the mortally wounded Saul taking his own life (verses 4-6). The dark aftermath of battle, the desecration of Saul’s body, and the respectful actions of the “valiant men” of Jabesh who buried his remains are described in verses 7-13. The closing verse of this chapter is a transition, as the writer took up his purpose to recount David’s kingship. 

Mount Gilboa, where Saul’s army assembled for battle, was deep in Israel’s territory. The victory the Philistines won there was so significant that the people fled in terror before the Philistines, allowing the invaders to come in and occupy their cities. The Philistine victory effectively cut Israel in half from west to east. The remainder of the nation then became extremely vulnerable to complete overthrow by the Philistines. 

Saul’s sons were impacted by the judgment of God against their father. Even courageous Jonathan was slain, but he died as he had lived—loyally fighting to the very end for God and country. 

The men of Jabesh-gilead, mentioned in verses 11-12, had reason to honor Saul. Many years earlier, Saul had delivered the people of their city from Ammonite invaders (see 1 Samuel 11:1-11). No doubt it was gratitude that motivated the “valiant men” of Jabesh to retrieve the remains of Saul and give his body an honorable burial. According to 2 Samuel 2:4-7, after David took the throne, he rightly thanked these men for their kindness on behalf of Saul, Jonathan, and Saul’s other sons. 

Because of Saul’s disobedience and rebellion, God had stated He would take the kingdom from him and give it to “a man after His own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). Though many years passed before this happened, after the death of Saul, God “turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse” (verse 14). 

Much of the material in chapter 10 is also found in 1 Samuel 31:1-13.

AMPLIFIED OUTLINE

II. The reign of David
     A. Background: Saul’s death (10:1-14)
          1. The death of Saul (10:1-6)
          2. The burial of Saul (10:7-12)
          3. The cause of Saul’s decline (10:13-14)

A CLOSER LOOK

1. According to verse 2, which sons of Saul did the Philistines slay in the battle on Mount Gilboa?
2. Since Saul was mortally wounded by archers, what do you think is meant by the statement in verse 14 that the Lord slew Saul?
3. What do the actions of the valiant men of Jabesh-gilead teach us about what our attitudes should be toward those in authority over us?

CONCLUSION

Saul’s tragic end teaches a vital lesson: if we want a triumphant end to our time on earth, we must consistently live in obedience and faithfulness to God.