THE LOST OF A LOVE ONE
2 Samuel 1:11-12. 17-27
You cannot fight against God’s divine plan and win. It is my belief
that if Saul had yielded to the voice of the Lord and allowed David
to be the general of his army, he would have saved his life, the lives
of his sons and the lives of many Israelites. After being told that
the Spirit of the Lord had been taken from him and placed on David,
Saul lost focus of his position as King with his selfish desire to kill
David.
Saul’s pursuit to kill David was a necessary evil, to grow David into
the position of King and warrior. Through David’s ordeals with
Saul, he gained the respect of the nation of Israel and the fear of
his surrounding enemies. David, with an army of 600 men, was more
successful than Saul’s army of 3000 men.
BY SHOWING RESPECT FOR THE DEAD, WE START THE HEALING PROCESS
2 Sam 1:11-12
V:11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12 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.
A. You should never attack the man God has placed in charge.
1. As long as Saul fought the battles with David, he was
successful.
2. Saul refused to accept David as God’s replacement for him
and focused on killing David.
3. As a result of his rage, he and his sons were killed in the battle
against the Philistines.
B. David loved Jonathan and respected Saul as God’s anointed.
1. David had the opportunity to kill Saul while he and his men
slept. (1 Sam 26:9-11)
2. David went into Saul’s camp of 3000 men and took his sword while he
slept.
3. David refused to lay hand on Saul because he was the Lord’s
anointed.
4. Instead, David allowed the Lord to be the avenger. (1 Sam 26:10)
5. Let God do to your enemy as He sees fit.
GRIEVING TOGETHER IS COMFORTING
2 Sam 1:17-27
V:17 David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar):
(Book of Jasher (Josh 10:12-13), a collection of poems and songs that commemorated great events in the history of Israel.)
19 \”Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights.
How the mighty have fallen!
20 \”Tell it not in Gath,
proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice.
21 \”O mountains of Gilboa,
may you have neither dew nor rain,
nor fields that yield offerings [of grain].
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
the shield of Saul — no longer rubbed with oil.
A. David honored the death of Saul and his sons with a song
Fit for a King who gave his life in battle for his nation.
1. David honored the Lord by honoring Saul.
2. Despite Sauls’s attempt to kill him, David honored Saul
because he was God anointed king.
B. There are times when you should be the better man.
1. Life is not all about you.
2. When a family member dies, you should put all your
personal issues aside, and focus on consoling the survivors.
3. Death is the opportunity for you to be involved in healing
and bring people together.
C. The song, learned by the people, honored Saul as a great King
1. The place of his death was memorialized by not allowing
any growth in it.
2. The song was a celebration for the life of a king, but not broadcasted
to give the enemy cause for glory.
PROCLAIM THE GOOD OF LOVE ONES
V:22. From the blood of the slain,
from the flesh of the mighty,
the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
the sword of Saul did not return unsatisfied.
23 \”Saul and Jonathan —
in life, they were loved and gracious,
and in death, they were not parted.
They were swifter than eagles,
they were stronger than lions.
A. In the song, David proclaimed the good in Saul and
His son.
1. The song proclaimed the love of Israel for their fallen
king who died in a battle to save them.
2. The song proclaimed their bravery in the battle to their
death.
B. In song David expressed his love for the father and son
who fought together to their death.
1. The song expressed the strength and courage it takes
to fight in battle.
2. Their efforts in battle are compared to God\’s finest
fighting animals.
a. The eagles far-sighted attack in flight swoops down
without warning.
b. The lion is strong in his ground attack, stalks and
kills his prey.
3. It is the love they had for their country that put them on
the front lines in battle.
WEEPING ENDURES FOR THE NIGHT, BUT JOY IN
THE MORNING
V:24 \”O daughters of Israel,
weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet and finery,
who adorned your garments with ornaments of gold.
25 \”How the mighty have fallen in battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother;
you were very dear to me.
Your love for me was wonderful,
more wonderful than that of women.
27 \”How the mighty have fallen!
The weapons of war have perished!\”
A. David gave a tribute to his love of Jonathan.
1. David and Jonathan had a special bond.
2. It was Jonathan who first warned David of
his father\’s plans to kill him.
3. Jonathan saw the good in David for Israel.
4. Jonathan loved David more than the confidence he
had in his own father.
5. In secret to his father, Jonathan was David’s spy,
keeping informed on the plans to attack him.
B. David grieved at the loss of his friend.
1. According to the text, Jonathan\’s love for David
was greater than any of his wives.
2. It hurts to lose a trusted love one.
3. You wonder what life will be without them
C. The death of a loved one causes us to reflect on their
value to us.
1. We grieve because something precious is gone.
2. The good news is we have a greater love in Jesus.
3. There is no greater friend in Jesus.
4. Unlike Jonathan, Jesus has won the battle for us.
5. Unlike Jonathan, Jesus will never leave us or forsake us.
THANK YOU JESUS FOR BEING MY FRIEND
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston Texas 77041.
For More lessons, follow me on facebook and visit my blogs;
Revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc,blogspot.com
