The End of Saul: 1 Samuel 31:1-13
The more I am a tool in the hands of God, the better life will go on. John the Baptist tells us He becomes more as John becomes less. Paul taught us to be crucified so we no longer live, but He lives in us.
Saul’s family dies in battle. Jonathan and the rest of his sons die while fighting in a melee. Saul, being the king, is afforded a longer life. More of his men need to die before the enemy can get to him. The Philistines eventually wear down his forces and he cannot escape. Archers wound him from a far. Saul knows the end is near. His armor-bearer doesn’t want to have the king’s blood on his hands, so Saul kills himself. The armor-bearer does likewise.
The next day, the Philistines come to take over. The live in the houses the Hebrew people vacated when their army lost. They find Saul’s body on the mountain and deface it. They bring it home, mounting the armor in a temple to Ashtaroth, and putting the body on display on some wall for all the residents to see. Apparently, they did the same with the bodies of his sons.
At some point later, the valiant men of Jabesh-Gilead come and take Saul’s body from Beth-shan. They retrieve the bodies, or what was left of them after the carrion eaters had their turn, and bury them respectfully near their own home. These are the people Saul saved in his first act of leadership; it is fitting that they should come and rescue him in his last act of kingship.
When Samuel died, he received a single verse. Saul dies and gets his own chapter. I deeply resonate with the spiritual point made by the author of the book of Samuel. When Samuel died, there was no commotion. Samuel died, everyone turned out to mourn and worship God, and the story seamlessly moved on. Saul dies and there is a significant kerfuffle in the land.
Samuel was a spiritual leader. He walked in step with God. When he died, God called others to step into the role. Life moved on because the focus was on God, who remains long after Samuel dies.
Saul, on the other hand, was a social figure. He had strong friends and enemies. He polarized people. When Saul died, his enemies had reason to celebrate. Saul’s enemies put his body on display to illustrate their greatness having overcome him. Saul’s supporters continued the polarization, continuing to respond to Saul’s enemies. The world continues to tear itself apart after Saul dies because the focus was on Saul and not God.
When my last breath comes, I pray my end is like that of Samuel. I do hope there will be some who mourn who genuinely miss my company. But life should go on seamlessly without me. The more I am a tool in the hands of God, the better life will go on.
