THE SONG OF THE BOW
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION
An officer in the Confederate army once heard General Robert E. Lee speak to president Jefferson Davis in the highest terms regarding a fellow officer.
An officer in the Confederate army once heard General Robert E. Lee speak to president Jefferson Davis in the highest terms regarding a fellow officer.
The officer who overheard stopped the general afterward and said, “Sir, don’t you know that the man you spoke so highly of in there to the president is one of your bitterest enemies? Don’t you know that he never misses a chance to malign you and tear you down before others?” General Lee replied, “Yes, I know that, but the President asked my opinion of that man, not his opinion of me.”
It is the mark of spiritual maturity to give a blessing instead of a curse to an enemy when there is opportunity.
Yet blessing those who persecute you is not the thing that comes naturally.
In this message we are going to deal with a passage that tells the story of giving a blessing to an enemy when opportunity was present for a curse.
It concerns the actions of David as he receives news of the death of King Saul, the man who had been trying for nearly 10 years to kill him.
Background
Background
1 Samuel 31 tells how Saul and his three sons, including Jonathan, David’s closest friend, were overrun by the Philistines in battle.
The three sons were killed. Saul was mortally wounded, along with his armor bearer. Both the king and the armor bearer took their lives.
Their bodies were decapitated by the enemy and taken throughout the land of the Philistines on display as war trophies until the brave men of Jabesh-Gilead put a stop to it by sneaking in under the cover of darkness and taking the bodies back for burial in Israel.
It was a tragic situation. Israel was paralyzed by shocking defeat.
David was not with the king when Saul fell on Mt. Gilboa.
David was still at Ziklag, in the land of the Philistines, having just rescued his family and friends from the Amalekite raiders.
We pick up the story there as…
DISCUSSION
DAVID RECEIVES THE NEWS OF SAUL’S DEATH (2 Samuel 1:1-10)
DAVID RECEIVES THE NEWS OF SAUL’S DEATH (2 Samuel 1:1-10)
1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.
The torn clothes and dust on this man’s head were signs that David would immediately recognize as sorrow and morning.
Falling prostrate on the ground before David he tells news of the battle, and how that Saul and Jonathan are dead.
5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?
Hearsay and second hand stories won’t do when you are dealing with items as serious as this.
David wanted to be sure the story was true.
By the way, we should deal with hearsay in the same way.
When a story is circulated and we hear it, we should always ask, “How do you know these things are true?”
6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.
So David learns of Saul's death from this Amalekite.
The account here in 2 Samuel 1 of the death of Saul is much different than the one mentioned in 1 Samuel 31.
What is happening here is that the Amalekite is lying to David – thinking that he would be rewarded for his killing David’s enemy
DAVID’S RESPONSE TO THE NEWS OF SAUL’S DEATH (2 Samuel 1:11-27)
DAVID’S RESPONSE TO THE NEWS OF SAUL’S DEATH (2 Samuel 1:11-27)
David’s response to the tragic news has three parts:
David’s response to the tragic news has three parts:
Mourning for Saul and Jonathan
Judgment for the Amalekite
Music for the people of Israel
First, David mourns for Saul and Jonathan…
First, David mourns for Saul and Jonathan…
11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword.
As you envision 600 grown men crying – ask yourself, why wasn’t it cheering instead? Remember all that Saul had done to David?
David was practicing something that his son, Solomon, would record many years later in...
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, And let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
Notice what Jesus says …
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
David certainly had some faults in his life, but bitterness and grudges against those who mistreat him was not among them
I wonder how we would measure up in that regard?
Do we hold grudges over disagreements?
Grudges over how we were treated at a given moment?
I know that some do…
David’s second response to the news from Gilboa was judgment against the Amalekite.
David’s second response to the news from Gilboa was judgment against the Amalekite.
13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.
This Amalekite had joined up with Israel as is seen in the term “stranger,” and thus would be familiar with Hebrew law.
In other words, Saul was not a battlefield casualty, at least according to this Amalekite
14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?
David is asking, “How is it that you were not afraid to kill the one who was your king?
15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the Lord’s anointed.
I guess it doesn’t pay to lie in order to get ahead
I am reminded of Ananias and Saphira
This should teach us a good lesson about lying
David’s third response to the news of Saul’s death was music.
David’s third response to the news of Saul’s death was music.
Not a song of rejoicing – but one of sadness and lament.
The Israelites often expressed their sorrow in song or poetry
17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: 18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
David called his song of lament “the Song of the Bow”
This is David’s memorial for the death of his friends
The idea of memorials is a good way to remember those whom we love
The Book of Jasher - or, the book of the upright - seems to be a Hebrew national song book
The Song of the Bow…
The Song of the Bow…
19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: How are the mighty fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, Publish it not in the streets of Askelon; Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, Neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: For there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, The shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. 22 From the blood of the slain, From the fat of the mighty, The bow of Jonathan turned not back, And the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided: They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions. 24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, Who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, Who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: Very pleasant hast thou been unto me: Thy love to me was wonderful, Passing the love of women. 27 How are the mighty fallen, And the weapons of war perished!
Notice verse 20 … “Tell it not in Gath.”
Gath was the capitol of the Philistines, and David was very concerned that the knowledge of Saul’s downfall not get to the enemies of God and thereby be used as a tool to mock the Lord
A valuable lesson we learn is not to air the church’s dirty laundry in the community or on social media.
I have seen it happen. Beloved, “Tell it not in Gath!”
And by the way - those who do their research by going to social media sites do not know the first thing about true research - be careful
Another application that I want to make from the “Song of the Bow” is the loss of friendship
25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: Very pleasant hast thou been unto me: Thy love to me was wonderful, Passing the love of women. 27 How are the mighty fallen, And the weapons of war perished!
David had lost a close friend – his best friend
Friendship is an important Bible subject – mentioned 122 times in the Bible.
I frequently hear two statements about friendship:
First, “I don’t need friends”
This is said many times by one that has just been hurt by a friend … but we need friends
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.
Some have this attitude because they are involved in selfish pursuits – thinking they are self-sufficient
Second, “I don’t have any friends”
To have friends we must be friendly
24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
Dale Carnegie once said, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming really interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
CONCLUSION
David’s dealing with the death of Saul has not been forgotten, though it happened nearly a thousand years ago.
David’s dealing with the death of Saul has not been forgotten, though it happened nearly a thousand years ago.
It stands as a reminder of how we are to treat our enemies.
It stands as a reminder of how we are to treat our enemies.
In this message we have spoken of friends and enemies
In this message we have spoken of friends and enemies
Satan is our enemy – wants to destroy you
Jesus is our friend – sticks closer than a brother