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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
“Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armorbearer, 'Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and abuse me.' But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died. So Saul and his three sons died, and all his house died together.” (1 Chronicles 10.1-6).
To many in Israel, Saul was a hero. Concerning Kish, Saul's father and regarding Saul, the inspired historian wrote, “...And he [Kish] had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.” (1 Samuel 9.2). Saul's charm was enhanced by his physical appearance even as the previous text states. However, his career was a checkered one. Saul was sometimes brilliant and at other times, downright dumb! Some of his feats were unsurpassed in all the history of Israel. His obsession with popularity, however, proved to be his downfall. Like most egomaniacs, he was plagued with doubt and mistrust regarding those who surrounded him. This lack of trust even spilled over to include loyal friends like David who absolutely intended him no harm, but only good. In spite of his weaknesses, Saul had a loyal following and remained their hero for as long as he lived. One such loyal follower was his armorbearer.
Having been asked of Saul to take his life, the armorbearer refused. We can speculate as to all the reasons why he refused, but one thing is certain, his refusal was directly linked to fear. This fear could have been rooted in many realities, but regardless of that, it resulted in the armorbearer's refusal to do His master's bidding as well as his death. Heroes have a strange impact on their followers even as Saul's position in Israel had a strange and permanent impact upon his armorbearer.
Heroes, like friends ought to be chosen very carefully. These choices tell more about us than perhaps we would like others to know. They tell what we like and dislike; they tell who we are! Paul was right when he counseled, “Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.'” (1 Corinthians 15.33). Heroes, like companions, also corrupt good habits. Paul was hero to some, particularly Titus and Timothy. He was their mentor and encourager. His words weighed heavily on their choices. In fact, Paul's advice to these two men shaped their lives and destinies. However, unlike Saul of the Old Testament, Saul of the New Testament (Paul), had a positive impact on his followers. This impact was shaped by the fact that Paul made wise choices while his Old Testament counterpart made unwise choices.
Whereas Saul of the Old Testament died at his own hands, Paul of the New Testament died at the hands of others. Paul's death was not one of shame or rebellion, but it was a death of loyalty to Jesus Christ and His principles. Herein lies the difference between true heroes and the heroes that human wisdom sometime chooses. Near the end of his life, Paul could say, “I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith...” (2 Timothy 4.7) because, in fact, he had! Although we know nothing of Titus or Timothy's death, it is a sure thing that they did not end up like Saul's armorbearer just because he saw that Saul was dead. Heroes impact our lives; we ought to choose them carefully!
Questions:
1. How was Saul of the Old Testament described as regards his physical appearance?
2. Was this a blessing or a curse to Saul?
3. How seriously was Saul wounded when he asked his armorbearer to take his life (read the text carefully; take nothing for granted)?
4. Contrast the two Saul's in today's message; of the two, which one was a true hero? Why?
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