David's lament over Saul & Jonathon

2nd Samuel chapter 1 beginning from verse 17 and David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son. Also he bade them teach the children of Israel the use or the song of the bow. Behold it is written in the book of Jasher.

Here's the song. The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places. How are the mighty fallen? Tell it not in Gath.

Publish it not in the streets of Ascalon. Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice. Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

The 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 finally cast away.

The shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil. 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. Saul and Jonathan were lovely.

They were loved and they were pleasant in their lives and in their death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger the lions.

Each the daughters of Israel weep over Saul who clothed you in scarlet with other delights who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. How are the mighty fallen in the midst of battle? O Jonathan, thou was slain in thine high places. 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.

How are the mighty fallen? And the weapons of war perished. I suppose there are things that you'd find strange in this elegy, this ode shall you say of David as he's lamenting the death of Saul and of Jonathan. First of all you notice there's no mention of God in the entire expression of his words.

Not a single mention of the Lord or the message of God in any way. Neither is there any mention of the faults of one who was once his enemy. We can recognize of course and appreciate the fact that David would have a great appreciation for and a great sorrow for the death of a man like Jonathan who was so dear to him.

One who was, whose heart was knit to him. One who is closer to him than a brother. And yet you'll notice that David mentioned Saul equally to Jonathan.

Four times over he speaks about Saul and four times over he speaks about Jonathan. So he's speaking about both of them equally and he's speaking about them in a way that would remember not their faults, but remember what could be appreciated of them. I know that of course when someone preaches a funeral they normally don't dwell upon the failures of the person that's died.

They don't mention their sins. They don't mention the faults of their life. They usually, well sometimes we say that preachers preach them right into heaven.

Well it's alright because we don't need to to emphasize the things that we might think are negative about a person's life. And of course that's in a sense what David is doing. I thought it's interesting that David at least has four times that he lamented.

He lamented this first time over the death of Saul and Jonathan. The death of the falling of a warrior. The death and the passing of those more mighty warriors on that hill Gilboa.

And the awful awful results that had taken place because of the defeat by the hands of the enemy. You find again that he laments over the death of Abner. Just a few chapters over.

Died Abner is a fool Dian. The idea really is that he died in a way that was not really anything that he deserved. He of course was not taken by an avenger of blood because Saul was not that.

I mean Joab was not that. He was one who had been taken by surprise. He was one who had who had been overcome as one who was unable to defend himself because he wasn't expecting it.

He forgot of course that Joab was his enemy. And he trusted his enemy. He's a fool in that sense.

And so he's lamented the death of Abner. And then again you'll find that he laments the death of a child. The result of his sin.

And then last of all the most pitiful lament of all when he lamented the death of Absalom. A son that died a rebel. In the life of David you'll notice that there was a a blending of times of sorrow and times of joy.

Isn't that the character of a Christian's life? We've been hearing about the times of distress and problems. We've been hearing about those times when we wonder which way to turn and what to do and what is our proper response. And and we find those periods of time in the life but they're also mingled with times of joy.

David had times of joy. He had times of deep sorrow. And you'll find that as you live your life as you go on and experience before God you'll you'll experience times when you feel like you're up as it were on the mountaintop.

Other times when you're in the depths of a valley. You don't know which way to turn or what to do. And what we've been hearing of course is very important.

Equally in both times. But David here is lamenting. I want to just turn your attention primarily to this.

And I think that what a person sorrows over. In fact we might say what a person sings about. Tells a lot about their own character.

I don't know what kind of songs you sing. A lot of songs that are sung today that aren't fit to be sung. Certainly not by Christians.

I don't know what kind of songs you have in your song library but whatever kinds of songs you sing or whatever songs you enjoy reflect what you are perhaps yourself. I'm not judging you in any way but nevertheless it indicates what your inclinations are doesn't it? It certainly indicates what our desires are for. That's what we want to listen to.

And of course if that's what we're singing. You know the Word of God speaks about the songs of Zion. And there's plenty to sing about in the Christian life.

But when you think about David and his songs they express the depth of the character of a man that was a man after God's own heart. Interesting that God only calls him out of all in the Bible a man after God's own heart. And you can select different characteristics about David that marked him out.

He was a man that had a love for God's people. A love like God has for God's people. He was a man that had a love for God's house as God placed his emphasis upon the house.

He was a man that had a care for the honor of God himself and he was concerned about God receiving honor and victories being attributed to him and gain for the glory of God. And certainly many other ways could be enumerated in which David was a man after God's own heart. That would be something that you and I should aspire to.

That should be the desire of our heart. Oh that we might be men and women that would conform to and bring pleasure to the heart of God. Having a love for the same things that God loves.

But I want to look with you at the song itself. We have about seven things that I'd like to point out from this song. I think apply to us a relationship to God's people.

First thing I want you to notice is in verse 19, David expresses a very definite respect for authority. For a man that God had given a place of authority among God's people, many times you remember that in David's experience he refused to stretch forth his hands against the Lord's anointed. As despicable as Saul was in his life as as terrible were his actions toward David.

How often he was seeking to unrighteously persecute that man. He would not lift up a finger to harm the Lord's anointed. Granted the fact he cut off the skirt of his robe and different things that he did to indicate to Saul that he was showing mercy to him and refusing to execute vengeance upon him in spite of what Saul did.

He had a high respect for divinely appointed authority. You find that when he speaks about Saul and Jonathan here he speaks about the beauty of Israel. The ornament is the word.

It's the idea that which was the crown of Israel had fallen. That which epitomized the ultimate expression of the manhood and the glory of that nation had fallen. And it was the Lord's anointed that had died upon the field of battle in such a terrible way.

He calls him as well the one who was one of the warriors, the mighty. Three times over in this song he speaks about how were the mighty fallen. And that expression divides this song into three parts.

The first part deals with the deeds that marked him out, the warriors and the mighty that had fallen on that hill of battle. And then he speaks about the special relationship with Jonathan who was a mighty one that had fallen. When it comes to the last verse he says how are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished.

Sadness. But you notice that in all of this he is expressing his absolute respect for and acknowledgement of divinely appointed authority. He was a man that would not usurp the throne even though it was his.

He would not take advantage of every opportunity to somehow defeat his enemy and clear the way so he could sit upon the throne and occupy the place that he knew God wanted him to have. He was willing to wait God's time. You know there's something in the Word of God that would teach you and me something about respect for divine authority.

God's people are always intended to be those that are willing to be in subjection. There's some people that in the name of Christianity they encourage insurrection against the government. They somehow indicate that Christ was a rebel.

I don't see that in my Bible. I see one that was submitted entirely to the ordinances of men according to the ordinances of God. One who sought to please God and expressed that by his submission first of all to his parents.

You know that's where we begin to recognize authority isn't it? It's in the home. We begin to recognize and submit to divinely appointed authority when we're submitting to our parents whether we like it or not. I'm willing to acknowledge the fact that I submitted to the authority of my parents even though I didn't like it all the time.

And we won't go any further with that one but I know that one thing is true that if you want to acknowledge the authority of God in your life, young person, you need to acknowledge the authority of your parents. The Word of God does never encourage children disobeying their parents. We have the other side of it as well.

That goes as well in relation to our attitude toward governmental authorities. We have that in Romans chapter 13 as well as other places. God expects that you and me as individual believers are to live in subjection to authority that God has placed over us.

You think of what this world would be even though we might criticize the government at times. We ought to be careful about that. Careful what you say.

I'm guilty as anyone but nevertheless we need to recognize this that this world would be a terrible terrible terrible place if it weren't for government. If it were not the authority to restrain the development and expression of evil, we need to thank God for the fact that he has instituted authority in the land even though it is not perfect and it will never be perfect until the right man reigns. So the believer is expected by the Word of God to obey them that have the rule over you and that doesn't mean that we try to find excuses for how we can get around it or how we can circumvent it or how we can ignore it.

We are responsible in every sphere of our life to live honorably, righteously, and with a good testimony for others in the world. I maybe shouldn't mention it but I will. Brother Al mentioned something he said he wasn't going to mention either but I will too.

But this is really not to boast about it because I've many times merited one but I'm so thankful. Maybe I shouldn't mention this at all but I've driven the car for 40 years and I've never gotten a ticket yet for speeding. I will tomorrow probably but I'm just saying that brother we ought to seek to obey the laws whether it even be in the speed limits.

They're for our good and for the benefit of others as well to maintain security on the highway and I'm not boasting because as many times I deserve one. Nevertheless subjected to authority is a divinely instituted part of the Word of God and should be a part of your life and mine. It comes into the assembly as well doesn't it? Respect for authority that God has put in the assembly.

It is our responsibility as believers in the assembly to recognize divinely instituted authority to maintain order and for the care of God's people. I've mentioned already the responsibility of elders. I personally believe that everyone who has received in the assembly ought to be made very aware of the fact that they're coming to into a fellowship that involves privileges as well as responsibilities.

Now one of the responsibilities is that they are going to be in voluntary submission to the oversight of that assembly. They need to understand that. They need to recognize the fact that this is not a place of free-for-all and do whatever you want to do.

It's a place in which you have a responsibility to willingly submit yourself to those who have that care for you. The Word of God teaches that. But going a little bit farther and I'm not going to dwell on this anymore but in a sense we can see as well that elders have a responsibility to respect God's authority.

I take that from Matthew chapter 18 where those who have those responsibilities for decisions in the assembly are responsible to seek to carry out the mind of heaven. What has been already determined in heaven is their responsibility to carry out of the local assembly. To act upon what God has said and to maintain that as being responsible to him.

So we find that David even though who is a man of sterling character and far superior in his personal qualities to Saul, he respected and he recognized Saul's position of authority. Second thing I need to go quickly because time goes more quickly than I do and more can be said about that. Verse 20 notice with me that he has a concern for God's honor.

David surveys that field of battle. He surveys those warriors of Israel all slain on Mount Gilboa and he looks upon and he sees that here's a defeat and it's brought dishonor to the name of God. There's that which brings deep sadness to his heart because he recognizes that their defeat in battle has brought dishonor on the name of God, has brought dishonor on the people of God.

When I look at that verse I ask myself how do I respond when it comes to failure in the lives of God's people. Do I look at it something well if I if they'd only listen to me you know they'd never have had that problem. I saw it coming you know I recognized what they were doing many years ago and if they'd only not done that and if they corrected the ways it wouldn't have been the problem and all along we could go in our minds.

But have we ever thought that when God's people fail it brings dishonor to God. It dishonors his name. It as it were besmears his name and in relation to the failure that can be seen among you and me.

To see it from God's standpoint and to see it and appreciate the fact that God's honor is at stake in the lives and the character the testimony of his people. My brother referred to First Thessalonians chapter 1 and you see there but from that assembly from their testimony and from the Word of God going forth and the gospel sounding forth there was honor being brought to God by victory after victory and triumph after triumph. We know that when it comes to failure God among God's people it's dishonor to him.

Because you know brethren and sisters we bear the name of the Lord Jesus. Now what happens in your life and mine is going to affect how others see him as represented in you and me. And so we find that David was a man that did not look at the failure and the and the sad defeat on Mount Gilboa as something to gloat over or something to feel good about.

He saw it as something that brought dishonor to God. You know earlier in 1st Samuel I think it's in 1st Samuel chapter 3 when this is the second time the Philistines defeated Israel at least in the book of Samuel. There was a time you remember when they had taken the ark of God out to the to the battle and it was expected to deliver them it was going to deliver them.

And we find that the result was that they were defeated and they the army was routed and the ark of God was taken. The news comes back to Eli and you remember what he said the glory is departed from Israel. Now I might have been his daughter-in-law that said that but nevertheless that was expression.

The glory is departed from Israel for the ark of God was taken. They didn't see it just as a defeat of the enemy. They didn't see it as a vindication of the fact that because of their failure and their sinfulness as a nation they had been defeated by God's enemy but they saw it as something that brought the name of God and the glory of Israel into disrepute.

And brother when you and I look at the failure of God's people today if there is such failure to be seen not saying there isn't not saying there is but I'm saying that if we see it from God's standpoint it'll bring sorrow. Sorrow not because of what it affects me but how it affects God and how it's how it's seen in his life and it affects the honor of his name. The third thing I notice in verse 21 is that David expresses in this verse a sorrow for the defeat of God's people.

He looked at upon those that had died upon that mount. He actually pronounces a curse upon the ground and upon the entirety of the produce from it. He says well there he says the shield of the mighty ones is vilely cast away.

They fled in their battle. They threw their shields away and the shield of Saul as though he had not been anointed with oil. Sorrow for the defeat.

Not only in relation to the honor of God's name but the defeat of the people of God. And the question comes to my mind I hope it does to each one of us. What is my reaction when I see the failure in some other believer? Someone falling.

Maybe they got tripped up by a bad habit or they got, they fell into a, what is the word in chapter 6, Galatians chapter 6, anyone you fall into fault. Something happens in their life. Something overcomes them or perhaps they sin in some way.

What is our attitude toward them? You know sometimes brethren if we analyze their own attitude toward others when they sin or when they fall. We have to acknowledge that there's almost a sense of vindication. Almost a sense of well they fell but I won't.

Or maybe they had a problem and they had a sin in their life but I'd never do that. Or maybe we look at them and say well you know they had it coming. Look at what they've been doing in their life and the way that they're dabbling with this and involved in that and all the rest of it.

But you know what David said? As he looked upon those that had died in battle he had that sense that God's enemy had gotten a victory. That the people of God had suffered a terrible defeat. And he saw it so seriously.

And he cried out that that entire field of battle would never know blessing again. That it would be remembered in all of its sorrow that the people of God had fallen before the hand of the enemy. And dear brethren if you and I have something of what our brothers have been speaking about in our hearts.

We'll have a deep sense of sorrow when any one of God's people gets away from God. Whenever one has to be put away from the assembly under discipline or when for any other reason there's one that falls out along the way and they fail to go on for God and they get tripped up by other activities and their priorities are directed toward other activities. And the sad thing is that we ought to sorrow and feel the sense of the fact that they've been overcome and something has happened in their life.

Paul says that considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Now if we quickly go on here in verse 22 notice what he says. 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.

He said what did you learn from that? I learned this, that here's a man that could laud the past successes of a man that had fallen. Even though we know that Saul had fallen because of his failure, his disobedience of God, his rebellion and the word of God exposes his sin. God doesn't hold back when he tells us about this man seeking the witch of Endor and the man that disobeyed God when it came to destroying Amalek and when all the other things that are connected with David's life, they're all recorded in the book of Acts.

He remembers the word of God, but David doesn't mention them. He remembers the past successes, the victories of this man, the way that he had led them in victory over the enemy and the way he had overcome their foes. He remembers the past successes and the victories they had won and the triumphs of their battles and the things that he's going to mention in this song.

You know, brethren, sometimes we forget the things that God's people do in the past. We only might emphasize or think about in the present what they have done and how they failed and how they ended, perhaps they ended up bad. But what about things that they did that God can take notice of and he will take notice of? I knew a man that at one time anyway, that he and his wife basically and essentially maintained the testimony of an assembly, even though there was hardly anybody else that ever came.

Because they kept the lights on and opened the doors and turned on the heat and waited for others to come, there's an assembly there today. Even though that man ended up out of fellowship in the assembly, eventually, I believe that God will recognize what he has done in his faithfulness for God. And in our remembrance of men, in our consideration of brethren, we look at them perhaps as they've failed in life and they've had a fall, perhaps.

Let's not forget the fact that there was a time in their past that maybe they were tremendously useful. And with a sorrow that can be a measure of joy and thanksgiving for what once was prevalent, once was known in their life. I don't know, I never knew the man.

Others would know him perhaps. But around the country in Wisconsin, you know, you see these Bible texts painted on signs. What was his name? A man that was a sign painter up in La Crosse on Alaska.

Once happy in the assembly and fervent in the things of God and painting signs and putting them all over the area, ended up out of the assembly. But the testimony of his text is still there. And God can reward him for what he has done.

That's not to justify getting away from God. That's just to say to you and me, let's not forget the good qualities of the things that God's people have done. Let's not emphasize the things that are always negative.

I tend to do that. I'll confess that I tend to see the things that are the warts and the failures of the and the blemishes perhaps that other people I don't look in the mirror myself. But the point is that God sees the entire picture.

And David is such a spiritual man, such a godly man that he can appreciate the fact that even though Saul and Jonathan perished on the field of battle because of sin, because of failure, there was a time in their life they triumphed and God used them mightily. Then three more things, I'll do them very quickly and then we can go on that break you're talking about. In verse 23, notice this, that he appreciated their good qualities, not only past victories, but he could look at Saul and Jonathan and he could say that they were lovely and pleasant in their lives.

I think I'd find that hard to say about Saul. To say that he was a loved man, but the people of God loved him. And he says they were pleasant in their lives, he says in their death they were not divided, they were united together and they fought together and they labored together.

He says there were good qualities in them. Even though David was a man that was persecuted, hunted like a flea upon the mountains by Saul and in danger of his life continually and it even came to the point of despairing of his life. He could say Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in all their ways, in all their lives.

And so it tells me dear brother we not only remember the past triumphs of God's people we should remember and some measure at least the good qualities that once marked their lives. Emphasize and appreciate the fact that there was something about Christ in them. There was something of a character that marked them out as being genuine believers.

Even though perhaps as well there might be failure, there might be a fall. Now the last two things I want you to notice would be please in verse 24. David in that verse is recognizing the blessings that these two men brought to God's people.

He says you daughters of Israel, he says lament over Saul, weep over Saul who clothed you in scarlet and with other delights and put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. They were the ones that received the blessings and the benefits of the reign of Saul and the things that he had done to triumph over the enemies and give them the spoils of war and give them perhaps even a sense of a peaceful time in the midst of that particular period. So that he recognized that these were men that at one time had brought blessing.

They had been instruments that God had used. They had been effective in their establishment of peace and bringing riches to the people of God. And he didn't forget it, he remembered that.

The last thing I want you to notice is in verse 25 and 26. David expressed an undying loyalty to one that was very dear to his heart. Loyalty to our brethren is a very precious thing.

Loyalty to Christ comes first. But loyalty to my brethren, to stand with them, even though there might be things that might come in that they cause a little problem, they might not be what I'd like to see, they might not be what you would like to see in them. Brethren, we need to be loyal to our brethren.

We need to seek to emphasize the things that are, shall we say, to be appreciated about them. We need to be those that would be faithful to them and seek to support them and be a help and a blessing to them as much as possible. I trust that you and I will learn something from David's song.

Let's not wait till our brethren die. Let's not sing a song like this after they're dead or gone home to heaven. Let's seek to sing the same song while they're still alive.

May God help us to do so.