Read: 1 Chronicles 10:1-14; Mark 13:5
So Saul died for his breach of faith. (1 Chron. 10:13)
Early in my time in parish ministry, I was part of a preacher exchange. I was assigned to preach in a primarily African American congregation in Detroit. I wasn’t used to hearing any response from the congregation, and I loved hearing the congregation encouraging me during the sermon: “Preach it, brother!”
The Chronicler’s congregation, four hundred years before the birth of Christ, was well-aware of the much longer accounts of the kingships of Saul and David in 1 and 2 Samuel. The decline of Saul and the rise of David in 1 Samuel is expounded for more than twenty chapters. Here the Chronicler encapsules the fall of King Saul to one key event at Mount Gilboa in the catastrophic battle with the Philistines. The Chronicler simply says, “Saul died for his breach of faith” (v. 13). When I read that, I want to respond, “Preach it!” With that simple line, the biblical author is preaching a serious moral lesson!
The earthly kingdoms of Saul and David had long since disappeared at the time of the writing of Chronicles. They’re an even more distant memory for us. But the Chronicler is preaching a biblical principle still at work today: when we’re unfaithful to the Lord, it can bring serious negative consequences in our lives. Similarly, Jesus preached to any number of people in the Gospels, “Watch out!” (Mark 13:5 NIV). Saul is one of the saddest examples of what happens to a great man because of self-orientation rather than God-orientation.
As you pray, ask God to remind you of examples of self-destruction so you can remain faithful as a disciple of Jesus.
About the Author
Kent Fry is a retired pastor and visiting research fellow at the Van Raalte Institute in Holland Michigan.
