A Sad And Shameful Death

1 Samuel 31:1-13

The Story

The armies of Israel were badly defeated and humiliated.

Their wounded and dead bodies scattered all over the landscape.

King Saul was struck by the arrows of his enemies.

The dead bodies of his three sons were beside him....

King Saul sought the help of his armor-bearer to end his life.

But the man would not help the king.

King Saul finally committed suicide by falling on his own sword........

*******

The dead body of King Saul was then desecrated by the enemies of Israel.

He was beheaded and his head was sent from city to city as a symbol of the Philistine victory.

His body and the bodies of his three sons were taken to Bethshan and nailed to the city walls.

Lessons

King Saul had a sad and shameful death.

It didn't have to be like that if he had obeyed God and did all His biddings.

Forty years earlier he was a handsome young man.

He had been humble, brave and obedient when he was first inaugurated as king.

But little by little, he compromised and became weak and wicked.

When he died, he was only a short distance from Ramah where he had been crowned king before.....

But spiritually he was very very far away from God......

Remember...

Saul had rebelled against God to his sad and shameful death.