While 1 Sam 9 describes how Saul was chosen to be the first king of Israel upon the people’s request for monarchic reign, this chapter in 1 Chr 10 describes the end of his reign through his tragic death. In his battle against the Philistines on Mt Gilboa, he and his three sons died at their hands. He was wounded by archers and in not wanting to be captured and further tortured by his enemies, he asked his armor-bearer to kill him. But he refused and as result, Saul took his own life. At the end, the Philistines took his head fastened it in the temple of Dagon.

The victory of the Philistines demonstrated here in the temple of their pagan god, Dagon is a great humiliation to the Israelites. In 1 Sam 5:1-4 in an earlier battle that the Philistines won also against the Israelites, they captured the ark of the covenant and placed it inside the same temple of Dagon. But on the next day, the statute Dagon was found flat on the floor and his head cut off from the body. Now here in 1 Chr 10, it was the head of Saul, the king of Israel that was fastened in the temple. What a contrast!

However, one positive thing that Saul did after he was anointed as king, came from his first battle in 1 Sam 11. He came to the rescue of the Jabesh-gileadites when they were about to be attacked by the Ammonites. Instead, Saul fought against the Ammonites on their behalf and delivered them from this enemy. Here in 1 Chr 10:11-12, the people of Jabesh-gilead returned their gratitude to Saul by taking the bodies of Saul and his sons. They gave these bodies a proper burial and fasted.

The concluding verses in v13-14 tells us clearly the reason for the downfall of Saul’s reign and his death. The phrases, “breach of faith,” “broke faith with the Lord,” “did not keep the command of the Lord” are different expressions indicating that Saul has drawn away from God. Some of us may recall from 1 Sam 9 onwards how God had handpicked him to reign over Israel. Like the other nations around them, the leaders wanted a king for themselves. In his early reign, he experienced some victory like that of the battle to deliver the Jabesh-gileadites against the Ammonites. But the rest of his reign were characterised by deceit, compromise and rebellion against God. In 1 Sam 13, he took things into his hands and offered burnt offering to God instead of following what Samuel the priest said to wait for him. As a result, God rejected him in 1 Sam 15. Then, soon after knowing that God would anoint David as his successor, he felt insecure and attempted to kill David in many ways.

David has his own shortfalls like Saul; but the heart of Saul unlike David, is not sensitive to God and His ways. Dear brothers and sisters, let us take heed to the warning from Saul. At the end of our walk with him, would we want to be remembered as a person who embraces our faith to the end and who keep the command of God?

Prayer : Dear God, the rise and downfall of king Saul is a clear warning for us to hold on to your ways and not to compromise ourselves in any way. By the grace of Jesus, we pray and ask you to help us in His name. Amen.