Scripture Study
“Then David called one of his men and said, ‘Go, strike him down!’ So he struck him down, and he died.” — 2 Samuel 1:15
Why Did This Man Have to Die?
This thought runs through my head every time I read this story in 2 Samuel 1.
This man’s name is never mentioned; all we know about him is that he is the son of a sojourner, an Amalekite. He claims that he mercifully killed King Saul at Saul’s own request because Saul had fallen on his sword, but the blow didn’t kill him right away and he was not going to survive. On the surface, that seems like a reasonable thing to do and was relatively common in biblical times—it was considered better to die of your own choosing than to die at the hands of the enemy. It would seem this young man did a compassionate act for King Saul.
Yet David, who is about to become king, orders this young man struck down for putting out his hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed.
Reverence Over Ambition
Respecting God’s anointed was a huge deal to David. David himself had two separate opportunities to kill King Saul while being hunted, and both times he refused because Saul was the Lord’s anointed. David’s level of holy fear and respect for God far outweighed any hunger for position or human standing. He cared deeply about what God thought of him, not what others thought.
That was not the case for the young man.
The truth was that the young man didn’t actually kill Saul at all—Saul took his own life (you can read that full account in 1 Samuel 31). The young man lied to David, fabricating the story in hopes of gaining favor, reward, and position with the soon-to-be king. Instead of gaining a position, he lost his life. One lie ended everything because he cared more about worldly advancement than he did about honoring God.
Where Do You Place Your Trust?
David trusted God to place him in authority when the timing was right. The young man trusted in his own schemes.
Where do you place your trust? Do you trust God to position you exactly where He wants you, or do you rely on yourself, shortcuts, and your own self-driven efforts?
“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” — Mark 8:36
Have a great day in Christ,
Matt
