Last week we saw how David
continued to trust in God even though he was at a very low point in
his life. He continued to look up to God for his provision and
strength and indeed God provided it to him. He even enriched him in
the process even though it had been a terrible low point in David's
life. God was mightily with him.
Now on the third day when David was
back from the fight with the Amalekites (that we saw last week), a
man came from Saul's camp and told David that Saul and Jonathan was
dead. He lied to him and bragged to David that he had killed Saul
himself. He said:
"…I stood over him and killed
him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had
fallen." 2 Samuel 1:10
This man was an Amalekite and
mistakenly assumed that David would rejoice over the death of his
arch enemy, the one who kept him from going home to Israel. But
David wasn't pleased, in fact, he was sad.
"Therefore David took hold of
his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with
him. And they mourned and fasted until evening for Saul and for
Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and for the house of
Israel, because they had fallen by the sword." 2 Samuel 1:11,
12
David didn't rejoice that Saul was
dead. In fact he mourned for him. I think the Amalekite was
probably very surprised at his reaction. He most probably expected
praise and honor for himself. But instead David had him killed for
saying that he had killed Saul. David didn't know that he was
lying. It was all a very sad state of affairs.
What is beautiful for me to note is
that David didn't rejoice in the downfall of the man that had
hunted him down, tried to kill him and banished him from his own
home. He didn't relish in the fact that Saul was brutally murdered.
No, he wept for him and he even wrote a song for him and Jonathan
(2 Samuel 1:19-27). He was truly saddened by the state of
affairs.
He would have had every right to be
relieved that he didn't need to hide away anymore. He could have
rejoiced and be glad. And yet, he showed the heart of God. God
didn't rejoice in the death of Saul either. The Bible tells us that
God doesn't rejoice in the death of any man:
"Do you think that I like to
see wicked people die?" says the Sovereign Lord. "Of course not! I
want them to turn from their wicked ways and live." Ezekiel
18:23
God wanted things to be different.
He chose Saul to be king, but Saul rejected Him and followed his
own path. God wanted him to turn from his wicked ways, but Saul
never did.
Today we might also have enemies.
We might have people who are nasty to us, or who try and discredit
us, or who hates it if they see us prosper. We might have people in
our lives who gossip about us and who hinder our progress at every
chance that they get. But we shouldn't let it get to us. If God is
for us, who can be against us? And then when it happens that
something bad happens to these people don't rejoice. Don't gloat
about it, don't tell all your friends and never ever rub it in the
faces of those who were nasty to you. God doesn't approve of this.
Rather we should reach out to them if we can, or we should pray for
them. We should walk the road with God and only keep our eyes on
Him. Revenge is not up to us, and gloating in others' misfortune is
not a Godly attitude either. Learn from David. Do not rejoice when
your enemy comes to a fall, rather act in a dignified manner,
worthy of God's child that you are.
Father, we all have people that do
not like us. We ask You today to bless them, to care for them and
to change their hearts towards us please Lord. We ask that You mend
our relationship, that hatred cease and only love remains. We pray
that in Jesus' mighty Name. Amen