What Happened to King Saul?
And the Philistines chased hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew... the sons of Saul. And the battle went very badly against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded by the archers.
Then Saul said to his armourbearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised [Philistines] come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not do it; because he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together. (1Chron 10:2-6)
Having read the details of Sauls death, is it a contradiction to say that God killed him?
It cannot be a contradiction, because the last two verses of the chapter says,
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he did not keep, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit [i.e. the witch of endor], to inquire of it;
And he inquired not of the Lord: therefore He slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. (1Chron 10:13-14)
In this instance we have the actual circumstances relating to Sauls death. In the end it was a suicide. And yet it is nonetheless true that the Lord slew him.
So did God arrange certain events, in the same sense that David arranged certain events to kill Uriah (the husband of Bathsheba)?
To David, the word of God had been, you have slain [Uriah] with the sword of the children of Ammon. (2Sam 12:9) But did God slay Saul, effectively using the Philistine archers? And then, going on to overwhelm him with despair, did He finally drive him to suicide, so that He might pass the kingdom on to David? Some have reasoned this way, but this is far from right.
The truths relating to Sauls death can be reconciled, and reconciled to the honor of Gods name. It is a broad study, yet I offer a brief outline of the principle that I believe operated, and continues to operate to this day.
In the days of Jeremiah, the Jews had effectively put God out of His Temple. The word of the Lord was, I have forsaken Mine house, I have left My heritage; I have given the love of My soul into the hand of her enemy. (Jer 12:7 margin)
The Lord was effectively shut out. He continued knocking at the door, gave warnings and pointed them to the path of safety, but day by day they were placing themselves further from His protection.
When God gives a beloved soul into the hands of an enemy, it is because that soul chooses to cut all lines of communication with God. Finally He must give [or release] him into the hands of the foe. So it was, I believe, with Saul.
_____________________
"He never lets go the hand of anyone, unless it is withdrawn." (7MR 160)
"God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself." (COL p.84)
And again,
"God destroys no man; but after a time the wicked are given up to the destruction they have wrought for themselves." (Youths Instructor, November 30, 1893)
And the Philistines chased hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew... the sons of Saul. And the battle went very badly against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded by the archers.
Then Saul said to his armourbearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised [Philistines] come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not do it; because he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.
So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together. (1Chron 10:2-6)
Having read the details of Sauls death, is it a contradiction to say that God killed him?
It cannot be a contradiction, because the last two verses of the chapter says,
So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he did not keep, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit [i.e. the witch of endor], to inquire of it;
And he inquired not of the Lord: therefore He slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. (1Chron 10:13-14)
In this instance we have the actual circumstances relating to Sauls death. In the end it was a suicide. And yet it is nonetheless true that the Lord slew him.
So did God arrange certain events, in the same sense that David arranged certain events to kill Uriah (the husband of Bathsheba)?
To David, the word of God had been, you have slain [Uriah] with the sword of the children of Ammon. (2Sam 12:9) But did God slay Saul, effectively using the Philistine archers? And then, going on to overwhelm him with despair, did He finally drive him to suicide, so that He might pass the kingdom on to David? Some have reasoned this way, but this is far from right.
The truths relating to Sauls death can be reconciled, and reconciled to the honor of Gods name. It is a broad study, yet I offer a brief outline of the principle that I believe operated, and continues to operate to this day.
In the days of Jeremiah, the Jews had effectively put God out of His Temple. The word of the Lord was, I have forsaken Mine house, I have left My heritage; I have given the love of My soul into the hand of her enemy. (Jer 12:7 margin)
The Lord was effectively shut out. He continued knocking at the door, gave warnings and pointed them to the path of safety, but day by day they were placing themselves further from His protection.
When God gives a beloved soul into the hands of an enemy, it is because that soul chooses to cut all lines of communication with God. Finally He must give [or release] him into the hands of the foe. So it was, I believe, with Saul.
_____________________
"He never lets go the hand of anyone, unless it is withdrawn." (7MR 160)
"God destroys no man. Everyone who is destroyed will have destroyed himself." (COL p.84)
And again,
"God destroys no man; but after a time the wicked are given up to the destruction they have wrought for themselves." (Youths Instructor, November 30, 1893)
