And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days (1 Samuel 31:13).
The reign of Israel’s first king, Saul, was nothing less than a disaster. As David will say in the next chapter, ‘how are the mighty fallen!’ for all that was left of it was ‘bones’. Surely this should caution us of the folly of putting man on a pedestal, of thinking too highly of any man, be it a Saul, a David, an Augustine or a Calvin; the best of men are men at best. Only one man’s bones would overcome the inevitable disaster of death; only one man would die on a tree but rise up again, picking up His bones and rising back to glory, his death cancelling our debt, His life rendering us righteous. And no, it wasn’t any of those aforementioned, but the Son of Man. His bones arose, and so ours, too. He ascended up into heaven, and so (unworthy as we are) will we.
It is noteworthy that gracious, godly David saw the best in Saul and Jonathan. While the Scriptures indicate no reason for hope in the life of Saul, David graciously chose to see Saul as a wayward man, a backsliding believer. The truth is, no one really knows what happens to a soul in those last minutes preceding death, and even at the point of crossing over from death into the presence of God. When it comes to Jonathan, however, David expresses no doubt, referring to him as ‘my brother Jonathan’. Where there have been clear signs of spiritual life and a common bond in Christ, there is much warmth and feeling between brethren; blood may be thicker than water, yes, but spirit is so much thicker than even blood.
The inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead paid great respect to King Saul, grateful for what he had done for them in times past. They showed more love and honour to a king of quesionable character than we 21st century citizens show to our forebears, and sorry to say, our Lord and Saviour. Where Saul’s bones were buried at Jabesh, which in Hebrew means ‘to be or become dry’, we live with an inexhaustible well of living water at our disposal, in an era AD which is even numbered after the Saviour’s birth. Where they ‘fasted’ to the utmost of their strength, numbering out ‘seven’ days, God’s number and the number of completion, we won’t even honour Him one day in seven, in our drive to turn the world into a 24-7 marketplace of materialistic excess. While we feel ourselves to have become advanced and progressive, in actual fact we are spiritually backward, foolish, without excuse, sinning aginst the blazing light of Resurrection glory.
Oh reader, turn with sorrow and faith to the risen Redeemer. Cast yourself upon the Word of Creation, the true and only worthy King of kings – Jesus Christ. He alone is worthy. He alone can deal with your guilt. He alone is the One who reigns now, and who will reign when this present heaven and earth have passed away. At that time, those who dwell in the power of His endless life will have their memories purged of even the memory of past wickedness and guilt, in a perfect, permanent heaven and earth. Meanwhile, those who honour Him not will go on to a place where the memory of their guilt and shame will haunt them unceasingly. Come to Christ today.
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