1 Samuel 31 (Listen)

The Death of Saul

31:1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. 4 Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. 6 Thus Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. And the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people. 10 They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. 11 But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men arose and went all night and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. 13 And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh and fasted seven days.

(ESV)

The battle was on. And it didn’t take long for the Philistines to route the men of Israel. “The archers had found” king Saul. Badly wounded, he pleaded with his armor bearer to take his life. But he “feared greatly,” and couldn’t bear the thought of taking the life of his king. On that predestined day, Saul lost his sons, his assistant, all his men and his life.

When the rest of the men of Israel saw that the king had been defeated, they abandoned their homes, leaving all for the Philistines to loot.

The bodies of the king and his sons hung on Philistine temple walls of Ashtaroth. But valiant men of Jabesh-gilead wouldn’t have it. They rescued the beheaded remains, and burned and buried them beneath the tamarisk in Jabesh. For seven days they fasted the loss of their king.

Hebrews 2 (Listen)

Warning Against Neglecting Salvation

2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

The Founder of Salvation

5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,

  “What is man, that you are mindful of him,
    or the son of man, that you care for him?
7   You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
    you have crowned him with glory and honor,¹
8     putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source.² That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,³ 12 saying,

  “I will tell of your name to my brothers;
    in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

13 And again,

  “I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

  “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

(ESV)

If the message delivered long ago by angels came with consequences, much more now the spoken, living Word of God: Jesus our salvation. He became man, flesh and blood, bringing salvation to flesh and blood. For a “little while” made lower than angels, but having made purification for sin through the sacrifice of His life, He is crowned with glory and honor above all! He is the First and the Last, our Maker and Savior. By His suffering the cross for our sin, He set us apart, into His own family and will sing of His victory won over satan and death by His own death. By becoming one of us He made propitiation on our behalf, completely satisfying the Father’s wrath and righteous requirements by His life and death, and is therefore able to empathize and offer much needed mercy in our time of temptation.