2And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” 4And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” 5Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 2 Samuel 1:2-5 (ESV)
1. A Test for a Lie
6And the young man who told him said, “By chance I happened to be on Mount Gilboa, and there was Saul leaning on his spear, and behold, the chariots and the horsemen were close upon him. 7And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I am.’ 8And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’ I answered him, ‘I am an Amalekite.’ 9And he said to me, ‘Stand beside me and kill me, for anguish has seized me, and yet my life still lingers.’ 10So I stood beside him and killed him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.” 2 Samuel 1:6-10 (ESV)
If you ever have a choice between the narrator and an Amalekite, always believe the narrator. Have you ever met an Amalekite you could trust? (Dale Ralph Davis)
10when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. 2 Samuel 4:10 (ESV)
11But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped. Psalm 63:11 (ESV)
2. A Time to Mourn
11Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. 12And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 2 Samuel 1:11-12 (ESV)
a. Our reaction to the failures of others reveals the depth of our relationship with God. b. When we see an enemy or irritator fall, we should strengthen and restore them if it is possible, considering our own weaknesses.
3. A Truth about Sacred Things.
14David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” 15Then David called one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him.” And he struck him down so that he died. 16And David said to him, “Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the LORD’s anointed.’” 2 Samuel 1:14-16 (ESV)
Anointed means someone who was set apart for God’s special use.
Once a person had been anointed by God to be king, he had the divine right to be respected and honored. A sacred relationship between God and the king existed. Thus the king was not to be harmed by any citizen of the nation.
The Amalekite had assumed that no scruples would stop David from seizing the kingship; David assumed that one fear should have stopped the Amalekite from destroying the king. 'Why were you not afraid?' (Leviticus 19:17-18)