Your Eulogy: Daily Thoughts from 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 14:47-52)

In Mark Twain’s novel, Tom Sawyer, Tom realizes at one point that everyone thinks he is dead so he stays hidden and attends his own funeral. We’ve all probably wondered what people would say about us at our funeral. We can’t worry about that or control that, but we can live lives that honor the Lord and love people like Jesus loves them, and that may be the most determinative of our funeral eulogy.

Here is a eulogy of Saul, not for the purpose of giving Saul a look at how people will react to his death, but to set the stage for what is transpiring next in regard to David, the one who will eventually take Saul’s place as king.

When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines. Wherever he turned he routed them. And he did valiantly and struck the Amalekites and delivered Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchi-shua. And the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger Michal. And the name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam the daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner the son of Ner, Saul’s uncle. Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul. And when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he attached him to himself. (1 Samuel 14:47-52, ESV)

This is a summary statement about Saul and his career as king and as such it necessarily leaves out a great deal of detail, some of which has been filled in before this and some of which will be filled in after this. It also sets up an understanding of the main players in the drama which is Saul’s life and how that impinges on the life of David, Saul’s successor. How would God summarize your life or mine?

Even though we know that Saul’s effectiveness was limited by his lack of faith, his propensity to rashness and disobedience, and, as we will see, a jealousy of those who excelled him in faith and obedience, God saw the big picture with some positive outcomes. Saul was used by God to hold Israel’s enemies at bay, preventing the wholesale plundering that had taken place in the recent past. We might say God used him despite himself.  What is the big picture concerning you?

Saul’s family includes his sons, one of whom, Jonathan, he will anticipate becoming king after him, one, Ishvi (perhaps another name for Ishbosheth) who will be made king after Saul’s and Jonathan’s death, his daughters, one of whom David marries, Michal, and his uncle, Abner, who becomes Saul’s commander of the army and who will later play a role in David’s becoming king. The reversal of fortune for Saul and David is being alluded to, David taking Saul’s place because of Saul’s pride and David’s humility. Can you see a similar reversal in your life or in the other characters in your life?  Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, whoever humbles himself will be exalted.  It is not by strength that one prevails.