August 6 – 1 Samuel 31:8-13

August 6 – 1 Samuel 31:8-13

 

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.

 

Saul was often found to be folly and foolish.  In the end, his actions gave way to the Philistines taking his body and treating it with extreme demoralization.  Men from Jabesh Gilead heard of this and valiantly sprang into action taking the body of Saul and his sons back to Jabesh for proper treatment. 

 With our death, our bodies may be treated in different respectful ways.  The real question is not how your body is attended to after your death but rather whether in life you have surrendered to God by admitting your sinfulness and believing in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.  What will your testimony be?  Pray now that for assurance that your life is fully committed to the glory of God.