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You arewelcome

StoneCreek

www.rossvillechurch.com

781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741

January 27, 2013

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The Philistines are amassed for war against Israel at Jezreel, and God has already foretold Israel’s loss.

1 Samuel 31

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1 Samuel 31 1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.

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When Saul went to the witch of Endor to inquire of the prophet Samuel -- who was dead --

Samuel told him that the battle would go like this,And that Saul and his sons would die.

Three of his sons died; one lived –Ishbosheth 2 Sam 2:8

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God was, as always, using Samuel to speak His Word, and God is never wrong.

God is always 100% right!His Way is always best.

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3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul unto his armor-bearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncir-cumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me.

Saul was afraid of being tortured and killed by the

Philistines.

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4b But his armor-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

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Saul was concerned with how he would be treated and how his body would be treated by Philistines,But unconcerned for the eternal state of his soul.

He never was concerned with spiritual things.

He was always rebellious and disobedient unto God.

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He killed himself in the act of utter cowardice.

Don’t misunderstand: If a child of God commits suicide, he still dies a child of God.

All our sins are covered by the Blood of Jesus.

But it’s not okay!

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It’s the last desperate act of a cowardly and rebellious man or woman.

It delights the devil!

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Don’t believe the worldly nonsense about suicide allowing a sick person to

Die with dignity.

Suicide is a victory for sin and for Satan.It’s an insult unto God our Father.

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6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armor-bearer, and all his men, that same day together. 7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them. Why did all this happen?

The nation forgot the Lord.

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NIV Deuteronomy 6 10-12 When the LORD your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you -- a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant -- then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, Who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

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Under Saul’s reign the nation was led astray and the Promise of God was reversed.

The Philistines settled in their cities and lived in their houses.

Backsliding always costs the backslider the blessings of God.

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8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the house of their idols, and among the people.

Saul escaped torture by committing suicide, but his body was still mutilated.

His body was used to shame the nation Israel.

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10 And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth (their goddess): and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan (a Philistine city).

So, they defeated the Israelites in battle,occupied their cities,

and humiliated their king.

All because of Saul’s stubborn disobedience to the Lord’s

commands.Don’t be stubborn; it’s a sin.

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11-12 And when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul; 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 Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there. 13 And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

This was a righteous act of valor.

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Saul is dead, but David is not yet King of the nation Israel.

Just as they would later reject the Son of God, the majority at first rejected David.

Saul’s Uncle Abner lead a revolt to establish Saul’s son Ishbosheth as king.But he only lasted two years.

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Like Abner, often loyal people try to undo the judgment of God in this world upon backsliders.

They cannot succeed.But, through repentance, a backslider

can regain God’s blessings.But it requires submissive obedience and patience.

1 John 1 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.