The frightening fact about proud people is that, not only will their life be miserable but their death and eternity will be most miserable.
Look at Saul, the first king of Israel. Normally, people who sin against God ask pardon at least when they realize their sin. But look at what Saul says when his sin was pointed out - “I have sinned yet honour me now” (I Sam 15:30). How sad that, instead of seeking for forgiveness, Saul was seeking honour when he knew that he had sinned against God. When a man seeks honour, it is a sure sign of the presence of hidden (unwashed) sins in his life.
When Saul was “sore wounded of the archers” he knew he was dying, and yet, instead of using the few seconds or minutes left to repent and prepare for his eternity, he was still seeking dignity and honour ! “Then said Saul to his armourbearer, draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. . .” (I Sam 31:4). Obviously, he did not want anybody to say after his death that he was killed by an uncircumcised person. Whether it was a circumcised or uncircumcised man who killed him, he was going to hell; but that appeared to be his least concern!
The armourbearer refused to kill him. Saul therefore took a sword and fell on it. But his suicidal attempt failed. He realized that even death was hating him. Then Saul saw an Amalekite, and requested him to kill him. The Amalekite stood upon him and cut off his head. In what a pathetic backslidden state he ended his life!
Saul’s end is a warning to every one of us. It proves how pride can make our life and death and eternity most miserable. Saul did not want an uncircumcised Philistine to kill him, but what a disgrace it was that he himself had to ask an Amalekite – the Amalekites were worse and more abominable than the Philistines – to kill him. The honour of this world is like a shadow – the more we follow it the more it flees from us.
– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion
Look at Saul, the first king of Israel. Normally, people who sin against God ask pardon at least when they realize their sin. But look at what Saul says when his sin was pointed out - “I have sinned yet honour me now” (I Sam 15:30). How sad that, instead of seeking for forgiveness, Saul was seeking honour when he knew that he had sinned against God. When a man seeks honour, it is a sure sign of the presence of hidden (unwashed) sins in his life.
When Saul was “sore wounded of the archers” he knew he was dying, and yet, instead of using the few seconds or minutes left to repent and prepare for his eternity, he was still seeking dignity and honour ! “Then said Saul to his armourbearer, draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. . .” (I Sam 31:4). Obviously, he did not want anybody to say after his death that he was killed by an uncircumcised person. Whether it was a circumcised or uncircumcised man who killed him, he was going to hell; but that appeared to be his least concern!
The armourbearer refused to kill him. Saul therefore took a sword and fell on it. But his suicidal attempt failed. He realized that even death was hating him. Then Saul saw an Amalekite, and requested him to kill him. The Amalekite stood upon him and cut off his head. In what a pathetic backslidden state he ended his life!
Saul’s end is a warning to every one of us. It proves how pride can make our life and death and eternity most miserable. Saul did not want an uncircumcised Philistine to kill him, but what a disgrace it was that he himself had to ask an Amalekite – the Amalekites were worse and more abominable than the Philistines – to kill him. The honour of this world is like a shadow – the more we follow it the more it flees from us.
– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion
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