Don't Give Up on God

 Do Not Give Up Doing Good

 Book of Galatians Chapter 6 Verse 1 through 10

 We should understand that there is a right way and a wrong way to help our brothers and sisters in Christ or in fact anyone else.

 We must stress this point at all times!

 We are all still sinners at least as long as we are in these bodies of flesh as Paul has pointed out.

 We all suffer the same passions and at times someone of us is always overtaken by sin.

 How we approach a fallen brother or sister is of great importance!

 It is sometimes a very delicate matter!

 That one who has fallen may be sensitive or even embarrassed and easily shamed for giving into their flesh.

 It is these things that may not allow this brother or sister to return to the Church.

 He or she may even feel like he or she is unwelcome, and we must never allow this to be our intensions.

 Unless this person is approved in the right spirit they may never return to the Church.

 We must understand that a ministry of restoration, is a ministry of God and should be a ministry of the Church!

 This is a ministry that God has called us all to take part in, for any of us could fall at any moment.

 *****Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 

 A wise man said: "A word of Love is more potent than any argument".

 That word "brethren" reminds us that Paul is speaking to saved people.

 If we see one of our brothers or sisters in violation of the Law of God, he or she is not immediately our enemy!

 They are still our brother or sister in Christ.

 We all know how hard it is to fight with this flesh and win every battle.

 None of us will win every battle with our flesh!

 There may have been some in the Churches of Galatia that had fallen from the "Grace" of God, none of us live perfect lives.

 That word "overtaken" gives us the idea that someone had fallen back into sin.

 It was not deliberate, it was not planned, it was a mistake they had made.

 Paul was not speaking of faults in doctrine, but a mistake through weakness of the flesh.

 Jesus said to His disciples: Mat_26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

 Sin is like an addiction, and it is hard to break free from any addiction!

 We may not know the problems of our brothers and sisters, unless we show them love where they may trust us enough to speak with us.

 Why did the Lord Jesus come to this earth?

 Jesus came to restore God's children back to a relationship with our Creator that had been lost by Adam.

 Why would we ever refuse to attempt to restore one of our brothers and sisters in Christ, yet many in the Church would say good riddance.

 This is not what the Lord Jesus Christ taught when He walked upon this earth.

 We all brag about the Scriptures of the Apostle Paul has taught us and he taught a restoration ministry.

 The job of restoration is often neglected in the Church.

 We tend to pretend that the sin never happened or we tend to react too harshly towards that person.

 Those who are Spiritual are those who show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives and in the Church.

 Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. 

 It is those who show that Spirit of Gentleness that the Lord Jesus showed to all He met who have the best chance of reaching that backslider.

 Then Paul says we need to understand there is a possibility that we could be drawn into that same trap of backsliding, and we need to be prepared.

 One such thing would be that we could be so full of pride that we can manage every situation that we ourselves fall, but it includes the same temptation our brother or sister has fallen into.

 The Bible says: 2Pe 3:17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 

 *****Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

 Remember the law of Jesus Christ is love!

 Joh 13:34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 

Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

 It is love that caused our Lord Jesus to hang on that cross and die for each of us!

 Jesus Christ bore the sins of everyone who has ever lived!

 Now we cannot bear the sins of anyone, but we can bear the burdens of our brothers and sisters!

 We can first forgive each other! We must understand that sin that made this person fall from Grace was a sin that Christ died for.

 Again, what did the Lord Jesus teach us?

 1Jn 1:6  If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 

1Jn 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 

1Jn 1:8  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

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

1Jn 1:10  If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

 *****Gal 6:3  For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 

 We should understand to be Christian is to be like Jesus Christ. There is no other reason to be called a Christian or to say you are a Christian except you are trying your best to be like Jesus Christ.

 It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to bear one another's burdens!

 It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to be forgiving!

 It is Jesus Christ Himself who told us to love one another!

 To neglect to do these things is to set ourselves above Christ our Savior.

 God came down to earth in the flesh to humble Himself and die for our sins, so how can we say we will not humble ourselves to help a brother or sister in need.

 No Christian is better than any other Christian.

 None of us can stand before God unless we are wearing the "Righteousness of Jesus Christ"!

 There is no place in the Church for feeling superior or spiritually better than others.

 Mat 23:12  And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. 

 We need to do a self-examination to see for ourselves if we possess the right qualities to help a brother or sister in their time of need or we could make things worse.

 *****Gal 6:4  But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 

 We need to do a self-examination of our own selves comparing ourselves to Jesus Christ and not to some other member of the Church.

 We need to understand our own conduct and our own understanding.

 We are to examine and judge our own lives, not the life of that fallen brother or sister.

 Again, Jesus says: Mat 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? 

Mat 7:4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 

Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

 If we are to deal with a backslider, we need to make sure we are not hypocrites!

 Criticizing and judging others is a sin!

 We cannot help anyone unless we have a pure conscience ourselves.

 It is a great joy knowing that we are pleasing God by the way we walk in this life.

 2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 

 *****Gal 6:5  For every man shall bear his own burden.

 None of us can escape from our own moral responsibility!

 We are personally responsible to the Lord for our own behavior and we shall be judged for what we have done.

 We know when we meet the Lord in the air it is a judgment for rewards, and it will be to our own shame if we do not receive any rewards for the things we have done in this life.

 If we do not periodically examine ourselves, we can never overcome any faults that we have!

 If we spend our time observing the failures of others and not the burdens of our own failures, we will never be able to help anyone in their time of need.

 Rom 14:12  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

 2Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 

 We must understand that every child of God is a student who sits at the feet of the Master learning how to be like Him.

 *****Gal 6:6  Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 

 We can go up and down the hallways of our education building and we will find good teachers, but I do not claim to be one of them.

 I know if I listen to the Holy Spirit, I can try to get His message across in this classroom and this is what I try to do.

 Between myself and my class we should aways be able to discuss the things that I teach.

 Here in this Scripture, we see the Holy Spirit speaking directly to the learner who is also a believer.

 This passage speaks more to the Pastor than it does to the classroom teacher.

 These same things apply to both.

 If you want to be good to the teacher:

 1) Be present when the teacher teaches.

2) Be attentive and learn what the teacher teaches.

3) Share in discussion of what the teacher teaches.

4) Pass on what the teacher teaches.

5) Participate in the ministry of that teacher.

6) Support the teacher.

7) Encourage others to learn.

 Again, this passage is referring to the Pastor of the Church who must also be a good teacher.

 Thank goodness for our own Pastor here at Gethsemane.

 Teaching is a vital part of the New Testament Church.

 Members of the early Church devoted themselves to the teaching of the Aposltes.

 Act 2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

 The Apostles taught the doctrine of our resurrected Christ.

 Act 4:2  Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 

 They taught as they had opportunity.

 Act 5:21  And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 

 Act 5:25  Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. 

 Notice being locked up in prison did not stop the Apostles.

 At that time the city of Jerusalem was saturated with the teaching of Jesus Christ and His atonement.

 Act 5:27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 

Act 5:28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 

Act 5:29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 

Act 5:30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 

Act 5:31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

 The heart of the message of the Apostles was that our Lord Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

 Act 17:2  And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 

Act 17:3  Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. 

 It is teaching the truth of Jesus Christ that will bring the Church to maturity.

 Act 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 

 The goal of the Gospel is to make us all look more like Jesus Christ.

 Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 

 This teaching is to be taught until the Lord returns.

 2Ti 2:2  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 

 We are not to forget the Scripture but continuously teach the Gospel.

 Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 

 This the purpose of our classrooms to teach Jesus!

 God knows the truth of every Pastor and every teacher.

 In fact, God knows the truth of us all!

 *****Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

 In the secular world few people are as important as the teacher.

 Its the same for the Church.

 We should understand that every Pastor should also be a good teacher but few teachers will ever be Pastors.

 Teachers in the Church are also very important, especially those who teach the children.

 The truth of the Gospel is the most important message in this world!

 The Pastor has responsibilities because he is called of God.

The Teacher has responsibilities because he or she is to follow the pastor's lead in teaching the truth of the Scriptures.

The student also has responsibilities to the teacher and to the Church.

 In the Bible believing church the true Pastor, is one who accepts the truth of the Gospel and the Apostle's Doctrine which is the Doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 The teachers in that church are to follow his lead and teach the truth of the Scriptures.

 The student then honors the teacher and the Pastor when they share the ministry of the teacher.

 In the churches of Galatia many of the members were being deceived about facing the judgment of God.

 They were being led astray by teachers with a false message.

 They were failing to share in the ministry of the Apostle Paul and shared the false message of Judaism.

 Judaism is a religion; Christianity is based upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ they cannot be intermingled.

 These false teachers were turning their nose up at God who had told them of this New Covenant, but they were rejecting it.

 These teachers were rejecting the teaching of the Apostle Paul, so they were not teachers at all.

 They were church terrorists plotting the downfall of the Church of Jesus Christ.

 When we attack the true Pastor, we are mocking God who called that Pastor into service.

 The lesson these men learned at their death is that God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap.

 God is very clear those that reject the message of God will be rejected by God.

 When our Pastor preaches the truth of the Scriptures, and that message is rejected by those who hear it then they will stand before God and answer for that rejection.

 If we do not listen to the warnings of the lust of the flesh, then we will reap the lusts of the flesh.

 Those who reject the message of the true Pastor will worship as they desire.

 They will seek some form of the truth somewhere else.

 They will refuse to pray.

 They will live as they please.

 They will strive against the true Church.

 They will reject all the Law of God.

 They will seek the things of this world.

 When we allow our flesh to lead us rather than the Holy Spirit we will see the wrath of God.

 The flesh ages, dies, and then it decays.

 If we sow to the flesh then we will age, then die, then face the judgment of God which he spells out so vividly in the Scriptures.

 It does not matter what the world says, it only matters what God says!

 True teachers teach the Word of God just it is written, and these lessons must be learned by us all.

 God will not be mocked and there is no escape from His truths!

 Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 

 Job 4:8  Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. 

 If we sow to the Holy Spirit who lives in every believer, we shall reap life everlasting!

If we listen to God's saving message, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will implant the Divine nature of God within the heart of each believer.

 This is how we know and accept the fruit of the Spirit.

 This is how we will live forever with God in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

 Joh 3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. 

We know it has been close to two thousand years since the beginning of the Church Age, and we must be patient until the Church Age reaches its fulfillment.

Jas 5:7  Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 

Jas 5:8  Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 

It may seem like an endless task sowing faith and hope, but we must not lose heart!

God is going to reward all those who have such patience!

There is just too much truth in the Scriptures for it all to end in nothingness.

The timing of all these things in is God's hands but the season of sowing is in our hands.

*****Gal 6:10  As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. 

God has given us this opportunity to earn rewards.

We should not be waiting for opportunities to develop but making them happen.

We should not be waiting on an opportunity to do good, and we should show kindness to all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Someone in the Church always has a need!

We must stay alert and not be weary if we want to receive a full reward.

We are responsible for our own family first.

We are responsible to our Church family next.

We are responsible for the lost next.

Heb 13:16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 

Amen

God Will Judge All Transgressions

Judgment for Saul's Transgressions

Book of 1 Samuel Chapter 31, Book of 2 Samuel Chapter 1, Book of 1 Chronicles Chapter 10

In the end we see that King Saul's life was a tragedy and his death as the closing scene of the life of a man who refused to be obedient to the Lord.

In this study of the First Book of Samuel we can see that there is nothing more certain in this life than the Word of God!

Whatever God has said is the truth and will take place!

Heaven and Earth will certainly pass away, but the Word of God will never pass away.

So it is with the "judgment of God"!

When God says judgment is coming, then judgment is certainly coming!

Because God is a holy God, He must judge all that is unholy, or He would no longer be holy Himself!

Judgment is a necessary expression of God's character; however God's judgment is always fair!

Rom 2:2  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 

Some of that judgment will come during this Church Age as there has been some of God's judgment in every age.

Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

However this is not the final judgment begins with the return of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is Our Lord Jesus who will render God's judgment, when He returns!

Joh 5:26  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 

Joh 5:27  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Mat 16:27  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 

Mat 16:28  Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. 

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. 

So let us look at the judgment of God against Saul.

*****1Sa 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. 

1Sa 31:2  And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons. 

We should remember that Jonathan was David's best friend and Jonathan would have helped David to be the next king if he could have.

Much of Israel would have insisted that Jonathan or one of his brothers be the next king and there would have been division in the people of Israel.

We see the evidence of what happens, as today America is more divided than we have ever been because of sinful politics and wicked politicians and corruption.

Yes, the swamp does actually exist

The very people who are saying that conservative thinking people will destroy democracy are the ones who are using every effort to destroy democracy and make America a one-party system and remain in power for ever.

How could anyone believe that as individuals we have the freedom to kill innocent children in the womb.

We should never have the freedom to murder any innocent human being!

We should also be very clear that there is nothing more certain than the Word of God and God loves all of His children!

Saul's troops stood no chance against the massive army of the Philistines, but this would have been irrelevant had Saul been obedient to the Lord God Jehovah.

As Saul watched from safety, he saw his army being slaughtered by the Philistines.

Then he witnessed the slaughter of his own sons, there were three that died this day.

David and his men had been sent back to Ziklag and they were not present to witness these things, as David would have surely tried to help his dear friend Johnathan.

When God pronounces judgment, that judgment will certainly take place!

God will not allow His children to witness His judgment!

The Church will be saved from the coming wrath of God!

The Lord had warned Saul of his disobedience and his wicked life.

In fact, God has warned us all of His judgment against disobedience!

All those who oppose God and reject the Word of God, will also see a similar judgment as did Saul.

We can also see that our actions can cause harm to our own children, even if some of our children trust in God as did Jonathan.

Part of the judgment on King Saul was the fact that he had to witness the death of his sons before he met his own death.

God will take away many of the righteous before the evil that is to come, as I believe He is doing now with so many good Christians going on home to be with the Lord.

This means that those who are the strongest will witness more of the evilness that will come before the Rapture of the Church.

Isa 57:1  The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 

King Saul knew his own end was very near, and he chose to take his own life rather than allow the Philistines to abuse him before his death.

This thing also teaches us just how wicked the Philistines were as are many of the Palestinians today.

It is hatred that drives them today, just as it did in the early days of Israel.

*****1Sa 31:3  And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 

1Sa 31:4  Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 

1Sa 31:5  And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 

1Sa 31:6  So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

As the Philistines turned their attention to King Saul, he was struck with an arrow which may have been enough to cause his death, but not a quick death.

Saul became afraid that he would still be alive when the Philistines caught up with him.

This also shows us that there is no amount of armor that will protect us from the judgment of God.

Saul's life had been a tragedy since he had forsaken the Lord and his death came just as Samuel had told him.

Saul's last enemy was the enemy that we should all fear the most, our own wicked selves.

Saul was his own worst enemy and it led to his suicide!

There is no punishment for suicide and it is said by many to be a coward's way out of this world.

Today suicide is considered to be a symptom of some form of insanity, but this is not very true.

It is more a sign of hopelessness!

This places a lot of blame on our government and its policies and a lack of truth and it's corruption.

Suicide comes to those who have lost all hope or are in desperation.

Suicide is actually the murder of your own self!

I am not sure that it is insanity at all, but is more of a picture of those who have no hope in the things of this world.

Suicides are one of the leading causes of death in the America we love.

In 2021, 48,183 Americans died by suicide.

Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.

Every day, approximately 132 Americans die by suicide.

There is one suicide death in the US every 10.9 minutes.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-old Americans.

The highest suicide rates (per 100,000) in the US are among white males (26.4), followed by American Indian/Alaska Native males (25), and Black males (14.1).

**There is one suicide death for every estimated twenty-five suicide attempts.

There are approximately 1,204,575 annual attempts in the U.S. (using 25:1 ratio) or one attempt every 26.2 seconds.

This event brought a sad ending to the first King of Israel.

We should not have pity on King Saul because these things were his own doing and because he was disobedient to Jehovah.

The judgment of God will come on all those who are disobedient to the Word of God and this is what God says not me.

This was the sad end to Saul's Kingdom.

Saul had not reigned very long before he began to separate himself from the people he was supposed to care for.

This is what the government is most guilty of, they separate themselves from the people they were elected to care for!

Government begins to tell us they know more about how to take care of us than we do ourselves, especially our children.

It is a fact that every unruly government has tried this tactic throughout the ages. 

They start by brainwashing the children and just allowing the old folks to die off.

Saul was soon separated from Samuel who was God's representative.

He was soon separated from David who tried his best to help Saul and to do only God's will.

Saul executed God's priests.

We see that Church persecution is always higher when governments go against the Word of God!

We should ask, what are they afraid of? They are afraid of things they say they do not believe in!

Saul asked in vain for God's help, but that help did not come because he would not repent.

Without repentance there is no forgiveness!

The homosexual world should understand this!

The transsexual world should understand this.

All sinners should understand this and we are all sinners!

Saul called in vain for Samuel's help through witchcraft when it was impossible to talk to Samuel.

Saul died an early death because he had forsaken the Lord!

It appeared that Saul had taken the sword of his armor bearer or some sword other than his own and used it to kill himself, so it would not look like a suicide.

He was still trying to protect his legacy.

The armor bearer then thought if he escaped his own death, he would be accused of killing King Saul and therefore took his own life.

This is the "circle of deception" when we try to live in this manner!

Saul and most of his house died together because Saul was what the Bible calls a reprobate.

We are ruled in America today by a bunch of reprobates!

Saul was rejected because of his worthlessness to the plan of God.

The Lord expects us to take a look at ourselves to see if we are reprobates!

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 

Saul was a man in a hurry to cause his own doom!

This is the trait of most all those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

They are all in a hurry to get to Hell when the Lord Jesus provides a perfect path to avoid Hell!

God has given these over to believe a lie and God will not force anyone to obey Him.

To forsake God is to be lost! God will forsake all those who forsake Him!

God offered Saul room to repent, but Saul had rejected all the Word of God and refused to repent.

Once we are rejected of God, there is no more opportunity to obtain salvation!

*****2Sa 1:23  Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 

2Sa 1:24  Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 

2Sa 1:25  How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 

2Sa 1:26  I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 

2Sa 1:27  How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! 

David had just returned to Ziklag with all his family and all that was stolen by the Amalekites.

On his third day back to the place he was living, another Amalekite showed up with news of the battle between the Philistines and Israel.

Saul and Jonathan and much of Israel were now dead.

This man said he was from the camp of King Saul which was the first clue that the things he said were not true.

After Samuel had pointed out the sins of Saul in his battle with the Amalekites, it would be hard to believe that Saul had an Amalekite in his camp unless he was a prisoner and the Lord had said to not make them prisoners but to execute them for their atrocities against other humans.

David knew these things so he had asked how he knew Saul and Jonathan were dead.

He said that Saul had attempted to kill himself with a spear and faced a long slow death and King Saul had asked this Amalekite to finish the job for him and he did, and brought some of Saul's personal items and gave them to David.

We already know that Saul had fallen on the sword of his armor barer or some other sword and had succeeded in his death.

His armor barer seeing the death of his king then took his own life.

David then killed this Amalekite knowing his version of the story was filled with lies or he would have tried to save King Saul.

David and his men grieved over the news from the battlefield.

David the musician authored a poem (the word "elegy" means poem) for Saul and Jonathan which is part of our lesson today.

God expects us to have a personal relationship with Him and He also expects us to be friendly with those we love and those who are our enemies.

There are some people we get especially close to and are influenced by them.

This love and respect are different from the love of a spouse and a spouse should always have our heart second only to the Lord our Savior and then our children!

I can tell you from experience that many a soldier can get this close to those around him, and it is not some immoral thing but comrades in arms dependent upon one another for survival.

Saul and Jonathan may have disagreed on many things, especially about David, but Jonathan remained dedicated to Israel and to his father.

Jonathan remained close to Jehovah even though his father had forsaken Jehovah.

What Jonathan had not been was a friend to his father. He had become David's faithful friend and had remained that way.

This is the theme of these words of David.

David reveals his heart to us by showing his grief for Saul and Jonathan.

David had lived like a fugitive, but he still had respect for those who were anointed of God.

His wives and his family had to suffer through the same hardships as he did.

Saul had hunted David down for seven years and David had every reason to rejoice at the death of Saul, yet it brought sorrow and grief.

We do not read in any of the Scripture where David showed disrespect or dishonored God's anointed ruler in any way.

Our lesson is, when a leader commits corruption and wickedness, or makes the wrong decisions, he is to be corrected.

We are not to condone such a ruler!

We are still to honor that position of leadership!

God used Saul to keep the Philistines from causing harm to God's people and he had done a fair job and would have done a much better job had remained close to Jehovah.

When we read of the love of Johnathan for David, we should be reminded of the love of our Lord Jesus that He has for each of His children.

This is not some feeble love!

This is not some immoral love! The soul of our Lord Jesus is so closely knit in us that nothing can

separate us from the love of Jesus Christ!

The Lord Jesus shows an unselfish love for each believer!

Jonathan could not expect to gain some advantage from his friendship and neither does our Lord.

Johnathan said to David: 1Sa 20:4  Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee. 

Is this not what the Lord Jesus has said to each of us?

Our Lord says, you have not because you ask not because we ask for the wrong reasons. (not the exact words)

The Lord Jesus took off His royalty and took upon Himself the ways of a shepherd, just so He could save us even when we were His enemies at that time.

It is we who are enriched by the love of Christ!

We keep forgetting that love is an action word and not about lust.

The Lord Jesus proved His love for us by His actions on Mount Calvary!

It was not nails and rope that kept the Lord Jesus upon that cross, it was His great love for us!

Where are our actions for Him? Where is our great love for the Lord Jesus?

Why did King Saul die?

*****1Ch 10:13  So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 

1Ch 10:14  And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. 

Saul died because of his disobedience.

Saul died because he did not keep the Word of God.

Saul died because he went to someone described as having a familiar spirit and did not trust the Word of God for the answers he needed.

Samuel was dead and Saul could not call upon the old prophet for God's word. It was impossible!

Familiar spirits are sorcerers or necromancers who say they can call up the dead to answer questions. They can only call up an evil spirit who can impersonate a believer. They cannot call up God's children. There is a great unpassable gulf between Heaven and Hell and between Hell and Paradise at that time.

Deu 18:11  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Isa 8:19  And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?

Lev 20:6  And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. 

Lev 20:7  Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God. 

Lev 20:8  And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you. 

We already know that all those that died in the Old Testament went to a place called Paradise or that place called Hell both of them in the same general location at this time and no one could pass from one side or the other.

Luk 16:26  And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. 

The Lord Jesus Christ took all the saints in Paradise on to Heaven when He returned to Heaven and Hell expanded itself.

Luk_23:43  And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Eph 4:8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 

Eph 4:9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 

Eph 4:10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) 

Rev 1:18  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Mat 27:51  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 

Mat 27:52  And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 

Mat 27:53  And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

These are the ones the Lord took with Him on to Heaven.

Isa 5:14  Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

Now Hell is large enough to keep all those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ and Hell continues to grow because there is no end to sin in the Church Age.

The Lord will return to get all the saints that have died and those who are still alive at the end of the Church Age. This is called the Rapture of the Church not the progressive Church because there is no such thing.

1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 

1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

Amen.