”But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all their mighty warriors traveled through the night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies. Then they took their bones and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days.“
1 Samuel 31:11-13 NLT
a. All the valiant men arose: In a time of disgrace, loss, and tragedy like this, God still had valiant men to do His work. The men of Jabesh Gilead took down the bodies of Saul and his sons from their place of humiliation and gave them a proper burial.
i. Glory to God, He always has His valiant men! When one servant passes from the scene, another arises to take his place. If Saul is gone, God raises up a David. If the army of Israel is utterly routed, God still has His valiant men. God’s work is bigger than any man or any group of people.
b. The inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead: These valiant men are also recognized for their gratitude. Many years before Saul delivered their city from the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11:1-11), and they repaid the kindness God showed them from the hand of Saul. Upon taking the throne David rightly thanked these valiant men for their kindness to the memory of Saul, Jonathan and Saul’s other sons (2 Samuel 2:4-7).
i. When David heard of Saul’s death, he did not rejoice. In fact, he mourned and composed a song in honor of Saul and Jonathan (The Song of the Bow, 2 Samuel 1:19-27). In spite of all that Saul did against David, David spoke well of Saul after his death.
ii. Choosing this kind of heart showed David to be a true “Man after God’s Own Heart.” It showed that the years in the wilderness escaping Saul really were years when God trained him to be a king after God’s own heart. Despite his sin, David never followed in the same tragic footsteps as King Saul. (Guzik)
Valiant Men
I wondered what the “world” definition of valiant men was and found this:
“Our Mission: To EQUIP men for the work of the ministry here and abroad.
To ENCOURAGE men to take the role of spiritual leadership within their homes and spheres of influence.
To EXHORT married men to love their wives as Christ loved the church, unmarried men to care only for the things that belong to the Lord, and for all men to exemplify servant leadership to the world.
To INVITE men into opportunities to serve the world around them.”
The Apostle Paul, speaking on men of faith:
Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises,
stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong,became valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the strangers. Women received their dead raised to life again,
and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. (Heb 11:33-35 MKJV)
Are you a valiant man or woman of faith?
Blessings
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