”Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons.“
I Samuel 31:2 NKJV
a. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul’s sons: Tragically, Saul’s sons were affected in the judgment of God against their father Saul. The brave and worthy Jonathan died as we might expect him to – loyally fighting for his God, his country, and his father the king to the very end.
b. Saul’s sons: Their death was tragic, yet important in God’s plan. In taking the logical heirs to Saul’s throne, God cleared the way for David to become the next king of Israel. We know that if Jonathan had survived he would have gladly yielded the throne to David (1 Samuel 18:1-4). But the same could not be said of Saul’s other sons. God was also merciful to Jonathan, sparing him the ordeal of having to side with David against his own brothers.
i. “There was also a special providence of God in taking away Jonathan, (who of all Saul’s sons seems to have been the fairest for the crown,) for the preventing divisions, which have happened amongst the people concerning the successor; David’s way to the crown being by this means made the more clear.” (Poole)
ii. As it was, David had to deal with Ishbosheth, the one surviving son of Saul before taking the undisputed throne of Israel (2 Samuel 2:8 through 4:12).
Special Providence
When serving as a volunteer chaplain at the Arizona State Veterans Home there was a veteran that didn’t want much interaction, it was as he had put up a wall. But he would listen as I interacted with other veterans around the dining table. Then he ended up in the VA Hospital so I decided to visit him. The VA staff was unable to locate his room in their system. When he eventually returned to the ASVH I told him I tried to visit him at the VA Hospital and he was surprised, and in an instant the wall came down. He allowed me to visit him weekly and to share Jesus Christ with him. His health declined and he was placed in hospice. One Friday when I made my rounds, his wife and two adult daughters were there. I knocked on the door and he invited me inside his room. As I entered he said to his daughters, “now you listen to what the chaplain has to say!”
On that particular morning the Lord put on my heart to change the Bible verse that I was going to share with the veterans.
”Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come.“ Isaiah 57:1 NLT
After I shared this verse I looked up and one of the daughters had left the room.
I know in my heart the Lord wanted her to hear that scripture.
I believe by special providence the following morning, the Lord took that veteran home because the next verse says: ”For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.“ Isaiah 57:2 NLT
Blessings
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