The Crown

 DEVOTION

2^nd SAMUEL

THE CROWN

 

2 Samuel 1:1-12

1:1 After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and with dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor. 3 "Where have you come from?" David asked him. He answered, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp." 4 "What happened?" David asked. "Tell me." He said, "The men fled from the battle. Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead." 5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, "How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?" 6 "I happened to be on Mount Gilboa," the young man said, "and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and riders almost upon him. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, 'What can I do?' 8 "He asked me, 'Who are you?' "'An Amalekite,' I answered. 9 "Then he said to me, 'Stand over me and kill me! I am in the throes of death, but I'm still alive.' 10 "So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord." 11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12 They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

NIV

This is a strange account for when Saul fell on his own sword, he did not die instantly, for we are told that an Amalekite had asked Saul what he could do, and Saul told him to stand over him and kill him, for he was in the throes of death but was still alive. This Amalekite took Saul’s crown and arm band, the symbols of a king, and brought them to David. Why would David and his men mourn over Saul’s death? But their mourning was also for Jonathan, a dear covenant friend of David, and the whole of the Israeli army. What do we learn from this narrative that we can apply to our lives? We could see with the Amalekites falling to the ground paying honor to David, that it would be good for us to pay honor to those who are leaders of our land, that is, they stand at the helm. However, it would be better to see that we bow low to the ground to pay honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus, the Son of God, and to the Father and the Spirit. Who am I, Oh Sovereign Lord, that you have taken me this far? We may not bow physically face down on the ground before you, but we bow ourselves, our hearts and minds, paying you honor, glory, giving you all the praise and honor for, first, who you are, second, for all you have done, for us, in us, and what you will and are doing through us. You, oh Lord, are above all things, Sovereign, Lord of heaven and earth, you are at the helm of our lives. The Amalekite brought David the crown and the arm band of a king. We have already been given the crown of righteousness, because we are in Jesus, and the crown of life, because of Jesus, and we will receive the crown of glory when we stand before Jesus on that last day. What a glorious day that will be, when our Jesus we will see, when we look upon his face, the one who saved us by his grace, when he takes us by the hand and leads us through the promised land, what a day, glorious day that will be. Oh Sovereign Lord, we bow before you and crown you, all hail the name of Jesus, we crown him, crown him, crown him Lord of all. Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. We bow ourselves before you and are crowning you our Lord.