1 Samuel 31:11-13 Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men arose and travelled all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth Shan; and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. NKJV
Goodness From The Bones of The Deranged Man
In 1 Samuel Chapter 11, we read how Nahash the Ammonite came up and camped against Jabesh Gilead. The men of Jabesh were not up for a fight that day, for they knew they were greatly outnumbered and could not win and as men, had obviously lost their will, their strength, their courage to even have a go at doing so and therfore, they sought peace. They humbly approached Nahash and asked for terms. Nahash speedily returned his price by saying "On this condition I will make a covenant with you, that I may put out all your right eyes, and bring reproach on all Israel." 1 Samuel 11:2 NKJV. Nice man. Sometimes the enemy would rather blind us than kill us. Look at Samson. Remember that.
It was Saul who eventually heard of their plight, rallied Israel, rode to save them and delivered them from so great a calamity and the men of Jabesh, who miraculously found their courage revived that day, regained their strong dignity and found their lost respect and mislaid manhood. So, according to our text tonight who else should have the thankful impetus and to ride so valiantly that night well behind enemy lines to retrieve the mortal remains of their lately deranged but once magnificent deliverer? Of course, none else but the once delivered and extremely thankful, now 20/20 vision men of Jabesh Gilead.
This journey we are on dear friends, is both glorious and dangerous at the same time, but this side of heaven, mostly dangerous. The wrong choices we can make whilst upon it can allow a foothold for the enemy, which then can and indeed has for so many, wrecked the later lives of those who once had begun to march so well. Yes, as we move on along our own coastal paths, we shall see upon our own very shaky horizons, the shipwrecked hulks of those who once were God’s bright sail! If we would be men to them in their pitiful wrecks, if we would be valiant in their coming aground, then let us begin within ourselves by never forgetting the good which God did to us through those same saints, who when in their more saner and spiritually strong days, also delivered us from every big bad and very mad belligerent evil which, without their intervention, would have left us half blind as well. As we look upon their brokenness, let us say, “Truly, there but for the grace of God go I.” So, don’t condemn and curse your fallen leaders, pity and rescue them, for no doubt they did you great good in their great past.
The decayed flesh was burnt from the bones of Saul and his sons and those charred bones were then with all honour and due rites, buried in the private heartlands of the land of their own redemption. Let us do the same. Let us remove the sin rotted flesh from what remains of our fallen heroes and keep their essential structure, the very bones of all that was once good and righteous, and bury it under the trees of the heartland of our redemption that now in death, they might still succour the root system of our own and continued spiritual growth. He who has ears to hear, him hear.
Listen: - And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had placed the children of Israel under solemn oath, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here with you." Exodus 13:19 NKJV.
Pray:- Lord, we mourn for all our fallen comrades, whose sin, for whatever reason, has this side of heaven been unrecoverable. We shall redeem their bones and remember the former days of their glory and look to the full redemptive honour yet to come upon them. Yes, with both our saved eyes we look for them in Your redemption, amen.
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