2 Samuel 1:1-4
Verse 4 “What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.” “The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
Now that David, his men and all of their families are back in Ziklag they had likely put thoughts of the battle they had been rejected from in the back of their minds. They had their families back and there were many stories to tell and much joy to be shared about being back together. They would also have to be sifting through the burnt out city to figure out what needed to be done to rebuild.
They had only been back for three days when an unexpected visitor came into the town and falls at David’s feet. Now David wasn’t the king and so likely wouldn’t have had attire which set him apart from the rest of the men. The fact the man seemed to know David’s rank among the group showed he seemed to know David. The fact the man was dressed in torn clothes and had dust on his head showed he was in distress.
David starts by asking where the man had come from. Was this another trap? Was this man sent as a spy into their camp? What was he up to? The man responds to David’s spoken question by saying that he has escaped the Israelite army. Did that mean that he was a defector? Was he hoping for refuge with David and his men? Or could he be leading Saul and his army into David’s hometown?
The man’s answer to David’s next spoken question must have come like a punch in the gut to the future king. With mixed emotions he would have taken in the information that his days of running from the king are over. But it also meant the man he had learned from was gone and more than that his very best friend was dead. There would be no more surprise visits for encouragement from the man who was more like a brother to him.
David probably experienced the heartbreak which comes with such news. Memories started floating through his mind of all the various interactions he had experienced with his father-in-law, some would have brought a smile and some would deepen the sadness. And then of course there were the memories of his dear friend, Jonathan. The loss of this friend would have cut deeply, he would never have another friend like him.
Making It Personal
When have you ever experienced getting bad news like this? How did you respond? Were you able to feel God’s comfort in the loss?
Making It Personal Kids
Have you ever had someone tell you news that was hard to hear? How did it make you feel? Did it help to know that Jesus was close to you?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for being there in the hard times of life. Thank You for placing people in our lives to love. Help us see when someone is grieving and could use a friend to grieve with and help us love them like You do. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Commentaires