HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN: A SEARCHING QUESTION FOR HEAVENLY-MINDED PILGRIMS
Kehinde A. Bolutife
How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished! (2 Sam 1:27 KJV)
“How are the mighty fallen” is both an exclamation and a question. It is an exclamation as to the unimaginable wonder of how the mighty could fall! On the other hand, it is a searching question for a thoughtful and sober reflection for our learning and admonition, unto whom the end of the world are come.
In the last edition we gleaned into the exclamatory wonder of the fall of the mighty. In this edition we shall be proceeding further to explore “How are the mighty fallen” as a searching question for sober reflection to all saintly pilgrims on the straight and narrow road to the Heavenly Jerusalem.
In the last edition we gleaned into the exclamatory wonder of the fall of the mighty. In this edition we shall be proceeding further to explore “How are the mighty fallen” as a searching question for sober reflection to all saintly pilgrims on the straight and narrow road to the Heavenly Jerusalem.
Questions are the best way to gain deeper insights and develop more innovative solutions. So why do so few people utilize them, asks Paul Sloane?
Children learn by asking questions. Students learn by asking questions. New recruits learn by asking questions. Innovators understand client needs by asking questions. It is the simplest and most effective way of learning.
The great philosophers spend their whole lives asking deep questions about the meaning of life, morality, truth and so on. We do not have to be quite so contemplative but we should nonetheless ask the deep questions about the situations we face. It is the best way to get the information we need to make informed decisions
One of the ways of “looking diligently lest any man should fail of the grace of God” is by asking why and how those who failed actually arrived at the corridor of failure. Asking questions becomes more imperative especially as we know that no mighty man as ever yet sat down to write the script of his downfall. Nevertheless, mighty men are falling and the news of their fall is making headlines in the camp of men and demons! And since we are treading where the saints and mighty men have trod, duty demands that we “Stand…in the way and see and ask…” HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN? So we can escape avoidable pitfalls and traps that became the undoing of the mighty that are fallen.
One of the ways of “looking diligently lest any man should fail of the grace of God” is by asking why and how those who failed actually arrived at the corridor of failure. Asking questions becomes more imperative especially as we know that no mighty man as ever yet sat down to write the script of his downfall. Nevertheless, mighty men are falling and the news of their fall is making headlines in the camp of men and demons! And since we are treading where the saints and mighty men have trod, duty demands that we “Stand…in the way and see and ask…” HOW ARE THE MIGHTY FALLEN? So we can escape avoidable pitfalls and traps that became the undoing of the mighty that are fallen.
Often times when we hear the news about the fall of the mighty, we immediately conclude it to be a sudden fall for lack of patience and diligence in taking the time to ask how it all happened. No fall is sudden. Every fall is always preceded by slips and omissions here and there which were not given attention to or worse enough, rationalized away until it culminated and snowballed into a dangerous trap that eventually killed the mighty! If only we can but ask how and what led to the fall of the mighty, we will be able to gain insight and wisdom on how to avoid the traps, the nets and the pits that are specially and specifically designed to catch the mighty. It is for the purpose of learning that we have the records of their fall preserved in the holy writ so we can glean wisdom and not become another causality on the way to the Heavenly Jerusalem-our bright Harbour. “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels” (Pro 1:5). For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Rom 15:4).
So then, as we look at this question before us, we shall be looking diligently into the silent but seeable slips that led to the fall of Saul-the mighty. Remember, it was over him and his sons that the lamentation was raised “How are the mighty fallen?”
The Beginning Was Good…
Saul was the first king of Israel who started on a very bright and good note. In other words, he had a good beginning. Saul in his beginning was characterized with humility, obedience, self-denial, great courage and divine anointing. But let me quickly chip in this at this point that God is not excited about good starter. The life of Saul teaches us clearly that it is not a big deal that any man has a good beginning; those who started well must hold on well and hold forth to the end. Nobody should congratulate you yet that your beginning is good. Nobody should sing so much about you because you have started. What heaven is waiting to celebrate are good finishers, not good starters. Saul-the first king of Israel-began well as a mighty man of God but he fell all the same! Hence, the more reason why we need to search diligently into some imperceptible pitfalls that led to the fall of Saul the mighty. Nobody is qualified to ridicule any mighty man who is fallen, it is with sober reflection that I searched into the fall of the mighty to gain wisdom and caution. The Scripture says, “Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off” (1 Kings 20: 11). “Brethren, if any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also” (Gal. 6:1 AMP).
The Omissions In The Life Of Saul
Saul was work oriented. As I read the Scriptural records about Saul-the first king in Israel, the first thing I discovered about him is that Saul was not God-oriented. Though anointed by the commandment of God to be king, his life did not gravitate towards God. Throughout Saul’s reign, he consistently approached God only after he had tried everything else (1 Samuel 14:35-37). Saul had forgotten that the source of a thing should also be the sustenance of it; and the solution to its problem. God was the Source of his calling and ordination; and as such it was expected that God, indisputably, would be his Sustenance. But alas! Though he was called and appointed to work for God, he did not border much about establishing a personal relationship with the God of the work. His work for God comes before his life before God. And this is a clear aberration and contradiction to the order set forth in the scripture for every of God servants. In the service of God, life comes before service. Who you are before God is far more important than what you do for God. In fact, your personality before God determines whether your work will be acceptable or not. It is very dangerous for any servant of God to place more value on his work for God than his walk before God. He who comes to equity must come with a clean hand. The statement of Jesus underscores this truth very well. “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name DONE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt 7:21-23 KJV). Every man of God who desires not to fall out and away from God and His calling must place great priority on cultivating the habit of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him Who has called us according to His own purpose and grace.
Saul was the first king of Israel who started on a very bright and good note. In other words, he had a good beginning. Saul in his beginning was characterized with humility, obedience, self-denial, great courage and divine anointing. But let me quickly chip in this at this point that God is not excited about good starter. The life of Saul teaches us clearly that it is not a big deal that any man has a good beginning; those who started well must hold on well and hold forth to the end. Nobody should congratulate you yet that your beginning is good. Nobody should sing so much about you because you have started. What heaven is waiting to celebrate are good finishers, not good starters. Saul-the first king of Israel-began well as a mighty man of God but he fell all the same! Hence, the more reason why we need to search diligently into some imperceptible pitfalls that led to the fall of Saul the mighty. Nobody is qualified to ridicule any mighty man who is fallen, it is with sober reflection that I searched into the fall of the mighty to gain wisdom and caution. The Scripture says, “Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off” (1 Kings 20: 11). “Brethren, if any person is overtaken in misconduct or sin of any sort, you who are spiritual [who are responsive to and controlled by the Spirit] should set him right and restore and reinstate him, without any sense of superiority and with all gentleness, keeping an attentive eye on yourself, lest you should be tempted also” (Gal. 6:1 AMP).
The Omissions In The Life Of Saul
Saul was work oriented. As I read the Scriptural records about Saul-the first king in Israel, the first thing I discovered about him is that Saul was not God-oriented. Though anointed by the commandment of God to be king, his life did not gravitate towards God. Throughout Saul’s reign, he consistently approached God only after he had tried everything else (1 Samuel 14:35-37). Saul had forgotten that the source of a thing should also be the sustenance of it; and the solution to its problem. God was the Source of his calling and ordination; and as such it was expected that God, indisputably, would be his Sustenance. But alas! Though he was called and appointed to work for God, he did not border much about establishing a personal relationship with the God of the work. His work for God comes before his life before God. And this is a clear aberration and contradiction to the order set forth in the scripture for every of God servants. In the service of God, life comes before service. Who you are before God is far more important than what you do for God. In fact, your personality before God determines whether your work will be acceptable or not. It is very dangerous for any servant of God to place more value on his work for God than his walk before God. He who comes to equity must come with a clean hand. The statement of Jesus underscores this truth very well. “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name DONE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt 7:21-23 KJV). Every man of God who desires not to fall out and away from God and His calling must place great priority on cultivating the habit of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him Who has called us according to His own purpose and grace.
Saul was impulsive. He speaks before he thinks. He took some crucial and vital decision without consulting with God and the result was a colossal setback. Of course this is inseparably connected with the first omission. They that will do the will of God must know His will; and they that will know His will must hear His voice. But how can a leader hear the voice of God without having personal relationship with Him? Once he lost out of favour with God, Saul resolved to guess work; living an
d leading the entire nation on assumption and predictions, having lost contact with the prophetic guidance of Samuel who anointed him to be king.
d leading the entire nation on assumption and predictions, having lost contact with the prophetic guidance of Samuel who anointed him to be king.
Saul was more interested in looking good than in doing the right thing. He was more concerned about protecting his image than obeying the voice of God. He would rather shift blame on people and followers that admitting his fault and asking for forgiveness. He was a leader who frowns at correction. “Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die” Prov. 15:10. As a result, he eventually died with the uncircumcised! When looking good before men and wining men’s approval become the priority of any leader, such a leader is definitely not going to end well in life. No man can serve two masters.
Saul was people oriented. He was a man of the people by the people for the people. Somebody that can be described as a politician in today’s language. He would rather prefer the honour that comes from men to that which comes from God. Saul would choose to obey man rather than God. His life stands in a clear separation from the disciples of Christ who boldly and publicly confessed “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men” (Act 5:29). When Saul was confronted on his partial obedience concerning the matter of the Amalekites, he blamed people. At other time when asked why he had to offer the sacrificed which was outside the jurisdiction of his office, he also gave the excuse of people. Any leader that will fulfill the counsel of God and finish well in life and ministry must not be people-oriented but God-oriented. Such must be ready to offend man if that would mean obeying God. God-ordained leader must be ready to sacrifice everything on the altar of obedience to God. King Saul was not such a leader.
Saul was a disobedient king. Every employee is under obligation to obey his employer. But Saul was the appointed king who chose to disobey his Employer at will. Saul was the king who would replace obedience with sacrificial offerings and bogus service. But God demands obedience from His leaders even if it costs them their lives. His acts of disobedience eventually led to his downfall. Remember the young prophet as well? He also died untimely as a result of disobedience.
Saul abandoned God in his moments of distress. Saul had banned all mediums and wizards from Israel because God had strictly forbidden the Israelites to have anything to do with black magic, fortune tellers, witches, wizards or anyone who claimed to bring forth spirits from the dead (Deut. 18:9-14). But when Saul was overwhelmed at the sight of the Philistine army, instead of turning to God, he turned to the evil spirits he had once banned from the land. He turned to the occult. He began with God but ended with the devil and his life conformed to the saying “A dog returns to its vomit.” That is the peak of backsliding!
Saul died in the hand of his enemies. Saul eventually fell! He died as one who was never anointed. He died the death of a backslider. He died with the sinners. He died in the hand of the enemies. He died without celebration. However, his fall was not a sudden fall. No man falls by a single slip; the eventual fall of a man is the product of cumulative quiet slips overtime.
How are the mighty fallen! It is an exclamation as to the unimaginable wonder of how the mighty could fall! How are the mighty fallen? It is a searching question for a thoughtful and sober reflection for our learning and admonition, unto whom the end of the world are come.
Note:
The gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. He may continue to use you even if you are breaking your consecrations.
God’s present is not an indication of God’s Presence
The end or result is not necessarily a justification of the means.
Assumptions are costly. It takes more time, energy and resources to recover what you lost by a little assumption. Sometimes, you may never recover it or you may not be fully recovered.
The gifts and the calling of God are without repentance. He may continue to use you even if you are breaking your consecrations.
God’s present is not an indication of God’s Presence
The end or result is not necessarily a justification of the means.
Assumptions are costly. It takes more time, energy and resources to recover what you lost by a little assumption. Sometimes, you may never recover it or you may not be fully recovered.
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” Rom 15:4 “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels” Prov 1:5 KJV.
May we all be wise men who learn from the fall of the mighty. God bless you.