1 Chronicles 10
“Then they proclaimed the good news of Saul’s death before their idols and to the people throughout the land of Philistia.” (1 Chronicles 10:9, NLT)
The devil has his “good news”. Whenever a saint of God falls there is great rejoicing in hell among the demons. They dance around the flames in hideous revelry when they can make sport of the Creator’s champions. They take perverse pleasure in hurting God.
Likewise, when the pagan Philistines defeated their enemy, they proclaimed their gospel before their idols and spread it throughout their country. “Saul and his sons are dead! Praise to Dagon our god!” But in their celebration they were deceived. They thought that Dagon had defeated Yahweh, but that could never be! Instead, because Saul sinned and was unfaithful to the LORD, God lifted His hand of protection and let Satan have his way with Saul. For God to be just the ancient law had to be served: “In the day you sin you shall surely die.”
Saul had started out well. When Samuel anointed him as king, Saul was humble and faithful to God. He was a courageous and capable warrior, fighting the LORD’s battles. But he fell to pride and to pleasing people rather than pleasing God. Because Saul did not obey the LORD, God searched for a man who was after His own heart. Rather than humbling himself and accepting his punishment, Saul resisted the LORD and pursued David’s life. But no matter how hard he tried, Saul could not penetrate God’s protective shield around His servant. The death of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa was the tragic result of a heart that turned away from God.
When our heroes fall, there is great sorrow in the kingdom of God. But there is great rejoicing in the enemy’s camp. Yet the devil’s party is short-lived. The demons danced with glee around the cross to see the Son rejected, humiliated, and cut off. But their delight soon turned to agonizing defeat when Christ disarmed the principalities, triumphed over them, and made a public spectacle of them! (Colossians 2:15) Christ’s blood of cleansing and forgiveness is greater than then ancient law of sin and death. Therefore, let us proclaim the good news throughout our country: “Salvation has come to everyone who believes!”