Jonathan realized that David would be the king (1 Sam. 23:17), but instead of going to follow David according to God’s will, Jonathan remained with his father because of his natural affection toward his father. In type, Jonathan’s following David would have signified our following Christ and our giving Him the preeminence (Col. 1:18). Because of his failure Jonathan suffered the same fate as his father and died with him in the battle. Thus, Jonathan lost the proper and adequate enjoyment of his portion in the good land promised by God.

Saul’s tragic end was altogether due to his not being properly related to God’s economy. God, wanting to build up His kingdom among His chosen people, had brought Saul into His economy, but instead of participating in God’s economy and cooperating with it, Saul was selfish and usurped God’s kingdom to build up his own monarchy. With David the situation was entirely different. When David was anointed by Samuel, he had a clear understanding that he had been assigned by God to be the king, but he did not have any thought about kingship. After Saul was appointed to be the king, he was immediately filled with thoughts of the kingship, including how his son would succeed him (1 Sam. 20:31). In this, Saul was selfish and wrong to the uttermost. Eventually, God gave Saul up and cut him off, tearing the kingdom away from him (1 Sam. 15:28). Because Saul was given up by God, he was left alone, like an orphan, having no provision of help when trouble came. Because of Saul’s selfishness, the people of Israel suffered defeat and were slaughtered in the fight against the Philistines, and Saul and his sons were killed. Saul’s ambition to have the kingdom for himself and for his son, with his jealousy of David, annulled and ended his enjoyment of the good land promised by God. The collective death of Saul, his three sons, and his armor bearer was God’s fair judgment on the one who had rebelled against Him, had usurped Him, and had become His enemy (1 Chron. 10:13-14).

From Saul’s tragic end we should learn the lesson of crucifying our flesh and denying our selfishness — our self-interest and self-seeking (Gal. 5:24; Matt. 16:24; Phil. 2:3). The record of Saul’s terrible end is a strong warning to all who serve in the kingdom of God not to do a separate work within the kingdom of God or to abuse anything in the kingdom. We should not be like Saul, trying to build up a “monarchy” for ourselves; rather, we should all do one unique work to build up the kingdom of God, the Body of Christ.