Ruin at Gilboa / Ruined Fellowship

As David lamented the loss of Saul and Jonathan on mount Gilboa, he used the phrase, 'how are the mighty fallen', three times. Already we have noticed how that leadership and friendship were ruined amongst Israel of old; now as David closes his lamentation we are faced with a ruined fellowship.

I have drawn a parallel between Israel's ruin on Gilboa and the present ruin of evangelical protestantism which had once been championed by first and second generation Free Presbyterianism. Early in Saul's reign he was identified with the Ark of the covenant (1Sam14:18), it was there that he made inquiry, sought and found direction in a time of deep crisis. The Ark of the testimony was the place of fellowship with God; this fellowship which God's redeemed people enjoyed with the LORD, was and is afforded on the ground and merit of the shed blood, which was sprinkled upon the mercy seat; here God condescends to meet with His redeemed people.

It is interesting to note that, this was the last time that Saul approached the mercy seat; afterward he allowed himself to be governed by political principles and to depend on political direction as he spared Agag and the spoil of the Amalekites. 'How are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished'. David mourned over Saul and Jonathan, he mourned over the people of God that had fought bravely on Gilboa and lost; he mourned over a ruined leadership, he lamented ruined friendships, but as he surveyed the ruined fellowship of God's people, no wonder he poured out those heart rending words; 'how are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished'.

On Gilboa, 'the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away'; God's people had followed their leadership into battle against the enemy, without first putting on the armour of God; their leaders had left off carrying the shield of faith, and they followed in the same reckless path. Saul had trusted in the shield of a political mandate, more than in the shield of the LORD; he did know better, he knew what God had said to Abraham, his forefather; 'I am thy shield'. Saul had turned away from fellowship with God and sought fellowship with fallen man; in turn God's people had left off following the Lord and had begun to follow the man.

'How are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished'; Saul's political achievements, his political titles, his political privileges and power could not guarantee him victory on Gilboa, in the day of spiritual battle. Without constant fellowship with God, God's people were no different to the enemy in a human sense; they were on enemy soil, using enemy weapons and employing enemy tactics; they were fighting a spiritual battle in the strength of the flesh; they were bound to lose and so they did. The only way for God's people to be assured of victory against the enemy is by remembering that, 'the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds'.

So too in Ulster, evangelical protestants have cast off the LORD as their shield, we have turned away from the mercy seat of our God, we have placed our confidence in political leaders and institutions, we have entered into conflict with the enemy, AND WE HAVE LOST! Evangelical protestant leaders have abandoned their former separatist principles and now whole heartily support political power sharing with unrepentant terrorists; they see no problem in having our civil and religious liberties the subject of secular humanist debate. These protestant evangelicals are prepared to discuss our protestant heritage, whether at spiritual or political level with Roman Catholics; our heritage, which is based solely upon the Word of God should never be open to debate with the world; evangelical protestantism has separated from the unscriptural position of Roman Catholicism at the reformation and does not want to recant our confession of faith in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. 'How are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished'.

The signing of the Hillsborough agreement has witnessed the ruination of our fellowship as God's people; it has endorsed the release of criminals into society which is contrary to God's Word; it has assured the devolution of policing and justice into the hands of a terrorist inclusive government; it has underpinned the secular discussion of our civil and religious liberty; it has made way for the introduction of secular humanism through the equality legalisation; it has plastered the word compromise all over the once stable position of protestantism.

With the benefit of hindsight, it was a very sorry day when Ulster evangelical protestants, allowed our spiritual principles to slip into the hands of ambitious political leaders, who were only too willing to sell our protestant evangelical birth right for a taste of vain glory. Interestingly David did not pass judgment on any of God's people that day, and neither should we in our day, it is enough to say with David, 'how are the mighty fallen and the weapons of war perished'. What are we left with now? A ruined fellowship as God's people, yes; yet one that, praise God, can be restored and revived.