ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 TOKONAKI ‘EPELELI 4, 2026

1 SAMIUELA 28-31; SIONE 8:39-47

Sin is a liar. It makes promises it will never keep, offering life, but leading instead to destruction and death.

Ko angahala ko e tama loi. ‘Oku ne palomesi ‘a e me’a ‘oku ‘ikai te ne lava ke fakahoko, tu’uaki mai ‘a e mo’ui, ka ko hono iku’angaa ko e mate mo e ‘auha.

It's important to realize that, until we are on the other side, with peace and righteousness reigning forever and ever, we will be told lies every day. When Satan first enters the scene in the garden of Eden, he proves himself to be a liar. The business of sin is deceit; its promises cannot be trusted. The good life that sin offers is the ultimate evil sleight of hand. I once watched card sharks on a street in Philadelphia. They made it look as though money were ready to be made, but the players always lost. I walked away wondering why anybody would ever play. But I knew the answer: the delusion of easy money drew players in. Similarly, we are deceived into thinking that blessing, benefit, and real life can be found somewhere outside of God's boundaries. Adam and Eve bought into that delusion, and people have been buying in ever since. Sin dangles, we reach, and nothing good happens in the end.

First Samuel 31 records the sad end of Saul's life. This final account of King Saul's life should make us weep:

Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. And the Philistines overtook Saul and his sons, and the Philistines struck down Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. The battle pressed hard against Saul, and the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, "Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me." But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. (1 Sam. 31:1-5)

What a tragic end to this anointed king's life. The army of the king was completely defeated, his sons were killed in battle, and Saul died by suicide. When we read this account, we find it hard to remember the glory days when Saul was anointed as the first king of Israel. Saul has listened to and chased sin's lie. He knowingly stepped over God's boundaries, while excusing his transgressions. What was Saul thinking? Where did he tell himself the story would end? Did he really think he was smarter than God? Did he reason that God would simply ignore his rebellion?

I am persuaded that this account is in our Bibles because God loves us and wants to warn us. The wages of sin really is death (Rom. 6:23), and we all buy into sin's deceit. That's why we need to be rescued from ourselves, and why God in grace sent his Son to be the rescuer. Jesus offers us not only real life with a joyous end, but also power right here, right now to stand against sin's deceit. Run to him - he won't turn you away.