Reading for the Day: Obedience

And so, in the end, Saul dies. And in today's reading, David mourns for him and for his son Jonathan.

And it seems clear that Saul dies a humiliating death because of his disobedience.

I read a commentary on the internet saying that disobedience seems to be man's principal sin ever since Adam. Adam's sin was that he disobeyed God and ate of the tree of knowledge when he was told not to. Much, much later, it is Saul's turn to disobey and he too is punished (or ends up tormenting himself).

This theme of obedience seems to find redemption then in Christ's crucifixion, which is a symbol of obedience unto death.

From all their points of view, God's orders might not have made a lot of sense. Why was Adam forbidden to eat from the tree of knowledge? Why was Saul punished for offering sacrifices to God or wanting to offer sacrifices to God? Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?

The difference between the three characters is that even if it did not make sense and even if it meant pain and suffering, Jesus obeyed.