Sermon--The Bible mentions several instances where individuals took their own lives:

 

The Bible mentions several instances where individuals took their own lives:

• Saul and his armor-bearer (1 Samuel 31:4-5): After being defeated by the Philistines, King Saul, fearing capture and humiliation, asked his armor-bearer to kill him. When the armor-bearer refused, Saul took his own sword and fell on it. His armor-bearer, seeing Saul dead, also took his own life.
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• Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23): Ahithophel, a counselor to King David, gave Absalom, David's son, advice on how to overthrow his father. When Absalom rejected his advice, Ahithophel became despondent and hanged himself.
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• Zimri (1 Kings 16:18): Zimri, after killing King Elah, reigned as king for seven days. When the army of Omri, who was chosen by the people to be king, approached the city, Zimri set the palace on fire and died in the flames.
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• Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:5): Judas, one of the twelve apostles, betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. After realizing the gravity of his sin, he returned the money to the chief priests and elders and hanged himself.
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• Abimelech (Judges 9:54): Abimelech, a son of Gideon, became king of Shechem. During a battle against the city of Thebez, a woman dropped a millstone on his head, mortally wounding him. In great pain, he asked his armor-bearer to kill him with a sword, so that it would not be said that a woman killed him.
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• Samson (Judges 16:29-30): Samson, a powerful judge of Israel, was captured by the Philistines and blinded. When the Philistines gathered to mock him, Samson prayed to God for strength. God granted his request, and Samson pushed down the pillars of the temple, killing himself and thousands of Philistines.