They say ‘hindsight is 20/20’. The only catch is that we don’t have that luxury of going back and doing things over again, in most cases. But that doesn’t stop us though from having those moments when we do look back and wonder ‘what if’...we had handled that situation differently, or spent more time exploring those options before we made that less than desirable choice we made. If you are not careful, you can get ensnared with spending too much time looking back, instead of forward. I suppose that is why Paul exhorts us to ‘forget those things that are behind...and press on toward the goal for the price found in Christ Jesus...’ (Phil. 3:13-14)

I have wondered on more than one occasion how things might have played out back in the garden, had Adam and Eve handled that situation differently after they ate off the tree and their eyes were ‘opened’; and instead of hiding to cover up their shame and nakedness, what if they had run to God immediately when they heard His voice and confessed their sin. But they didn’t. Instead, they attempted to sew leaves together, and when called out by God...they began to make excuses and cast blame on others, so I suppose we’ll never know the answer to that ‘what if’ question, on ‘this side of heaven’.

And could the whole scene with King Saul have played out differently, had he not chose to debate with God (via Samuel) and just admitted up front that he ‘messed up’ and came clean? Perhaps, but he didn’t; and as we continue reading of his downward spiral in 1 Samuel 15-31, the rejected king grows more bitter as ‘evil spirits from the Lord’ continue to harden his heart and torment his soul.(18:10; 19:9). Resentment and envy and anger and murder begin to ‘move in’ and direct his thoughts and actions. He even consults a witch for counsel at one point (28:3-11).

But it’s the tragic end of Saul’s life that we want to focus on here today in order to wrap up this insightful lesson. Keep in mind that Saul remained as king until his death, even though God had ‘rejected him’ (15:26). You might say that God had withdrawn His favor and blessings upon Saul’s rule, and already had the next king (David) anointed and in waiting to succeed him. So let’s ‘fast-forward’ to chapter 31 in 1 Samuel where we are told that Israel was at war with the Philistines, and it had been a brutal battle. Saul’s sons had been killed, including Jonathan... and even King Saul took an arrow and was ‘severely wounded’ by archers (1-3).

Just a side-note of interest here, regarding the Philistines. When studying biblical ‘typology’, where you see much ‘foreshadowing’ woven through the tales of the OT, the Philistines represent the ‘flesh’, which we know to be the carnal, human nature that is hostile towards God (Rom. 8:7-8). So when God instructs us to ‘put it to death’, He has good reasons for doing so, as illustrated in some of these Old Testament stories. When God instructed Saul to totally eradicate the Amalekites, He had His reasons; yet Saul failed to follow through on that mission as we have looked at the past few days. Now he is embroiled with an even fiercer battle and is wounded severely. Take a moment and read 15:4-13 to finish the chapter.

Saul knew he was dying and ordered his armor-bearer to end his life there on the battle field by thrusting his sword through him, lest he be taken alive by the enemy and then abused. But the armor-bearer refused, so Saul took a sword and fell on it to end his own life, and when the armor-bearer saw that Saul was now dead, he followed suit and ended his life as well (4-6).

Rejecting God and His ways...always comes with a price; and it is often costly and even tragic at times, as we saw with King Saul’s life. But it didn’t have to be that way, for him, or for anyone else. (2 Pet. 3:9; Matt.23:37; Luke 13:3,5).

Now you might think that is the end of the story, and chapter as well, but the real nugget of truth and revelation is found in the very next chapter which is 2 Samuel 1. This might be a perfect submission for an episode on Paul Harvey’s -'The Rest of the Story'... that many of us grew up listening to.

David learns of Saul’s death as well as his sons and the outcome of that battle. The man who brought this news is unknown to David, so he inquires as to who he is. It turns out this man was an Amalekite (13). But the account of what took place in Saul’s last moments alive is what we need to sit up and make note of. Apparently, Saul did not die when he fell upon his sword, and when this young man stumbled upon the bloody scene, Saul pleaded with this man to ‘finish him off’, apparently unable to do the job himself. And so he did (10), returning the crown that was on his head to David.

Do you see the irony here in this last account? Saul was killed by an Amalekite. Nearly ten years earlier, who had Saul been commanded to destroy? ( 1 Sam. 15:2-3)

When God’s word commands us to ‘put to death the deeds of the flesh’, can we just agree that God has His reasons for it? (Rom. 8:13-14) If/when we allow anger and pride, greed and resentment, lust and envy (along with all the other ‘deeds of the flesh) to continue to live...is it possible that those very things could be our downfall as well?

Did God put those instructions/commands in His word for us to analyze and debate, or to ‘do’? When did God change? Does He still mean what He says? Was He kidding around when He told Adam...’in the day that you eat off that tree, you will surely die’? (Gen. 2:17). Is God serious when He declares in His word that if we continue to live according to the flesh (nature)...we will die? (Rom. 8:13)

What will it take for a sleeping church to awaken and recognize that He is coming back for a bride who has been made holy and spotless and blameless? (Eph. 5:8-21,26; Matt. 25:10; Rev. 19:7; 2 Cor. 7:1; 1 John 3:3)

What an incredible lesson for us to learn from King Saul’s tragic mistakes, now that we know....’the rest of his story’.